Has Anyone Had Experience with Neurontin for Opiate Withdrawal?

[ColleenToQuit]

I've read Neurontin works to relieve some opiate withdrawal symptoms. Does anyone have any experience with this? If so how many milligrams a day did/do you take and how long does it take for the Neurontin to start working? I'm currently taking about 70mg of hydrocodone/day and I want to stop. I hate being on opiate painkillers for so long. I have a prescription for 100mg of gabapentin to take 3x a day. Does anyone know how much to take for cold turkey opiate withdrawal? And should I let the gabapentin build up in my body before I stop taking the hydro? From what I've read gabapentin works like a neurotransmitter reuptake accelerator/inhibitor and needs to build up in the system for a few days before it works to its full potential.

[MareCee]

Been on methadone, up to 100mgs a day, for the past 12 years for pain control. Developed q-t wave prolongation, meaning the second beat of your heart doesn't beat and you pass out until hopefully, it starts again; if not, you die. Doc said it was from methadone so I began a SLOW taper: Per the pharmacist, reduce by 25%, every 14 days. Methadone has a 36-hr halflife, so this taper to 2-3 years. For various reasons, Ive gone off and on methadone about five times. If too uncomfortable, I just bite of 1/8 to 1/4 of a 10mg methadone,  is it means I'm coming off too fast. What I've learned: 1. It's all about PATIENCE; 2. Listen to your body: If you start getting patches of goose flesh, bite a bit off; 3. Gabapentin, AT LEAST 1600 mg/day, divided over two or three doses, virtually STOPS all withdrawal problems. Things that tick me off:
1.  People claiming they "get high" from methadone: That is physiologically impossible.
2. People who say someone's "addicted," rather than the truth: They're PHYSICALLY DEPENDENT. Addiction by definition includes drug seeking and taking more than prescribed or mixing with benzos, alcohol, etc., in order to "get high." (The methadone might potentiate a buzz from the benzo, but it's not the methadone doing it.)
3. The medical community never uses, acknowledges, tells you or prescribes GABAPENTIN at a dose that will virtually eliminate the worst withdrawal symptoms.
4. The doctors not telling you what WILL happen if you stay on methadone: You WILL lose your teeth, cuz you can't realistically drink enough fluids to keep your saliva, so no saliva? No teeth. You WILL ultimately die from Sudden Cardiac Death, or "SCD." Each dose your q-t wave is lengthening to the point that one day, that second heart beat just WONT come back, despite defibrillators/pacemakers (which they're considering for me right now), CPR, nothin: You die.
5. There are safer alternatives that don't cause most of these problems, e.g., Morphine for pain; sub and gabapentin (Neurontin) for withdrawal.
(PS: You don't "get high" from high dose gabapentin.)
Okay; that's my two cents, for what it's worth. Good luck going through the withdrawal and remember:  PATIENCE with yourself is the key to becoming NOT physically dependent on opiates. They're your best friend and your worst enemy, so TAKE IT SLOW & remember: It took three years for me, and I'm still kickin!

[Jason7272]

I don't know what planet you're from but Methadone can surely get you high. Now if you are in a program taking a consistent dose, mg wise and everyday, then yes the "high" or "buzz" subsides.  This is also true with any medication, your body adapts or builds a tolerance. Someone else please chime in that has taken methadone and gotten high or buzzed.  And no you don't need to take another drug or alcohol to feel a Methadone "high" and please do not ever mix with any benzo as this is extremely dangerous.  

[Jason7272]

I will also add that some people do feel a sense of euphoria when taking Gabapentin. Please spend time researching  and reading, NOT comments from a person but medical research. Everyone reacts differently to medication just because Gabapentin doesn't get Joe Smoe a euphoric buzz doesn't mean You won't feel one. Please also research side effects(like edema-swelling of extremities, etc...) and withdrawals from Gabapentin, they are not a walk in the park.
Good luck, you're in the right path if you're finding ways to get clean!

[KSKREALTOR]

I've been on it for over twenty years for fibromyalgia - if I run out, no issues...  looking at it now for my son who is a heroin addict.

[Gabapentin_works]

Just wanted to chime in on this conversation. For those of you who have never tried it and say things like, "I don't know how Gabapetin would work." You should just read and not post. It works. I am currently on day 4 of withdrawals. I have been taking 20-30mgs of Norco for 4 years regularly. I am prescribed it for knee and foot problems that cause pain. My doctor gave me Gabapentin about 3 months ago because some of my pain is nerve pain. I put it in my cupboard and forgot about it because whenever I tried to go off of Norco withdrawals started. I have gone through withdrawals in 2005 and 2010 and it was a horror story with all the awful symptoms. So, I was afraid. I ran across a post regarding Gabapentin easing oiate withdrawal symptoms so I googled it. That was 4 days ago. I read for about an hour and decided to try it, figuring I could go back to the Norco if I started feeling badly.

