Posted , 32 users are following.
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
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aaron03723 karen41245
Posted
Not just to Karen, but to all reading this board.
I am not a health care professional, and this is not medical advice, just my personal account of this drug.
This drug is so bad for some of us, I do not want to scare anyone, so I will not mention what it has done to me, I just want this to be a warning to 4 different types of people: 1) If you are considering taking this drug, DON'T , get your doctor to look over some information on the internet about this Drugs Side Effects and Withdrawels so that your doctor actually knows the truth. If you are in pain, honestly I think some of the controlled substances are a much better option because even if you become addicted the WD will most likely not as bad as the one from Gaba. 2) to those that just started taking it, like less than a week. Get off of it and find an alternative. 3) if you have been on for more than 2 weeks, Even at a low dose, please do not underestimate the power of this drug. You can of course try a Cold Turkey, and if you are not sensitive to the drug that might work for you, but at the first sign of symptoms I would suggest going back to your dose (or 1 just slightly lower) and put together a tapper plan with your doctor making sure that you are in control of the tapper. Meaning if after a reduction you are not ready to reduce again for a while, your doctor will not force you. 4) Never let this drug be prescribed for off label purposes, especially for insomnia , anxiety, depression, or as an adjunct for another drug Withdrawel. It is not approved for that, it was not designed for that, and it seems that the people that are taking it for Off Label uses seem to suffer the most from the WD.
This Drug has messed up so my systems in my body so bad in fact I was put on Ativan to level myself out. With the Doctor even knowing that 8 years ago I went through a long drawn out Ativan WD and I have a high addiction potential, and I know how bad Benzo WD can be, and I know I will have to go through it again, but for me personally Gaba WD took it to an entirely new level of Mental torment. Please be aware of the potential of this drug's WD.
babs99203 aaron03723
Posted
Aaron, you may have been the first person to make me aware of the problems with gab and potential for withdrawal type symptoms. You're so right. I'm staying the course and dropping slowly, but as I regain "me" it's worth it (I think). The pain is ramped up a bit as I drop, but as my personality is coming back more and my brain is clearer, it's worth it. I still look the same to others, but I can feel all the changes, good and bad. My doctor was skeptical at first, but he's known me a long time and knows I'm analytical and do my research. He realizes most patients aren't as sensitive to it as I am or more likely never put two and two together and/or told him about it. So with patience and support from my family, this forum and now a therapist, I'll get through it.
alana16018 aaron03723
Posted
alana16018
Posted
Twilightzone77 aaron03723
Posted
I would highly recommend this drug for nerve pain because there are not any options for it.
pamseif karen41245
Posted
Was diagnosed with nerve pain in my feet and put on Gabapentin 300mg 3x per day. I have been taking it for 6 weeks. The physiatrist recently told me to take 1 in the morning and 2 at bedtime. What I am now noticing is that the balls of my feet as well as the heels of my feet are swollen and red and very painful - making standing or walking difficult. I want to get off of this nasty drug. I am waiting for my primary doctor to get back to me with instructions, but honestly I do not have confidence in this doc. I am thinking that I need to take each pill spaced evenly throughout the day (not 2 at bedtime). 300mg morning, 300mg afternoon and 200mg at bedtime for a couple of weeks. Then drop 100mg after that for another 2 weeks. I'll see what the primary doc has to say, and then check with the physiatrist. Thoughts and/or Suggestions?
babs99203 pamseif
Posted
I'm so sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I lost track of this question. Gab is normally given in 3 separate doses as it has a very short half-life (but why the side effects last so long, is a mystery to me). It can cause swelling in the extremities, but I'm not sure if that's the problem here. I hope you've talked to your doctor by now. Also, some people have real problems with gab. If you want to get off it, some doctors recommend the schedule you're considering, others who are more familiar with it (and there are very few, they all think it's like taking aspirin as that's why they once learned) recommend tapering much more slowly.
There's a 10% taper schedule or 15-25% reduction schedule. Either way, I'd wait a bit longer between reductions. It can take 3 weeks for the withdrawal or as the manufacturer prefers "discontinuation syndrome" to show all it's lovely issues. I was on 2700 mg, but have been dropping 100 mg/month for the past 16 months. Please let us know how you're doing.
pamseif babs99203
Posted
I was shocked when my Anaestetia (sp) Pain Med doctor said I could drop 300 mg (1 pill) every 3 days. When I questioned her on it she changed her mind and said drop 300 mgs. per week. I don't think so.
