Is it safe to stop gabapentin? How?

Posted by pepsi97 @pepsi97, Jul 26, 2020

Hey there! The neurologist put me on gabapentin 300mg once a day at bedtime for a few months because of my numb toes. I no longer have health insurance because the pandemic forced me to leave my job on April. I am a bit worried about being able to stop using gabapentin on Sep/Oct without side effects because I never used it before and I have no idea how my body will react. Is it safe for me to just stop using gabapentin?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

I believe that gabapentin is just the generic name for neurontin. Neurontin was part of a major scandal when a worker at the drug company wrote about the fallacies that the pharma people were telling the public. It’s all in your head people. Stick with the cbd/thc combo for pain. If you don’t believe it google neurontin

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@annatino

Hi macrdo.

Thank you for the reply.
I think that Gabapentin and Lyrica are two meds that are extremely hard to come off based on my research.
I wanted to take it for nerve pain in my lip after a surgery I had 18 months ago and also helping with anxiety off-label.
I am glad I stopped it on time.

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@annatino
Just curious, did you have any withdrawal symptoms?
Jake

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@jakedduck1

@annatino
Just curious, did you have any withdrawal symptoms?
Jake

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Yeah I did, increase anxiety for about a week even though I was so short term on them.

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@healthyme246

I believe that gabapentin is just the generic name for neurontin. Neurontin was part of a major scandal when a worker at the drug company wrote about the fallacies that the pharma people were telling the public. It’s all in your head people. Stick with the cbd/thc combo for pain. If you don’t believe it google neurontin

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I will never touch Gabapentin again same with the cousin Lyrica.
I read online about people that are finished for life because of these drugs.
It’s very scary because in the beginning it is considered a “miracle” pill then you get hooked and build tolerance and you are done for life coming off it!

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@jakedduck1

@annatino
Just curious, did you have any withdrawal symptoms?
Jake

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None at all. That's what was so amazing. That had to be God. All I seen and heard said it would throw you into seizures and other stuff. As I said I am blessed by that !!

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@annatino
It’s too bad you had a bad reaction to these meds. They didn’t work for me either although I didn’t have any problems on Gabapentin. Lyrica caused a problem although not as severe as yours. I had “Allergic to Lyrica” included on my MedicAlert bracelet as a precaution.
I notified the FDA . Perhaps you should too. But regardless of our experiences with these medications they are Godsends for some and not hard to stop for others.
Jake

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@jakedduck1

@annatino
It’s too bad you had a bad reaction to these meds. They didn’t work for me either although I didn’t have any problems on Gabapentin. Lyrica caused a problem although not as severe as yours. I had “Allergic to Lyrica” included on my MedicAlert bracelet as a precaution.
I notified the FDA . Perhaps you should too. But regardless of our experiences with these medications they are Godsends for some and not hard to stop for others.
Jake

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I did not have any reactions on Gabapentin.
And I never tried Lyrica.
You misunderstood me.
I am glad it works fine for you.
Personally I am afraid to continue it because I heard to many horror stories after being used off-label
What are you taking it for if you don’t mind me asking?

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@annatino
I haven’t taken anything for my Neuropathy for a long time. I took Gabapentin & Lyrica to help Neuropathy & seizures but it didn’t help either one. I take Carbatrol & Phenobarbital now for seizures which is believed to have caused my Neuropathy.
I hope your receiving some relief.
Sorry again for the misunderstanding.
Jake

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@annatino

I did not have any reactions on Gabapentin.
And I never tried Lyrica.
You misunderstood me.
I am glad it works fine for you.
Personally I am afraid to continue it because I heard to many horror stories after being used off-label
What are you taking it for if you don’t mind me asking?

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I read, with interest, the lawsuit from 1998 (settled in 2004) re:Neurontin. It seems there are strict rules against MARKETING drugs for medical purposes that haven’t been through all of the FDA required testing rigors for each specific medical condition. It seems Neurontin was originally proven as an anti-seizure drug, but the old owner of the drug made unproven claims and extreme bad acts as having Neurontin touted as a drug for a lot of other diseases, and it does appear they broke laws with their marketing then.
I am not a medical person nor know those laws, nor the status of any further testing done since 2004 on Gabapentin/Neurontin, especially for Neuropathy. But I think many drugs/vaccines (like the Covid vaccine) originate from a drug previously approved to fight another medical disease. I guess at a certain point, enough evidence is collected to have doctors believing that certain drugs may help certain conditions. I know my medical system shows reports on any contributions received by doctors from pharmaceutical companies if I wanted to check; I don’t know if this is a public tool. It never hurts to ask our docs what alternative meds there might be if we’re suspicious.
I think with everything in this forum, everyone agrees there’s no one cure-all that works for each and every one of us and our other competing medical conditions. I do know, from my experience, I am in more discomfort, sometimes extreme, when I’ve missed a dose of Gabapentin, and I’m blessed with getting out and about and having a clear head while taking it, so I will continue as I think it suits my health and lifestyle ok.
I don’t miss many doses, so I don’t know what withdrawal is like, but thank God you’ve got folks responding with their experiences; and as you’ve seen, some are good and some bad - a difficult choice and I’m cheering for you doing what you believe us best for you!!

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Consult w/ the perscribing doctor before quitting the medication. Withdrawl systems maybe quite severe. You may want to check some of the discount pharmacy sites, such as goodrx or retail pharmacies such as Costco.

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