I won't tell you the doses I am taking but anyone here can google it and find posts that do talk about dosage. I break the max dose down and take it every 2 hours all day. I have NOT had:
Nausea, the runs, creepy crawly skin, insomnia, throwing up, brain zaps (uncomfortable brain feeling :), restless legs, no appetite!! It has been a life saver for me.
I have had:
Clumsiness
Day 3 started a bit of sneezing (but I tried to go off the Gabapentin)
My appetite is HUGE. I want to eat all the time

That's all. I am sleeping better than I have in a few years. I am talkative and my old self. I do want to eat a lot, but I'll take that. On Day 3 of not taking Norco, I tried to stop the Gabapentin and felt no withdrawals from the Gabapentin, but I started sneezing, so I went back on the full dose and will take it for the 7-10 days that the other posts I read suggested.

Sorry for all the people that currently take Gabapentin in addition to opiates. From what I have read, if you are on Gabapentin, it won't help with wihdrawal from opiates. :( If anyone has found differently, please let the community know.

[Determinedmatherne]

I have been on some form of pain medicine for over 10 years now. I had endometriosis and went through 10 surgeries including two c sections and a hysterectomy. For years I have hidden this from everyone around me. I now am with my boyfriend who is disabled, he has a degenerative eye disease and will eventually be blind, so I am the only one able to work. He gets disability but it;s not enough. Well, its time to quit. We have both become addicted to Roxys, something I never thought I would do. IVe  also got six fused discs, four ruptured discs, a tumor in my neck at the top of my spine, and just found out I have a tumor on my thyroid. So yes I do have a lot of pain. I also have two daughters who are more important. We have been buying them, and at $30 a pill, it just isnt doable anymore so I decided to quit. I researched the best ways, what to take for withdrawals, and got some neurontin. Let me explain how much I love it. And yes, Im early in my journey but just listen. I took 1600 the first day. I spaced it out. And went the whole day waiting for my withdrawals to start and nothing. Meanwhile, he didnt take any and we didnt ha e the money for and Roxys, so he was miserable. I was running around the house doing housework...so I dont understand when people say the side effects are tiredness and hazy head. Maybe because so much of my pain comes from nerve damage, this makes me feel better than pain pills. I dont know. I cant explain it. Anyway, I woke up the next day after sleeping all night with no rls. I took 900 mg when I woke up. And all through the day I took two 300 mg everytime I would think about the pain meds. And again went all day without even wanting one. Itamazing for me. But I think also that when you are ready to quit, you will. Im ready. I just hope my boyfriend catches up. And I will stand by him until then.

[refills]

This is a great thread on Neurontin. I've suspected that it was used as a recovery med and now I have proof. It certainly isn't for everyone. This thread speaks for itself.

[ezd01]

it does work. I was on methadone for 8yrs at over a 100mgs. and dropped down ten mgs every two days and I even skipped every other day once I got down to 50mgs all the to 10mgs. Just so that I would have less in my system. My dad had Neurontin pills 400mgs and I started taking them as like whatever. Had absolutely no clue it would help he just handed me a couple so I took them and it felt better. And it's not in my mind either. I haven't had a hard time sleeping but like once or twice in over two weeks. They make me feel weird in several ways and I really don't like them. But as long as I'm not throwing up and rolling around on the floor kicking the walls and screaming with tears rolling down my face I'm completely fine with it. Atleast until I don't have to worry about wd's anymore. Your tolerance does go up quickly. But as long as your not coming off methadone you prolly only need to take them for like five days or a week or slightly more. They prolly won't help you if your already taking them for a while before you come off opiates. I think they will help you more if you've never taken them before.

