Neurontin/Gabapentin withdrawal...ruining my own life!
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Join Date: Feb 2012
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Neurontin/Gabapentin withdrawal...ruining my own life!
I've been reading these forums for many months but never posting, but let me start off by saying I do find many, many helpful posts from people who here that help me to realize I am not alone. To make an extremely long story short, I've been taking gabapentin for 3 years now. To begin with, this was prescribed to me for an ulnar neuropathy, and I thought it was completely safe being that it is not a narcotic, or scheduled drug. I noticed improvement in my mood as well, it seemed to give me energy to do more throughout my day...however the good feelings were short-lived due to my body building tolerance for the medication, so I found myself upping my dosage more and more as months passed... I found myself having to request early refills, taking the medicine from family members to get by in between my prescriptions, and basically am the the point where now I found myself today calling my doctor asking for just enough to get me through until Monday when I can refill my medicine. Except today the "craving" for the drug was the least of my concerns... I am physically sick without it. I'm on day 3 of being completely without and completely miserable. I'm nauseated, irritable, have no appetite whatsoever, and experiencing extreme cold sweats at night and getting very little sleep. I told my doctor this today when I called at 8:30 am and after checking with my pharmacy all day, I'm in disbelief that he not only did not call in anything to help me, but didn't even take the time to return my call at all today!! I realize it can take a day or two to hear back from your physician when you call but to me every minute of every day has been agonizing without this medication or anyway to feel better. I even checked with the receptionist to ensure she put my message back after not hearing anything by 3:00 and all she could say was my chart was still at his station. I plan to work on slowly tapering off the medication...very slowly... I've tried going cold turkey before and I know my body cannot tolerate going off the medicine that way, but I cannot taper if my doctor simply refuses to ignore my cry for help! I hate the control this drug has gained over my life...whether or not I have the medication controls whether or not I can function properly through the day. I have no one to blame but myself, and feel shame for misusing the drug and the lies I've told to keep a steady supply...but now I feel trapped by the drug, even though my mind says "never take another pill!" my body's dependency on it won't allow me to just stop... my question is what do you do when your doctor doesn't seem to trust your judgement? it's like he doesn't believe this drug has potential to cause withdrawal? I'm afraid when I call back tomorrow he's simply going to refuse to fill my medicine and I'm going to have to go through this whole thing cold turkey...and from reading many, many forums and posts I've learned that it is no quick withdrawal process for this medication, some people take months to feel normal even with tapering! right now I'm just very sick and very scared and more than anything, very depressed!! anyone with experiences like this while taking gabapentin/neurontin? what did you do to handle the effects of withdrawal? and how did u taper off, slowly or quicky? any input would be wonderful!
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
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Welcome skiths
I have no personal experience with these drugs, but I suggest you wait until you hear from your Dr before you start to panic
Make an appointment as soon as you can with your Dr to discuss all of this - obviously the way things are is untenable.
D
I have no personal experience with these drugs, but I suggest you wait until you hear from your Dr before you start to panic
Make an appointment as soon as you can with your Dr to discuss all of this - obviously the way things are is untenable.
D
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Originally Posted by skiths87 
my question is what do you do when your doctor doesn't seem to trust your judgement?
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I'm hoping something will be done in the morning, but the ER is my very last option since I currently have no medical insurance, and my fiance just lost his job... I used to work for my pcp so it's very embarressing to have them all realize I've become dependent on the drug, especially harder to admit to abusing it. But I know if I don't come clean and taper off that only worse is to come... it's very hard to admit to myself that I have a problem, much less people who used to think I had it all together! But right now I realize my health and well being has to come first and in order for him to help me, I HAVE to tell him. I am just struggling so right now without the medicine I'm afraid its going to be a long road ahead to get back to my life before pills!
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Well my PCP did indeed call in 100 pills for me this morning, but offered no advice in tapering off the medication. He did however make it clear he would not be refilling this medicine for me, which is no surprise, as said before I knew my days of getting by with abusing this medication were numbered. Now I just ask for support in tapering off this medication the proper way on my own. I could have very easily taken more than the directed dose this morning and put myself right back into that fog and forget about it all for today...and after being without for almost 4 days it was tempting... But I know I'll only blow through what little supply I have and then be right back at square one, trying to find another way to get high once I've run out and start wd's...so I took only what I am directed to take and truly hope I can continue to have the strength to do the same every day. Addiction runs in my family...I never in a million years thought I'd let it effect me and since my medication wasn't a true "narcotic" or "benzo" I had myself believing I wasn't an addict... but truth be told I was abusing the medication to get high and anyway you look at it, I was hooked!
