neurontin and withdrawal

[charliecallie]

How many people on this site have been put on neurontin for pain issues, etc?

I have done reading on the side effects, withdrawals from this drug and it is scary.   I have a whole *hitload of this stuff and have not touched it.  

Why are we becoming the guinea pigs for many of these drugs that have been on the market for a short time?  I just would like some feedback.

Thanks
Chuck

[worried878]

only way it nuerontin helped me in detox was by helping me sleep...never had rls either...it is a drug prescribed for diabetic nueropathy so interactions with insulin would not be a big factor.....it is a drug that makes the seizure threshold even higher/and is used for seizure patients so i would doubt it would cause someone to have seizures....it is an anti-seizure drug....all drugs have interactions...i do know that lyrica is way more dangerous in the terms of side effects....and some do get euphoric from using it...i dont...i am "trying" it for the last few days and my fingers and toes are tingling and i am in a fog...my doc says i will adjust...i never had this with nuerontin....sleepy stuff till i acclimated to it...but not all of this loopy stuff i have with thelyrica...evryone reacts differently tho...my girlfriend loves lyrica and will abuse it.....she swithced to nuerontin as she doesnt abuse it but she is missing that "lyrica buzz"  i persoally hate this weird feeling i get from lyrica...i will try for a few more days...numb fingers just are not my bag!

[Anaxis]

I've been prescribed Nurontin for almost a year now for nerve damage, and I stopped taking it as it didn't do any of what my doc promised it would do.  I was on IIRC 350mg 2x/day, in conjunction with my regular pain-meds, and after stopping the Nurontin I felt no ill-effects.  I have also experimented in taking it to alleviate RLS symptoms and sleep disturbances when WDing off of my morphine.  It did nothing to help.

The only use of gabapentin in detox from opiates I've found is with those "rapid 24hr detox" clinics that people pay thousands of $$$ for.  Nurontin is amongst the smorgasbord of drugs they pump into a sleeping addict, I believe for the anti-seizure properties.  I've also found referrence a while back that gabapentin is also a mild opiate antagonist, which may account for it's use in "rapid detox".

[jerrip]

What if any experience do you have with pain, diabetes or drugs...I am experenced in all areas and more.  I used neurontin many years ago, and had no ill effects.  I use cymbalta now for diabetec neuropathy....When you are in trememdous pain, and terrible health you will take anything they give you.  I am on 18 different prescriptions a day for heart, diabetes, asthma, emphasema, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, a back that spasms  so badly the muscle sticks out over an inch.....oh well etc etc etc....don't just say don't take it....and walk away with some kind of halo .....walk in my shoes for a day.....oh I forgot I have 5 stents in my heart also.  I am 65 years old and eat boys like you for breakfast.    Jerri

[charliecallie]

Well said.I am not knocking anyone for taking it.

I just would not want to be surprised with withdrawals, seizures, etc.

Sure, some can take it.  Might be okay if the person is not on a lot of different medications.  They might be also able to take it if they are on a diuretic per se which will filter out the drug faster.  There are so many different reasons.

But, call the drug company that makes this drug and ask them if there have been sufficient studies done on patients taking this and another drug like Vioxx, like Cymbalta, Celebrex, Boniva.   What about a diabetic?  Can they take this w/ the new drug while being on insulin?   There are no studies on how these drugs interact w/ each other and the efficacy.  We are the studied ones.  And that is scary to me.

[StacyCPHT]

i was on neurontin in 2000.. It was an older drug then... lets just say the docs increased and increased and I spent 8 days in the hospital, lost my license, and had 55 electrodes attached to my head with glue for those 8 days and was on video to determine if that is what was causing the focal seizures I started having. AVOID.-my vote b/c it was the cause.

[SFgirll853]

I took Neurontin for a while but it made me too sleepy and groggy.  My doctor did have me taper off of it before switching to Lyrica.  I now take one Lyrica before bed and it has helped me IMMENSELY with the nerve pain/damage in my arm and hand without feelng foggy.  I am now only taking Lyrica and Motrin.  Works very well for me.  I dont see how it could be abused as it doesnt give any euphoric effects.  

[Sunnyd210]

Well Chuck I thought I might share that I take Cymbalta to help with the pain I wouldnt go for the Neurontin but the Cymbalta helps both my pain and with depression.

[charliecallie]

When they do the studies of these new drugs look who are the "healthy volunteers".  Most of the time when drugs are studied the subjects they use can not be on other medications because they want a "controlled study".  So many of the drugs on the market have not been studied and the interactions with other drugs are not well known.  We are the guinea pigs.

Sorry guys, I will get off my soap box and sign off

Chuck

[cattalina]

Does anyone know anything about taking suboxone and neurontin together?

[charliecallie]

What upsets me is that most people go into their doctors in pain, he gives them a drug like neurontin and doesn't know enough to tell them that their are withdrawals from continual use.  Any drug used continually will cause some type of withdrawals.  Even if you taper.  Some will say tapering helps and I agree especially if you haven't used it for years.   But their are people posting about having horrid withdrawals with this drug b/c their doctor didn't inform them that they needed to taper etc. and some have been on this drug for a year or more at pretty significant levels.

