Gabapentin Neurontin

Just wanted to let everyone know how things are going. I can't believe how well gabapentin has worked. I've been thru the withdrawals going cold turkey 3 times in the past without anything to help. I was presribed gabapentin about a month ago for pain. It didn't help for that. I did some research on it and it is used for withdrawals. It has been 90% easier than before and trust me, I know how bad it is. The only syptoms (symptoms) I have had this time is I'm just a little cold and a bit of anxiety but nothing like before. I guess it's not normally prescribed for withdrawals because it has not been approved for that but I would think most docs would prescribe it because it can be used for pain and is a non narcotic. There are many other uses for it. I read there can be a withdrawal effect when stopping it so I only plan on taking it for a week. I only had to take 1 today and I was taking over 25 hydros a day until Sunday. I stopped completely monday. I just want to let people know about this because of how well it seems to be working.
Brian

[Greatgreebo]

Neurontin can be very dangerous. It was originally developed as an anti-convulsant/seisure medication that has now been applied to pain relief. People need to carefully research safe doses and possible side effects..the amounts a doctor is willing to prescribe usually far excedes safe amounts.  I'm glad it helped you. Everyone wanting to use this drug must be cautious. It can actually cause people to go 'off the deep end' almost into psychosis. IF it works for you great. All 'amazing' cures should be taken with a grain of salt
Greatgreebo

[bmc1976]

From what I have read it is a very safe medicine with little to no side effects. That is just what I have read and really have no other experience with it until now. I did hear it can become addicting and that is why I only plan on using it for a week. Can you please feel me in on your experience with it?
Thanks,
Brian

[wait2long]

Is neurontin really addictive?  i have heard people tend to abuse it, but have never heard of it being addictive until now. this worries me because my doctor wants to put me on neurontin or lyrica for my fibromyalgia and i really dont need another addiction...
i HAVE also heard it does effect ones mood, when coming off it, it can cause severe anger issues and depression, this i have seen firsthand, but by someone who did not take it properly, and did kind of go off the deep end for the day after.  he only took it once!

[sleeplesss]

I was on neurotin over a year ago for a bulging disk in my neck.  The only side effect I had was being sleepy.  I don't recall any problem at all getting off of it.  Of course, everyone is different...

[avisg]

neurontin for the most part is a safe drug ,however for a while they were using to treat bi polar  disorder ,then they found out it really never work in BP patients turns out pharmaceutical companies paid for positive results it was quite the scandal . In the process BP patients were suffering cuz there meds did not work . Like any med you have to make sure the benefit's out weigh the risks ,but given the choice between a narcotic and neurontin i would pick the neurontin every time if it works for ya.

[bmc1976]

I'm on day 5 of withdrawals and feeling great! Going cold turkey from 25+ hydros. The only side effect for me has being sleepy but that is great while going through withdrawals! I'm not going to take any today and see how it goes. I know in the past my withdrawals lasted about 5 days. Here's what wikipedia said about it.....

Gabapentin (administered orally) is one of two medications (the other being flumazenil, which is administered intravenously) used in the expensive Prometa Treatment Protocol for methamphetamine, cocaine and alcohol addiction. Gabapentin is administered at a dosage of 1200 mg taken at bedtime for 40–60 days. Though the combination of flumazenil infusions and gabapentin tablets is a licensed treatment, there is no prohibition against a physician prescribing gabapentin outside the Prometa protocol. There have been reports by methamphetamine addicts that gabapentin alone in doses of 1200 mg at bedtime taken for 40–60 days has been effective in reducing the withdrawal symptoms and almost eliminating cravings or desire to use methamphetamine. [11]

That's why I decided to give it a try and it has worked wonders. There is no way I am going to use it for 40 days! I've just been taking it since Monday. The longest I plan on taking it for is a week but hopefully I went need anymore at all. It has helped tremondously!

[wait2long]

I heard something to that effect also...they were claiming it was a "mood stabilizer" when it really wasnt...i know someone who swears it is... the facts dont support it, but telling them that is a whole other issue...

[avisg]

yup that was it, turns out its not a mood stabilizer at all. I think it is a great option for nerve  pain.

[wait2long]

I think i'm going to try it...i HAVE to do something...or lyrica, but was told lyrica is about the same med just cost twice as much...

[avisg]

wait ,
i wonder if it would help my TMJ at this point i would hang naked from a chandelier if i thought it would help the pain

[1eagle]

I have been taking that stuff for a few months - no real problems, and I have done well dumping the hydrocodone - I will be careful when I stop. All in all I would think that it is worth it...................

[bmc1976]

Well if you would do that I will mail you some!!!!! Just kidding! Just curious, what is TMJ?

[avisg]

LOL it is a croinic problem with the joints of the jaw and the facial muscles of the jaw .... it sooooo sucks

[bmc1976]

I think gabapentin is mainly used for nerve pain but it didn't help with my siatica. It might help for other areas of pain but I'm not quite sure. Everyone is different though. It's worth a shot since it is non narcotic. And even if it doesn't work at least you'll have it around for withdrawals. I'm on day 5 and feeling good. I've actually slept every night. The last few times I went through withdrawals I didn't sleep thru the night for 5 days.

[avisg]

luckily i have already gone threw withdrawal is hope for the last tie I am four months clean , but as you said its wroth a try ....

[avisg]

bad bad typing i swear i need a typist

[bmc1976]

That's great! Congrats on that. Since you know how bad withdrawals are hopefully you won't have to go through them again. I read up on gabapentin and go over it with your doctor. I guess there can be some withdrawal effects from them. I'm not going to take them long enough to find out! There are many non narcotic pain meds out there. Ask your doctor the different options you have. One side effect I've been having is a fuzzy head all day. I don't think you want to have that. Do a search on non narcotic pain killers and see what you can find. Print those off and take them to your next doctor visit. Hopefully you can find something non narcotic that will work.

[sleeplesss]

Hang naked from the chandelier, eh....thank you for making me laugh today!!!!  and hey....I just picked up my 90 neurotin so I also will mail you some if you send us all a pic....

[checkmeout]

would like to see avisj hang naked from a chandelier... ;-)

[mom2amj]

I was just wondering how many mgs do you take of the neurontin per day?  I only have the 100mg capsules bc my Pdoc said to try that instead of xanax due to the sleepiness.  I have done research on it also...it is supposed to stimulate GABA in the brain....i'm no expert but I think that is similar to endorphins and dopamine.  This may be why it is so helpful for w/d symptoms.  I have taken 300mgs once daily for the last two days and feel just a little depressed, extremely tired, and i'm freezing! It doesn't help that it's 31 degrees outside!

[bmc1976]

I have 400mg pills and was taking 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, and 2 at night. I haven't taken any today and I'm on day 5. I feel pretty darn good overall. I'm going to try and not take anymore but depends on if I can fall asleep tonite. I have slept every night while taking the gabapentin so we will see. I've been cold also but I thought it was part of the withdrawals.  Maybe it's from the gab.
Hey sleepless, let me know how they work for you with the withdrawals. I went cold turkey and have pretty much been withdrawal free and was taking over 25 hydros a day!

[wait2long]

I placed a paper bag on my head, hung from a chandelier naked while singing pop goes the weasel.....didnt work.....yes, i too am willing to try anything!

lyrica was just approved by the FDA for fibro, my doc said neurontin is the same drug...and fibro isnt really considered "nerve pain" as a whole, so maybe it would work for you too...I'll ask my doc about this when i see her on tues. let ya know...ok?

[avisg]

LMAO

[GoingToMakeIt]

Well well, I go away a few hours and come back to see a pillar of our community (avis) swinging naked from a chandelier. Did nuerontin cause this? :-)
When are you changing your icon avis? I want a pic of this! lol
Laughter feels so good.