It's wonderful to have these forums to turn to... for in my life I have no one I can tell the whole truth to without shame or feelings of guilt. My grandmother raised me because my real mom was only 16 when she had me, and at age 42 my birth mother is still strung out on drugs and has nothing of her own, no where to live, no drivers license, and no trust at all from my family. There is no way I could break my grandmother's heart by telling her what I've been doing and what I've become. I live in a small, country town where everyone knows everyone and even confiding in friends is impossible...here people don't understand addiction, and anyone with a problem is basically gossiped about all over town or no one wants anything to do with you. Even places where your secrets should be kept in private at all costs can't be trusted... So I've spent many months turning to these forums for advice, support, and answers way before I ever decided to register and post my first thread. It truly is a blessing that complete strangers have this place to come and can find support without being judged, can get answers from people with true experience, and know that someone out there is listening and wanting to help you.
It's wonderful to have these forums to turn to... for in my life I have no one I can tell the whole truth to without shame or feelings of guilt. My grandmother raised me because my real mom was only 16 when she had me, and at age 42 my birth mother is still strung out on drugs and has nothing of her own, no where to live, no drivers license, and no trust at all from my family. There is no way I could break my grandmother's heart by telling her what I've been doing and what I've become. I live in a small, country town where everyone knows everyone and even confiding in friends is impossible...here people don't understand addiction, and anyone with a problem is basically gossiped about all over town or no one wants anything to do with you. Even places where your secrets should be kept in private at all costs can't be trusted... So I've spent many months turning to these forums for advice, support, and answers way before I ever decided to register and post my first thread. It truly is a blessing that complete strangers have this place to come and can find support without being judged, can get answers from people with true experience, and know that someone out there is listening and wanting to help you.
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Hi Skiths,
I read your post about your problem with Gabs, it really got me. I swear it seemed like I was reading about myself, exactly, by what you wrote. I have a serious problem with this and I'm trying to get a handle on it.
It has been a few months since you posted, and I am really wondering how you are doing.
Gabapentin withdrawals are horrible. I haven't ever abused any other drugs, but I'm wondering how the withdrawals compare to the hard illegal drugs withdawals.
I've been through the withdrawals several times. Only once I had made it through where I could've survived - it had been 3 weeks. I was stupid enough to get back on and continue my abuse. One time was so bad, I had to take a trip to the ER.
I take an extreme amount daily. It varies depending on how much money I have, and how much longer I can wait for my fresh supply to arrive. Right now I have been taking average 7200 mg a day for the past week or two. Just stupid. I'd probably die if I quit cold turkey now.
Ibuprofin just don't cut it when it comes to withdrawal symptoms. I wish there was something I knew of that could help.
I read your post about your problem with Gabs, it really got me. I swear it seemed like I was reading about myself, exactly, by what you wrote. I have a serious problem with this and I'm trying to get a handle on it.
It has been a few months since you posted, and I am really wondering how you are doing.
Gabapentin withdrawals are horrible. I haven't ever abused any other drugs, but I'm wondering how the withdrawals compare to the hard illegal drugs withdawals.
I've been through the withdrawals several times. Only once I had made it through where I could've survived - it had been 3 weeks. I was stupid enough to get back on and continue my abuse. One time was so bad, I had to take a trip to the ER.
I take an extreme amount daily. It varies depending on how much money I have, and how much longer I can wait for my fresh supply to arrive. Right now I have been taking average 7200 mg a day for the past week or two. Just stupid. I'd probably die if I quit cold turkey now.
Ibuprofin just don't cut it when it comes to withdrawal symptoms. I wish there was something I knew of that could help.
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
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Both my daughter and I take this medication. My sister also takes it for her MS. My daughter takes 1800 mg daily for nerve pain. I take 300 mg as a mood stabilizer to Zoloft, but am in process of discontinuing it, in consultation with my doctor. I didn't realize it was an addictive medication!
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The original clinical trials on the gen Gabapentin were very sketchy at best. What you describe symptomatically after increased tolerance is similar to what the later European Gabarone/Fanatrex trial results indicated. Contact your Doctor with a degree of urgency.
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Join Date: Jul 2012
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Originally Posted by Dee74
Welcome YGG
Have you consulted a medical professional?
D
Have you consulted a medical professional?
D
He offered no help or advice on how to beat my problem. Rather, he just gave me a new years supply of Gabs, with instructions to the pharmacist that each monthly refill must last 30 days. Meanwhile, I am still buying extra pills off the internet, and it's costing me a great deal of money.
At one point after some nasty withdrawals, I was so angry and wanted to kick this habit once and for all. I sought out an abuse/recovery in house treatment center that would've housed me for at least 30 days. However, I was denied. (I'm guessing they felt Gabapentin wasn't as serious a problem as alcohol or hard street drugs). God help me.
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YGG-
Thank you so much for reaching out to contact me. I would love to say I survived the withdrawals and stopped the medication, however I just lowered my dosage and am still depending on Gabapentin to get through my daily life. I've made several attempts since the original post to stop it but I truly haven't found any way to deal with it and continue normally...
