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).

[pacdom]

Dear Howbe:  Laurel453 saw some of my other posts and asked me to respond to you; sorry it has taken a few days; I see you already have some good advice.  I am a licensed healthcare professional and have prescribed Gabapentin many, many times.  I have some chronic pain patients who take up to 2500mg daily, divided into three different doses.  Gabapentin is an anti-seizure drug; it is not know to be physically addicting.  As long as it is helping your painful restless leg problem, I see no problem unless you try to stop abruptly.  You must taper off over at least one week, or you risk having a seizure. The Baclofen is an older type muscle relaxer and is safe to take with the Gabapentin. It is not known to be addictive and is usually only causes withdrawals if taken intrathecally(i.v. spine).  It wouldn't hurt to wean off it as well however, as it is usually easier on the body to wean off almost all meds. I hope this answers your questions, if not, send me a message. BTW acupuncture and chiropractic help the RLS a lot, along with calcium, magnesium and Hylands restless leg homeopathic, potassium, and ginger tea also help.  Good luck and God Bless.

[Ella789]

I have been taking gabapentin for along time now.  I think it does help with pain issues, it is subtle, and I am not in the least afraid to take it.  I have no addiction to it,  take it or leave it,  but it does seem to help some with pain.  I wish you well,and hope that you will discuss any fears with your Dr.,  he/she can tell you more abt. how it works in your body.  Don't be afraid of the addiction tho, it's not that kind of a drug.  Just my thoughts, hope it helps.

Ella

[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

[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!

[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!

[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