[avisg]

hahaha i would not want to scare off every one in the fourm :)

[checkmeout]

I don't know, avis.  Your pic is so dark, but seems like you might look good hanging.  LOL

[1eagle]

Does the nureontin stimulate this type of thought pattern and/or behavior? I have been taking them, but I think that I will share with the wife........

[GoingToMakeIt]

We keep telling people to hang in there. We didn't mean it literally, Avis

bmc thank you for sharing this info on Neurontin. Sounds very promising...aside from the ape like side affects. :-)

[checkmeout]

NUERONTIN FOR EVERYONE!!!!  chandeliers on the house....

[checkmeout]

okay, folks this has really gotten outta hand.  and I LIKE IT.

[1eagle]

I gotta agree that it is a refreshing change of pace for a short - short..

[bmc1976]

Sorry I haven't been on for awhile, I got my foot stuck in the chandelier....Just got back from a movie with my wife. Day 5 vic free has been great so far.

[Spring-02]

I take neurontin for unexplained neuological symptoms and nerve pain.  It doesn't cause any side effects for me..  Without it though, the pain would not be bearable.  It is much better then taking anti-depressants like effexor and ativan, which can become addictive and messes up your mind.

[checkmeout]

next time your foot is stuck like that CHEW IT OFF before somebody takes your pic and posts it on an addiction forum.  lol

[wait2long]

I am glad i am getting some feedback on neurontin, good feedback...i think i am going to go for it!!  thanks

[bmc1976]

How else do you think I got down? I did notice a flash throught the slider, I think it might have been someone taking a pic. Keep your eyes peeled. The pic might just end up on here!

Wait2long. I would say go for it for sure. It can't be any worse than narc. I hope it helps you!

[allalone1963]

good luck with the neurontin, it is a god send for fibro.. if it helps your pain you can be dependent on it, different from addiction, if used properly, was for seizures now used for many things.. very costly !

[northernstar30]

I have a bottle of neurontin and trying to get off tramodal.  If I was to try the neurontin to ease the withdrawls from the tram, how many should I take?  The doc gave me neurontin for nerve pain in my hand but I don't think it works.  I want off the tramadol and I know I'm gonna feel withdrawls but if I can curb some of the pain that would be great.  But still I'm repeating the cycle.  Replacing one drug with another.  I want to go ct, but I'm so scared.  I've been hiding this from my husbnad and family for over a year.  My husband knows the signs of withdrawls and If he finds out I've been using tramadol, he will leave me.  I don't want to loose him and my kids.  I"m ready to quit.  I'm ready to admit I have a problem.  Thanks everybody for your suport.  

[bmc1976]

I have the 400mg gabapentin (neurontin) meds. My doc told me to take 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, and 1 in the evening. He said I could double the dose if need be. I originally was prescribed them for nerve pain and they didn't help. I read on the internet that they can help with withdrawals. They have big time! They really helped at night with getting to sleep. I took 2 at night to help with that. I'm on day 6 without vicodin and feeling great. I had little to no withdrawals symptons. I'm done taking them now. I didn't want to replace one drug for another and that's why I'm not going to use them for more than a week. I went cold turkey off the vicodin and right to gabapentin. It has been amazing how well it has worked. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Best of luck!

[GoingToMakeIt]

Do some research. Not sure where, though.
Trams are best to taper due to seizures, so you want to be sure it is safe using the Neurontin instead.

[bmc1976]

Maybe call a pharmacist. I'm sure they could give you some information on it. Neurontin was originally prescribed for seizures so it may be helpful for that too. I have no idea though. Just a thought.  It would probably be best to talk to your doctor just to be safe. This is the first time I have taken it so I don't really know anything about it and what drugs interact with it. Make sure you get professional advice first!

[allalone1963]

Catalogue of side effects for the anticonvulsant Neurontin - generic Gabapentin - which is sometimes prescribed as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of bipolar disorder.

Common Side Effects:

[deemilieu]

i've used gabapentin off and on since 2007.  it was given as an add-on to an ssri  for anxiety and depression.  my experience:  it's sedating, and constipating - those are the main side effects.  at high doses (900mg/day+/-??), you tend to get a bit woobly when you walk, and i noticed my feet got a little puffy-swollen.  also, at high doses you may get a little forgetful.  i was driving around and i sort of for  a moment forgot how to get back to where i live!   i've taken as much as about 2100 mg in divided doses a day, and stoppd cold turkey and did not experience any withdrawl (withdrawal) from that.  but that's just me.  i don't suggest anyone stop without med. suprvision & tapering.  most lately, i've been under stress from a job loss, so i started using it again.  i'm finding 150 mg at bed is usually enough to help with anxiety and brighten my outlook.  sometimes i take an extra 150 first thing when i get up too.  but it makes me too sleepy.  as for addicition, i just don't see it.  it doesn't give a rapid plasure/reward response.  but that's just me...btw, it's also good if you're trying to get off of benzos.  it really mellows you out a lot.

[deemilieu]

actually gabapentin is used by some rehab in-patient hospitals to get people off of narcotics...and crystal meth. and alcolhol too.  my psychiatrist isn't bothered if i go on and off of it without consulting him first.  they prescribe stuff a lot more dangerous and a  LOT less effective than gababpentin all day long (atypical antipsychotics for resistant depression, amphetamines for ADD, lamactil-which is sort of a next gen. gabapentin, but it has much more dangerous side effects [many question if it really works at all for off label psych stuff it's scripted for], and, well, that's about all.  oh, i forgot ativan and xanax- 2 nasty benzos that will hook you so fast your head will spin).  another option is to use the new gabapentin med. (developed when nuerontin -gabapentin's old trade name - went generic) called lyrica.  but it's a LOT more expensive than gabapentin 'cause it's a new drug that's not available as a generic.  

[Ella789]

Hi everyone!

  I take 1800 mg of neurotin every day, so far I don't feel too crazy! lol, I think it is helping me too.  I am not afraid of it as my dr. says that it can be taken in larger amts to see if it helps with pain.  At first month I could'nt tell at 900 mgs and so he increased it to see if it might help more for me.
  I take Cymbalta too, 60 mg x 2 per day.  I think if I was concerned about anything it would be that!
Happy Mothers Day to All us Moms out there!!!!!!!  :)

Ella

[paddleback]

I was prescribed this by my DR. for nerve pain. I took only four pills in four days and was lucky I wasn't taken away in a straight jacket. I couldn't think, lost sight in both eye's. The stomach pain was so bad. All I wanted to do was eat and still it would never help the pain. I couldn't talk, my speech was effected. I was angry and it made me so depressed all I could think about was dying.....I'm now off this medicne my sight has gotten a little better. My bowels have improved but this was the worst medicine I have ever had in my life.. PLEASE becareful, with this med its toxic to some people

[onggie]

i used to be prescribed this medication (gabapentin) for GHB withdrawals and  as a mood stabilizer
and I did abuse it. most of the time at dosages of 8 to 12 800mg tablets at a time and I just wanted to caution anyone who might take alot of it
that it did make me have seizures from time to time at dosages as low as
8 400mg capsules. just a cautionary note.

-O

[bmdad]

I didn't realize this medication could be abused. The most I have taken at once was 1200mg and I didn't have any ill side effects. Do you mind me asking what it did to you by taking such a high dose? There is no way I'm looking to abuse it, just curious as I didn't think there was potential there for abuse.

[Sjoggie]

I tend to be fairly sensitive to meds. so no doubt it is just me but I was started at 1200 mg. a day and then was jumped to 1800 a day.  I was having severe nerve pain with the withdrawal as well as back pain.  (I do have issues with my back.)

Well, that was way too high a dose for me and I literally was not seeing straight.  I called two pharmacists that said neurontin tends to build on itself and I should be starting at 100 mg. and then adding the dosage upward.  I literally had one pupil that was dilated and the other was not or at least it didn't match the first pupil.  I was also extremely dizzy.

