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Gabapentinoids (Gabapentin) withdrawal, any advice?

Out of curiosity, anyone else experience ringing in the ears after taking this? I seem to be noticing it more and more lately.
 
Day two, I felt a little agitated today which isn't normal, but it wasn't too bad. Still have some ringing in my ears, and it was a little difficult to sleep last night. Overall not as bad as I thought it'd be.
 
For me it was pretty easy and I was coming off taking 3200mg\day...then again I'm a boss at withdrawal and I've been through it all. I've had times where I "felt" like I was withdrawing hard from the shit but I think it was really just in my head. YMMV some people report pure hell quitting the shit.
 
Halfway through day three. Slept like 10 hours last night so I can say for sure it's not effecting my sleep. Still have some ringing in my ears and a very small headache. I think i'm in the clear, though i'm still a little worried about it flaring up out of nowhere.
 
I too have what i believe to be permanent ringing in my ears, i never had it until i got off the gabapentin, i am 100% sure now that is what caused it, i thought it was only me or my old age catching up to me but now you and a few other people mentioned the ringing after gabapentin use, i am postive it is from that.

It started out as a very mild slight ringing noise about a week into W/D, after about 2 weeks and still dealing with the menal part of the W/D i was outside smoking a cig and i felt the pressure in my head change and my ears started ringing louder, praying it would go away but it didn't, flash foward over a year later i still have it, but i am use to it now, although some days it is loud and annoying, i tolerate it, i do need some noise around me 24/7 or it is kind of loud when it is quiet in the room.

Gabapentin legit fucked my life up, biggest mistake of my life, that is why i ask people to post there W/D and months following so i can get input and share stories on the situation, ever since i stopped taking gabapentin i feel like a total different person and it scares me sometimes and i would give my left nut to go back to how i use to be before hand.

I suffered from pretty bad derealization for the first 6 months after stopping, could barely even leave the house or drive when i did leave, i constantly felt like i was gonna pass out and die which sent me to the ER multiple times, i had ringing in the ears and still do, heart palpations, blurry vision, hot and cold flashes, no motivation, would shake and get jittery sometimes and then little things, i would blank out when thinking, boredom and loss of sleep etc etc...

Some people get lucky and avoid all negative effects, me and around half the people on this thread were not so lucky, it don't seem like it is causing you harm until you quit the shit and then you find out the hard way.

And the fucked up part is doctors don't even know about the negative effects, it is a severly under researched drug, they push it on people and more times than not it causes more harm than good in the long run, my advice is to never touch it, if you do then take it for life do not ever come off, if you want to stop do a extremely long taper.
 
I have had ringing in my ears for many years off and on (before gabapentin). BUT I have noticed the ringing is louder and more persistant since quitting it about a year ago and it's not getting better. Sometimes my ears pop (like in an airplane) and the ringing is so loud that I have trouble understanding a conversation for a few minutes. It definately helps to have some kind of noise around, just to drown it out. I am used to it and it doesn't really affect my life, but it is no doubt from the gabapentin.
 
Day four has been fine, easily the least symptoms so far. I think i'm in the clear now. I feel like Gaba has ruined my GI system though, hopefully that sorts itself out.
 
Coming off gabapentin is hell, especially when prescribed 600 mgs to be taken four times a day then suddenly being cut off by insurance/doctors from rehab centers. It was just hard as coming off of benzos for me. But I didn't do it right. Slow taper, you'll be alright. Find a good doctor to work with you.
 
stuart

Lino120 said:
I really did not expect any withdrawals from this initially because it is supposed to be such a safe god damn medication with no withdrawals. I find that to be quite the contrary, I feel like shit. I've been through cold turkey methadone withdrawals with a benzo taper at the same time; those are obviously far different. But I do not really know what to expect from these current withdrawal. It's easy to see what withdrawals are from benzos and opiates. Anyone know anything that might help me? Or how long it really takes to withdrawal from gabapentin completly? Any advice, experience, anything really, would be much appreciated.

EDIT: Oh yea, I've been on gabapentin for over a year and a half. I'm on 800 MGs four times a day; 3200 MGs a day. For anxiety or as a mood stabilizer, whatever the fuck you want to call it.
Click to expand...

I took 1800gms at bedtime for 8 years while I was abusing adivan, valium and xanax. for 2 years I reduced the neurontin dosage by 200 mgs every 3 months. now I am down to 300mgs and not taking the benzos anymore. By doing it like this I had no withdrawl from neurontin. I reccomend 100-200 mg taper over a couple years and you will not feel a thing.
 
Sorry to hear some people have it so rough with Gabapentin withdrawal.
I'm prescribed 1200mg a day but only really need 900mg. Sometimes after stimulant abuse I go back up to 1200mg and then have to jump back down to 900mg after a month or so. It is withdrawal but rather mild as I can function and sleep fine.
Currently I'm at 900mg after dropping down about 2 weeks ago. I've been doing this back and forth for 2 years.
When I have been at 900mg for a month or two I can go 15 hours with none before anxiety starts to creep in and I believe I could quite painlessly drop to 600mg a day.
I have not done this yet mostly because I love how 900mg makes me feel and also because I actually have epilepsy and its my medicine.
Sorry for the scattered post, just thought I'd share my experience with the drug.
Best of luck folks and remember if you're addicted to this stuff, taper slowly and it will be alright!
 
