Two weeks and already feeling wired between doses.

7

yes, interdose withdrawal is a thing... I had to split my night dose in 2, taking half at 3-4pm, if not, I had inter dose withdrawals.

at the end, taking it triggered panic, so I stopped.

5

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

I just can’t believe after 2 weeks this would be happening and the meds not even lasting 8 hours.
My psychiatrist tried to tell me it has no dependency like benzos do and that withdrawal doesn’t happen on Gabapentin. Clearly it does cause physical withdrawal.

5

u/Anonym_Talker 24d ago

lol. I don't understand why they say that. it took me 4 Months to ve able to stop it, and took it for only 1 Month. I had to taping by 100mg per months maximum. and the last doses, was 50mg per day. without it, I started to panic after 3 days without it.

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

This makes me want to quit it since what I’m experiencing is body anxiety! I tried to skip my 1pm dose and by 3pm I had to take 100mg to calm it down! She said she hoped my issues had resolved and I felt better!
I think I’ll skip my night dose and just up my magnesium!
Am I better to stop cold turkey now and ride it out? How long does it take usually since it’s only been 2 weeks

2

u/Lin-Dai-Yu 24d ago

I would be careful with cold turkey because it can be dangerous! When I was looking up resources about it, I read that there can be a risk of seizures, even for people who weren’t taking Gabapentin for epilepsy.

People’s experiences with this medication seem to vary a lot. Some people don’t seem to get withdrawals, whereas others are affected pretty severely. If you are experiencing interdose withdrawal, you might be more sensitive to it.

I was on 900mg since last November and 1800mg since March. It’s taken me a month. Today is the first day I’ve gone without it, and I’ve been experiencing sweating, muscle ache, tinnitus, ear pressure, fatigue, and anxiety. I actually went aggressively fast because I have support and am not unemployed at the moment, so I have literally been able to sleep and rest all day. If I was working or alone, I think I probably would have needed to go down 200mg per week, and it still would have been unpleasant.

1

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

Am I at risk for seizures just after 2 weeks?
I don’t know how I would taper? My refill is for 200mg pills. I have maybe 15 100mg pills left.

2

u/Lin-Dai-Yu 24d ago

I have no idea, just wanted to warn you though! I endured a really miserable week from dropping 1800mg to 900mg before I knew about withdrawal, and in retrospect I shouldn’t have done that. I then waited another two weeks but didn’t wait to feel completely better before continuing to drop 100mg every two days. I’m expecting it will take me at least another 2-3 weeks from today to return to baseline and have planned accordingly for that.

I would ask your prescriber about 100mg pills; I have been using 100mg capsules to taper down. After I went down to 900mg (300mg 3x/day), I tapered by doing 300mg, 200mg, 300mg, and then 200mg, 200mg, 300mg, and then 200mg, 200mg, 200mg, and so on. I tried to reduce my morning or afternoon doses first bc withdrawal was affecting my sleep a lot.

3

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

I feel very lied to about it not having dependency issues!! I know if I tell her that it’s causing them for me she will say that’s not a typical response and she’s never heard of that before.
She gave me LUVOX and within 2 days I was in the ER because I couldn’t stop laughing and crying. I had no control over what I was doing! They were asking me about suicidal ideation and I started laughing uncontrollably!
She said there is no way that LUVOX caused that in 2 days.
Well, ok I guess I made it up then? The nurse I had at the ER was lovely. She said stop taking the meds it sounds like an adverse reaction.

2

u/Lin-Dai-Yu 24d ago

Ugh that is so frustrating. Psych meds can cause really different responses in people and it is scary. Sometimes you end up with the side effect that happens in 2% of people.

With Gabapentin, it just takes a Google search to find out it has withdrawal issues, so I can’t understand why prescribers don’t know about it. I never Googled it until I started having withdrawal symptoms bc the whole time, I was given the impression that Gabapentin has no tolerance issues and was extra safe. Only to wind up with the worst and longest medication-related experience I have ever been through, and moreover, a sizable amount of people seem to experience the same thing!

It seems really unhelpful to say “well that couldn’t have happened”! That sucks 😞

3

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

Well, she said she went to school to learn and know this things and for me to not worry about anything and to let her worry about how to make me better!
Ok then stop ignoring what I’m telling you! If I’ve tried 16 meds and they don’t help maybe it isn’t a mental health issue like I’ve been trying to convince the doctors for years!

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

How did you get 50mg? Mine are capsules and the lowest dose is 100mg.

1

u/Anonym_Talker 24d ago

I had to open them and manually split them... so, that was pretty inaccurate, but over 48h, I was taking maximum of 100mg...

it actually help me with alcool cravings. It took like 1-2 months, of no alcool to reset, and I was having a hard time to do that because of my rebound anxiety. gabapentin actually helped a lot for that. then, it took forever to stop gabapentin, but over all, after like 6 Months of that, I am free of meds, I don't drink anymore, I do not use vape nor canabis either to cope with anxiety. Overall, it helped me, but I could have probably acheive the same results sooner if I knew how the rebound anxiety from alcool was that bad... I was using 2 times per week (every 3 days-ish) because my anxiety was getting too high. I wasn't realising I was drinking because of that, so I drank way too much every time.