I had stopped the high dose and was in major pain within a couple of days.

Of course, my doc was on vacation.  It took me 3 on call docs but I finally got one to prescribe the 100 mg which I can tolerate much better.

I am using it now for the back pain which my therapist thinks is because I'm so out of alignment and rotation with weak muscles.  She thinks she can fix this.

I also got back into my doc and she did write a decent script for the 100 mg neurontin after offering me Ultram, which I turned down flat!

Lizzy

[moonshyne777]

Hey I have this stuff in my cupboard. Was prescribed it for nerve pain related to my stenosis. I am rather embarrased to say I never realy gave it a shot. As far as my addicted self was concerned nothing could touch oxys for pain relief. I am going to start taking them now and plan on going CT next week and after reading this thread I'm pretty optimistic about its effects to help ease the wds. Thanks for posting this. :)

[GA Guy]

I've read a couple of studies on the use of Neurontin as a withdrawal aid and the results are inconclusive at best. It seems to be hit or miss with many more misses than hits. However, because of the weird brain chemistry that us addicts have, I can see how it could be helpful for some people. It can have a sedating effect, and I've seen it used as an add on drug for anxiety. I will say a couple of cautions, though. First, if you have Bipolar Disorder, I'd avoid it unless your doctor knows. There are confirmed reports of it inducing mania in these patients. Also, the abuse potential of Neurontin is quite low...but, us addicts can make a habit of anything that affects mood. I even steer clear of benadryl. If you find yourself abusing the drug, get away from it ASAP. Also, Neurontin's abuse potential seems low, but Lyrica is another story all-together. It IS used and abused by a growing number of people. I'd try Neurontin way before I'd try Lyrica. That's just me, though. Like I said, I can make a habit out of aspirin if I allow it.

[star1711]

a

[star1711]

iv be on gabapetpin for 5 days and iv been sick dizzy and my mood have been all over the place how long do the side affecs last sammy

[star1711]

iv be on gabapetpin for 5 days and iv been sick dizzy and my mood have been all over the place how long do the side affecs last sammy

[star1711]

iv been on it 5 days im been sick 4 to 5 times a nite my emosions are all over been crying most nites and feeling really bad are they side affecs if so are there normal sammy

[star1711]

iv been on it 5 days im been sick 4 to 5 times a nite my emosions are all over been crying most nites and feeling really bad are they side affecs if so are there normal sammy

[bmdad]

Anyone can have adverse side effects to any medication as we all react differently to them. I was originally prescribed it for nerve pain due to sciatica but it didn't help with my pain much. I have read it has many off label uses. When I first took it my head was very fuzzy and it made me very tired. This only lasted a few days though. I only took it for about 10 days as a withdrawal aid for vicodin. It didn't have any effects on my emotions. It also didn't make me sick. I would get a hold of your doctor and let him/her know what it is doing to you. It may not be the right medication for you.
I hope you get to feeling better. Please talk to your doctor first thing tomorrow!
Brian

[Pray2God4Help]

I have been abusing neurontin for 2 years now, and I cannot go more than 5 hours without the stuff.  I started taking it for "mood stabilization", so they said.  Now I cannot LIVE NORMAL without it.  I have lost my job, I have become distant from family and friends, and I just don't care about eating or hydrating myself or even showering sometimes (I know, sounds gross, but I'm being DEAD honest.)  When I don't have it, I can't sleep, I get cold sweats, angry, stomach pains, headaches....this medication if taken for a long period of time is TOUGHER to get off of than Oxycontin I've read.  I'm sick and saddened and almost don't even want to live anymore.  I have no insurance so I cannot get medical help, I'm basically dying and so is everything around me.  Please help me somehow.  

[micheleTX]

Hello, you may want to start a new question/thread as this is an old one.  I think you should tell your dr. who is prescribing this to you what you are going through!!  please start a new thread so others may respond to you.  Im sorry you are going thru this!  Hang in there, suicide is never an answer to our problems okay?

[Pray2God4Help]

If I don't have my neurontin 400mg, (9 a day at LEAST, mostly I take 15-20 a day.)...I will end up loading myself up on Cold medicine or plain old tylenol just to make me feel better a bit, at least mentally I think thats what its doing)
  And to anyone out there reading this, at one point I would take 40 pills within 2 or 3 hours of getting the medication...a few times I've swallowed over 65 in one day.  I dont know how I am not dead.  

[OIFMc09]

You have to stop man.  65 pills in a day?  You're right you are not going to live that long at that rate of consumption.  Have you ever thought about a detox center?  A lot of times you can find some that are free, or really cheap.  When's the last time you were sober?  Trust me, even though things seem dark and irreparable now, everyone has something to live for, and it's never to late to rebuild a damaged life or relationship.  What is this neurontin?  It's non-narcotic or no?

[penelope235]

I have been subscribed gabapentin just today and I feel so disoreintated ,tired and finding it hard to even use this keyboard,how long will I feel like this ? Will it setle down soon?
I am takeing it for severe sciatica but so far I feel strange.

[pinkbutterfly76]

Hey, I saw your post about the hell you've been going through with Neurontin and I have a few things that I think can help and I will post asap as soon as I can tomorrow.I am a long time addict to everything,lol but I am now clean and sober and am in school to be certified in addictionology. I just wanted to let you know to check back. I just have to go to work now but I DO FEEL YOUR PAIN! My post will be rather long because there's quite a few tricks I learned but maybe it will help you in hearing how I finally got off it. You are not alone. Please hang in there because although yes its very rough if done the right way, it can be beat!

[worried878]

I kinda just forgot to keep taking my neurontin after 10 yrs...just had moved it from my daily med group and forgot it for a few weeks...i noticed my neck and back started hurting way worse than usual but still didnt remember for over a week that i hadnt been taking it.  got back on it a few days ago and it is doing much better.  T be honest i didnt think it did as much as it does to relieve pain....i couldnt take lyrica cos it took my for a loopy ride...hangover from it in the morning and the nuerontin works well for me..and safer...good drug

[pinkbutterfly76]

