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Gabapentin taper

fireflymd

Senior Member
Messages
110
My daughter was started on Gabapentin 300 mg before bed for insomnia. She had been using Trazadone successfully until we had to stop it due to potential QTc interval lengthening with her Lyme meds.

She commented that the Gabapentin was the best treatment we had tried for insomnia.

However, after starting it 2 months ago she has noted spontaneous weight gain, legs swollen/feeling heavy, abdominal swelling and worsened acne, all symptoms that may be side effects of Gabapentin.

Prescriber said she can wean off easily and quickly because she was only taking once a day and a low dose, but I’ve read about withdrawal difficulties online, although I understand that most people who post are the ones with negative experiences.

Anyone here with experience tapering off Gabapentin from a once a day, low dose?

Did you still experience withdrawal?
 

CJB

Senior Member
Messages
877
I took Gabapentin for a year for sleep and finally correlated it with morning pain in my legs. I didn't taper and had no withdrawal problems. Everyone is different and the cautious route would be to taper slowly and see how it goes.

Good luck.
 

fireflymd

Senior Member
Messages
110
I took Gabapentin for a year for sleep and finally correlated it with morning pain in my legs. I didn't taper and had no withdrawal problems. Everyone is different and the cautious route would be to taper slowly and see how it goes.

Good luck.

How much Gabapentin were you taking?
 

TrixieStix

Senior Member
Messages
539
I am one of the folks who had a bad experience tapering off Gabapentin. I do believe the severity of my withdrawal symptoms is uncommon....thankfully. I was had been taking 1,200mg daily. The worst withdrawal symptom I had was very very severe anxiety and once I developed strange neurological symptoms my doctor made me increase my dose back up immediately and then he slowed the taper to a snails pace and it ended up taking 3 months in total.
 
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fireflymd

Senior Member
Messages
110
I am one of the folks who had a bad experience tapering off Gabapentin. I do believe the severity of my withdrawal symptoms is uncommon....thankfully. I was had been taking 1,200mg daily. The worst withdrawal symptom I had was very very severe anxiety.

I am hoping because she is only taking it once a day, that her withdrawal will be less severe.

Were you taking 1200 mg once a day or divided into three times a day?
 

lilpink

Senior Member
Messages
988
Location
UK
Gabapentin isn't a benzo but from a very personal experience of benzo and SSRI tapers and TCA tapers I can tell you that the Ashton Protocol is probably the safest way to go for any drug which is habituating. I agree that as your daughter hasn't taken gabapentin for long the wean should be easier, but a gentle taper can be speeded up without much fall out but a quick taper can seldom be slowed in a safe way. http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/
 

sharks

Senior Member
Messages
141
I took 100 mg for a month and stopped cold turkey and had annoying withdrawal Symptoms. I’m trying to withdrawal again after taking it for a month but doing a taper. It’s not fun, but it could be worse.
 

Stretched

Senior Member
Messages
705
Location
U.S. Atlanta
I was about to start GabaP for systemic pain or alternatively, low dose Naltrexone, ie LDN (I bought both). I didn’t realize the habituation severity of GP. Is this the norm or unusual?

A couple of related thoughts... .

Firstly, why stop an rx unless severe side effects? For example, I took Klonopin for 30 years and didn’t see a need to stop except to see if it affected MECFS - which it did - positively. (‘Same w/SSRI, Zoloft, and Tramadol.)

IAE, I gradually lowered the KL dose from 1mg x 3 a day to .5 x 2 a day over a year’s time. (I did order and read the Ashton Manual a few years ago - good stuff). Nevertheless, a couple of months ago I switched to Valium, .5 ~2-3 day, for ME nerves and relax near bed time.

My points/questions are twofold: one, any thoughts on LDN vs GP from you with experience?

Secondly, if something is working for you, eg calming nerves/anxiety associated with ME, insomnia, why arbitrarily stop, even if it’s a long term habit - if it’s without bad affects, ie one’s system adapts to it? (This second point is more bio-philosophical:thumbdown:,eg you could argue the same point about a non-z pill or supplement, why stop if you benefit, primarily? I choose not to withdraw.)

I hope you see the gist of my argument. Even the Ashton Manual preluded with ‘...if you’ve decided you need to stop... ,’ ie inferring the alternative that if you don’t see a need to cease, sic Klonopin... .
 