[clean_in_ks]

Make sure you wean/taper down the gabapentin/Neurotin....it's important not to cold turkey that drug.  Glad you are doing so well~

[JmeLynn79]

Hello Everyone, I just wanted to add my 2 cents being I am 20 days clean off of Suboxone's and am currently taking the Neurontins to help with the WithDrawls. I was never addicted to painpills or heroin but got addicted to the Suboxones it's self. I got into a Suboxone clinic and ended up being on them for 3 yrs and 4 months, I always kept myself at one a day never abusing them Thank God, anyways I was born and raised in Pittsburgh 34 yrs and just currently moved to Florida I didn't do my research before coming hear and I came to find out they don't cover suboxones down hear on medical or the script so I was looking at spending 600 a month just to stay on them. I ended up quitting them cold turkey. My sister gave me a whole bottle of Neurontins to help with the Withdrawal and I seriously thought they weren't helping until I went one day without taking them and felt like Death that day. They definitely do help and would be lost with out them. I have the 300 mlg I take 3 as soon as I wake up and 3 more towards the evening.  I plan to stop taking the Neurontins after a month because that's when I was told the Suboxones should be out of my system?

[witchdoctor5]

I was on 70- 100mg of oxy a day.  30mg 2x/day of cotin and 10mg of percs/day for breakthrough pain. I found that GABA helped me with my wd symtoms totally by accident.  My doc gave me gaba to help me get deep sleep at night bc I'm an insomniac  from my PTSD.  GABA was a great alt to the ambien and I got off that with no prob.  Well I told my doc I also wanted to stop taking meds, and he told me to taper.  Well after 3 years of taking oxy it's not really possible to taper unless you have an incredible amount of self control and mental strength to go through the pain.  I dumped the taper after a week and just took them until I ran out.  I took the gaba the night I ran out and had no wd symptoms.  I didn't feel 100% but I wasn't dying like I had before when I'd run out.  1200mg every 12hrs subdued my wd.  Still had loose stool, but it wasn't more 2 times a day.  Much better than going every 3 hrs lol.  After 5 days I stopped 1200mg dose during the AM and started taking Procera AVH and B4 (fat burner not vitamin)  You can find both of those at GNC.  After taking those two when I woke up everyday I got my "drive" back and I'm not caring or worrying about the pain as much bc I simply don't care about it as much.  I'm still taking ibuprofen 800 twice a day for my pain and tylenol when it gets bad.  GABA will NOT help with phycological wd.  That is something you'll have to help with yourself.  I wanted to be off the pills and knew if I didn't I would die from either an od or gasto perfs.  I overcame it psychologically by telling myself I was better without them and stronger than my pain.  the Procera and B4 will help with the psychological part as well.  They are both cognitive enhancers.  The B4 is more of a stimulant used for preworkouts, but it's worked great for this.  I've been off oxy for a month.  Even had the bad dreams where I couldn't get my script filled. lol  I feel so much better without them.  I still want them, but I KNOW I don't need them.  Unless you are bed ridden with pain still after wd then you don't need them either.  You can manage without them.  Make sure you're getting out of the house and going on walks too.  Expect to have night sweats for a few weeks from your testosterone lvls coming back to normal.  You'll be ok and you'll feel like you have climbed everest after you've made it a month.  Also if you don't tell your docs that you want off of them then you'll allow yourself to fall back into it.  Knowing my doc isn't going to give me anymore is a big help too.  Also don't go put a nail through your hand to get the stuff in the er.  Just go for a walk instead.  I know ppl who have done that crap before when they were having second thoughts.   Stay strong and stay strong off opiates!!!  

P.S.  I don't know if my gaba dosage will work for anyone over 100mg of oxy a day.  If your over a 100mg consistently a day then you might have to up the dose of gaba.  Make sure you talk to your doc.  Let him know you want to get off it bc of the wd symptoms you had one time you ran out early.  Putting it that way will keep the drug seeker stamp off your file, and give your docter the green light to help you off them.  Win-Win!!  

[craycray60]

After reading your story I admire you.  I thought I had a brain disorder.  I am almost 60 years old and in the past have been on Vicodin for almost 2 years straight.  I did not know at the time I was withdrawing.  For approximately 1 month, I remember kissing my husband Goodbye in the morning, and then going back to bed.  Not eating or drinking anything all day.  Lost @ 30 lbs.  That was then, and this is now..... I gained all the weight back, but for 8 months I have been seeing a PM doctor getting lumbar & cervical facet & now radiofrequency injections due to my entire spine is a mess.  I see a therapist.  The drugs that I am taking you will not believe:  PM=gabapentin 300mg 2x per day, Tizanadine 2x per day for spasms, I was on 2mg of dialaudid 5x per day but he now prescribed a Fentanyl Patch 25mcg every 72 hours ( which I stopped after putting on the 2nd patch as directed and feeling like my heart was going to explode out of my chest).... therapist prescribes : duluxatine (cymbalta) 25mg 2x per day & zanex for my anxiety/panic attacks.
Since I no longer have the opioids I became so depressed and I did not know why.  I cried all day and stayed in bed.  Today, I realized before handing in my dialaudid to the PM doctor, I saved about 8 - 2mg pills.  I woke up depressed again today and remembered I had those pills and took 2- 2mg pills and I feel so much better.  I have a PCP appt. in 2 days and I NEED TO GET OFF THESE MEDS.  I have 3 grandchildren and twin daughters who all live in VA, I am in NY. I want to feel like myself without all of these meds.  I want to be alive and well to see them graduate college.