   Hey well I made it back to post. Anyways I have been addicted to pretty much any substance over the years and didnt always have a drug of choice since they ALL were potential addictions for me,lol. But I am off all the crap finally and doing very well for the most part. I was placed on neurontin initially at a rehab facility to help with coming off of opiates. It helped immensely yes, but would lead to yet another type of addiction that was extremely hard to end. For those that dont know.... do not think for a second that that Neurontin isnt up there with all the other difficult meds to come off of. IF it is not done correctly and if you have been on it any length of time and taper too quickly it can be a living nightmare.
   In fact it was a process that took me almost two to three years to fully come off because I would end up taking more just to feel really good again and would kind of have to start again.Since usually I would then wallow in that mistake for well, a few days,lol. I'm sure you can relate, its the mind that is going to be your biggest obstacle in those times. But the way that I ended up doing it was what I feel is the best way and suffered little to no with-drawls.Most doctors do not have any clue of how difficult it is to come off of this med and they will try and taper you FAR too quickly.
    First off the key is to come off of this drug very slowly.But let me first rather say that the real key is that you must be completely committed to coming off of it. For me it helped because Neurontin started to cause me bad hair loss and awful fluid retention and thus weight gain and made my whole body heat up like it was being cooked from  the inside out.But yes I still loved the way it made me feel.I would mess up constantly and get down on myself but just expect that you will mess up sometimes but dont wallow too long and try to get right back on track.Remember some progress, even the smallest bit at a time is what will finally be what all the difference in the end.
    At your amount you can perhaps try reducing the dosage by one 400 mg cap per day.If thats too much then reduce it by 100 mg per day.If thats too much then do even less like 50 mg or even 10mg per day.Try dividing the piles up evenly say if youve got 400 mg divide it up in to 4 equal piles and then count evenly 10 equal segments from each 4 rows.Then you can figure out your amounts easier.Its a pain yes but kinda has to be done if your really wanting to taper the right way but dont worry it doesnt have to be exactly perfect just roundabouts. At some point, the lower your dose gets you will have to go even slower. When I got to around 600 mg that's when I had to start reducing by 10 mg a day.You may have to go that slow at an even higher amount and remember thats okay.If you stay as consistent as possible your body will adjust fairly easily and even if you mess up it only takes about three days for your body to get back on track. Just keep at it cause every little bit counts.
   Even if you have to reduce by 5 mg a day the progress is what will  give you the fuel to wake up that next day and do even more.When you get to the last ten mg this is where it is actually the hardest.Going from something to nothing even at that low of an amount can be very tough.What you need to do is start pushing the dose.If you have to take the ten mg in the morning at 10 well the next day you just make sure you take it later than 10...take it at 11 then 2 the next day, then you will skip a full day then two days and so forth. It will eventually break its hold easier this way than you just stopping altogether at once.
    On a side note to help you beat this you kind of do need something that will minimize the anxiety or withdrawls. With this slow tapering it should be minimal but there will be times when it may be worse the lower you get. First off if you can get to an ER, walk in clinic,or a free clinic if they have one in your area you walk in and tell them your trying to get off of neurontin but its been extremely hard.Tell them you have a friend that was also on neurontin and was given clonidine and that helped her to come off of neurontin without nearly as many problems.It may be better to go to a walk in clinic to get the pills instead of a patch so you will have them to take for a longer period.For some reason the Er likes to give patches and you need the pills since the patch is usually good for only a few days.Clonidine is a blood pressure medication that is given mostly for opiate with-drawl but is REALLY helpful for neurontin with-drawls as well.Half of the discomfort is from your blood pressure rising and this is a life saver.The other things you can buy from the local health food store is something called GABA which we know is related in some way to neurontin-gabapentin. This is a natural GABA supplement that will work to restore your natural anxiety blocking and calming brain chemicals.The other two things that will help you are 5HTP, for any depression you may have which is the precursor to serotonin.Its natural but the stuff really works, and L-tyrosine. This will help not only your anxiety, but energy levels and help to restore some of the dopamine effect you may have gotten used to as neurontin has been said to trigger dopamine production at high enough levels.
Anyways and all the rest such as good sleep, wow verrry important, try to exercise if you can, eat well and drink plenty of water.I know all of this sounds like alot and may sound overwhelming but trust me if you do just a little bit it will give you the fuel to keep on going and before you know it your free! I am here if you need any support and trust me your not alone, weak minded or  different from many other people who get hooked on this med.I like yourself also ended up taking copious amounts that would shock a regular individual, but towards the end I was able to master it little by little and the secret with neurontin anyways is the less you take the better it works.At your amounts its probably not even doing what it once did at all.But just stay the  course and If you need to vent Im here lol.I have all the compassion in the world for what your going through and Id love to see you get to the other side as well. U can and  things will be better than u can imagine! God Bless and keep me posted, (:

[pinkbutterfly76]

   One other thing I forgot to mention are two other very important things.One is drink lots of green tea.Green tea has GABA in it which is what will help to replace the gaba in your brain that it has grown accustomed to in excessive amounts. This was something very simple and inexpensive that helped me immensely.The other is the supplement NAC or N-Acetyl Cysteine.This supplement will help to replace glutathione in the brain which helps with free radical damage that occurs when going through with-drawls.I took up to six of these a day and I cant tell you how much it helped with those awful sensations in the brain and body.Just get what you can with these supplements.I know they can be somewhat pricey but dont under-estimate their power in helping the process.They really work esp when you dont have insurance or many other options. Good luck!  

[Paxiled]

I just bumped into this as my shrink is thinking of trying neurontin on me since I've been obliterated for four years now from Paxil withdrawal.  Just has never ended.  But I want to say, neurontin is GABA, basically, so taking GABA while taking it is probably a bad idea.  Also, GABA is not well absorbed as a supplement -- doesn't cross the blood/brain barrier well.  Taking taurine is a better way to produce GABA in the brain -- it's the substance that the body uses, alone with B6, to make GABA.  But be careful again if you're taking neurontin, which basically is straight GABA, undigested, right to the brain.  Also, green tea really isn't so much a source of GABA, it's a source of theanine, which has a similar effect on a minority or people who take it, but green tea is also high in caffeine, so watch for problems with that.  It's better balanced than coffee and is loaded with antioxidants, so most people don't have a problem with it,l but taking theanine separately would be stronger.  And watch the HTP if you're on a serotonin-affecting med.  This is an interesting thread.  I'm not sure neurontin would help me, I have so much wrong with my nervous system thanks to the extreme reaction to tapering off Paxil and an incompetent shrink.  I've read neurontin is really hard on the stomach, that changing doses can make you really anxious, which is my largest problem, that it poops out quickly, and it causes memory loss.  Any thoughts?

[mellie4]

I've tried both Neurontin and Lyrica in the past for nerve pain.  (I was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 10 years ago.  I haven't been having problems with that, probably due to all the medications I'm on for my hand.)

Both of these medications are serious medicines.  You have to taper off Neurontin or you can have seizures.  Neurontin worked for me for pain, but it made me really out of it.  I thought that would pass but it didn't.  I had trouble word finding.  I felt like everything was in slow motion or that I was doing everything under water or something.

Lyrica you don't need to taper off.  I found that did help with my nerve pain quite a bit.  But I gained 15 pounds in 3 weeks with no change in diet.   (At the time I was hitting the gym nearly every day for an hour to an hour and a half.)  I ended up going off that because of the weight gain.  And also because I have a friend who's a nurse practitioner who works in orthopedics and she won't use it for pain.  She thinks it's risky for some reason; just her opinion.

Either of these may work for you though.  Everyone is different.  I just found they weren't right for me.

[pinkbutterfly76]

   Perhaps the reason that the Gaba did work well with me is that yes I was taking it with glutamine, b6, taurine and several other things that helps metabolize into gaba and other things that work for anxiety.This was through an herbal doctor though and his mixtures did tend to get a bit expensive and I know most people could never afford all of that in combo,lol.In light of the whole blood brain barrier though I think you could be absolutley right about the taurine.
   I should have clarified that it is the theanine in green tea that is what the body uses to convert to gaba  so the green tea doesnt exactly have gaba but uses theanine to convert to gaba. I started getting the caffeine free tea and I mixed the above blend with that.I took 5HTP with a small dose of an antidepressant at one time when I was tapering off of Elavil and just made sure to take one in the morning and the other at night. But it was a very small dose when I was tapering and I would NOT reccommend that for everyone. Even if you have taken things like DXM or such there is a real risk of serotonin syndrome.Im no doctor this is just what worked for me so its best to just guage your own body and do the research.But as far as the gaba and all the other extra stuff I was taking it really helped and did not interfere for me and I am extremely sensitive....I mean reeaally sensitive to meds and OTC stuff hhe.
   But I also used to think that neurontin was straight gaba its surprisingly not straight gaba at all and is also thought to not even directly work on gaba receptors.It mimicks it pretty darn close though but they still do not know exactly how neurontin works.I thought that too just from the way it felt, but looked around and found this info below on it a while back, It was kind of surprising to me. I think that for you it will help with your paxil withdrawl (withdrawal) absolutely though.It helps with opiate withdrawl (withdrawal) IMMENSELY! Id def give it a try for a short period though, cause remember the withdrawl (withdrawal) off of this is just as bad so just take it for as short a time as possible.But its a lifesaver when used correctly.

