Dangerous Combination: Neurontin And Opiates (Top voted first)

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One of the contraindications while taking Neurontin is using opiates such as Hydrocodone (Vicodin) and Oyxcodone (Percocet). The opiates potentiate the effect of Neurotin by 14%. With Morphine, it increases the effect of Neurotin by 44%. My husband was on Neurontin at 900 mg a day (taken in three doses). At that time, he was not taking much of his pain killer, Oxycodone (Percocet), maybe one 5mg dose a night. My husband was originally took Neurotin for shingles nerve pain. His doctor decided to increase his dose of Neurontin to 1800 mg per day (three equal doses). Before that time, my husband increased his Oxycodone to two 5mg tablets before bedtime and another 5mg tablet about four hours later. Upon the increase in Neurontin, my husband started to experience some adverse effects. These included: Mental Confusion Severe drowsiness Dizziness Lack of coordination Numbness in toes Swelling in feet Belligerent Hostility Argumentative Mood Swings Rapid speech, slurred speech He could not hold a sane conversation with me, keep track of time, walk without running into things, remember what someone had just said, interact with others without hostility and being argumentative, keep awake during the daytime, and could not speak and be understood. The symptoms escalated from minor to major in a matter of days. It necessitated medical intervention, however, due to my husband's belligerent and confused state he refused to go to the ER. He did not want to spend the money. My husband has a mental disorder. Caution is advised in giving patients Neurotin who have mental disorders. His disorder is a personality disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder ( *not* Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ), which has some of the exact symptoms as Neurontin’s side effects. What transpired over two weeks, my husband’s personality disorder escalated into a monster. His behaviors were off the chart. Those symptoms from the list above are Belligerent, Hostility, Argumentative, Mood Swings, Rapid Speech. His speech was so distorted, rapid and slurred, that the medical assistant who spoke to him on the phone was alarmed. Based on his distorted speech, the doctor decided he should go to the ER instead of seeing her. After he essentially refused to go to the ER, my husband decided to reduce his dose of Neurontin and Percocet. Now he is going through withdrawals. I told him he should decrease it slower. However, he insists upon doing it his way, a behavior of OCPD. He went cold turkey on the Percocet, taking none now. In one day, he decreased the Neurontin from 1800mg to 900mg. On my husband’s side is my background in nursing with a speciality in pharmacology. I started to read up on Neurotin on drug.com and the rxlist.com . I discovered that Neurontin’s effects are potentiated by Hydrocodone (Vicodin). Upon further reading, I found Oxycodone (Percocet) is a related to Hydrocodone and therefore would do the same thing.

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13

I know a great deal about neurontin because i went through the criminal justice system. It cant be checked for on a drug panel, hence all paroles eat them by the handful. These are some of the weakest harmless pills a human being can take. The only thing i ever saw was a kid get a seizure from almost 30 of them one time. He must have been allergic or something, the only thing they are good for is withdrawal. Few people know this, they work just as good or better than suboxone, and are non addictive. 1 800mg in the morning and 1 at night will get u off a bundle of opioids habit in 4 days. They are like a miracle pill. I have done it many many times.

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19

No offense, but you COMPLETELY did not either understand what that study concluded or you just don't care to read through it carefully enough. It is a warning to PREGNANT women, and clearly states that there is no damage to adults whatsoever. Please stop posting things that are meant to scare people until you actually take the time to read what it says and not make your own conclusions that it's "doing something bad" to your brain. I encourage anyone to actually read what that study concluded and prove me otherwise.

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18

First of all, all that study concluded was that there was little danger to adults but that pregnant women should not take this drug due to the infant just beginning to make connections through synapses in the brain. You COMPLETELY missed the point of the study and made your own conclusions that it was harmful to you and other adults and that is totally incorrect. Anyone with half a brain who actually reads the entire study would not come the the conclusion that you did. I'm sorry if this is harsh but I'm really tired of things like this.

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6

The little-known effect of Gabapentin having an increased effect when given with opiates is probably what made it even worse on your husband. That and the fact that Gabapentin (Neurontin) is metabolzed and eliminated strictly through the kidneys. A person in renal failure should NEVER have been given this drug. I'm very sorry for your loss.

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2

Thank you. I do not have a wife. Neither my doc nor my pharmasist made mention of this problem. My heart has been screaming that my work performance is suffering because my brain won't work right. I appreciate your plainspeak. Sorry for what you are going through.

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3

My husband, a diabetic in stage 4 renal, was prescribed morphine and vicoden for neuropothy. His healthcare provider prescribed gabapentin in addition to the two aforementioned drugs. Within two weeks of taking the gabapentin, he lapsed into a coma on May 16, 2014 and died on June 4th. Never regaining consciousness. Admitting doctor told me because the kidneys could not flush drugs quickly enough, they believe it was like an overdose. Why is a NP allowed to prescribed so much narcotic!

