Trying to get off of gabapentin. Been on 400 milligrams 4 times a day. Any tips?
Posted , 3 users are following.
I've been on gabapentin 400 mgs four times a day for 5 and a half years. I've tried to stop before, but the withdrawal was miserable. I started to just take 300 mgs 4 times a day and still feel horrible. Should I do 300 for 2 doses and 400 for the other 2 doses? My doctor doesn't want to take me off of it, but the side affects have been getting worse and worse I can't take being on it anymore. Please help!!
0 likes, 5 replies
babs99203 dillon87887
Posted
I've learned in other groups that the best way to taper is VERY slowly to prevent the problems you've been having. You should also go 10% or less over 3-4 weeks if you're sensitive to it, which, like me, you seem to be. No matter what, because of the way the drug affects the body and the brain, you will have discomfort or much worse. However it is DEFINITELY worth it to get off the drug. So I suggest dropping just 100 mg per month, and be very patient, some people feel OK after 2-3 weeks, for others it take 4 months. Depending what you're using it for, it may have only limited relief of your pain. As you taper, you may have increased "pain", anxiety, confusion, cognitive issues and multiple other problems, as you know. The vast majority of health care professionals are ignorant about the problem this drug causes and the difficulties of getting off it. They often suggest a taper schedule which is way too agressive for many people. If you're on Facebook, look for groups regarding gab, benzoids, anti-depressants or Cymbata. All of them have similar problems and can offer information on how to get get off them.
kevin30685 dillon87887
Posted
I have been in this terrible drug fir 3 years 300 mg 3x per day I was having memory loss confusion looking out my face with our eyes kind of feeling and really bad palpitatiobscwhere my resting heartbeat was 140 I’m 52 do a lot of exercise I was on them to help with migraines you should slowly start to take a reduced dose over a period of time
I just stopped taking them as my symptoms from the drug were worse than the Migrains
I have been of them 2 weeks now the first couple of days I got sweating hard to sleep but thankfully feeling a lot better and the palpitations are all gone
I wouldn’t advise stopping them I just did it for myself as I’m determined but get your dr to help
I hope you start to feel better
babs99203 kevin30685
Posted
kevin30685 babs99203
Posted
I know but when I read all the different uses that drs prescribe it for there are a lot
It did cut down my migraines as gab opens up the arteries meaning it went from 1 migrain that lasted for 2 days per month to 1 every 2 months
I work with adults with epilepsy and that’s what we administer to help control it
It’s a scary drug with scary side effects
I know I have a long way to go until
It’s out of my system but if I knew what I knew now I would never had started taking them I even read it had a higher rate of pancreatic cancer but I suppose all drugs have some sort of side effects than others
I hope everybody who is trying to ween themselfs of Gab manages it successfully
babs99203 kevin30685
Posted
I'm glad it gave you some relief. It seems that to be considered "effective" a drug has to help in 50% of the situations so it's formally approved for epilepsy and PHN (nerve pain after shingles) and has also been beneficial for specific diabetic neuropathy. Even then, less than half of people with those conditions will get relief. But doctors are prescribing it for so many off label conditions, hoping it will work. So it helped you, but what percentage of other people with migraines go relief? I doubt if there's much research out there. The more I read the more discouraged and disillusioned I get with a healthcare system that I worked in for over 30 years.