Mechanism of Action

The mechanism of action exerted by Neurontin (gabapentin) is unknown. Gabapentin is structurally related to the neurotransmitter GABA, but it does not interact with GABA receptors, is not converted metabolically into GABA or a GABA agonist and is not an inhibitor of GABA uptake or degradation. (Neurontin prescribing information)

[pinkbutterfly76]

One addon to that prescribing information is that as far as its relatedness, however, it must be VERY related.But whats up with the spelling corrections on my post hhe...I guess I need to remember the right way to spell "withdrawl (withdrawal)", since Ive had to refer to it an unfortunate number of times that is, lol (:

[Kavbear]

I know I am WAY behind the discussions of the dangers of this drug. I just got back from the Mayo Clinic/ Minnesota and saw several neurologists who all said this was the safest drug I was on and had proved to do the least damage to our bodies.  
Granted it is still a medication and none of them are "safe" but hearing not one but several including one that primarily does research from a world famous place such as the Main Mayo Clinic made me feel much better about not coming off this drug but increasing it.
Where did those who speak of the dangers of taking this drug get there information I would like I know, one can never be too safe.

[pinkbutterfly76]

   Well this is just hearsay I suppose since I havnt tried to confirm this myself, but I was actually told by one doctor that they originally used neurontin to help latestage AIDS patients that were about to die to help deal with there symptoms such as pain and mainly anxiety knowing that it would make them feel better in the interim. But did not intitally consider giving it as widely to the mainstream poulations because of its adverse effects.
    I will say that I had to taper off of it because it began to make my hair fall out FAST and my nails stopped growing and it made my whole body heat up just to the touch and felt like a massive sunburn at times. It would inflame my hair follicles so much that my head would hurt to the touch.This can be confirmed by others on the web who have had the same experience but most doctors usually will tell you your just imagining it and that it cannot possibly be the drug.
    The doctor Im speaking of knew of this very well and said it had happened to several other patients of his but that most doctors are in general very weary to be fully honest about certain meds side effects. I have found that to be actually very true in my experience as well. I have also heard of many people having serious mental breakdowns and psychosis from neurontin and Lyrica. I had a mental breakdown at one point not from neurontin but from Lyrica which is its very close cousin.
   With all that said, however,lol for me as far as mentally neurontin made me feel better than any other drug has personally, and if it were not for the hair loss, weight gain and body sunburn effect lol I would have stayed on it as long as possible. I had no mental side effects, it was great for anxiety and it saved my life while going through withdrawals.But its own withdrawals now is a whole different story! Its tough stuff to get off of if youve been on it for a while and most doctors do not realize that in general either.
   Take the above comment I heard from that doctor with a grain of salt, although this man does know his stuff, I have not found any other information that totally confirms that although still there are several real lawsuits over neurontin that can be found easily all over the web. All in all I guess its just what works best for your body and for many folks neurontin really has worked wonders. It did for me when I needed it most, just for me in the end I couldnt handle the hair loss. ) :

[Kavbear]

Thank for your input....I am losing hair but did not think that much, so I will actually pay more attention. I have gained weight but was on my way to doing so before so once again we will see.
When I first started having medical issues they pulled me off my anti-depressants since I was having neurological signs, I just got the go ahead to go back on and am hoping they do something.
I am so dark and full of anger, I hope its not the gabapentin. How did you taper or were can I find that information if you know? I am tired of getting off meds to only feel worse.

[pinkbutterfly76]

   Man Im so irritated right now,I just wrote you a pretty lengthy step by  step message to try to tell you my experience with neurontin, and some more of my personal tricks to get off of neurontin,...... but somehow I deleted  the whole dang message!!!!But hey I havnt forgotten ya and as soon as I have the chance Ill resubmit it.In the meantime check out my above post in relation to tapering that I wrote to "pray2god4help" and also Paxiled's advice is good as well that is posted after mine.Ours together may seem a bit  contradictory at first but I feel is explained sufficiently after the fact.Ill be back with ya soon after school and work ASAP cause believe me I can relate!

[pinkbutterfly76]

   Well as far as the hair loss, I would definately start monitoring that. Neurontin is known to cause hair loss as do many other neuroleptic meds especially. If it is from the Neurontin you will especially notice it happening moreso right after you take a dose. It will continue throughout but you will notice more than usual coming out right away if you fluff through or brush your hair.

Also pay attention to any scalp discomfort or sensation of warm or burning hair follicles.What causes it most of the time is that it has started to infame the hair follicles. It can also deplete certain vitamins from hair and nails too so if you think it may be the cause start taking selenium and zinc.  

And then benadryl or vistiril may help if there is any inflamation (inflammation) of the hair follicles.It may also help the neurontin to work better at smaller doses. The vistiril in particular may help too if you decide to taper.I dont know if this is whats happening to you but it is a pretty good possibility. And this is just info Ive also gathered from a few other docs advice to me as well after experiencing these side effects.

   Fluid retention and weight gain is also completely possible. Vitamin B6 I believe can help with fluid retention and is good for stress also as ar most B vitamins. But this stuff can still only do so much if your still taking the neurontin and it is coming from that but will help till you taper if you do decide to do so.Of course you shouldnt quit cold turkey so dont worry too much if you think it is, just go gradual and these things in time will subside. I had to taper about 10 mg a day like I wrote in my above post but you may be able to do more or less. That seems slow but I had horrible withdrawals when I tried to do any more  even with other things that helped.

   And since you most likely have insurance it should be no problem for you to get  your doctor to prescribe you clonidine which will help immensely with tapering off of the neurontin. The thing I dont understand about doctors and neurotnin is that they constantly want to up your dose. The things with neurontin is you could keep upping and upping and in one to three days your body flat out adjusts and the raised dose just seems to flatline as far as benefits gained. Everything Im saying here has also been told to me by a few doctors like I said that knew about Neurontin and how it really works. For people that want neurontin to work again its best to slightly lower the dose for a day or two then go back up. This keeps tolerance from forming which in neurontin happens super fast.

   If you  think you are having depressing feelings for some people it can also come form this and Id discuss it with your doctor definately. Overall I was fine and felt good as far as mentally on it but I will say that from time to time neurontin has made me feel a bit odd and just weird and disconnected.Most of the time it didnt but for lots of others it really does. You can check out some other peoples experiences also on askapatient.com.But only you know if something just isnt feeling right. To tell you the truth because Im an addict I still fight with taking neurontin from time to time and I can say that it is a real drug with real components that must be taken as seriously as all the others.

  Just remember that if you do decide to taper you will most likely at first feel a bit worse  due to your body having to reaclamate itself but it doesnt neccesarily mean that its because your feeling worse because it was the drug that was working. It takes a while for all those things in your body to restore themselves in most people especially for people who have anxiety and depression problems.

   But this was just my experience and like I said before I am very, very sensitive to medications and to coming off of them, their side effects and addiction. So what my body may have went through yours may sail through. Just take your time and maybe log how your feeling closer to your doses and after a while since taking the dose and see if you see any changes.If its really helping you and you arent experiencing too awful side effects that you can really pick up on then that great.

   But if you are then dont fear it too bad cause as long as you take it slow youll be fine.One last thing is instead of tapering if you feel you end up needing to do so there are two other meds that may replace neurontin well. One Im sure you may have heard which is Lyrica that may work for you( but didnt for me but everyones different). And then theres also Gabitril. But of course your doc would be the one to talk that over with. Meds are tough sometimes and I wish none of us ever really had the need to take them but for lots of people we do and I guess the trick is in finding one that works and with side effects we can live with!

[alassnsane]

It worries me how cavalier people are on this board discussing coming off gabapentin cold turkey...doing so is documented to possibly cause grand mal seizures in people who have never before had one, so if you did so and nothing happened, consider yourself fortunate, unless you are allergic to it you should Always graduate off this drug slowly if you've been on doses 900 mg/day or higher for more than a few weeks...also, someone said that it has few side effects, again Wholly incorrect, it has few common side effect but a Slew of others...no, you can't overdose fatally on this drug alone but it can cause serious issues in other ways.

