1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Gabapentin

Short term low dosage Gabapentin still experiencing significant withdrawal symptoms

Posted , 54 users are following.

keith_40678
keith_40678

Hi all

Took Gabapentin for 17 consecutive days at 1 x 300mg capsule at night. Prescribed for lower back neuropathic pain. No impact on pain and didn't like how this med made me feel - constant "spaced out" feeling, unable to focus or concentrate at work or driving and completely flat mood. So, decided to stop taking it cold turkey 7 days ago. Having taken a relatively low dose for just under 3 weeks I thought there'd be no issues at all. How wrong can you be?!!! I'll mention that I've no previous experience of anxiety or depression and not taken any other meds recently. Last course of tablets were antibiotics a couple of years ago. So, In no particular order I've experienced the following symptoms since stopping GP - Anxiety to the point of jumping out of my skin, periods of significant low mood, whole body tremor, chills, disrupted and non refreshing sleep, severe muscle twitching in legs and an array of stomach issues. I find it incredible that this has happened and that this med can have such a profound effect in such a short space of time. Would love to hear if anyone else has suffered similarly after taking low dose for short periods?

8 likes, 153 replies

153 Replies

Prev Next
  • keith_40678
    keith_40678

    Edited

    Well, thought I'd just update my post with events from yesterday and today. Thought I'd cracked it yesterday, had a perfectly normal day, no symptoms whatsoever, slept for about 6 hours straight last night then had the day from hell today! Horrible anxiety and crushing head pain.

    How come the withdraws symptoms can disappear one day and then back with a vengeance the next?? Feeling very dispirited.

    • heather91375
      heather91375 keith_40678

      Edited

      It is your body trying to reset itself, it means that your brain is starting to disengage from the dependence of gabapentin and starting to heal itself. This is normal.. Please stay the course of not going back on it if you can.. you are halfway there and you can do this! Just keep reminding yourself that everyday you get through is one day closer to being away from this hell drug for good.. It may take a month or a little longer for your withdrawals to go away but it DOES get better..
    • heather91375
      heather91375 keith_40678

      Posted

      I also forgot to mention.. Go to edens garden( essential oil website and order a 5 ml bottle of sweet marjoram.. It works great for anxiety, safe to use 1-3 drops several times a day around your heart area ( also buy a carrier oil like coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil etc) the oil helps the sweet marjoram seep better in the skin, works in a couple minutes and calms your adrenaline (central nervous system) it's a great way to calm yourself and all the excess adrenaline your brain will make screaming for the gabapentin you are no longer taking... The sweet marjoram oil is non toxic for humans) don't allow around pets or kids.. It will take about a week for it to get to you unless you pay for quicker shipping.. There are other oils available if that doesn't help but it works great! Let me know if you have questions please.. Heads up.. Insomnia is normal also as the gabapentin took over your serotonin for those 17 days, and serotonin allows us to sleep.. Take care Keith and let me know please!

    • keith_40678
      keith_40678 heather91375

      Posted

      Hi Heather,

      Many thanks for your kind and thoughtful posts. I notice you were prescribed GP for the same reasons as me. It's funny, but at that moment when I had the excruciating burning nerve pain from damaged lumbar discs, I would have taken anything to ease the pain. Now I'm wondering if docs realise what it is that they're prescribing and the implications for people who just need some short term pain relief. I'll certainly be trying your recommendations and will let you know how it goes. It's definitely a rollercoaster ride!!

    • heather91375
      heather91375 keith_40678

      Posted

      Hi Keith, I started taking it for the exact same reason you did, for some type of pain relief! And come to find out that part of why my lower back was hurting was because I was sitting and commuting too much while I lived in Hawaii( military) and because my code is unstable from living a sedentary lifestyle.. How are your symptoms now? And how much were you taking and for how long? Sorry to ask again as you know this stupid gabapentin has our memory messed up lol
    • Tannersnan
      Tannersnan keith_40678

      Edited

      WOW my doct6just prescribed gamabintin for my pain I have not taken yet and after readings all of the side effects and withdrawal issues I WON'T BE TAKING IT. I am currently on Cymbalta that doesn't do much either and tramodol for pain not too helpful either. Everything has damn side effects that are worse than the pain sometimes. I am going to try CBD oils. Something with less side effects.....

    • babs99203
      babs99203 Tannersnan

      Posted

      If you're now familiar with the problems with gab and the withdrawal and difficulties getting off it I've got some more bad news. I'm sorry, but many people think that getting off Cymbalta is as hard or worse. Remember not everyone has problems, but when you're ready to decrease your Cymbalta or to get off it, do so very carefully. Ignorance may be bliss, except for getting off meds and causing serious problems, so I wanted you to avoid future problems.

      You hit on something else too many of us suspect. The meds may not help much and the side effects may be worse than the original pain. If I knew then what I know now, I'd have only taken gab for the first few weeks of my shingles. Once the pain was down to a 6-7, I should have gotten of it. Now it's almost two years later and I"m still slowly tapering so I can have a life during the withdrawal.

