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NEVER stop any Anticonvulsant which is what Gabapentin and Lyrica are if you have a seizure disorder. Could be deadly. Don’t think that is an exaggeration. Before I knew better I quit and lost 15 years of my life, 8 months in a coma and nearly my life. Never stop any medication on your own.
Jake
Replies to "NEVER stop any Anticonvulsant which is what Gabapentin and Lyrica are if you have a seizure..."
Jake, I'm very sorry to hear about this time in your life.
Your warning is a very important one. I've done a ton of research on Gaba and based on what I've seen, no one should ever stop taking it cold turkey - even if they do not have a seizure disorder.
The first medication my Neurologist suggested was Effexor and I IMMEDIATELY declined. I was on it a decade ago to treat depression, and the side effects were horrendous (including those during the weaning process). Many people say the same things about Gaba - so I knew it could be bad before I started to take it.
Truth be told - there do not seem to be a lot of pain management options for nerve pain, and quite frankly I am tired of being in pain so I'm willing to roll the dice on this one. I am watching carefully for side effects and monitoring how well it manages the pain. Eleven days in and so far so good - but my doctor started me off on 100 mg for 7 days; 200 mg for 7 days, then 300 mg for 14 days. I take it only at night and need to go back and see him before the end of the month. I have been sleeping through the night pain free (yipppeee!) and cannot wait to be able to take it during the day.
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@jakedduck1
I'm glad that I hadn't made it up to full dose of Lyrica when I had to stop it. I stopped it immediately, but in the hospital. Many, if not most, meds need supervision or some kind or protocol to taper off them. Some are very difficult to stop. I think that many have said here in Connect that Effexor is a particularly tough one.
Jim