GabaPentin - will cause or cure an addiction?

[howbe]

I've been suffering for months from an unusual withdrawal effect of opiate addiction. I get a syndrome somewhat like restless leg in the evenings that is painful and prevents sleep. Withdrawal from hydrocodone produced virtually no withdrawal symptoms (I was not taking much), but the sleep preventing syndrome persists for weeks, probably months to come. I have been desperately seeking something safe to help me sleep, while I wait for my brain disruption to normalize. About 1000mg of Gabapentin each evening shows promise after a few days. But I 've read wildly different things about this drug - from it being non-addicting, to it being harder to get off than the benzos!

I do not know who or what to believe about this drug. I would hate to pill myself into a doctor approved more horrible hell, or take something that will give me a rebound of my problem, if/when I taper off it. Any good information about this drug or how to safely use it (I've been taking a 100mg twice daily and 300mg at night for about 3 weeks, and now take
1000mg only at night, with 10mg of baclofen -- the combination that seems to work).

[Tigerlily922]

Hi, I've been taking gabapentin for a few years now.  Its been prescribed to me because it helps with a couple issues that I have.  Nerve pain due to adhesive disease and depression.  I gained weight within the first few months of being on it and got very upset but the benefits that I get from it far outweigh the weight gain, so now I'm excercising more which I should be doing anyway.  I have run out in the past and I have had some pretty horrible wd's...so I know now that I would def need to taper if I decide to stop taking them.  I have read many different opinions on this drug...either lovers or haters..it seems to affect people differently.  As far as baclofen, I've been prescribed that for the herniated disc in my neck and I've taken them at night...honestly I don't feel pain relief, I just seem to get sleepy.

[loveJwhite]

Okay...my boss takes gababentin for nerve damage in here feet. If you ask me, she is wacked out on the stuff. She is not the same person she was when I first met and adored her....she gave me one and told me it would help my vic withdrawals...I ended up taking a six hour walk with my dog and nearly got lost....when I got home I took a shower with my clothes on....I'm sure it was a mix of the gaba and withdrawal that made my behavior so bizarre...but that's my experience with gaba....take care.

[AZKathy]

if anything, gabapentin helps me sleep, it also makes me very dizzy and sometimes helps with the pain...

earlier this month when i went to my primary care physician she bumped my dosage up to 600 mg to be taken 3x per day...

no probs at all sleeping with it... just have to be careful to not fall down because it makes me so dizzy and sleepy

[liltart99]

Sorry you are experiencing this! When you are not sleeping; it makes life hell and it seems your sleeplessness is paired with pain.

I recently got off of Neurontin and I DID have some withdrawals. I was at a higher dose of about 2500mg for a short period of time and I did not taper. For me, it started with restlessness, then I thought my skin was going to burn off and then severe hot flashes and waves of nausea. No deep bone pain or anything like opiate withdrawal, but very uncomfortable. A little anxiety and depression. THEN, restless legs.

I think you have a very personal decision to make because regardless of what a physician says about the risk of dependency on it, I think you and I have read the same scary stories out there how others are suffering trying to get off of it and not at high doses either.

Just a thought, but maybe try it for a short period of time, then slowly taper and see how you do... especially if you feel you have exhausted all others areas for helping with this pain and restlessness in your legs.

Godspeed!

[TrayCee]

Its not a "cure" by any means , but proved to be VERY HELPFUL for me at times.

They will absolutely take the edge off wd's

Good Luck!

[summer138]

i am prescribed gabapentin for anxiety and pain 120 300 mg a month I use them fir my opiate withdrawals tho they don't make me puke or have diarrhea on them while going through my withdrawals for opiates but I still don't feel right but they defense
Help me sleep so ppl get the prescribed as sleeping pills. And they are not addictive the gabapentin unless ur on it for a long time