Has Anyone Had Experience with Neurontin for Opiate Withdrawal?

[ColleenToQuit]

I've read Neurontin works to relieve some opiate withdrawal symptoms. Does anyone have any experience with this? If so how many milligrams a day did/do you take and how long does it take for the Neurontin to start working? I'm currently taking about 70mg of hydrocodone/day and I want to stop. I hate being on opiate painkillers for so long. I have a prescription for 100mg of gabapentin to take 3x a day. Does anyone know how much to take for cold turkey opiate withdrawal? And should I let the gabapentin build up in my body before I stop taking the hydro? From what I've read gabapentin works like a neurotransmitter reuptake accelerator/inhibitor and needs to build up in the system for a few days before it works to its full potential.

[rabbit111]

This is in no way a garentee, but how Gabapentin did help my opiate withdrawl. I have been dependent on opiates  four years and been taking up to 120 mg a day for siatica and lower back problems. I do need the meds but moved to a diffrent state and un able get them with out getting injections again. I got Gabapentin from my dr and in the morning i took 20mg opiates and a Gabapentin 6 hrs apart 3 times a day for 4 days and no withdrawls. Pain in my back hurt but helped the nerve pain with just Gabapentin. then was able to take 10mg opiates 2x and Gabapentin 3 x daily for 3 days.  i currently take Gabapentin 3x a day . Ive been cold turkey for a few days at a time and know what wd feel like and Gabapentin helped me and didnt have to go cold turkey i hope this helps someone. The only way this is goimg to truley work is if you want to get off them.

[motherinneedplease11]

I have been addicted to pain meds for many years, and I'm sick of the feeling I don't get the good feeling anymore but if I don't take them I'm tried, and I camt function. I have two young kids ages five and two I can't just stop taking them and go threw the wds as I wish I could, I also work part time but I'm only part time and on my weekends off I have six days off in a row this is when I plan on stopping the meds I have cut back way back but I can't stop them because I can't stand the wds for a week I plan on using the neurontin for two weeks and then just stopping that too I'm only 30 years old and hate to see what my liver functions at its sad I did this all to myself I don't spend money on the drugs so it makes it even easier my husband has a bad back and gets whatever kind he needs however he hardly ever takes them, I have been wanting to tell him for years that I have had a problem but I'm scared how he will look at me as we have an awesome relationship and never lie or hide anything from each other and I'm scared he will loss his trust for me as he should. Can anyone give me any tips please I need to do this for myself and my family I want to be able to live a good long life for my kids and I know that the rate I'm going is not going to happen I have kept this hidden for way too long and I want to be clean and free from this nightmare

[Camby789]

This info is really helpful thanks!! I had been addicted to pain meds for about two years then switched to suboxone(not legally) for a year and a half. I thought I was doing good for myself because I wasn't taking oxy anymore but I was just as addicted on suboxone. Anyway I've been off it for four months but have taken a few pain pills here and there when the withdrawals got too bad. I've heard countless times that opiate withdrawal is more painful but suboxone withdrawal lasts a whole lot longer. My psychiatrist prescribed me to neurontin for cravings/withdrawals. My question is do you have to take it for a certain amount of days for it to work? She told me that I could just take 100 mg 3x a day when I'm craving but every time I take it it hasn't helped at all. No side effects or anything. Should I increase the dose?

[Luckytwice]

Gabapentin  isn't without it's problems. it can be dangerous in fact, especially in higher doses.

I don't see how it could possibly help with wd symptoms, but if it works on you in some sort of psychological way then good for you.
But If you look around some older threads you can see where it has had disastrous effects on some people as well.

It was originally developed for the treatment of epilepsy, and  has more recently been prescribed to relieve neuropathic pain. There are, however, concerns regarding the quality of the trials conducted.
Gabapentin provides some pain relief in about a third of people who take it for fibromyalgia or chronic neuropathic pain studies show.

It is also claimed to be effective in reducing narcotic usage post operatively, but this is a situation where the narcotic was used for a relatively short time, not long term where a strong physical dependance has occured.  It does not appear to be of benefit in treating complex regional pain studies have shown.

Numerous trials show that it is not effective as a mood-stabilizing treatment for bipolar disorder and so has no therapeutic advantage in having fewer side-effects over better established bipolar drugs such as lithium and valproic acid. Gabapentin has limited usefulness in the treatment of anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, in treatment-resistant depression, and for insomnia. Gabapentin can also cause weight gain.

Gabapentin's most common side effects in adult patients include dizziness, drowsiness, and peripheral edema (swelling of extremities)
Gabapentin should be used carefully in patients with renal impairment due to possible accumulation and toxicity.

Gabapentin has been associated with an increased risk of suicidal acts or violent deaths.  In 2009, the FDA issued a warning of an increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in patients taking gabapentin, along with other anticonvulsant drugs modifying the packaging insert to reflect this.  In July 2009, the manufacturer of gabapentin (Pfizer) went to trial regarding the association between gabapentin and the increased risk of suicide.

Gabapentin should not be discontinued abruptly after long term use. Abrupt or over rapid withdrawal may provoke a withdrawal syndrome reminiscent to alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal. Gradual reduction over a period of weeks or months helps minimize or prevents the withdrawal syndrome.

Side effects upon discontinuation of gabapentin that have been reported in medical literature include insomnia, restlessness, agitation, anxiety, disorientation, confusion, light sensitivity, diaphoresis, headaches, palpitations, hypertension, chest pain, and flu-like symptoms. (Sounds just as bad as opiate withdrawals to me)

Like all other drugs, Gabapentin isn't one to be messed around with carelessly either. High doses such as 1800 or 2400mg a day are dangerous, and are doses that most often cause serious mood changes such as anger, rage,  and suicidal tendencies.

I would be very careful using this drug. Make sure someone is watching you for these changes.

[Jenilynb67]

Almost forgot... After surgery, lots of percocet.  Finally got sick of taking those ... Put them down the disposal 9 days ago.  And omg, six hours later I was thinking, "what the hell was I thinking?".  I was taking 120 milligrams per day... 20 every 4 hours and counting down the last hour between doses.  For three days I thought I would die or atleast wished I would.  Now on day nine, just exhausted and still nauseous.  I hear this can last a good six weeks.  Drinking tons of water, taking lots of baths, and upped vitamin and mineral intake.  Just ordered tart cherry juice concentrate... Supposedly good for pain and sleep.  All I know for sure, I am never doing this again.  Wish me strength.

Jen

[Jenilynb67]

From what I understand, it depends on the type of pain you have and what is causing it.  I was put on neurontin before I had back surgery and it did help the pain from a pinched nerve.  From what I understand, not a proper medication for bone or muscle pain.

It helped me,
Jen