You are using it periodically.  Not every day so I can understand what you are saying.  

Thanks
Chuck

[mel123emt]

Here is what the webpage states
: "Adverse events following the abrupt discontinuation of gabapentin have also been reported. The most frequently reported events were anxiety, insomnia, nausea, pain and sweating."

I do apolgize, I never had a problem coming off of it, however differnt people have different reactions to meds.. So it is possible..

[worried878]

Nuerontin is a relatively safe drug..I have never heard of anyone being addicted to it...   "Hi  I am a nuerontin addict"  ..havent seen that one yet..but then again people will abuse just about anything, nyquil, benadryl etc...I have been on and off of this drug for years...i use it during flare ups...never abused it nor wanted to...there is no high associated with it but it can make u drowsy until u adjust to it....Lyrica is the latest nerve/blocker drug and it is being evaluated due to abuse....it is much stronger than nuerontin....I guess i just can not see how it would be abused but again...anything can be i guess....I even saw where someone was abusing flexeril..a muscle relaxer...not known to be a drug of abuse....but i could see that drug being abused before nuerontin...where did u read it was habit forming?

[charliecallie]

I would not take this drug.    

I am open to new ways of dealing w/ pain but many of these drugs have not be studied for a period of time that makes me feel comfortable.  5 years?  Look at valium.  Was on the market in the 50's and OMG it is addictive!  When was that finally told to the public?  When did the physicians start using caution when dispensing this drug?

Again, my opinion and I would not tell others not to take but at least make an informed decision.

Chuck

[mel123emt]

I got to be honest, I have never heard of this drug being used for W/Ds', nor have ever heard it to be habit forming.

Again, some people have great success with it, Like Susan303, I was taking Lyrica at one ponit and was switched to neurotin. It is good, if taken correctly..

[Sunnyd210]

My dr wanted to put me on that once I said no because I was put on that another time for other problems. But my sister in laws mother takes it and she swears by it. I also dont believe it is a very new drug I took it 5 years ago!!

[studiogirl]

I was prescribed it to counteract seizures from withdrawals and it helped me immensly.  I only was on it for ten days though and then just abruptly stopped and experienced no withdrawals. I do remember one of side effects was weight gain though I didnt notice that effect.

[susan303]

Hi everyone,
I take neurontin.  I have been on it since July 28 of 07.  I am like alot of you scared to death of new medicines.  I take it for RSD.  I searched the medicines on the internet and also ask the pharmacist about the medicines.  The pharmacist told me it had less side effects than Lyrica and it was safer than Lyrica as well.  She said neurontin had been around awhile and that Lyrica was the new drug as far as treating nerve pain.   I started the Neurontin in August of 07 and I have had no problems at all.  ( Thank GOD ).  It doesn't even make me sleepy.  It's also not hard on the liver as well.  
                              Thanks Susan..

[charliecallie]

Thanks for your comment and opinions.

I have decided not to take this medication.  It is too new and not enough information (except when googling neurontin withdrawals) to be a drug for longterm use.  My opinion only.  Thanks again guys!

Chuck.

[cattalina]

My doctor gave me a 2 months supply - 100mgs 3X/day.  She also didn't say anything to me about stopping abruptly or mention any of the side effects, which is why I'm nervous to start taking it.   Also, I'm moving out of state in a week... I'm not sure if it makes sense to start taking it now.  Not to mention the fact that from what I've read online, it's more used for seizures and nerve pain not anxiety.  I've had bad experiences listening to doctors in the past, so at this point I don't trust what they tell me!!  If you have any more info I'd really appreciate it!  Thanks!

[mel123emt]

OH, BTW.. this med will make you drowsy... When I take this, I have NO problems sleeping at night that's for sure..

[twolve]

Yeah My girlfriend had complications after a hernia surgery and she was put on this stuff. She doesn't take or enjoy pills at all and the doctor was very careful with this stuff. She was on for a few weeks and then they slowly tapered her off because as stated above it can cause seizures if you abrubtly stop. it didn't even help her pain either but that is not really relevant. It doesn't seem like much is known about this stuff so i would be careful.

[mel123emt]

i have been on neurontin for about 2 years. it can be used to treat nerve pain, and of course it's a seizure medication. It does work, however give it a bit to get into your system. Also, you may have to adjust your dosage depending on your tolerance to it. I was taking 600's twice a day, and it will make you dizzy, and not so much out of it, but a bit slow to react. however, everyone is different. Once they lowered my dose to 300, I was quite content on it. A WORD OF CAUTION: Do not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES abruptly stop this medication. It WILL cause seizures. (which is sort of ironic, since it's an anti-convulsant med..) If your unhappy with it, talk to your dr, and they will get you on a step down program. AS long as your on a regimented schedule, it wil be great for pain.

Hope this helps! Any other questions, please let me know!

Hope this helps.

[cattalina]

Do you have anymore info about this med?  The side effects are really scary...

[cattalina]

My doctor just recently prescribed neurontin for me - and I have yet to take it as well!  She told me it should help with my anxiety, but I'm reluctant to take new medications that have side effect lists like this one!!  I wish I had something helpful for you, just wanted to tell you that I'm in the same boat!  :)