1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Gabapentin

Tapering off Gabapentin

Posted , 32 users are following.

karen41245
karen41245

I've been taking 400mg 3x daily for 6 weeks. I want to stop taking it because of side effects.  Does anyone have any advice or suggestions as to best way to do this?  

0 likes, 57 replies

57 Replies

Prev Next
  • Irishnurse
    Irishnurse karen41245

    Posted

    I feel you here!!! I'm taking a very large dose because the doctors said large doses can't harm me!!!! Well 3 years later I'm ready to get off. I think that you should do what YOUR body is telling you. I mean listen to docs (somewhat lol) and don't go cold turkey. Just remember every day is a new one and if you feel "off" and need to take a small prescribed dose on a particular day then do so. I think way to many people get hooked on meds and beat themselves up when it's time to come off them. I'm going to try and have this mindset coming off of them myself. Best wishes.

  • karen41245
    karen41245

    Posted

    Have been tapering off Gabapentin and am now down to half of what I started at.  Started at 400mg 3x day am now down to 200mg 3 x day.  My dr who,originally prescribed the med said I could stop a at once or taper.  He thought I would be fine just stopping. Anyway, didn't do that.  My question is...do I still need to divide meds into 3x day or can I take 2x day as amount gets less and less?

    Thanks

  • Colden
    Colden karen41245

    Posted

    I have only been taking gabapentain since the end of March. It is used for sleeping. I can't see it makes any difference and I am only taking 600mg. I sure can tell I am forgetting and can't form words. Also 2 weeks after I started my stomach has been terrible. I think I will cut down to 300 mg for a few nights. Love reading everyone posts.

  • shelia538
    shelia538 karen41245

    Posted

    I take 200 mg nightly of gabapentin for 3 months... It does help me sleep; however, its doing nothing for my foot pain PLUS it making me gain weight. My dosage os so low, I think I will stop taking ot cold turkey. Any thoughts?
    • lynley39458
      lynley39458 shelia538

      Posted

      Hi Sheila I have been on between 200 and 400mg just at night also now for six weeks,probably for first two weeks I slept better but now it seems to have flipped me the other way so am thinking of stopping. Just wondering if you went cold turkey and how you are feeling before I take the plunge ?
    • Colden
      Colden lynley39458

      Posted

      I went off Gabapentin cold turkey. I didn't have any problems. And I was taking 600mg.

  • Bobbi44534
    Bobbi44534 karen41245

    Posted

    I was put on 200 mg. (one capsule twice daily) of Neurontin for anxiety on 5.19.17. On 6.1.17, my doc increased it to 400 mg. (two capsules twice daily).  Because of all the side effects and the fact that others had said it was not for anxiety, I went off of it yesterday per doctor's approval. My doctor and pharmacist told me I did not have to wean off of it since it was considered a small/starter dose.  What do you think?

    Thank you!

     

  • camesque
    camesque karen41245

    Posted

    I'm in a wean right now. I have been taking 1800 mg Gralise for about a year for nerve pain. I decided I wanted to go off it so my nurse practitioner prescribed 23 count 600 mg tablets of gabapentin and told me to drop by 300 mg every 3 days (by cutting the tablet in half). That seems like big jumps down and quickly. But I neec to give my health care provider's orders a try - I can call them if it gets funky. So far I am down to 1500 mg with no bad effects and tomorrow it drops to 1200 mg. I'm drinking lots of water, exercising (swimmingly), taking epdom salt baths. I hope it works.

    • camesque
      camesque

      Posted

      I ended up asking my pain management doctor for 100 mg capsules so I could drop by 100 mg every two days. Today I am at 900 mg which is half of the 1800 I started at. I take epsom baths, continue to swim and take slow release magnesium. So far do good.
    • Guest
      Guest camesque

      Posted

      We're you able to get off of the Gabapentin with minimal adverse effects or was it horrible? I want to stop this drug (I have lupus) after all I've read & now I'm not ashamed to say I'm frightened....do you think it's possible for some people to wean with no side effects? Why are there no warnings in the pharmaceutical literature that comes with the RX?!

