Sudden Withdrawal From Neurontin (Page 13)

I have been taking 600 mg of Neurontin 4x a day for about 2 years and recentlty ran out of this medication due to excrutiating slow service from mandatory mail order RX company.... I was extremely agitated during this time (approx. 5 days), nervous, stressed out, etc. Has anyone else had these symptons as a result of sudden withdrawal from Neurontin? I can't understand why this happened, I felt so scared and lousy for that time. Is this a known reaction for this med? I haven't been able to find an answer. I take it for relief from carpel tunnel syndrom. Thanks

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My 9 year old daughter was prescribed neurotin for head aches and anxiety by her Nelurologist. Well her peds dr told me to stop it. She was on it 2 weeks, slowly up to 300 mg day. Yesterday she had me feel her neck. Tiny liphnode on neck swollen, wasnt worried. Tonight it is bigger and it hurts her. Is this a withdraw symptom? Should i go to er? Or wait for dr in morning?

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I would get it checked now! Never heard of withdrawal doing this but who knows!
Good luck. Keep us posted

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I am on gabapentin I got off cold turkey it was the worst thing you can imagine I got off some hard core opiate's witch were easier I would advice u to do 100mg less a week

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Hello, I've had the same thing. I titrated up over a few weeks from 300 a day to 600 and then to 900. I titrated back down almost as quickly, and then last week I went from 300 extended release to nothing. That was exactly a week ago. I'm having severe stiff neck, back pain, shoulder pain, and also had some enlarged lymph nodes. I'm wondering if this is just from the withdrawal of the medication. What did you find out from your child's doctor? This medicine made me have extreme joint pain and inflammation, so I had to stop.

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Hi cj1969,
Yes, I think some, if not all, of your symptoms are from the gabapentin. I took 2700 mg/day for two years before starting to come off it. I've been weaning myself down slowly over the past (almost) two years as my nerves are slowing regenerating after being damaged during back surgery. Recently, I went from 200mg a day to 100mg per day and my neck is stiff, hurts to turn right and my lymph nodes are swollen and painful. Reducing the gabapentin is the only change that was made so it's most likely the cause.
For others reading this, I was able to go down 300mg/day without terrible side effects until I reached 900mg. At that point, reducing in 100mg increments was necessary. I would wait weeks, sometimes months before making another reduction. I have read that as the dose increases, the efficacy decreases so maybe that's why it gets more difficult when I get to the lower doses. I have also noticed that my brain function is slowly returning to normal. I used to struggle to find the words I wanted to say on a regular basis every day. Sometimes it felt like I had had a partial labotomy. It still happens regularly, just to a lesser degree. It's really a shame that our doctors don't give us any clue of what we are getting into when they hand us the script. Then they tell you the medicine(s) you're taking couldn't possibly cause whatever symptoms you're having. My faith in doctors has been totally shattered!
For those that are still looking for pain relief, I've found that Bali kratom herb, when mixed with turmeric, ginger and cayenne, brings effective relief for mild to moderate pain. There is a product online that combines these four ingredients and that has kept me away from the pain clinic I used to visit monthly.

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I came off 3200 mgs of Gabby over a period of 3 weeks!! My rheumatologist said he had never heard of withdrawal from this drug??? My family Dr. wasn't aware I had done this for the first month..she was upset..said I should of been weaned down 100 mgs at a time over a period of months..to late now..I have been off Gabby since February 1st..I can finely say that I am feeling better..still having some stomach issues with appetite, bloating and small stomach aches now and then..every so often chest pain..but all in all its so much better than when I first stopped taking it..don't miss the sleeplessness, anxiety, headaches..was not fun..
Glad you are better..I have heard that the higher the dose which I was on 3200 mgs for about 4 months..the length of time taken which for me was over a year that it takes a long time to get it out of your system..I am 4 months out and still feeling some of the withdrawal..hopefully this to will pass in time..dealing with my osteo arthritis if better than the withdrawal..
Keep me posted..

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Thank you for your reply. I feel reassured that this is the remnants of gabapentin still in my body and/or my body adjusting to it. I still have a slightly stiff neck in the morning and shoulder, upper back, and neck pain but the symptoms are very slightly less with escj passing day. I wish I had never taken this terrible drug!!

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You can die. I have had four migraines in 24 hours with vomiting. Three to four days of that. Can get seizures. Didn't know. Don't do it!!!

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Hi! Have you ever consider acupuncture? When my back was not so bad I did acupuncture and it was great!!! You MUST find a GREAT acupuncturist. That is important. See if you can find an Asian Doctor that has been trained in this and also practices eastern medicine. That doctor should also know when you need to be treated with western medicine. Acupuncture and eastern herbal medicines helped me avoid a hysterectomy. The problem went away totally. If you lived in NJ I could recommend a great dr.

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I have been forced more than a few times to go cold turkey off gabapentin for a couple weeks or so. Each time is a living ****ing nightmare. I have chest pain like I'm going to have a heart attack and extreme sweats, anxiety, ect... I even have interdose withdrawals in between doses some days. 600mg 3* a day for going on 2 yrs now. It took me a few months to figure out what was going on with me. I like the way it makes me feel, calm, energetic at the same time, social anxiety lessons, and it gives me a warm, numb feeling, faintly, not like a high by any means. Just comforting is the best way to describe the way it affects me. I hate how I feel if I don't take it and what happens if I lose my insurance?! Do you know how expensive gabapentin is out of pocket? It's one of the more expensive medications out there, costing waaayyyy more than my Clonazapam or MMT. It is a great med, but coming off it scares me. I only take it as prescribed so I don't run out. Cold turkey neurontin withdrawal is dangerous and comparable to alcohol WD's or Xanax withdrawals. Unbelievably true, for most people. Stay on it or taper off it, but NEVER abruptly just stop taking it! Good evening.