I suffer from a compressed occipital nerve and am also bi-polar and after 1 & 1/2 years of intractable pain I consider this drug a godsend...it has also proven wonderfully effective as a mood stabilizer and has reduced the frequency of my restless leg syndrome and hot flashes...I can't say enough good things about it, gabapentin has given me back my life.

[Cissy373]

I have been on Gabepentin for almost 4 years and I've had no problems with it, I have to take it as I have RSD and the pain is horrible that is why I got hooked on Hydro's.

I am supposed to take 600 mg's four times a day but I don't take that much as it makes me tired.

Cissy

[zelda72]

Hi, I am on Tylenol 3 (codeine) for my Restlesslegs syndrome, 1 at bed time, but also on gabapentin 300 once a day since yesterday. Can i take them together??

[bmdad]

That is something that you should ask your doctor or you could call a pharmacist. When I was prescribed gabapentin for nerve pain my doctor also had me on vicodin with no ill effects. He told me it was fine to take together. But since everyone reacts to things differently I would still double check with your doctor.
Also, gabapentin helps with restless legs. I took gabapentin during opiate withdrawals and it put an end to rls. You could probably get by without the codeine from now on if you choose to do so.
Best of luck!
Brian

[refug33]

i am very greatful right now, not so much that i finally found i am not alone on the whole gabapentin/neurontin thing and that i found siteS about it, but because i have a chance to warn others about neurontin/gabapentin. starting off, when perscribed it, i found that this is a very universal medication. im reading things from all your posts but there are alot of things im seeing after months of visiting different sites without posting that are not mentioned, that you probably arent being told,, that i was told in 1999. before the suicide rates and attempts and depressions occured and disorders that worsened. first off, anything u take with neurontin, the neurontin intensifies, it is a medication intensifier, so if u drink with it, u wont need to drink your usual amount. smoke dope? well if your on neurontin, well, you know whats up, lol. but i suggest not do this because it is dangerous. ok, covered the intensifying part, it is an anticonvulsant, which is what it started off as, which is what the purpose of this med was first for. for eppilepsy. it is a very light pain medication, more less for nerve pain but seen it perscribed for back pain injuries do to fractured discs or slipped disks. it was and now rarely is used as a mood staboliser for depression and often anxiety.AND what alot of people dont know, to treat herpes, how that one is, i could not tell ya, lol still want to look up the results of that cause i cant see how it would do the trick for that lil sweetheart, lol. but anyway, this is the important stuff that i can relate to that is HIGHLY DANGEROUS THAT IM NOT SO SURE people in the medical field are even aware of. QUETION OF THE DAY.. IS NEURONTIN/GABAPENTIN ADDICTIVE? i cant answer that but i can do the second best think and tell u it can MOST DEFINATELY be abused and more than relied on. i started off on 1800 mg's twice daily. upon taking this i realised, u can get very high off of it. i would push my limit only once in a while at first. (HOW IT ALWAYS STARTS) then after doin this after a month and a half or so, i felt that i cant get the same effect the next day unless i took more than the day pryor, well, i would take a days break, but then took almost five of those capsules (800 mg's are now of course tablets) out of fear that only two wouldnt do. higher than a dam kite i would be, tho eventially i found that now matter how much u take, if u take only a couple verses the however many u take the day before, well, u still end up flyin like a kite, its all just a mind game with this stuff.  anyhow, months down the road, i realised somethin very,very scary, other than the fact that like vicodine n such, but worse, this medicine works through the liver, that i cannot live a day without it. Not because i'm pheening for it like a cigarette or coffee or a narcotic, because i was not. It was because i simply could not take my depression and anxiety, in fact this drug made it worse. Do you withdrawl (withdrawal)?? hell yea, you feel almost like your on a permanant hangover until you take it. But ;like i said, it's funny because you dont't crave it, you just feel hopeless without it, and until you actually experiance this with neurontin (i hope you don't),  you will not understand it. People abuse it, and the way you end up abusing it to the point of hooked, is by abusing it to where your anxiety and depression gets worse to where u now have to always take it causing long term or perminant damage, or taking it for something els and end up with those bipolar, anxiety, or depression effects. i know i caused myself these harms and worse bipolar problems. i dont know what i would do without neurontin. tried other things, but its far too late and i truly believe if i stop now, that i will wish i had not. and thats all i can say, because when i run out, i am aggressive with my attitude toward people, and god knows i have to deal with them everyday. my anxiety is horrible, constant panic attacks that even klonopin dont help, and depression is just horrible. i recommend no one to take this med unless they have no addictive personalities or anything of that nature. oh.. and WAKE UP NEUROLOGISTS AND PHYSICIANS.... ITS SO MUCH OF A BUZZ..... PRISONERS IN JAILS AND PRISON SELL IT AND GET HIGH OUT OF THIER MINDS OFF IT!!! including the people in rehabs that  (supposedly) "trying to get straight". ive seen it. What?? hey i didn't say i was perfect... lol miner stuff, non violant not to worry, young n dum, anyways... im not so sure anyone was so specific about this but hey, i want the word out, this stuff can really mess your life up. Started it at fourteen, im 28 now. and now have no coice, i have to take it atleast as perscribed. thats all i have now. im not scurred, i made an extra emailspecifically for you that may have my same problem with this stuff. got questions?? i may not always have answers n im not a doctor, but i think i may be able to help. x.lucian.***@****. yall take care.

[Going2WinN2010]

My doctor prescribed Gabapentin for my nerve damage but i read a post on here by a "Brian" a member and he said he was taking up to 25 hydrocodones a day and Gabapentin helped with the withdrawals TREMENDOUSLY?? Has ANYONE else ever been prescribed GABA for withdrawals?? I am out of my meds (10/325 Percocets) Because IM AN ADDICT and do not get my refill till the end of this month...I will continue taking these as my doctor prescribed and PRAY TO God That it will get me thru my withdrawals... Or will it after reading these posts? So far I too have one main symptom-Sleepiness...I just want to know if I will be "Ok" till refill day???
any advice on this or if someone has tried it and It DID work Please Let me know....
Kim

[peekawho]

I've been on Neurontin for about 6 months now.  

It is not addictive,  but yes, usually you have to taper down from it.  Not because if withdrawals such as happens with narcotics, but because suddenly stopping can in unusual circumstances, lead to a seizure.  Typically, this is only necessary if you have been on it for long periods of time at high doses.

Neurontin is usually well tolerated, and has a large margin of safety when used under the direction of physicians familiar with it.  Depression and mood disorders are not uncommon with Neurontin, and patients should ne carefully counseled to watch for these.

For myself, and for most taking Neurontin, forgetfulness and lethargy are the biggest problems.  With continued use, the lethargy gets better.  

I've never heard of it being used for narcotic withdrawal.  Interesting!

[bmdad]

Have you thought about just going through the withdrawals and being done with the percocet for good? I am "Brian" that posted about the gabapentin. I lost my previous account password so just registered with a new user name. The gabapentin helped me so much. But you have to remember, I wanted to get clean so I wasn't counting down til refill day. It's amazing how mental some of the withdrawals can be.
Why not stop the cycle of withdrawals every month? If you make it to the end of the month without using, you will be well on your way to getting off the percs. The worst of the physical withdrawals usually start subsiding after 5 days or so. Why not make this your last time?
I have read where some people have abused gabapentin and are highly addicted to it. I never had that problem when used for detoxing. I actually got back on them afterwards and took them for about 6 months due to nerve pain. I tapered off just to be safe and didn't have a problem stopping them. No withdrawals or anything. Have to remember though that everyone is different.
If you have any questions about the gabapentin, just let me know.
Best of luck to you.

