Gabapentin Withdrawal

[callalillie13]

I am not a drug user, nor was I using it recreationally. I say this because I am not sure if this is right place to post my questions, but I figure you guys in here are probably the best source of information and best to be able to help me? I'll try to be brief with the background info...

In 2011 I went to the DR for fatigue, and they ran tests, more tests, and sent me to a sleep study. I was prescribed 1800mg of Gabapentin at night for restless leg syndrome that included periodic limb movement disorder (legs kicking all night). I never looked for home treatment for it, I just took the meds because I thought that's what would help me and the DR knew best. My fatigue got only slightly better. Anyway that was Fall 2012, and I had been on it until 31 October 2014.

So long story short I started decreasing the dose by 300mg back in June, when I got to 1200mg I was having a hard time sleeping. I didn't know it was withdrawal and didn't know there was any associated with Gabapentin. The DR prescribed a sleeping pill. Hindsight being foresight, it was withdrawal, I was having night sweats, waking up all night long. I thought it was the PLMD.

Right after that I had a bout of ulcers and gastritis, possibly an overactive thyroid problem caused by a CT scan. I wasn't doing well. After a month or 2 of not being well at all and I decided I needed to get off ALL medications, because I didn't know what is causing what. So worked on the GAB, and got off of it. I told EVERY DR I was getting off the Gabapentin, not a one suggested it was withdrawal. It wasn't until I got down to 600mg and I was having MAJOR withdrawals, that it triggered, maybe this is the Gabapentin. Called the DR that RX's it, and he said, oh yeah sure that can happen. He gave me 100mg tabs and I slowly tapered the rest of the 600mg. FYI reading posts on Bluelight was a life saver. thanks!

I was also on Depo-pravera, I was supposed to get that shot on 1 December. I had been on that since 2010. That may take 6 month to detox out of my body.

So now I've been off of it since 31 October, but I still have the night sweats! No were near as bad when I was going down 300mg. I thought they would clear up sooner. I am also having tinnitus, the kind where you hear your heartbeat in your ear.

I take about 1000mg of Magnesium and other supplements. And I take prilosec, but no other prescription meds anymore. But the mag is a life saver! It is what helps the RLS and PLMD, as long as I take it, I don't have problems at all.

Anyway last night was the first night that I slept through the night with no sweating. What was different? I took Hylands Calms before bed. I had been using it before, but stopped back in Aug or Sep. and was using Quietude (another homeopathic sleep remedy) instead, that's supposed to help with waking up a bunch of times. I started taking that around 31Oct, and slowly got off that, and I haven't taken it for maybe 2 weeks? I actually didn't think the hot flashes at night was related to the Gabapentin anymore, thought maybe the depo was causing it or maybe menopause (they can't test for that until March, has to do with the depo). Or maybe some other hormone issue. But the Depo can cause fatigue too.

Does this make sense to anyone? Why would Calms help? Maybe it was a fluke??? The fact THAT helped leads me to believe that it's withdrawal still? That's why I am here, asking you guys. Would the gabapentin still be causing withdrawal symptoms or even the fatigue? The brain fog and stupidity that comes with the gabapentin has cleared some, I am not as forgetful and stupid as I was on that stuff. I didn't even know that's what was causing it until I got on this journey to get off all meds. How long would it take to clear both out of my body?

Thanks I appreciate any help with this!

 

[neversickanymore]

Hey callalillie13 and welcome to BL.

Often times it can take a long time for our brains and the complex interrelated symptoms to return to a homeostatic baseline. Modern medicine has done some amazing things. It has also made many mistakes. The body and mind are amazingly complex and its systems are all interrelated. Its very hard to go in and manipulate one thing and have great lasting results with no side effects. I think this T shirt sums it up well.

NSFW:

So when we get off all the meds or drugs then it can take some time for the brain and body to work themselfs bqack to good. The brain likes what the brain likes and when we add in a dug its tries to adjust for the drug being there. Once we remove the drugs the system gets all waked out. It can take awhile for it to get itself back one line.

I have not detoxed Gabapentin. But have detoxed xanax. I also detoxed methadone and oxycodone and a few other things. But with my final detox I did the xan, methadone. and oxy all at the same time. I was up against it for almost two months of acute withdrawal. Then I had over three months of significant Post Acute Withdrawal symptoms.

