Gabapentin Withdrawal

[Fly007]

I’ve decided I can’t deal with the foggy brain, anxiety and mental confusion that comes along with the Gabapentin so starting to wean off. Was on 900 and last two nights went down to 600, still slept good, but holy cow are the side effects during the day bad! Severely anxious, brain is going 90 mph over everything and nothing, emotional, mood swings… feels like I’m going to lose it! Really want to get off and see if I even need any meds anymore since I’ve lost 60 pounds, got my iron levels up, been on a gluten and dairy free diet, and exercising regularly.
Anyone else tried to get off Gabapentin and experience symptoms? If so how long did they last? Did taking anything else temporarily help with the symptoms?

[jul2873]

I was on a much lower dose but it still took me weeks to get off it. I very slowly went down one pill at a time and after I got to the last pill I had to cut it in half and then that half into halves, etc. Doing it that way I avoided the withdrawal symptoms. Oh, also I took kratom while doing it to control the RLS.

[jul2873]

I was on a much lower dose but it still took me weeks to get off it. I very slowly went down one pill at a time and after I got to the last pill I had to cut it in half and then that half into halves, etc. Doing it that way I avoided the withdrawal symptoms. Oh, also I took kratom while doing it to control the RLS.

[Macadwel]

Hi all,
How long were you on gabapentin? I am looking to get off this drug for the same reason as @Fly007 I cannot take the brain fog. I keep forgetting everything, am anxious, and think my boss thinks I am crazy! I am also on tramadol and will ask to go on a drug holiday from both of these drugs today. I am hoping to only go back on the tramadol when I finish the holiday.
I am currently taking 100s in the morning and evenings only when my legs are bad, but I do take the 75s three times a day. My tramadol currently is 200 extended release with 2 - 50 mg I take as needed. Do you think the drug holiday will work to get off the gabapentin?
Thanks for any responses! Mel

[Yankiwi]

I'm on 1,000mg gabapentin and wanted to increase it. My GP said it could mess with my brain. I believed her and have stuck with 1,000mg at 7.45pm, going to bed around 10.30. It has helped me a lot. I also take two x 60mg codeine in split dose before bed and during the night.
For the first time in decades I've been getting 6 – 7 hours of sleep each night over about 10 hours from going to bed to getting up.

[Lissa496]

I have been reading the gabapentin posts from the past and am amazed at the withdrawal symptoms people have had to endure. I thought I was on a high dose, which I am not, compared to many of you. I am trying to get off this drug as it seems many of you have been trying.
Each time I decrease a pill, the RLS gets worse and not only the restlessness but pain starts, it is a warm, crazy pain, that goes throughout my legs. I think I have it under control then the pain increases earlier and stays longer. I have reduced the medication by three pills, I have three more to go. But my RLS is worse and I am not sure it is worth getting off this medication to endure the worse symptoms. How long did you have to endure the worse symptoms? if I get off this medication, I will only be on hydrocodone and I am not sure that hydrocodone will relieve my symptoms alone. Does the RLS subside after a few days or weeks once off Gabapentin?

[debbluebird]

I take 1800 mg of gabapentin. I've taken it for years. Over time I got adjusted to taking it.
Cut them in half and stay on that dose before going down, for several days, or more. You might want to check with the Dr to see how long.

[Polar Bear]

I found that whatever advice my doctor gave for withdrawing from any medication (it wasn't gabapentin), I took it much slower.

[Rustsmith]

Another good source of information about the proper way to taper off of a medication is your pharmacist. I have found that their education in this area is often much better than that provided to doctors. Doctors know what to prescribe and the doses, pharmacists are often better trained on how to properly get people off of meds.

[Lissa496]

Thanks for the information!

[Brynmr]

I'm on 1,000mg gabapentin and wanted to increase it. My GP said it could mess with my brain. I believed her and have stuck with 1,000mg at 7.45pm, going to bed around 10.30. It has helped me a lot. I also take two x 60mg codeine in split dose before bed and during the night.
For the first time in decades I've been getting 6 – 7 hours of sleep each night over about 10 hours from going to bed to getting up.

I take 3,000 mg of gabapentin every night. It hasn't messed with my brain. It doesn't bother me al all in fact. Some coffee in the morning and I'm good to go.

[SleepLover]

My RLS started in the hospital as I recovered from a mini-stoke. The first drug of choice was prescribed by my Neuro doc, Requip. It worked until it didn't. After a few months, I experienced what I now know as augmentation and had to stop. The next drug prescribed was Gabapentin. I was told to keep increasing it until I got relief. Luckily for me, that relief came at 300. I get side effects very easily, and have to be careful what I take, so I noticed every single change that occurred. While quieting my RLS, Gaba also gave me a metallic taste in my mouth. It affects all the food I eat and all the liquids I drink. Everything tastes like sewer water and I have constant phlegm in my throat. Eating is no longer a pleasant experience, and it's a challenge preparing meals for my husband and me. Anyone have a similar reaction?

Because of this awful side effect, I am trying to reduce my Gaba. My Neuro doc said at the 300 level, I won't have to wean off, but can just stop cold turkey. I read in these posts that weaning is the best way to go, but my Gaba is in capsule form, so I'm not sure how to wean down to a 'half of a half' etc. The first time I tried to reduce the dose, I was unable to fall asleep at all, and didn't sleep the whole night. It's true insomnia. I sympathize with those of you who are having much worse effects.

I'm a senior who needs as much rest as possible and a healthy diet that I can enjoy.

I look to you experts for some advice on how to proceed.

[Rustsmith]

Gabapentin is also available in 100mg capsules, but you would need your doctor to provide the pills you need for your taper.

The other question you didn't ask is what next? Since gabapentin sort of works, Lyrica might be your doctor's next choice and that is a drug that is close enough to gabapentin to simply stop taking the gabapentin and start the Lyrica.

As for the metallic taste, I haven't experienced that on gabapentin (I have been as high as 1200mg at one point), but I did experience it before I was diagnosed with RLS and was being given Lunesta for the insomnia. Lunesta left me with a metallic taste in my mouth in the morning. But I should also add that I completely lost my sense of smell 15 yrs ago, so my sense of taste is not that great and most food simply tastes bland (so I love spicy dishes).

[SleepLover]

Thanks so much for your reply. I am taking the 100mg caps, three of them. So I can go down 100mg at a time. The Lyrica is a great idea and worth trying. I think that each person has different side effects, so I'm not surprised that you didn't experience the metallic taste. Maybe I have my solution in the Lyrica? Time will tell and I will post again with my success story!

[SleepLover]

I asked my doc to prescribe the Lyrica (generic is Pregabalin) and have been taking it in place of Gaba for three days. It works faster than Gaba and just as well, maybe better. The conversion is 1/6 dosage of Pregaba for what is taken as Gaba, so I'm taking 50mg of Pregaba in place of 300mg Gaba. The first night I couldn't sleep - insomnia. The second night was better. And last night I slept pretty well. No RLS at all on any night. According to studies done, you can either blend the two and wean down to only Pregaba, or do a full replacement right away. I went with the full replacement and it worked well. Now if I can only get rid of the metallic taste which is still with me. Maybe it won't go away, but I'm hopeful it will. Kudos to the forum member who suggested Lyrica!! I'm in your debt. I'm off Gabapentin and it wasn't painful.