Having been on a benzo (first Xanax 1 mg and then switched to Klonopin 1.5 to 2 mg), taken as directed but for far too long (almost 29 years) before I learned from a Jordan Peterson video that they're supposed to be taken no more than 2-4 weeks, I asked to stop them ASAP. I requested a taper. Was told I didn't need to taper this drug, that I should "just stop."

So I stopped cold turkey, had horrific withdrawal that lasted six solid months, day and night, before any improvement at all. Now I'm diagnosed with "idiopathic small fiber peripheral polyneuropathy." I think the cold turkey withdrawal damaged my nervous system and caused this problem.

In my opinion, your joint and muscle aching is not due to the gabapentin at all. It's the benzo withdrawal. You'll have symptoms, even when slowly tapering off it, but tapering is a far greater solution than cold turkey.