Brian

[prisonmeds414]

This is my first and possibly my only time posting anything on a web site. But I have been desperate to understand the changes in a once MUCH loved man who is currently in prison. Thank You all for being so open and candid about this "med" neurontin! He has some severe nerve pain and has also had some serious drug issues, the prison putting him on this medication changed him so much I did not know him anymore. He became so verbally and mentally abusive along with irrational almost paranoid behavior that I could not even come close to explaining in a few short words. Even trying to calm him by agreeing with every irrational thing he had to say did not help. He said horrible things that brought us to an end. It was almost like he wanted to argue to somehow vent? He ranted about slipping he knew this med was effecting his mind? But only he could speak and he could only be right? Not just with me but with everyone. But at least reading your words somehow it feels less confusing?        Thank You all

[chippie05]

New to this site....any site related to this topic. I was prescribed gaba for anxiety...100mg 3 times a day. I am an alcoholic in recovery and I am liking what people are saying as this may be of even greater advatage to me. I am just afraid that I will now become addicted to this? Hello to everyone and thx for any advise you have.

[bmdad]

I've read where some become addicted to it and some don't. I have taken it off and on for nerve pain due to a back injury. The longest I have taken it is about 6 months. I tapered off over a week or two and didn't have any problems putting it down. I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms either. Most of the stories I read about the ones that did become addicted had said the first time they took it they felt buzzed or high. I never once felt a buzz. It did make me a bit fuzzy headed here and there but it was a feeling I didn't care for. I was even prescribed 1800mgs a day. This is my opinion but it seems as if they ones that end up having a problem with it are the ones that get a high from it. I actually started taking it again a couple months ago due to my nerve pain flaring up. If I thought that I had even a small chance of becoming addicted I wouldn't have started it up again. But, we are all different and react to medications differently.
If you are worried about possibly becoming addicted, maybe look for different options. There are over the counter meds for anxiety that may be worth a shot.
I'm not sure if you read through this entire post but I believe there are a few posts of some that had or are having a hard time getting off of it. You can also do a google search of gabapentin withdrawals. That may give you some more details about how it can be habit forming to some. Personally for me I don't see how it could be. If you are not getting a euphoric feeling I think you may be okay but there's really no way to know for sure. If you do continue taking it and the time comes where you feel you want to stop it, just be sure to gradually taper off.
Best of luck to you.

Brian

[cranialcut]

Hi guys, great posts - I am glad that many of you are interested in Gabapentin but are being cautious as it is a medication and you should consult a medical professional before starting it, and stopping it too!  I am truly sorry that some of you are having such a hard time with Gabapentin, are you articulating this to your provider(s)?  The reason I ask ...

I am a medical doctor specializing in cranial surgery and post op care.  I write about 3 rxs for gabapentin a week.  Although gabapentin is really only indicated for sezuires and pain related to shingles - many doctors - including myself - use GPN as a medication that can treat almost 8-12 conditions in part "off-label".  Although gabapentin is written for mild anxiety and mood disorders often, it is not indicated for this as there are few bonafide studies backing up these claims.  In fact, there have been major lawsuits stopping the "off-label" promotion that Gabapentin can be used like many other AED's (anti-sezuire drugs) such as Lamictal, Depakote, Depakene for Bipolar Disorder and other disorders that would benefit from a mood stabilizer - so if you are prescribed Gabapentin for a mood disorder (without an "anchor" medication, i.e. not just as an adjunt, but as the "main medication" for your mood), ask your doctor about it - this is why you/the state pays your doctor.  Be informed!  It keeps us on our feet.

GPN can be dangerous and is warned by the FDA that it can increase suicidal tendencies.  You need to be weaned/titrated up to GPN for it to work properly, but also for safety.  You should be weaned off of it as well.  Nerve pain is usually treated with up to 1.2 grams (1200mg) of GPN or less (tolerance can occur with chronic use).  Some conditions require more or less.  GPN is usually (almost all the time, except in cases when lethargy is encouraged e.g. withdrawl (withdrawal) symptoms or certain mood/anxiety d/os) delivered orally three times a day (tid) in equal doses or the dose before bed being slightly larger.  GPN should not be taken with calcium or magnesium products/vitamins if you can help it (within two (2) hours) because these supplements will reduce the productivity of the GPN.  I have seen almost no proper withdrawl (withdrawal) pts from GPN if they are withdrawn correctly.  Unless you are having a side effect that is not tolerable - there is no reason that you can't take anywhere from 10 days to 6months to get off of GPN.  Hey, it's a cheap drug anyways!

I hope that this information helps to shed some light on this drug.  I realize that people will abuse anything - or try to...I found out that a pt of mine was snorting APAP (Tylenol)!  It was no surprise when the pt OD'd on another substance months later (tragic, actually).

Best of luck to all of you!  Harrison, MD

[bowser11]

Anyone know if it is effective for anxiety from Marijuana withdrawals??

[kaboy1]

Any thoughts on how it might help with Methadone withdrawls?

[Scotmc007]

First day on  Gabapentin and I was suffering from diabetic nueropathy mainly in my feet.  My dose is 300mg 3 times a day which seems like a lot but it's working very well on my foot pain.  I am also on 40mg 2x a day oxycontin for bulging disc back pain which didn't really have a big effect on my foot pain - I have tried lyrica as well and that didn't have the same effectiveness on my foot pain.  Just an FYI here - I am liking the result so far...  I weigh about 225lbs.  

[Shewholvs]

I have been on neurontin for seven years. I was put on that and Zeprexa for sleep. I suffer from chronic depression, anxiety and panic disorder. Last year my doctor said I was borderline diabetic. Then she said no wonder you are on zeprxa. I went off of it and the symptoms of withdrawl (withdrawal) were horrible. Now I am on seraquil and neurontin I noticed my sugar is going up again. I read some of the symptoms for both and they are both high blood sugar. I am concerned and I want to go off off all of it. I am on 100 mg of neurontin at bed time. I have thought about just stopping it but after reading the withdrawl (withdrawal) affects it scares me. My psychritist has been concerned about my sugar. It returned to normal until I started taking the seraquil I am sure I spelled that wrong. I know this is a lot but I want off the neurontin and I am afraid to just stop.....I hope someone can advise me. Yes I had weight gain, I have not had problems with my hair falling out or my nails not growing that I have notice but I also take the hair skin and nails which makes it all grow faster. Maybe I am in the wrong forum but I believe I need to get off of all this stuff and I know I can not do it alone... Hope someone can advise me...

[mallory376]

My husband was released from rehab a month ago.  His Psyc has him on 3600mg of Neurotin a day and 36mg of Subutex a day with 60mg of Cymbalta.  Some days he seems okay, but most days he can't think, walk right, speak right.  He was sent home from work today because he "didnt seem right."  He's angry at me and doesn't believe that anythign is wrong with him.  What should I do?  If the doc tells him to take 3600 mg then by george he's going to take all 3600 mg.  I dont know who he is or how to reach him.  Doesnt this seem like a high cocktail of drug dosing?

[sudie58]

this is a very old thread, you may not be noticed here, go to top of page and post your question there, you will get more replies that way, best wishes

[JennBlom]

How did this drug work in the long run.. I have to take pain pills every day cause of my back.. I was given this to try and I would love to stop taken pain pills.