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7

I am not a doctor but my experience with both nuerotin, & opiates. Since the oxvy's were working fine with out the neurotin. I would go back & explain your fears to you PC. I would not take something that is new due to your history of allergic problems.

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23

Saying someone shouldn't drive on more than 200mg of gabapentin is absolutely baseless and completely inaccurate. You should not being giving feedback to people. You are giving people who need help and asking for medical assistance inaccurate information. I know countless people who take over 3000 mg a day for anxiety or pain and are not impaired. The medication would not even be prescribed if what you were saying was accurate. It's infuriating to see posts like this because you are confusing people and obviously have no idea what you are talking about.

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27

Frank when you use neurotin for withdrawal do you just cold turkey the opiates no taper? Have had 5 major surgerys in less than year and other chronic illnesses so have been on opiates long enough that I am pretty sure I am at least physically dependant. I would like to get off completely, just don't want withdrawals
Feel sick enough already with my other problems. Thank you

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1

It is not actually listed as a contraindication under either medication, though you are cautioned to regularly see your doctor so your dosage can be monitored.

The problems your husband experienced could have been caused by either class or medications or the combination, it is hard to say.

Has he discussed this even with his doctor, yet?

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20

In reply to DM...My hope for you since your post on Oct 18 ' 16 is that you have found or will reach out to caring professionals who will help you in your situation. Do not hesitate to find help! There is hope...God loves you and does not want you to feel unwanted!!!

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11

I can tell u for sure that this med should be taken on a day u wont be driving Its pretty whoopass if over 200mg i think its now or soon to be considered a controled substance it can make you very tired or whoooozie it works pretty good for nerve pain i hope u arent being given 800 mg to start with that seems AWFUL high and will probably blow your mind maybe stick with your gut and talk to regular dr first good luck

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12

Maybe you need to read this study that was published about neurontin and lyrica and what it does to your brain.

wellnessresources.com/studies/neurontin_and_lyrica_are_highly_toxic_to_new_brain_synapses

I was on 600 mg 4 x's a day until I read this. I have every side effect that is listed on neurontin/gabapinten and it scares me, the damage this drug is doing to my brain. So I'd rather have the neuropathy pain than to kill my brain.

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14

I AM ON morphine for 7 years now,also lyrica,I had to stop taking lyrica because its too exspensive,So my doc put me on neurotin which does in fact work for nerve damage but Im experiencing severe joint pain in my hands an inner wrist area,just wondering if anyone else is having this side affect?

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15

You shouldn't be driving on the original pain medication to begin with. For one it is illegal and two it is extremely dangerous.

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21

I was taking Neurontin for 13 months,
300mg twice a day then went in for back surgery. The next day my Dr changed the dose to 600mg twice a day. 5 days later my feet started swelling & hurt like hell. I'm 120lbs, I gained 20lbs in my feet in an hour & they kept getting bigger. The next morning I was a mess, went to my surgeons office crying in pain & I could barely walk. When my surgeon walked in the exam room he didn't look @ my back incision he started screaming @ me that I could have blood clots & might die. He sent me to hospital ER with a script to have a 911ultrasound. When I got there my feet had become worse, my skin didn't have any room left to grow & started bursting like an oil field with blood squirting out in different places, was scary. Well I didn't have blood clots, had a reaction to the meds. Took a week & a lot of meds for the swelling to go down & over 5 months for my feet to stop hurting & be back to normal. Later on my friend that's an MD told me he's no longer writing his patients scripts for Neurontin because several have had severe reactions to it in the last year. Wonder if they've recently changed the formulation.

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22

Is it safe to take gabpinton after taking a soma .I have been on soma for a while 2 a day. Was given gabpinton for muscle pain in legs.

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24

Voices of reason,

AMEN, I've been trying to articulate this in every inaccurate post I come across on here but not in such eloquent terms as you did. Thank you as these forums are only as helpful as the valid material posted. Regards, Kenie

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25

Jr reply to post 11,

You should probably refrain from posting on issues that you clearly have no understanding of.It's certainly not an effective way to furnish information to others seeking counsel or advice.

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26

Finally, someone else in this world has experienced what I have with Neurotin!!! Please don't misunderstand, I am truly sorry for what your husband has gone through. I go through it everytime I take the drug. My husband has found me standing in the middle of a four lane highway, I've tried to kill him, days will pass and I will remember nothing, etc. In twenty years of being sick, I have NEVER found a doctor who would believe me!!! I would highly recommend that your husband talks to his doctor and find some other remedy because this only gets worse. Good luck and God bless you and your husband.

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