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sharks

Senior Member
Messages
141
I was about to start GabaP for systemic pain or alternatively, low dose Naltrexone, ie LDN (I bought both). I didn’t realize the habituation severity of GP. Is this the norm or unusual?

A couple of related thoughts... .

Firstly, why stop an rx unless severe side effects? For example, I took Klonopin for 30 years and didn’t see a need to stop except
to see if it affected MECFS - which it did - positively. (Same w/SSRI, Zoloft.) IAE, I gradually lowered the KL dose from 1mg x 3 a day to .5 x 2 a day over a year’s time. (I did order and read the Ashton Manual a few years ago - good stuff). Nevertheless, a couple of months ago I switched to Valium, .5 ~2-3 day, for ME nerves and relax near bed time. I choose not to withdraw.

My points/questions are twofold: one, any thoughts on LDN vs GP from you with experience?

Secondly, if something is working for you, eg calming nerves/anxiety associated with ME, insomnia, why arbitrarily stop, even if it’s a long term habit - if it’s without bad affects, ie one’s system adapts to it? (This second point is more bio-philosophical:thumbdown:,eg you could argue the same point about a non-z pill or supplement, why stop if you benefit, primarily?)

I hope you see the gist of my argument. Even the Ashton Manual preluded with ‘...if you’ve decided you need to stop... ,’ ie inferring the alternative that if you don’t see a need to cease , sic Klonopin... .

If you have the option to take GP do it, it’s much better than taking LDN and kolonopin. GP has waaaay less side effects than those medications. GP withdraws are annoying, but it’s better than a painkiller, benzo withdrawal.
 
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xrayspex

Senior Member
Messages
1,111
Location
u.s.a.
If you have the option to take GP do it, it’s much better than taking LDN and kolonopin. GP has waaaay less side effects than those medications. GP withdraws are annoying, but it’s better than a painkiller, benzo withdrawal.
I am not a fan, for myself, of gabapentin nor LDN (klonopin limited experience nor attraction towards) due to side effects I had. But I am curious--why do you think GP is better than LDN?
 

sharks

Senior Member
Messages
141
I am not a fan, for myself, of gabapentin nor LDN (klonopin limited experience nor attraction towards) due to side effects I had. But I am curious--why do you think GP is better than LDN?

Coming off a narcotic is worse than coming down off gaba. GABA is also easier to get from a dr.
 

xrayspex

Senior Member
Messages
1,111
Location
u.s.a.
Coming off a narcotic is worse than coming down off gaba. GABA is also easier to get from a dr.
for sure I can imagine it must be pretty hard for most to easily get a prescription for benzos such as klonopin

but LDN doesn't have abuse potential like oxy would......probation officers put their opiate addicts on high doses of it to block opiate effect
When I tried LDN in dose of less than .5 for immune and pain stuff it did help with the pain some but it ended up blocking my endorphins all the time it felt like....started to get depressed. I am an outlier though so I wouldn't try to dissuade someone from trying it as I know it helps many.
 

LaurelW

Senior Member
Messages
643
Location
Utah
I'm on both gabapentin and LDN. It took me about six months to titrate up to 4.5 mg, and I have to take it in the morning, because it was causing more insomnia, the last thing I need. Now I feel fine on it, and I feel that I bounce back from extra activity faster.
I'm on gabapentin for fibro pain, and I'm glad to have it because it's the only thing that really works for me. I'm on 500 mg. a day, split up into 4 doses, with two pills at bedtime. If I ever go off of it, I'll definitely follow a tapering protocol. I've been through really bad opiate withdrawal after gall bladder surgery, and I can't that anything (except maybe benzos) that could be that horrible of an experience.
 

Kenshin

Senior Member
Messages
161
I've "retrialed" Gp recently and found that it works best at around 900mg split up in 3.
It helps with concentration and mental fatigue, it is anxiolytic without being soporific.

I don't like the idea of LDN because blocking the opioid receptors just seems wrong.
 

LaurelW

Senior Member
Messages
643
Location
Utah
I know, it doesn't sound right. But when used on addicts, naltrexone is usually 50-100 mg., and LDN is only 4.5 tops. I think it has helped my immune system to back off a bit when it's overreacting.