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Misc Gabapentin Withdrawal???

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elstongunn39

Bluelighter
Joined
May 30, 2014
Messages
174
So I've recently been prescribed gabapentin to help with "Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome" which I guess is basically treated similarly to fibromyalgia. In my case it manifests as chronic fatigue, brain fog, and insomnia. The doctor felt like treating the insomnia using something that can also maybe treat nerve pain or muscle problems would help with overall recovery, so he prescribed me gabapentin (its the second med I've tried). I take it only at night because it affects me too much to function great during the day. It's been helping a lot! I feel a lot better when on it and I can get real, decent sleep.
However, I'm worried about a couple of things. It's my understanding that gabapentin can induce pretty severe physical dependence. I'm actually fine with this as treating the PTLDS and insomnia is so important that I don't mind being on meds for awhile. But would that mean that I will have withdrawals during the daytime if I only take it at night? because that could be a problem. I had a weird episode today where i felt really weird and tense and my hand trembled. I'm wondering if that could be from a gabapentin withdrawal. (I've been on 300 mg at night for a week, then 600 mg at night the week after, basically two weeks total). Also I've felt some minor heart palpitations while on it once or twice. Since the med really helps I want to wait out the problems/side effects since they aren't as severe as other meds like flexeril. But I want to make sure that this is sustainable and not dangerous.:?:?
 
I've done a few thousand mg of gabapentin for weeks at a time and never experienced withdrawals. If so, maybe just a little blah feeling but nothing severe. I also have went through phases of taking it only at night and not to experienced daytime problems. I can't promise this will be the case for you but it is definitely not what I would consider severe by any means.
 
It's definitely possible that this tremor was something else, I'm just trying to do some basic research. Withdrawal from discontinuing is less what I'm worried about. Having daytime withdrawals/issues from taking it at night is what I'm mainly concerned with. Is this common or at all reported?
 
I guess one thing that concerns me is that the mechanism of action isn't even understood all that clearly.
 
Honestly, if you're only taking 600mg st night, I wouldn't worry. I have been on various doses from 100mg st night to 300 to 800 and above (at different times of my life) dosing st night and ever had problems. I work in the medical community and we have patients that take it nightly and have for years (some stopping for a while for whatever reason) and only one lady had any problems. She was a total nutcase anyway (not being judgement bitch but she really has some issues). Tons of people only dose once daily and don't have withdrawals during other parts of the day. You seem legit, have you talked to your doctor to see what s/he has to say?
 
There have been reports of tremor at moderate to high doses but not usually less than a gram a day. The half-life of gabapentin is long and once daily dosing is common. Although when taking doses of 1,200mg or higher at once absorption becomes a problem and diarrhea can occur also. A small high fat meal or snack helps with absorbing gabapentin as well as staggered dosing. And yes the mechanism of action is not fully understood and probably has downstream effects aside from interacting with gaba receptors.
 
I will talk to my doctor about my concerns. When i talked to him about gabapentin it was mainly just talking about how much simpler of a drug w/ fewer interactions/side effects it would be than flexeril
 
OP, first off, do not panic or develope preconceived ideas about Gabapentin/Neurontin.
It is an excellent medication when used properly. There are people who need 800 mg a day and those
who need 2400mg a day.

If you use as prescribed, the incendence of major side effects are low.


The majority of medications have a "mechanism of action that is not known".

People usually figure out for themselves how these medicines work for them.


Gabapentin may provide a sense of calm, pain relief relating to nerves and many other effects.

Gabapentin can have a variety of effects but usually causes sedation, a mentally spacey feeling and possibly disrupt your balance.

Addiction could come from regular,normal usage, but is usually minor and can be less if the medicine is properly discontinued.
 
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elstongunn39 said:
I thought the half life was 5-7 hours
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True I guess you could call it a moderate T 1/2, but after a week or two it accumulates enough that once daily dosing doesn't have huge swings in blood concentration IME. Speed King has a point that others experience is subjective and you will need to find out for yourself how well it works for you. Obviously nothing here should supersede your doctors advice & directions.
 
