Tapering off Neurontin

[mkh9]

I have had visual disturbances after going up to 900mg of Neurontin.I was on 300mg Neurontin for 4 years and then the 900 mg for 6 months. It is like an aura or wavy moving lines that last about a half hour and are in each eye. Has anyone had this from Neurontin (or Celebrex). I am tapering off of Neurontin for that reason and would like your opinion as to how to get off of it will less side effects. I am at 500mg now per day. I am now trying 100mg per week as I get ill feeling, insomnia and anxiety. What do you all normally do?
thanks,

[mkh9]

I was just writing you and then the message got cut off. I was saying I'm sorry I didn't finish my message as I got another 'aura'. It may be that my migraines have changed and I'm just getting the visual end without the headaches. I hope that is all it is. I was on Ultram for a month (got off of that with really tough withdrawal for a week) and was on Skelaxin for muscle spasms. Then I was put on Neurontin. My family practise doc goes with the flow and whatever specialist he sends me to that is my new diagnosis.  I still need to see him though. I went to an ortho surgeon and MRI and bone scan were normal (thank God). He said it was dynamic (due to movement) and not structural. I went to a pain doc but I didn't want to get tweeked around and hurt my back by another exam so I just got his opinion. He said chronic myofascial. So, I had to physical therpists say SI joint dysfunction. So, now I am slugging it out pain or no pain to walk about 30minutes in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. Another problem is after the last back sprain (felt a tear) in April, I was so locked up I couldn't step up the step to get outside or in the shower. Finally, I can do that but I am stiff from lack of movement and can't put my pants on or wash below where I can bend. I know what you mean about turning to fast or two weeks ago it was I pulled the blankets from under me and ouch. i don't know what to do next. It sounds like you have a back problem too? What happened to you? Funny my pain is variable one day it is low then the next moderaTE or high, low , moderate , low, moderate. Any idea why? Maybe I'll post that too. I did read a article in a New Zealand publication (new) that said that 5/300 patients on Celebrex had vision problems. But the good news is once they got off it went away. So, I have nothing  other than Tylenol for pain relief. I can't take Ibupropen and Naproxicin (Aleve) as those cause me bad stomach pain. Keep up the positive thoughts.
Marie

[namnam46]

I'm sure that there are other meds that your Doctor could put you on that won't affect your vision like this one is.  If he switches you maybe the withdrawls wouldn't be so bad.

I hope that you will be able to get to the Opthamologist soon so HOPEFULLY he/she can reassure you that these problems will go away AFTER you are off of the medication!!

I'm sorry that you keep re-injuring your back. I KNOW how easy that is to do.  All you have to do is "turn around" and you are back to "Square One" AGAIN.

Please know that my Thoughts and Prayers are with you and I WISH you the VERY Best.

I hope that you will continue to keep us updated as to how you are doing and how our painlevels are. .....Sherry  :)

[mkh9]

Hi Sherry,
thanks for the info. I thought that there was a place to ask doctors questions on the website but not in the forum. Yes my doctor's nurse practitioner told me how to get off of Neurontin but it was too fast so I am going at my own speed. He did say to mention any increased side effects but there are not severe so far. I need to see an opthamologist but haven't been able to get into the car due to back pain and I keep reinjuring it so I am worried about trying to get to the docs. I feel vulnerable.  I may just have to get the nerve up to go to one despite the car. There is an article from New Zealand about Celebrex and visual disturbances but it is rare. So, wish me luck. I'm not sure what to do next but am plugging away trying to find out how to get my back pain gone. More later..
mkh9

[namnam46]

Hi mkh9,

I want to welcome you to the Pain Management Forum and let you know that we are glad that you have found the PM Forum. Since this is the first time that you have been on this Forum, I wnat to be sure that you know that there are NO Doctors on this Forum. All of us are CP (Chronic Pain) Patients that share through our own experiences and expertise from our own CP Issues.

I'm very sorry that you are experiencing these problems with your medications.  I don't take Neurontin BUT I do take 400 mgs of Celebrex each day.

I have never experienced the eye problems from the Celebrex that you are having.

One thing that concerns me is that you don't mention anything at all about your Doctor in your post.  I would HOPE that he is guiding your tapering off of your medications and that you AREN'T doing this on your own without his knowledge. :)  I say this as it's VERY important that your Doctor knows that you are going to quit taking these meds.

I'm going to assume (  :)  )  that your Doctor IS helping you and I wonder what he has said concerning your insomnis and anxiety that you are experiencing. Is there something else that he can prescribe for you that will help you through this rough time that you are having?

I look forward to your update.........Sherry  :)