[monicanmark2013]

Hi I was just responding to the gabapentin. I used heroin and opiates for many years and after I derided by doctor put me on gabapentine. He gradually upped my dose. Now I take 1200mg 3X a day. You can take up to 4000mg. However I do take more. I take one big dose of the 600's in the morning and then pop 2 or 3 every few hours. Need less to say, I think it is the wonder drug for getting off opiates. Good luck :)

[Hamma86]

I am currently on about 120mg of Oxy/Hydro a day for two days but have been on as much as 250mg a day over the past week until two dys ago.  I want off these meds badly and have a taper schedule I'm following over the next 7-10 days.  I have read that neurontin will help with withdrawals.   I can go without any opiate for 12-13 hours without feeling any withdrawal symptoms.  Very surprising to me.  I started taking Neurontin 200mg during the day and 300mg at night yesterday.  I'm not sure if this is why I haven't felt w/d yet.  Does anyone know what the dose of neurontin should be and or how long should I take?   I have about 15 days worth of neurontin using the doses I mentioned.  Thank you all for your help and good luck!  

[Gottaquitnow]

Thanks for all of the comments. I am hooked on 30mg Oxycodone and I can't take it anymore. I got a script for neurontin and I am hoping it will help me get out of this hell. It ***** more than anything I have ever encountered.

Thank you all for making me realize I am not alone!

Frank

[Dizaster]

Agree with this.. Lethargy and Chills are still there, along with sweating a lot, but otherwise it really does help take the edge off...   If used along with Catapres to calm your heart rate/blood pressure, and Loperamide for upset stomach, it will see you through the worst of Withdrawals... Helped me HUGELY with restlessness that kept me from sleeping 3 nights in a row... Expect insomnia for quite a while, which Catapres is your long term friend in that respect, and slowly bring down the dosage of that over weeks, or even months (very limited, if any, side effects compared to other drugs you can get to help you sleep, so okay to take long term)...
My suggestion is to take 100mg 3 times per day as suggested, but in honesty with the hell kicks in, you may need to bump your dose each time to 300mg, 500mg, etc  The first day or 2 taking gaba has the most side effects, which isn't so bad as they counteract WD nicely, but do ease into taking them to know how your body reacts... But don't fear taking high doses if needed to get you through the worst of your pain... And don't stop taking them suddenly or dropping back down doses to drastically.. Slowly ease of them, even if you feel your Withdrawals from the Opiates is gone...

[crisco14]

I wouldn't have been able to get off opiates if it wasn't for nuerontin. I'm 7 days clean I'm through the worse part only dealing with mind over power issues. The nuerontins has made it much more simple this time. I have been able to sleep at night and I never got the jerks or sweating and chills. So yes nuerontin helps tremodously with opiate withdrawls

[soaddicted1800]

Addiction is terrible and withdrawels are worse..Me and my boyfriend are both on the weve been together for 6 years and this is the first thing I have kept from his as well.I take at least triple what he takes and spend all my money on them, I have to stop.Last night I ran out of pills and was up all night with cold sweats and restless leg I felt like screaming.I took 100mg of lyrica which I never take anymore and it just made me really dizzy.I didn't like Lyrica when I tried it a year ago but was at my wits end last so I dug it out of the medicine cabinet.I have script for Nuerontin I never picked up so I am hopin they will let me pick it up today.The best thing for oxycodone and hydrocodone withdrawal is if you can get you hands on some methadone it takes away all the wd symptoms but you have to be very carefull with that so you don't get addicted to that as well cuz that withdrawal is even worse.Good luck and wish me luck. You should talk to your hubby because I don't think you will be able to quit with the pills in the house.Maybe he can quit his scripts and just get what he needs and just tell him to lie about the others. Everytime I start to quit and think I am doin good I get a call from a friend with hella pills and the temptation is too great. I think I may go visit my parents for a few weeks and bring a weeks worth of methadone and do it that way.If I am 6 hrs from drugs than I won't be able to slip up.