camesque pamseif
Posted
jody06161 karen41245
Posted
It's Friday evening and I feel like crap. Nausea and chronic fatigue are eating me alive. Got on the computer to research side effects of Lexapro and Gabapentin. My dr. weaned me off of Effexor starting back in October and when I say it was hell, I mean it was hell. As she reduced the Effexor, she moved me on to the Lexapro 10mg. She also added Gabapentin as I really struggle with anxiety and depression. Since I started taking Gabapentin in January of this year, I have lost 35 lbs. Normally, it would take someone almost a year to lost that kind of weight. I have absolutely no appetite and the thought of food gags me. I only eat to stay alive. The fatigue is debilitating. Even standing to do a few dishes wipes me out. So......I figured I really need to figure out why I am feeling this way. I am so ticked my that dr. weaned me off of the Effexor (at my request) and onto another drug that has serious side effects! OMG! She told me that Gaba is NOT addicting, has very few side effects (what a pile of bull!) and that it would help with my anxiety. She prescribed 300mg up to 3x a day. She said to use it "when needed". I'm beginning to this is psych is nuttier than me. I am totally flaberghasted (sp?) by what I have been reading. Another side effect that I am noticing is my feet itch all the time....no redness or swelling but they feel hot and begin to itch. Now I know why! Another side effect of the Gaba. My gynacologist also told me that "it wouldn't hurt me". As I have been taking it on as needed basis, usually at night to help me sleep, I'm hoping the withdrawal won't be as severe as it would have been had I been taking it on a regular basis. Taking it the way I did, did me more harm than good. My goal is to get off of all pharmaceuticals, eat healthier and get a LOT more exercise. These meds do more harm than good, if you ask me. And when I read they have NOT been approved to treat depression and anxiety, I am still in total shock. How do doctors get away with this? Lesson learned: READ EVERY SINGLE WORD OF THE INFORMATION ATTACHED BY THE PHARMACY BEFORE YOU INGEST. If you don't think you can handle the withdrawal and/or side effects, don't take it!
babs99203 jody06161
Posted
Oh Jody, I'm sorry. We ALL believed our doctors, but the more I research this (I've been on it for 18 months for PHN--nerve pain after shingles) the more I learn that they don't know. Once it was approved, with limited studies, there was almost no follow-up with patients as to the problems affiliated with it. My doc's REALLY good (I worked in healthcare for 30 years as a medical secretary and most of us in my department used him and knew to to avoid). So, we can't beat ourselves up, all we can do is get educated and help ourselves.
Did you see the NYTimes article a few days ago about the problems with getting off anti-depressants? You'll, well enjoy it, is too strong, but you'll again be flabbergasted, to read how little they knew about them and how many people are having trouble getting off them. It's very similar to using gab or even benzoid products. You get good info, sadly enough, from addiction websites. Thank God I had done enough reading to convince myself to SLOWLY taper. Once my pain was better, after about 2 1/2 months, I dropped from 2700 mg by 100 mg/month. That is the recommended rate by those who really know how these drugs affect us. Probably more than half the people who take gab, don't have much of a problem, but about 25% of us do. The longer you're on it and the higher the dose, the harder it may be.
I could go on for more paragraphs, but you seem to on your way to understanding the issue. It's such a shame, isn't it? If you're on FB, you may find some groups there devoted to this too. Some of it is scary and depressing, but remember, not everyone has the same experience. I had two recent months that were pretty miserable, but this past month wasn't nearly as bad.
One thing that I read that helped me, a blog regarding your body healing as you get off the drugs. The person explained what was happening in the brain with the chemicals and why you felt a certain way. He said, look as it as recovery and healing, NOT withdrawal. That helped me a lot. Also, it IS temporary. As I'm tapering, my memory has improved, I feel better, and I feel more like myself. I've gotten my words back! Seriously, for many of us our vocabulary has shrunk. My math skills are still questionable, but I am so glad I'm getting better. It is worth the struggle.
broadbandbill karen41245
Posted
Hi Karen. I was on 600, told by my doc to go cold turkey. I was very ill. He then tapered me at 2x100 for two weeks then 1x100 for two weeks. My last taper was hell. Took one tablet at 10pm. Then feel dreadful all the next day until 7 pm. I started taking CBT magnesium three times a day. I decided as the taper dose of 100 was making me rough I stopped taking it. I felt so much better no ill effects. . Go for a decent Magnesium not cheap. Remag or CBT are the ones. I believe that i could have come off earlier. please try this
camesque broadbandbill
Posted
Jinglebell karen41245
Posted
Hello to everyone. I have just been reading and trying to understand some of the things I've been going through lately, and all of it is pointing to Gabapentin, which I have been on since my cancer diagnosis in 2014. I've been on 300mg x 1 daily, at night. My question is, can I just divide the capsule into 2 capsules to start...my doctor is on vacation until the end of May and I would really like to start getting off this drug now.
babs99203 Jinglebell
Posted
That's not my suggestion. It's difficult to do properly (some people try and freeze them first) as the active and inactive ingredients may not be equally distributed. The best way is to get 100 mg tablets instead and taper from there. I know you're eager to start now, but waiting may be best. You can also titrate, which involves dissolved the opened capsules in water, removing 10% of the liquid etc. You can find the method on YouTube. Be aware, even at the low dose, after that length of time you may have side effects or withdrawal, but I admire your desire to get off it. I'm slowing tapering from 2700 mg last year to 1000 mg. I do only 100 mg per month to make it easier, but some months are still tough.