I was RX'ed 3,200mgs a day and took for YEARS and did a quick taper to 1,600 then to 800 then 400mg then 0 in a month and the WD was VERY short lived....2-3 days max
 
Gabapentin does indeed cause withdrawal symptoms.

I don't really feel them anymore though due to going through hellish withdrawals from opiates and benzos.

i probably do feel them but don't notice them due to my reason above.

before I went through those hardcore withdrawals Gabapentin withdrawals were pretty uncomfortable.
 
^^ Yes. I'm referring to EnlightenedOne's post. This is very possible. Great helpful post^^

One trick is to keep a disassociation between you and your medicine. This is much easier for people who have more chemical experience. In simpiler terms, take your medicine for its intended purpose and ( this is the subjective part) don't let your medicine get into your head. That statement means let it over take you or get to mentally wrapped up in the medicine.
There is absolutely no reason that you have to have anything but a smooth withdrawal from this medicine.

Keep your medicine mentally at arms length.

As the poster above pointed out, this medicine is not a joke. Usage can cause withdrawal symptoms, especially if you take it in a mannor that your doctor didn't prescribe.

If you discontinue and have withdrawal symptoms (usually, short lived), your doctor will help you.
 
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Definitely not psychosomatic. It's all real. The good,bad and ugly. I am simply trying to keep the OP positive about their usage.
 
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I am a highly experienced drug user/abuser. I have fibromyalgia, but my neurologist now believes it is MS or possibly Lupus. I agree because it is progressive.

I take 3200mg of gabapentin a day, and it has one of the worst withdrawal syndromes of any drug I've ever been dependent on. I cannot live without it.

2 days without it and I am literally tossing and turning in bed, groaning loudly and knowing that it is probably annoying as fuck to anyone around me. It feels like my muscles are being ripped apart and I'm slowly dying. Plus it causes rebound depression that is pretty bad.

800mg and it all fades away within 3 hours.

I'm hooked for life; been taking it for 13 or 14 years now, hardly missing a day. If I do, I regret it hardcore.

Just my 2 cents.
 
TheTwighlight said:
I am a highly experienced drug user/abuser. I have fibromyalgia, but my neurologist now believes it is MS or possibly Lupus. I agree because it is progressive.

I take 3200mg of gabapentin a day, and it has one of the worst withdrawal syndromes of any drug I've ever been dependent on. I cannot live without it.

2 days without it and I am literally tossing and turning in bed, groaning loudly and knowing that it is probably annoying as fuck to anyone around me. It feels like my muscles are being ripped apart and I'm slowly dying. Plus it causes rebound depression that is pretty bad.

800mg and it all fades away within 3 hours.

I'm hooked for life; been taking it for 13 or 14 years now, hardly missing a day. If I do, I regret it hardcore.

Just my 2 cents.
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Damn sorry to hear that ... I've been abusing it for over a year trying to quit heroin never did , ended up getting addicted to both benzos and gaba together . Took 1-2 mgs equivalent Xanax or kpin/Valium a day and 600-1800 mgs gaba depending on the day plus my heroin . After tapering benzos while taking high dose gaba consistently at the same time which helped the benzo taper managed to jump of 2.5 mgs Valium with gaba waited 3 days than started gaba tAper . I broke the 600 mg pills into 8 75 mg pieces and spread the 75 mgs every 2-4 hours or however I could little by little I got down to 300 mgs only and than 150 mgs I even broke the 300 into 8 pieces , 37.5 mgs each I find breaking into many pieces spreading out helps psychologically make you feel like you are taking enough or a lot . Good luck
 
Thanks, man, but there's no luck involved. I have absolutely no desire to quit gabapentin. On top of its painkilling effects, they are my "happy pills". They are prescribed to me for "mood & anxiety", although my psych is also a neurologist and knows I take it for pain.

I hope you can overcome your heroin addiction. I have somewhat conquered my opioid addiction, but I still take tramadol (which is one of the worst for me, right next to H, oxy, and Dilaudid). So...I can't offer much hope from personal experience, but I know people who have done it, so I know you can.

Of course, if you, like me, don't want to quit drugs, then I totally hope you don't get hurt or die. I have lost more friends to H than to anything else (and I've lost quite a few friends/acquaintances. God bless.
 
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