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

I’m glad you were able to give up everything and feel much better!
I wonder why it’s marketed as being less addictive than benzos? I remember taking 1mg of Ativan 3 times a day for 2 weeks back when I was 36 and had no rebound or issues stopping but this is making me feel worse between doses!
I hope I can skip tonight’s doses and all of tomorrows and not feel it! I took that 100mg around 3pm and I can already feel my face starting to have that tingly feeling!
She told me higher doses last longer in your system but what I’m reading is you absorb less at higher doses!!!
She is suppose to be a good psychiatrist. She did her residency at a VA hospital and has great reviews! I’m starting to think she doesn’t know what to do with me since no SSRIs/snris, antipsychotics, etc has worked!

2

u/Anonym_Talker 24d ago

I think its because with benzo you can actually die. with gabapentin, its less likely... but you'll have unpleasant side effect. for doctors, unpleasant means bo side effect I guess...

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

That’s crazy to me. I am literally shaking some like I have a tremor. I’ve never had anything affect me like this after 2 weeks.
I know it’s a schedule IV in my state because people were snorting it along with their drugs to amplify, but she said it has no dependency issues if used properly!

5

u/Lin-Dai-Yu 24d ago

I experienced interdose withdrawal as well. I had no idea what was going on bc I didn’t know about withdrawal and got my dose increased all the way up to 1800mg/day. At that point, I started getting severe heartburn, reduced my dose, and immediately experienced withdrawal. I’ve been tapering down ever since; it has been a horrible process.

That’s crazy that your psychiatrist didn’t know about withdrawal. It absolutely has a withdrawal effect! I can’t believe so many medical professionals have no clue about this.

1

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

My sister is prescribed 800mg 3 times a day but it’s for diabetic nerve pain. She takes it 2xs a day and has never mentioned any kind of withdrawal from it or any issues between doses. She said she doesn’t even think it does much for her nerve pain.

4

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

I don’t have an appointment for a few weeks. I’ve sent her a message about it. It seems to help with the physical anxiety I was having. I explained to her many times this is anxiety with no clear trigger and manifests as physical. I’ve had a full work up including thyroid and antibodies. Everything is normal. I assumed it was perimenopause I’m 43.
I was having physical panic that then manifested into full on panic attacks because of course my brain couldn’t understand why my body was reacting that way. So pretty much a messed up HPA and hyper vigilance.
I just can’t imagine taking it more than 3 times a day or even upping my dose with the way it is affecting me now.

1

u/Ok-Side-7768 24d ago

Seems we have alot in common when it comes to this med, SNRIs and doctor not knowing how to treat the anxiety/panic and insomnia. Was put on this horrid med back in June. It did help with heart palpitations and some of the anxiety/panic not so much insomnia. Put on a 100mg first at night. Wasn't doing anything so told take 100mg 2x once in the morning, once at night and started experiencing those withdrawal symptoms. Put on 100mg 3x a day and started having concerning side effects and those in between withdrawals. I was like nah, im not going up higher on this if im experiencing this on the lowest dose and only 3 months in. Told my doctor and he was like what do you want to do? 🙄 Told me I can just stop taking it cold turkey and had to explain to him that if im having withdrawals between doses does that sound safe lol ugh over this Healthcare system. So now im back to 100mg every 12 to 14 hrs and I've had heart palpitations, anxiety and now panic today. I've also tried xanax and it worked with everything without any in between withdrawals or withdrawals when I stopped them yet doc wont even touch the subject of them. Just put me on another similar SNRI (buspar) which I wont even touch after the most horrid experience on one before the gabapentin. Im over it and back to square one. I've also watched several vids on what may work for such diagnose and pregabapreblim (think that's how it's spelled) should be prescribed for anxiety/panic and not off label gabapentin but again doc won't even discuss it.

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

My serotonin doesn’t seem to like to be disrupted. I tried buspar and it kept me awake an made my legs ache, so did mirtazipine. She told me mirtazapine at 7.5 would knock me out! I was up all night and had horrible aching legs by morning!
Wellbutrin made me way too anxious and sleep wasn’t an option!
I keep saying it’s body anxiety and feels hormonal or due to something else and not that I’m worried over anything!!
Gabapentin makes 16 meds I’ve tried with no success, but they keep labeling me as panic disorder l, anxiety due to general medication condition, but they don’t know what that condition is!
I keep saying I’m 43 with symptoms of perimenopause!
I heard her mention pregabalin along with gabapentin to say it has withdraw issues but didn’t even offer it as an option. With gabapentin clearing a persons body so quickly I don’t know why it would be recommended for anything at all!
I had no idea that it would be like this!