[Shanoogle]

Im currently using nourontin to get off heroin. I was slamming for about a week an started buying nourontin off the street because i realized if you take about 10 of the 300mg nourontin you will have no opiate withdrrawls whatsoever. HOWEVER, this dosage also does effect your nerves meanong it impairs all aspects of your perception causing a feeling of almosy being drunk.. But over a 5 day time span if you titrate (slowly reduce dosage) you can come off of both with no dependencies towards either one. If you have questions find me on facebook, my name is Lanea Waldeck. I am NOT a doctor. This was my personal experience. I hope it helps. :)

[makarizo]

I had been taking percocet for about a year and decided it was time to get off of them.  I kind of tapered down but only because I was like "oh crap I'm almost out".  So I went from taking 8 5mg a day to like 4 a day for two days then 2 a day for a couple days then 1 a day for a couple days (because I turned my house upside down looking for strays).  The next day I felt like I was ready to die.  I was too weak and sick to even figure out how to pull off my sudicide. Every joint, every bone, every part of me hurt.  I felt worse the next day so I had the gabopenten laying around.  I took a couple gabopenten and the next day I felt pretty good.  By that second evening the withdrawls were almost gone.  Four days later I felt so wonderful.  I didn't take any gabopentin or any drugs starting that day.  I still have a lot of back pain but the whole opiod withdraw thing is not worth it.  
Anyways I had read about oxycodone withdrawls lasting atleat a week to two weeks and being like "the worst flu youve ever had."   Not at all.  The gabopentin must have helped a lot.  I had about a day and a half of feeling like crap but that was it.  
Also I forced myself to drink like a gallon and a half of water and a little lemon juice per day for the first 3 days to wash out the residuals.  So I'm sure that helped too.  

[eric1793]

I was  taking percocet and oxycontin in quite high doses for 9 years, lost count of how many times I had suffered WD , probably every month when I ran out... Finally I got absolutely sick and worn out by this life style that I asked my doctor about Babapentin... He started me on 300mg 4x a day ie. 2 300mg caps during the day and 2 300mg caps at bedtime. I weened my opiates down and was off them in a week, hardly any noticeable WD at all... Its been a month now and Ive been erating like a horse so Im gonna start weening off the Gabapentin as it is an antiseisure drug... Im as happy as I have ever been in my life right now, its done wonders for me... ROCK ON.....

[eric1793]

I was  taking percocet and oxycontin in quite high doses for 9 years, lost count of how many times I had suffered WD , probably every month when I ran out... Finally I got absolutely sick and worn out by this life style that I asked my doctor about Babapentin... He started me on 300mg 4x a day ie. 2 300mg caps during the day and 2 300mg caps at bedtime. I weened my opiates down and was off them in a week, hardly any noticeable WD at all... Its been a month now and Ive been erating like a horse so Im gonna start weening off the Gabapentin as it is an antiseisure drug... Im as happy as I have ever been in my life right now, its done wonders for me... ROCK ON.....

[rabbit111]

This is in no way a garentee, but how Gabapentin did help my opiate withdrawl. I have been dependent on opiates  four years and been taking up to 120 mg a day for siatica and lower back problems. I do need the meds but moved to a diffrent state and un able get them with out getting injections again. I got Gabapentin from my dr and in the morning i took 20mg opiates and a Gabapentin 6 hrs apart 3 times a day for 4 days and no withdrawls. Pain in my back hurt but helped the nerve pain with just Gabapentin. then was able to take 10mg opiates 2x and Gabapentin 3 x daily for 3 days.  i currently take Gabapentin 3x a day . Ive been cold turkey for a few days at a time and know what wd feel like and Gabapentin helped me and didnt have to go cold turkey i hope this helps someone. The only way this is goimg to truley work is if you want to get off them.