[earnhardt88]

I just wrote a very long and meaningful comment and before I could post I pushed one wrong button and its all gone like it didn't mean a thing. It didn't tho. The only person it meant something to is me and I already know what I meant to express to anyone who will listen or anyone who needs help or a Lil insight into what is or has been happening to them or a loved one or a friend. My last comment must have been atleast a few pages and a lot of helpful insight I would like to believe. I am a 30 something blue collar middle class american who drives a nice truck works a good job with good pay and a beautiful wife w two beautiful baby boys 3 and 9 months who all adore me. I work hard and am dedicated to providing my family with all their needs. I am a in a lead position w my company and a lot depends on my decisions and my expertise. With that my bank account depends on how I perform and manage to feed itself with the almighty dollar. So pretty much I have a lot of responsibility and cannot afford to miss a beat when I wake up in the morning and start my day. I'm closer to being poor than rich but my family and I have all we need and a lil extra. I do live pretty much check to check. I couldn't afford no more than 3 weeks without a good check before we would be on the streets. So all in all my health and well being are priority in my life for if I miss a beat my family misses a beat. I'm very dedicated to my career and put all my best in my work. For my work is a reflection of me and I'm a reflection of my family and so it goes how we live how we act and how we love are all insights to who and what we are and can become. So for me to admit I'm a addict of prescription drugs hurts and makes me want to bury my head in the sand. For anyone addicted to any drug has and will always be out for himself and living in a foggy world only they will understand. So like a domino effect all you do falls down the chain to all those around you or envolved in your life. That's the first understanding we all need to realize . There is not one decision you make that will not effect your family. I am currently trying a abstract method to get off pills more info later. Also right next to that is the fact you aren't ready to get off pills until you can admit its a big problem and you need help. Help doesn't necessarily mean you must go to rehab and be locked away until sober. I'm seeking help my own way with my wife. So my story is I've done drugs my whole life, not the hard stuff always or everyday I mean I've been around drugs, experimented,  been hooked, and been sober.  All at the same time I have come to the realization that I have an addiction for life and I will always be battling my demons and trying to overcome the urges I face in life which will bring me down and back to hole in the earth I came. But its not about what I was or what I could be its about what I am right now and what I am striving to become. These pills which society has excepted as relief and a helpful medicine were invented due to their ability to either numb or mask the painful feelings of the flesh. So when you indulge in this feeling of euphoria its not reality its a mirage. When the pill wears off so does your image of the world and your dealings in it. So keep in mind addiction isn't wanting to feel relaxed or free of back pain its when u take that drug to alter your state of mind. Truly sober people don't like pain killers they'd rather deal w the pain then feel uncomfortably numb and in an altered state of mind they quite don't understand. That's why these drugs affect the high school kid so easily , its the altered state of mind were all looking for. And that's why its dangerous when do u know what's altered and whats reality? When u wake up from your daze you'll. Be alive for those who lose touch of that fine line they'll never know the difference for they'll never wake up. So I'm desperate I finally got a few days off first in months, so now is time to go to battle. I tried last time cold turkey and nearly died the effects of the opiate were just manifested in my entire being. My wife said it was time to quit, not me! So I wasn't ready. A week and some change later I'm ready. I can't afford to chase the dragon its expensive and costly to the mind neither of those I can afford. Also all other pills are garbage, they used to give me a lil buzz and maintain my addiction thru other opiate based pills until I got my roxies. Now all I can take is roxies. Nothing gives me that warm cozy feeling like a roxie I can take 10 norcos or 10 vicodin and ill only get a stomach ache. Its time to quit before the pills take my life . I knew this day would come and I've been waiting, the day that I have to make a choice fix my wrongs or fall into the mumified state, lose my luvs, lose my job, lose my family, and go back to being a slave to the system. The system that wants us to stand in line, hand out and receive our medications in the form of a simple pill. BooooooooooM!!!!          

So let my new journey begin............... from the brinks of insanity I will find my mind once again. I won't stop until I win my life back, and this time I'm keeping myself forever ill never give myself up to the blood sucking creatures on the bottom of the abyss. May their stingant puss fester and wrap themselves together forever in a pool of bile slightly stirred!!! I shall go and pick dandylyons with my precious kitty furry!!! Tootles nick blinko

[jallen421]

I was addicted to opiates for 3 or 4 years....went to rehab...got out...and had horrible cravings. So, went to a Dr. that prescribed suboxone. What they forget to tell you is that you have to go through a similiar HELL to get off those too. Im down to 1mg. ...but when I miss a day the withdrawals start. The Drs. want to tell you , its all in your head. But, if you know about this drug...you know its NOT! The Drs want you on these drugs like Suboxone and Methodone bc they get government kick-backs. I was recently told about the drug Gabapentin. I'm going to give it a try. If I can take it for a week with no withdrawals...then I'm in! I have been through the withdrawals many times and the thoughts of it scares me bc I dont want to be driven to use again. I've been on suboxone for 2 years. And started  off at 2mg. I know most people start at 8mg...3 times a day. If Gabapentin can replace the opiate based drugs they give you to get off opiates....then why don't they give it to addicts???? I'm willing to risk the Gabapentin for a week and be done with this continuous cycle of maddness that is ruling my life!

[monk815]

been taking around 90 mgs of oxy daily for quite a while, recently proscribed gabapenten. will it help get off oxy

[mommaofboys]

I have went thru the withdrawal from many things in my life,none witch are day or fun,but for anyone I stress with everything I am. STOP the gabapentin it is the worst thing I have ever been thru. To see how bad the effects are check out lawsuit against gabapentin. U will see its the worst withdrawls out there and its causing permant affects to people. I know it has me. Many have killed there self and its been proven it was cause from a side affect of the meds.. keep reading on the Med and its long term affects and the lawsuits where he has paid millions cause if this

[mommaofboys]

Look up law suits against gabapentin... Don't fool yourself like I did. This Med is killing people and others after long term use are having life long affects..
I know I thought this Med was so great. Loved taking it for years. Till the day I ran out. Then I found it has withdrawls,so I just made sure I always had plenty. Now on I still have crazy side affects and its cause my skin to burn, witch it comes with withdraws to, my speech is sometimes off,memory is getting worst as months go by, hot flashes, pain in my hands and I could keep on but please I have done Meth, pop pills, percets, lortab, the 13 days with drawls from pain pills was a breeze compare to the meds. Is has cause insomia with exstream mental affects. Only people with seziers are ment to take this.. just read the lawsuits. That's where the truth on this Med really is...

[magnaman]

If you have a propensity to abuse drugs stay far away from Lyrica. Read this carefully. It is not the same as Neurontin which is very similar but the bio availability is different and consequently safer.  My son abused Lyrica and it is extremely hard to break free from.  Let this be a warning to anyone considering Lyrica.  It works well for many but for those that tend to abuse, it can destroy your life as well as those around you. Most doctors don't even recognize that it is a drug that can be abused but it is! That's why it is listed as a scheduled substance. Believe me Pfizer knows of it's addictive potential.

[cmeth]

I am taking methadone today is my first day I haven't been able to take it I was late iam worried about withdrawls I was wondering if neurontin works for this I really need an answere please help

[marycarmel]

This is a really old post.  You'll get better responses if you post a new question.  Why are you going the methadone route?  And I'm not sure what you're asking about the Neurontin?  Are you planning on taking that with the methadone?  Is it being prescribed by a doctor? If you give a little more information, you'll probably get better responses.

[finlyclen]

Please believe me methadone is no fix for getting off anything.its trading one drug for another.I was hooked on any opiates i could get my hands on so i went to a methadone clinic and it almost ruined my life.I got so hooked on the methadone i would sell anything i had so i could go and get my weeks worth of methadone. It made me lazy and i lost interest in about everything.It is more addictive than words can describe.When i did not get my doses, the second day was a living nightmare,extreme shakes,sweating,my whole body was in extreme pain,it made me want to die,it took me weeks to get it out of my system. methadone is the legal devils drug.

[meteor645]

I've been on Gabapentin for a looong time...over 4 years.. For two reasons, as a substantial pain reliever but also to control my epilepsy. To this day, I will also stand by the fact that it is also a great mood stabilizer. It's great for anxiety. What a medication! But it's not for everyone.