I also take an extremely high dosage and I honestly can say I think the withdrawals from Gabapentin are worse than opiates... I've only experienced opiate withdrawl once or twice and within a day or so I can move on and not feel quite as bad...but without my Gabapentin/Neurontin I have no desire to do anything. It truly acts as an antidepressant for me almost.
I am sorry you too are having to deal with this, I wish I could go back and never ever touch this medication!!! It's good to know at least we aren't alone huh? No one has ever actually replied much to me on these forums, not that I post often, so I am grateful to have someone to talk to about it!!!!!
Thank you so much for reaching out to contact me. I would love to say I survived the withdrawals and stopped the medication, however I just lowered my dosage and am still depending on Gabapentin to get through my daily life. I've made several attempts since the original post to stop it but I truly haven't found any way to deal with it and continue normally...
I also take an extremely high dosage and I honestly can say I think the withdrawals from Gabapentin are worse than opiates... I've only experienced opiate withdrawl once or twice and within a day or so I can move on and not feel quite as bad...but without my Gabapentin/Neurontin I have no desire to do anything. It truly acts as an antidepressant for me almost.
I am sorry you too are having to deal with this, I wish I could go back and never ever touch this medication!!! It's good to know at least we aren't alone huh? No one has ever actually replied much to me on these forums, not that I post often, so I am grateful to have someone to talk to about it!!!!!
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by skiths87
YGG-
Thank you so much for reaching out to contact me. I would love to say I survived the withdrawals and stopped the medication, however I just lowered my dosage and am still depending on Gabapentin to get through my daily life. I've made several attempts since the original post to stop it but I truly haven't found any way to deal with it and continue normally...
I also take an extremely high dosage and I honestly can say I think the withdrawals from Gabapentin are worse than opiates... I've only experienced opiate withdrawl once or twice and within a day or so I can move on and not feel quite as bad...but without my Gabapentin/Neurontin I have no desire to do anything. It truly acts as an antidepressant for me almost.
I am sorry you too are having to deal with this, I wish I could go back and never ever touch this medication!!! It's good to know at least we aren't alone huh? No one has ever actually replied much to me on these forums, not that I post often, so I am grateful to have someone to talk to about it!!!!!
Thank you so much for reaching out to contact me. I would love to say I survived the withdrawals and stopped the medication, however I just lowered my dosage and am still depending on Gabapentin to get through my daily life. I've made several attempts since the original post to stop it but I truly haven't found any way to deal with it and continue normally...
I also take an extremely high dosage and I honestly can say I think the withdrawals from Gabapentin are worse than opiates... I've only experienced opiate withdrawl once or twice and within a day or so I can move on and not feel quite as bad...but without my Gabapentin/Neurontin I have no desire to do anything. It truly acts as an antidepressant for me almost.
I am sorry you too are having to deal with this, I wish I could go back and never ever touch this medication!!! It's good to know at least we aren't alone huh? No one has ever actually replied much to me on these forums, not that I post often, so I am grateful to have someone to talk to about it!!!!!
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by skiths87
YGG-
Thank you so much for reaching out to contact me. I would love to say I survived the withdrawals and stopped the medication, however I just lowered my dosage and am still depending on Gabapentin to get through my daily life. I've made several attempts since the original post to stop it but I truly haven't found any way to deal with it and continue normally...
I also take an extremely high dosage and I honestly can say I think the withdrawals from Gabapentin are worse than opiates... I've only experienced opiate withdrawl once or twice and within a day or so I can move on and not feel quite as bad...but without my Gabapentin/Neurontin I have no desire to do anything. It truly acts as an antidepressant for me almost.
I am sorry you too are having to deal with this, I wish I could go back and never ever touch this medication!!! It's good to know at least we aren't alone huh? No one has ever actually replied much to me on these forums, not that I post often, so I am grateful to have someone to talk to about it!!!!!
Thank you so much for reaching out to contact me. I would love to say I survived the withdrawals and stopped the medication, however I just lowered my dosage and am still depending on Gabapentin to get through my daily life. I've made several attempts since the original post to stop it but I truly haven't found any way to deal with it and continue normally...
I also take an extremely high dosage and I honestly can say I think the withdrawals from Gabapentin are worse than opiates... I've only experienced opiate withdrawl once or twice and within a day or so I can move on and not feel quite as bad...but without my Gabapentin/Neurontin I have no desire to do anything. It truly acts as an antidepressant for me almost.
I am sorry you too are having to deal with this, I wish I could go back and never ever touch this medication!!! It's good to know at least we aren't alone huh? No one has ever actually replied much to me on these forums, not that I post often, so I am grateful to have someone to talk to about it!!!!!
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