I was prescribed Gabapentin for severe nerve pain, but I am also prescribed Oxy IR 20 mg. So I must admit, while I do take the Oxy as prescribed, more or less (snicker), I take Gaba in insane amounts, like, 5,000 mg per day, BUT, only once or twice a week. For me, it doesn't seem to work if I take it every day, at any dose. Plus, I have no desire whatsoever to experience the extremely nasty withdrawals I've read about in this thread. They sound absolutely horrendous.
 
I've been prescribed gabba for about 9 months in jail came home with a"take home" witch was about 120 300's... took them like crazy now I'm taking about 5,000 mg a day.... It's crazy yes I know but I'm on parole and can't take anything else or I go back to prison... It seems like the effects are getting weak but the diarrhea seems to never leave... It seems like the 300s are stronger than the 600s idk why ... I'm stuck I wanna taper down but everyone's talking about withdrawals from 1200 a day being unbearable... I can only imagine what ill go through... Anyone have any suggestions...?
 
Xxthaa1nonlyyxx said:
I've been prescribed gabba for about 9 months in jail came home with a"take home" witch was about 120 300's... took them like crazy now I'm taking about 5,000 mg a day.... It's crazy yes I know but I'm on parole and can't take anything else or I go back to prison... It seems like the effects are getting weak but the diarrhea seems to never leave... It seems like the 300s are stronger than the 600s idk why ... I'm stuck I wanna taper down but everyone's talking about withdrawals from 1200 a day being unbearable... I can only imagine what ill go through... Anyone have any suggestions...?
Click to expand...

Start now... The slower and longer the taper the better chances you have of avoiding these w/d symptoms or at least to a lesser degree. Starting now while you have a valid source is your best bet because being cut off could leave you in a much worse off place. Doctors are not up to speed yet on the whole Gabapentin experience but rumors are making their way through the medical community and some docs are becoming more reluctant to even chance it unless you actually have Herpes Zoster or neuropathy.
 
Oh my God eureka. I had no idea why I developed permanent ringing in the ears. When I stopped taking Gaba I stopped abruptly. Has anyone else who experienced ringing in the ears after stopping use gone back to a low dose and tapered off properly? Im grasping at straws for a solution to this at times its really maddening. I get anxious thinking I will never again know peace and quiet.
 
The ringing went away for me after a few weeks. Came back with Lyrica and left again a few weeks after stopping. Usually, whatever the side effect or withdrawl symptom, it will eventually get better with time after stopping. It would be wise to examine everything you're putting in your mouth. Things like MSG and artifical sweetners can make your symptoms way worse too.
 
I'm late to the party but wanted to thank each and every one if you who shared your story. I'm Diabetic and have Neuropathy which I used to take Gaba for. 300 mg 2x (up to 3x if needed) a day for about 2 years. The only issue I had was towards the last 4 - 6 months where I was sleepy. Always sleepy, no matter how long I slept, just always tired. So I went to my doctor and now I'm taking Lyrica. I've been on it for about 1 1/2 years. Apparently it's the big brother to Gaba? Anyways, where Gaba made me so sleepy I couldn't function, Lyrica's only side effect that I've noticed (at least for me) is dry/cotton mouth. I take 150 mg 2x a day along with 10 mg of Baclofen 2x a day. The Baclofen is for muscle cramping that comes along with my Neuropathy. That being said, should I be looking into Magnesium supplements since it is a heavier version of Gaba, which for sure affects your magnesium? Tyia for any responses!
 
MAMAD: if you have type 2 diabetes, check into a diet called 'the whole 30' . There's a chance that diet could substantially reduce your neuropathy and therefore reduce your need for Lyrica and it's side effects. The website gives all of the information you need for free. whole30.com
 
I am glad that Google led me here. I made this account just to join in this thread. I was out on gabapentin just shy of a year ago. I was taking 600mg 3x a day for anxiety. A few months ago I dropped to 400mg. On my own I went down to 200mg for a week and then a week of 200mg every other day for another week. I've been completely gabapentin free for six days now.

This is probably one of the most frustrating drugs I've come off of. Even quiting Xanax wasn't as aggravating as this. And aggravation is my main issue. I want to fucking break shit. I want to punch people and myself. I'm not going to do this but man the feeling is overwhelming.

I also have the ringing in the ears and some itchiness and skin sensitivity. My anxiety has been awful. My muscles hurt like hell. I feel like complete garbage.

I really hope these feelings ease up soon. Finding out I'm not alone has helped quite a bit. So many other websites have said the withdrawal is mild. I thought I was losing it.
 
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