Short term low dosage Gabapentin still experiencing significant withdrawal symptoms
Posted , 54 users are following.
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
jo17776 keith_40678
Posted
I stopped taking my gabaoentin last nov 2017- I was on a daily dosage of 3600mg a day!900mg x3 time a day
with co-codamol 30/500mg x 4 time a day on top too
I reduced it myself with the only from doc to take more if pain got too bad (supposed compressed nerve in back says Physio-neuropathic pain says doc)
I was on it for 5 YEARS! Lost so much of life I’m a shadow literally of myself
I slowly reduced and am now on No GABA for 9 days now and maybe 1-2 Co Co codamol when it’s real bad
The withdrawal is and has been horrific
I’m so glad I’ve found people who understand
Good luck on your journey
babs99203 jo17776
Posted
I'm sorry jo. Luckily I found some info (I have no idea how) that suggested a slow, low taper. It sounds like this was too fast and too much of a decrease for you. Everyone is different, but I was doing about 5-10%, without realizing it, and yes I had problems, some months were quite bit, but I was at 2700 mg in January 2017 when I started dropping and am now at 900 mg. I take months off if I need to to enjoy a vacation or big event. It seems that my taper, while still rough at time, is not the hell others have been through. You may still have withdrawal issues on and off for months, but be grateful that you're off the stuff.
jo17776 babs99203
Posted
I’m so glad I’m no longer on the stuff but know it’s going to take a long long time to feel like me again-and as always the doc just dismisses it as either depression or stress!
Grrr
I’ll keep plodding on though
Good luck xx
sam04088 keith_40678
Posted
Just a quick update. The mri I had done showed everything was fine so it was the gabapentin all along. Since the neurologist couldn’t do anything else for me besides give me more medicine for restless legs, which I decided against, I tried to get an appointment with my doctor. She of course was booked so I got one with a different doctor in the office. This guy had the nerve to laugh and tell me gabapentin doesn’t cause any of the symptoms I had or the withdrawal symptoms and I was on such a low dose. I happen to be very sensitive to medicine. And really? You’re going to laugh about it? He said since I have depression and I am taking something for that I should see a psychiatrist and they can try to adjust my medicine. Wow. What a pos doctor. I left even more angrier than when I went in. There is no way that’s happening. I was fine before I took this medicine. I feel like it ruined my life. I have had a few good days. I do still get angry easily, have headaches, mood swings, get depressed, feel nauseous while trying to eat, and cry. But I’m hoping all that will go away soon. I try to stay calm and I’m doing my best for me and my fiancée, it hurts when I take it out on her and she tells me she wants her Sam back. Thinking about seeing an ear nose and throat doctor to rule everything out.
Rener sam04088
Posted
Rener sam04088
Posted
jo17776 sam04088
Posted
It’s destroyed my life
FACT
babs99203 sam04088
Posted
Yes, Point Of Sale (LOL) POS doctor is correct. I feel like posting on every group or forum pertaining to gab.WHEN YOU GO TO A DOCTOR TAKE THE PHARMACEUTICAL PRINT OUT WITH THE SIDE EFFECTS AND WARNINGS WITH YOU. The doctors can't keep track of every drug and have been told for many years it's fine. I've got a really good doc (I worked in healthcare for 30 years so can find the good ones), yet, he was skeptical and felt I should see a neurologist as gab doesn't cause problems. I was really upset and I called back his nurse the next day. She spoke to him and he admitted that he may have spoke to soon. He knows me and realized 1) others may not have had the problems I did (yes, that's possible). 2) If they did, they probably didn't realize it was from the gab 3) if they did figure it was the gab, they just didn't tell him. So, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks and I give him a lot of credit for acknowledging this.