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The only danger will be the current symptoms may continue for another several weeks possibly. They will of course improve slowly week by week. Good work and keep it up. You can get through it. If you've gone this long you can go all the way. Congratulations. It's not easy.

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pain doctors went out of bussiness could not make a profit in ky. just up and closed the doors and medical records are in georiga and cant seem to get them ..i have not had a neurontin in 11 days took 600 mg 3 times a day for 2 years and then they say up yours ..its been really tough so whats next

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Can someone please help, or give some advice or maybe knowledge with Gapapentin? I was put on it for a very short while, a little over 3 weeks after a spinal tap. A very small dose of 300 mg a day max.

I stopped taking it cold turkey last Sunday, so almost one week ago, per the advice of my neurologist, and things are awful. I could no longer take it because it was making my spinal headaches worse!

Since I've been off, I have horrible anxiety, complete loss of appetite, panic attacks, feelings of desperation and loss, crying fits. I feel as if I will never be happy again. The worse thing is that I have two small children to care for and my husband is just sick about this!

The good news is that my headache and neck pain has lessened, but I cannot handle the thoughts and feelings I am having!

I know it's the meds, because last Sunday I came home after feeling so panicky, I took one pill, and after one hour my head started to kill again, but all the other horrible symptoms went away!

I decided at that point that this medicine is indeed the devil and I will be done with it! My neurologist agreed, but wanted me to take 100mg for 3 more days...I didn't. I just stopped. I threw all meds away. I didn't want anymore in my body!!! The withdrawl symptoms started on Monday eve. So this has been going on for 6 days now!!!

Can anyone tell me how long the anxiety will go one? I can't handle this! I've been taking extra magnesium, espsom salt baths, vitamin b to help. I also started to take Passion flower to help a bit with the panic attacks. I hope this info can help someone else in need. It seems to take the edge off!

Thank you so much!!!

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Sorry to hear that. I too stopped cold turkey. I have experienced the same three weeks today anxiety a tad better but I am still not myself. I took it 4 days and pain was reduced by 80 percent. Still better with the pain but now have mild headache, sleep interruption, feel like i am crawling inside my body, anxiety and worry, burning around my heart, light headed, general malaise. I too did epsom bath and magnesium and b vitamins. I also read that biotin may help... Drink a lot of water, dry skin, brushing before baths. Pray...It will pass. I am still in it but pray every day it will be done. I was called a hypochondriate by my acupuncturist!

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I took Gabapentin for only 17 days at 1 x 300mg capsule. Stopped taking them 6 days ago with no taper. I can't believe how bad I've been feeling with coming off such a small dosage and taken for a very short period!! Anxious, emotional, periods of significant depression, muscle twitching, tinnitus and last but by no means least, an array of stomach problems. Has anyone else experienced a withdrawal from small short term dosage?
Best wishes to all who are struggling with this med and trying to get off it.

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I have just started taking Grapentin after reading all the comments I think I had just as soon have the pain. I am taking it for Fibermyalgia. I have been feeling a little depressed and I am on Paxal also.

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I've just done the same. Was on x6 100mg a day. (x2 tablets, 3 times a day). Was on them from beginning of August to about 4 days ago when I stopped cold turkey. Tbh, as silly as this sounds, I didn't realise the possible effects. But then, tbh, I didn't realise/know the type of tablets I was on. You just do what you're told by the specialists don't we? I/they think I've got Fibromyalgia. I go back to Rheumo end of Feb. The reason I stopped the tablets is due not knowing what was 'my condition' and what were side effects. I had bowel probs, anxiety, aches and pains, numbness (to name but a few) prior to taking them and also whilst on them. Having read the possible sides effects which are same as above and more, you have to question why take them. I have to say, 4-5 days into cold turkey and I've experienced bad headaches (which I didn't use to get), and slightly more intense pains. Since stopping the meds I've decided to take Ibuprofen (when needed) with a top up of Paracetamol if needed.

I really didn't realise this cold turkey malarkey would happen until I researched it today. :-(

I'm hoping (obvs) the headaches will pass asap. I know the Fibromyalgia pains won't. I wish!

Hope you feel a bit better soon. HNY2017

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Neurontin is satans drug!! I took it for 8 years and went to jail and had to stop taking it cold turkey. I woke up a week later in the icu bc I had went into kidney failure and pancreatitis. I had to be put on dialysis it took weeks to even be able to speak. You sweat so much you feel like your melting! It's the worst feeling ever! Good luck!

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Yes! I was on it for 5 weeks for knee replacement. I took 2 a day at 300mg each. I am having a very difficult time going off of it! Anxiety, rapid pulse and nausea. How long does this last?

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I took Gabapentin( Neurotin) because I had a triple spinal fusion that didn't go well and had severe nerve pain from the surgery. I ran out because I took an extra one during the day, which I didn't normally do. OMG! I had the worse withdrawal symptoms. I thought I was dying. I woke up in a cold sweat. As the day progressed my heart rate increased, I had palpitations like I was on a roller coaster, diarrhea, anxiety from hell, could not eat, crying spells, increased blood pressure 174/110. I was just about to call an ambulance when my husband said try taking a Gabapentin. He gave me one, as he takes them too for nerve pain from Gillian Barre, and within 20-30 minutes, everything settled down. You must taper these down over many months, do not suddenly stop taking them if you have been taking them for a long time and or, on a high dose.

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