This is likely what you are experiencing. The gabapentin is long gone from your system, but now the system is trying to readjust. There are somethings we can do to promote and speed this.

Exercise is number one. I know what cruel person made exercise the cure for fatigue. It should also help with your sleep issues.

Speaking of sleep. Natural healthy sleep is also another. If you are not practicing good sleep hygiene then I would encourage you actively take this up.

Nutrition is also a big part. Given some of your symptoms you may want to see if a gluten free diet ends up having a positive effect for you. If not scrap it. There is some good information I will post down below that talks about nutrition and recovery from opiate addiction, much of that information will also benefit you.

Meditation.. it actually works. I do mantra meditation and also have started to include mindfulness as well.

Here is some great information on PAWS in case you have not seen it. I post it allot. All the above mentioned stuff also has a really good chance of treating or curing your underlying symptoms as well. Let me know if your useing BL mobil and I will put this in full view so you can see it.

Also some of the information is more pointed towards addiction and not physical dependence specifically. Im not saying your an addict. But we can all experience PAWS as its just a prolonged period when healing from physical dependence. SO there is some good info for you there as well.

NSFW:

PAWS LINKS
Why We Don’t Get Better Immediately: Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS)
Post Acute Withdrawal (PAW) Excerpted From “Staying Sober” By: Terence T. Gorski
Post-acute-withdrawal syndrome Wiki

Exercise and Brain Neurotransmission
Neurobiology of Exercise
Exercise 4 Health, Mental Health, and Addiction vs. I worked all that out
exercise and sleep

Chemicals and supplements to recover from opiate addiction
Diet & Neurogenesis

dont know if you have any of this going on, but who can't use a little more pluss in their lives:D
it is a powerful thing to keep our thoughts possitive and here are some threads many of us use to help us do this.
Managing depressive thinking
Share something POSITIVE from your day!
Today I Am Thankful For... Ver. 3: Earth, Wind and Fire!

Here is the mindfulness thread.

These are the ingredients from the Hylands Calms. I'm not familiar with these, but maybe someone else is and they will post in.

Drug Facts
Active Ingredients | Purposes:
Avena Sativa HPUS 1X Double Strength: stress, nervousness
Chamomilla HPUS 2X: nervous irritability
Humulus Lupulus HPUS 1X Double Strength: occasional sleeplessness
Passiflora HPUS 1X Triple Strength: restless sleep from exhaustion

http://hylands.com/products/hylands-calms


Keep at it, your doing great.

 

[callalillie13]

Ok that make sense I will spend some time reading the PAWS stuff. With the exception of the PAWS and meditation I have been doing everything else. FYI I did have another full night of sleep, so maybe tonight I won't take the Hylands to see if I wake up all sweaty. Because I suppose there is the possibility that I got better on the same night that I took it, I doubt it, but possible.

You know I quit smoking and the physical addiction part was hands down easier than the Gabapentin, obviously not the mental part, because there was no mental part with the Gabapentin. I had no idea what that stuff was doing to my brain or body, until I tried to get off. This whole experience has been eye opening for me.

Anyway, thank you I appreciate it. And again i'll spend some time reading the PAWS stuff.

 

[neversickanymore]

No probelm

You know I quit smoking and the physical addiction part was hands down easier than the Gabapentin, obviously not the mental part, because there was no mental part with the Gabapentin.

That makes sense as I don't think Gabapentin stimulates the mesolimbic dopamine reward pathway, while nicotine clearly does. I had tried to quit smoking before I detoxed the other substances. In my mind I always thought nicotine had strong physical withdrawal. When I was able to detox the nicotine after the others I realized it had very little physical withdrawal, but a very strong addiction.

I would just keep at what you are doing and add in any positive things you find that could help promote healing.

For the exercise are you doing it at an aerobic level?

 

[callalillie13]

I am walking, when I walk outside it's a 4mph pace, on the treadmill it's around that, and if it too cold to be outside or on the treadmill (it's in the garage), I do the same speed in the house while cleaning.

But I had the flu lately and also hurt my hip, so for the past few weeks... nothing.