It's your choice to see another doctor, but it's the gab. If you join a FB group like Gabapentin Awareness, or read Inner Compass TWP The Withdrawal Project or any info regarding benzos, you'll learn thousands and thousands of people have these problems. You WILL heal, it WILL improve, we just can't predict the timetable. Google Benzo buddies What is happening to your brain? and you'll learn how the drug affects the parts of the brain and your body. It's enlightening, scary, but also reassuring. Knowledge can give you a sense of power and control. Keep learning.
babs99203 Rener
Posted
I think it's some type of computer algorithm Rener. We've all been caught in that situation about being moderated. You can't post links but beyond that I've never figured out why some posts aren't allowed. It's not you, it's the bots.
Guest babs99203
Posted
babs99203 Guest
Posted
You should also be getting a hand-out with your prescription. What's interesting is that different manufacturers have different information.
Rener keith_40678
Posted
It has happened to People after a day. It is a bad drug being deemed safe and effective. In My opinion you may have to taper off at Your Doctors approval. No one is same so it may take going down 10 mg at a time. Magnesium taken 2 hours after dose helps for Me. Remind Yourself when the low mood hits You what You have to be thankful for. It has caused People to commit suicide! Even Doctors! Don’t give into this non addictive lol substance. It takes time. Many prayers to You! I was on this 5 years and it caused Me to have to have a caretaker. Lowered the amount all of a sudden I could think. I couldn’t work! Good luck. Support is here for You! Rener
lissa89 keith_40678
Posted
Hi, I was prescribed Gaba 300mg 2x a day for broken leg. My doc said most people take this 1 at night 1 in the morning but if the pain is bad just take another at noon or whenever I feel like it. Also, I am currently nursing my 6 month old baby. So in 7 days I went from 600mg/day to 1500mg and back down to 300mg and then I stopped bc my pain was under control. When I was taking it, it was awesome! Then I stopped and I was severely depressed but I discounted it to postpartum depression. Next, I had terrible nightmares -which I only have when I'm pregnant. Next both of my feet started seizing up so I checked Dr Google and found this forum. Since then my baby has developed insomnia, anxiety, general fussiness. I have insomnia, diarrhea, depression, headaches, muscle spasms, nightmares, and so much guilt. My doc said this was safe for my baby bc so little goes into milk supply. It wasn't. I'm on day 6 without this drug and it's still bad.
babs99203 lissa89
Posted
I am so sorry. Your doctor like so many others, he doesn't understand how the drug works. It can't be used like that, there's a long answer but it needs to be taken three of four times a day. You're going thru withdrawal now. There's not much info about gab and nursing. But maybe there is an effect.hang in there. It's the drug. Not you. The withdrawal will subside but it could be a while. If you're on Facebook join the gabapentin Awareness group for more info.
aaron03723 keith_40678
Posted
Gabapentin and Lyrica will be the new Valium / Benzo epidemic. Even though the benzo epidemic is still very real, at least prescriptions are dropping.
I was on a very low dose of klonopin .5 mg 1x per day for just under 3 weeks... this drug effects your Gaba receptors...its also another CNS depressent just like Gabapentin. Long stort short, the WD from Klonopin was so bad i was put on Gabapentin at a very high dose. 1,800 mg a day. The Withdrawel from Gabapentin was so bad i was put on 8mg Valium (which is a cousin of Klonopin)
Im making progress though. Ive got my gaba down to 600 a day total, and my valium down to 5mg a day total.
Both drugs have similair side effecys and similair withdrawels, so I have to procede veru carefully.... even at this slow reduction I am doing.. I still
Sleep between 2 and 6 hours of broken sleep per night, have anxiety for no reason at all, muscle faciculations, fear, diahrea, and no appetite.
People use the word Hell... I dont want to give these drugs that much power... yes i am a miserable, depressed, anxious, exhausted version of the strong confident man i was just 10 months ago... but that man is still inside , and he will come back... the most important things i have learned from all this is patience. Rushing off these meds does more harm than good. Everytime i get a refill or take my dose i feel a sense of shame but i know if i quit them now, ill truly suffer.
Ive gained a lot of perspective on how great my life was, ( and will be again) this time im going to stop and smell the roses...
We all heal, we are all warriors, we will all come through this with a resolve and an inner strength that will carry us through the rest of our lives.
The Movie " The Secret" really helped me... its on netflix.