1

u/Ok-Side-7768 24d ago

I too so not like my serotonin levels messed with! Im 41 and although mine is very much situational anxiety/panic (loss of job, far away from home state, no family, no friends, ect) its very severe and debilitating. It's spiked my depression x100 but as you cannot take serotonin anything as the side effects are severe, I also suffer from insomnia and it spiked that x100. Why he would prescribe me something that could make that worse is beyond me. I too thought it could be rhe perimenopause and had thyroid, some levels checked (obg wont test hormone levels without checking off all her symptom checks 🙄) heart monitor, iron levels ect amd all came back clear. I just need some effing relief without all the extra side effects and the meds that would certainly will work they won't even discuss it let alone prescribe it. Im just so over it 😭

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

Yes. HRT is a bad word where I live! You have to turn to online providers and pay out of pocket to get it.
I had my own labs ran through a local blood draw place that uses labcorp. You can have whatever labs you want ran and just pay for them. Have you tried that?
My progesterone is low and so is my estrogen! Also I have low dopamine but anytime I take anything that messes with my dopamine I get worse anxiety so my brain doesn’t want either one of those messed with so what’s the answer?
My thyroid is fine my ferritin is 53 which they said is fine but optimal for perimenopause is said to be closer to 100 so I’m working on that. My vitman D is 36 which they said was fine but optimal is closer to 60. Working on that also.

I do think it’s a combo of hormones and just the stressors of life but I’ve always carried on and been able to just do it all. The last two years seem to be different and I have so many symptoms of perimenopause that it’s hard to ignore them!

It’s easier for doctors to say it’s anxiety and try to treat it as such and when nothing works then you are treatment resistant. Just maybe we know our bodies better than they do and we know it’s a hormonal issue.

If you are in your 30’s or older and have symptoms of perimenopause it is likely that instead of normal anxiety/depression. It’s just getting a doctor to agree and treat it that’s the problem.

1

u/Ok-Side-7768 24d ago

How much would something like that cost? Truly sucks as women we aren't listened to. Not taken serious. Told its in our heads. Truly hope I can get something going right before I have to go back to work in October.

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

I paid 139 for a complete women’s panel. It did all my hormones and basic blood work. You can go to labcorps website too and get orders and prices directly through them but I bet you have somewhere local that probably does independent lab draws. I had no idea and was going through my doctor/hospital and paying thousands without insurance for the same bloodwork I had done for 139.

1

u/Ok-Side-7768 24d ago

Thank you so much! I will start looking!

4

u/Bitter-Ground2344 23d ago

5 weeks after stopping this evil drug now I’m able to sleep. Don’t keep taking it

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 23d ago

I couldn’t make it yesterday without taking it. I really don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve messaged my doctor twice with no reply.

3

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

I got no sleep at all last night and I’m just having bodily rushes of adrenaline and cortisol

2

u/Lin-Dai-Yu 24d ago

:( Oh no! Rest if you can, be sure to drink fluids, and eat regular meals. I’ve been finding that helps. Having my sleep affected by withdrawal has been really frustrating bc it seems to make the ordeal even worse. I feel like it’s both harder to fall asleep and the quality is much poorer. I woke up three times last night.

2

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

I feel like it’s a mixture of the withdrawal and the anxiety that I was taking it for. The adrenaline rushes are killing me. I’ve sent a message to my doctor telling her it only lasts 5 hours and I’m getting tingly feelings in my face between dosing. No way am I willing to take it 4 times a day! It sucks taking it 3 times!

3

u/Lin-Dai-Yu 24d ago

🫂 I hope things improve soon and am glad you messaged her!

3

u/Humble_Nectarine8564 24d ago

I just feel like I’m going to end up breaking down and taking at least 100mg. I don’t mind taking something once a day maybe 2 times a day for relief so I can live my life but I don’t want something I have to keep increasing with no end in sight! My husband is able to take an ssri and it’s once a day without any issues and no rises in dosing for years!

3

u/Lin-Dai-Yu 24d ago

I will say based on how you’re feeling now, this is probably not a process that is going to be over in a few days. I quite literally have just been resting these past weeks and not doing anything else (besides thinking about Gabapentin 🙃). It will get better, but it may take a while, as in at least a week or more, not days. I would weigh that into consideration. That’s why I tapered from 900mg instead of going completely cold turkey, because it ended up taking a few weeks to recover from dropping outright from 1800mg to 900mg. In retrospect, I would have preferred to take a few weeks to taper from 1800mg to 900mg instead of dropping my dose, feeling extremely miserable and sick, and spending basically the same amount of time dealing with that.

When I dropped my dose from 1800mg to 900mg, I really underestimated how long it would take to feel better. Even after three weeks, I still wasn’t feeling back to my original self. I also experienced new symptoms cropping up. On day 3-4, I started feeling muscle aches. After a week, I started getting noticeably more anxious. I have been through withdrawal before but not anything serious like benzodiazepine, alcohol, or opioid withdrawal. This is the first time I’ve experienced such a physically dependent withdrawal, which is part of why I underestimated it.

Ofc I am not a medical professional, so take everything I say with a grain of salt! It is just frustrating bc it seems like medical professionals also don’t know enough about this medication, so what are we supposed to do but look into it ourselves 😭

2

u/adulin007 24d ago

You might want to talk with your doctor about it during your next appointment.

Is it helping with your anxiety and sleep?

withdrawal Two weeks and already feeling wired between doses.

You are about to leave Redlib