  • kimberly45582
    kimberly45582 keith_40678

    Posted

    Hi Keith, so sorry you had a bad experience with gabapentin. I have been on gabapentin since Sept and reached 1800mg daily dosage last week. I had the spaced out feeling at the beginning but now I no longer have any side effects. I believe that a regular diet and plenty of water daily helps when taking any medication. My concern would the withdrawals should I ever have to stop taking the med especially after reading comments about others experiencing anxiety, fear, pain etc. I wish you and everyone else going through awful withdrawal symptoms all the best smile

  • heather91375
    heather91375 keith_40678

    Posted

    Hi Keith.. Since you've only been on the gabapentin for 17 days at a low dose, your symptoms will come and go for about a month or so.. I had been on gabapentin 1800 mg for about a year and a half before the doctor took me off of the whole 1800 mg in 4 days.. I went through every kind of withdrawal there is including hallucinations, high anxiety, panic attacks, severe stomach issues, dizziness, nausea, pain in my pancreas and gall bladder area, diarrhea, constipation, insomnia for days, dis-realization, sadness, depression, extreme rebound pain etc and the list goes on and on.. Today is my 41st day gabapentin free ( since November 14th-1st day without it) and in STILL suffering from withdrawals even though the drug hasn't been in my system for over A month. Over the last 9 months, I have been researching gabapentin withdrawals and how to get off of this evil drug ( I was given this for neuropathic and sciatica pain) and the reason why the gabepentin is so hard on our bodies is because it's actually an epileptic drug that is prescribed for neuropathic pain, insomnia, and is also prescribed as a mood booster and a PTSD drug. The gabapentin works on your serotonin, dopamine and your nor-epinephrine( adrenaline) when you start taking the gabapentin every day( doesn't matter the dosage or the strength) but that you are taking it every day, your brain starts to rely on the gabapentin to produce these hormones and starts taking over, therefore your brain becomes physically dependent on it and the gabepentin actually starts doing the " thinking" for you, the longer your on the drug.. The withdrawals are a different story.. Once you quit taking it, your brain has to start learning to produce these hormones on their own, and your brain starts trying to figure out HOW to function without it, hence your brain giving you all the withdrawal symptoms without the gabapentin. I'm sorry you ha e to go through this.. What may help is magnesium oil.. I used the oil in the bottoms of my feet during the worst part of my withdrawals.. I still use it to this day since the magnesium binds with the calcium in our brains.. Eat healthy, stay hydrated and above all else, try not to add ANY stimulating foods or chemicals to deal with it if you can manage, things like coffee will make your anxiety worse as will high doses of sugar etc.. Please try to stay the course since you are off of it, do not re-instate if you can help it as doing so may make your symptoms worse or you may start the cycle all over again of this nightmarish hell.. Please update me on how your doing.. I'd like to know... Thanks heather

  • joe03634
    joe03634 keith_40678

    Posted

    I did 3 weeks at 300 mg x3 a day. It took three months for anxiety and sleep to return to normal. It does get better but I wish to spread the word as much as possible how bad of an experience I had with this drug.
    • keith_40678
      keith_40678 joe03634

      Posted

      Thanks Joe, I find it easer to deal with knowing that other people have suffered similarly and come through it. This drug must make some profound changes to your brain chemistry!! It's not an experience that I'll be in a hurry to repeat.

    • heather91375
      heather91375 keith_40678

      Posted

      Ya I found out the hard way too., that I will never trust a doctor when they tell me that there are no side effects.. I am afraid to put any medication in my body right now other than a Tylenol because the experience I just went through has been terrifying!
    • naomi64
      naomi64 joe03634

      Posted

      Hi Joe 

      i used it for 4 months off for 3. Still suffering. How long to you think it can possibly take to feel better. Naomi

    • heather91375
      heather91375 naomi64

      Posted

      So how are you doing now Naomi? Are you off of it? And if so for how long? I am still struggling with gi upset, headaches, nausea, stomach pain, anxiety and some insomnia with dizziness. Doc took me from 1800 mg down to zero in 4 days.. Because of suicidal thoughts.. I told him to titrate me slowly but he felt this was the best option with the circumstances.. I don't want to re-instate and go through this hell again. I have been off gabapentin for 42 days today.. How are you feeling and how long have you been off now?

    • heather91375
      heather91375 naomi64

      Posted

      Sorry, I just read you are now off .. What dosage were you at and how long Naomi?
    • joe03634
      joe03634 naomi64

      Posted

      For me it was a full three months. I can imagine longer for those who had taken longer than me.
    • naomi64
      naomi64 heather91375

      Posted

      Hi Heather

      I was on 600 mg for 4 months and then dropped to 200mg for 2 weeks then stopped. Bad withdrawals. I been off since first week of Oct. I feel light head spacey. Dizzy. I think people might be poisoning me. Not sure if that is true or the side effect of the med. I was never paranoid before. I am more tired and my anxieties are high. How about you? I hope we will feel better soon. God help us.

    • heather91375
      heather91375 naomi64

      Posted

      Hi Naomi, I was on 3600 mg for about 6 months then titrated down to 2400 in June of this year, I got down to 1800 in July and August and then started having suicidal ideation So doc took me off the whole 1800 mg in 4 days! ( 1st day without was November 1;th)Even though I told him that I need 100 mg very slow.. I am having headaches, high anxiety, gi distress with nausea, some dizziness that comes and goes, severe restlessness, rebound nerve pain and the list goes on and on.. do your symptoms come and go at all or are they there all the time? Mine mostly come and go but the high anxiety is pretty bad. You are not paranoid, this is definitely the drug withdrawals doing this to us! Did you get help tapering? Why did you go off it? God help us soon, I am really struggling to keep it all together too.. Please stay in touch Naomi!
Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.