Hi there, I was given gabapentin last month to treat pelvic pain caused by Endometriosis. I am a recovering addict and the gabapentin took care of my pain but it also made me feel high, or euphoric. I quickly started abusing it and soon went from the prescribed dose of 300mg 3x/day to close to 3,000 mg in the final days. I then resumed medical marijuana and actually overdosed on gabapentin and other medications last week and ended up in the ICU.
Scary! At the hospital they took away gabapentin all at once and I felt ok for a week but now I'm experiencing cold turkey withdrawal symptoms and I'm stuck. I don't wish to return to gabapentin but I may need to in order to safely detox from it.
I have a host of mental health issues, including Bipolar illness, ptsd, ADD & anxiety.
I take 400 mgs of Seroquel to stay balanced.
I have a sponsor and go to AA meetings daily as well as attending an outpatient addiction treatment program.
My concern is.... Is it dangerous medically to stop gabapentin cold turkey, keeping in mind I was on gabapentin for one month but at increasingly high doses. Please help!? Thank you
From what I have heard you should always be on a physician supervised weaning schedule since this is an anti-seizure medication (used off-label for nerve pain).
I was told your body can only absorb 1800 mg total during a 24 hour period.
Can you speak to another physician to get a second opinion? It is my understanding the hospital should not have abruptly discontinued the gabapentin.
Talia, n'est-ce pas quelque chose que ce médicament sûr et non addictif t'a fait te sentir euphorique et maintenant tu dois te désintoxiquer lentement et ils ne sont pas sûrs de combien de temps cela prendra ! Je suis désolée que la gabapentine t'ait fait trébucher dans un programme que tu essayais de suivre ! C'est l'œuvre du diable de s'y glisser ! J'ai aussi été informée qu'elle n'était pas addictive, mais j'ai dû commencer à prendre des opiacés pour ce que je sais maintenant pour la douleur que la gabapentine était responsable dans mon bassin et mon bas-ventre. Bonne chance et j'espère que tu trouveras un médecin pour t'aider. Sherri
Thank you G, That is very interesting information. Very helpful. I was able to speak to my doctor this morning and she said that since I was only on it for one month, and I have been off it for over one week, to just continue with the discontinuation. Keep it simple. I feel A LOT better today after a great night's sleep, talking with my sponsor and drinking a lot of water. However, I will be paying attention to my body/mind and get a second (third?) opinion if I don't feel right. I was able to keep myself calm, practice deep breathing and good nutrition, and by the Grace of God, the symptoms all but vanished. But certainly I will keep watch. Thanks again!!!!
PS--in my experience, medical doctors are well known for abruptly discontinuing medications in a hospital setting, which can wreak havoc once the patient is released. I had that experience with Ativan and nearly had a seizure! I think it's important to always get a second--or third-- opinion.
Hi Sheri, YES exactly!! Thank you for your support and compassion. Devil's work indeed. In doing some research I discovered that gabapentin is widely used as a recreational drug; guess I'm not the only one who felt euphoric after taking it, especially in higher doses. That said, PLEASE, anyone who is reading this, do NOT try it for yourself. It isn't worth it. I feel that gabapentin (Neurontin) would be an ok med for someone who has chronic pain and ISNT an addict, but for an addict it is dangerous.
I was able to get the go ahead from my doctor to d/c the gabapentin but I will be watching to make sure I stay stable and balanced as I do. Fortunately, i now have a sponsor, an outpatient program, a sober living environment, and renewed faith in God, who is wayyy stronger than the devil.
Thanks again Sheri and I wish you all the best too!