    • alana16018
      alana16018 Guest

      Posted

      I would like to know this as well. I have been on gabapentin for about ten years for neuropathy caused by an autoimmune disease of some sort. I got onto gabapentin after experiencing sudden side effects from Cymbalta and was told gabapentin was safe. Cymbalta was HORRIBLE to get off of. Now, like Sandi says, I am frightened to try to get off of gabapentin, but also terrified to stay on it. (I have seen a lot of videos and articles lately about how it messes with brain synapses and plasticity and have noticed some fairly severe memory problems in myself.) I will also need to find some alternative to gabapentin, because when I’ve tried to reduce my dosage in the past, the intensity of the nerve pain is unbearable.
  • Matches
    Matches karen41245

    Posted

    I've been on 300mg 3x daily for lower back pain. I decided to cold turkey. After about 3 days I was extremely fatigued, sharp stomach pains, had headaches, and totally lost my appetite.

    I went two more days before it hit me that I was experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

    I started back on last night and intend to taper. All symptoms have disappeared.

    I'm really upset that Dr didn't advise me of potential problems as I would never have started the drug.

  • lisa69696
    lisa69696 karen41245

    Posted

    Hi I was given gapapentin. For the past 5 weeks now was on 100 mg 3 X daily then went up to 200 3x daily but can't stand side effects increased appetite I am already obese and constant tiredness was given it for sciatica also suffer high anxiety I'm so scared of staying on this drug coz of weight gain but also scared of pains coming back please what does anyone suggest plus I'm so scared to just stop

  • babs99203
    babs99203 karen41245

    Posted

    I've come full circle and find myself back here, at the forum. I'm active in the Shingles and PHN forum. I've been tapering off since a year ago from 2700mgs now I'm down to 1200 mgs. It was prescribed for the pain of PHN. As I got to 1400 mgs my brain was clearer, the fog finally lifted and my short-term memory improved. However, after two months I'm now at 1200 and my pain seems worse, along with fatigue, depression and anxiety. LOADS of fun! So, I'm trapped between pain and mental health issues. Did you all have problems as you tapered? I'm only going down 100 mgs/month as I get such side effects I've been told don't rush it. There's so little info or help out there, so I'll take anything you can offer.

  • Scottmiami
    Scottmiami karen41245

    Posted

    I’ve been on Gaba for about 10 weeks for anxiety. I was prescribed 100 three times a day and didn’t feel much effect but felt pretty good for the first six weeks. I asked to go up in dose and we decided to go up to  200, then 300 the last few days. As soon as I went to 300 I had heartburn and constipation issues. For a few days. I felt it might be causing it and didn’t take it one day. I had to leave work, felt like I was coming down with the flu. Got progressively worse into evening, aching all over, headache, tired and heartburn. Then chills and night sweats. Read the forum and realized I might be experiencing withdrawal so I took 100 mg and it seemed to ease up. 8 hours later, feeling a little achy again and took another. Should I go back up to 200 tid and slowly taper? I can’t work like this.
    • babs99203
      babs99203 Scottmiami

      Posted

      Scott, please read Aaron's comments below. A lot of us were put on Gab because of PHN or shingles pain. Sadly it's one of the few treatments that does help a bit. HOWEVER, it's is a nasty drug. I'm now down to 1100 mgs/day vs 2700 mg a bit more than a year ago. I would NEVER take it for just anxiety, there are too many other drugs with fewer side effects. I can't give you medical advice, but I am very slowly tapering off, 100 mg per month and very month, I see an improvement in my mood, brain fog and processing ability. But I also see a worsening of all this, along with other side effects. That's what the meds do to you. The symptoms from tapering can be brief, last all day or even longer. They can disappear for days, then come back. By the time I get one good week, it's time to drop again and start all over. But I DO drop because I have to get off this drug.  Aaron is so right.

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.