[motherinneedplease11]

I have been addicted to pain meds for many years, and I'm sick of the feeling I don't get the good feeling anymore but if I don't take them I'm tried, and I camt function. I have two young kids ages five and two I can't just stop taking them and go threw the wds as I wish I could, I also work part time but I'm only part time and on my weekends off I have six days off in a row this is when I plan on stopping the meds I have cut back way back but I can't stop them because I can't stand the wds for a week I plan on using the neurontin for two weeks and then just stopping that too I'm only 30 years old and hate to see what my liver functions at its sad I did this all to myself I don't spend money on the drugs so it makes it even easier my husband has a bad back and gets whatever kind he needs however he hardly ever takes them, I have been wanting to tell him for years that I have had a problem but I'm scared how he will look at me as we have an awesome relationship and never lie or hide anything from each other and I'm scared he will loss his trust for me as he should. Can anyone give me any tips please I need to do this for myself and my family I want to be able to live a good long life for my kids and I know that the rate I'm going is not going to happen I have kept this hidden for way too long and I want to be clean and free from this nightmare

[Camby789]

This info is really helpful thanks!! I had been addicted to pain meds for about two years then switched to suboxone(not legally) for a year and a half. I thought I was doing good for myself because I wasn't taking oxy anymore but I was just as addicted on suboxone. Anyway I've been off it for four months but have taken a few pain pills here and there when the withdrawals got too bad. I've heard countless times that opiate withdrawal is more painful but suboxone withdrawal lasts a whole lot longer. My psychiatrist prescribed me to neurontin for cravings/withdrawals. My question is do you have to take it for a certain amount of days for it to work? She told me that I could just take 100 mg 3x a day when I'm craving but every time I take it it hasn't helped at all. No side effects or anything. Should I increase the dose?

[Luckytwice]

Gabapentin  isn't without it's problems. it can be dangerous in fact, especially in higher doses.

I don't see how it could possibly help with wd symptoms, but if it works on you in some sort of psychological way then good for you.
But If you look around some older threads you can see where it has had disastrous effects on some people as well.

It was originally developed for the treatment of epilepsy, and  has more recently been prescribed to relieve neuropathic pain. There are, however, concerns regarding the quality of the trials conducted.
Gabapentin provides some pain relief in about a third of people who take it for fibromyalgia or chronic neuropathic pain studies show.

It is also claimed to be effective in reducing narcotic usage post operatively, but this is a situation where the narcotic was used for a relatively short time, not long term where a strong physical dependance has occured.  It does not appear to be of benefit in treating complex regional pain studies have shown.

Numerous trials show that it is not effective as a mood-stabilizing treatment for bipolar disorder and so has no therapeutic advantage in having fewer side-effects over better established bipolar drugs such as lithium and valproic acid. Gabapentin has limited usefulness in the treatment of anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, in treatment-resistant depression, and for insomnia. Gabapentin can also cause weight gain.

Gabapentin's most common side effects in adult patients include dizziness, drowsiness, and peripheral edema (swelling of extremities)
Gabapentin should be used carefully in patients with renal impairment due to possible accumulation and toxicity.

Gabapentin has been associated with an increased risk of suicidal acts or violent deaths.  In 2009, the FDA issued a warning of an increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in patients taking gabapentin, along with other anticonvulsant drugs modifying the packaging insert to reflect this.  In July 2009, the manufacturer of gabapentin (Pfizer) went to trial regarding the association between gabapentin and the increased risk of suicide.

Gabapentin should not be discontinued abruptly after long term use. Abrupt or over rapid withdrawal may provoke a withdrawal syndrome reminiscent to alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal. Gradual reduction over a period of weeks or months helps minimize or prevents the withdrawal syndrome.

Side effects upon discontinuation of gabapentin that have been reported in medical literature include insomnia, restlessness, agitation, anxiety, disorientation, confusion, light sensitivity, diaphoresis, headaches, palpitations, hypertension, chest pain, and flu-like symptoms. (Sounds just as bad as opiate withdrawals to me)

Like all other drugs, Gabapentin isn't one to be messed around with carelessly either. High doses such as 1800 or 2400mg a day are dangerous, and are doses that most often cause serious mood changes such as anger, rage,  and suicidal tendencies.

I would be very careful using this drug. Make sure someone is watching you for these changes.

[Jenilynb67]

Almost forgot... After surgery, lots of percocet.  Finally got sick of taking those ... Put them down the disposal 9 days ago.  And omg, six hours later I was thinking, "what the hell was I thinking?".  I was taking 120 milligrams per day... 20 every 4 hours and counting down the last hour between doses.  For three days I thought I would die or atleast wished I would.  Now on day nine, just exhausted and still nauseous.  I hear this can last a good six weeks.  Drinking tons of water, taking lots of baths, and upped vitamin and mineral intake.  Just ordered tart cherry juice concentrate... Supposedly good for pain and sleep.  All I know for sure, I am never doing this again.  Wish me strength.

Jen

[Jenilynb67]

From what I understand, it depends on the type of pain you have and what is causing it.  I was put on neurontin before I had back surgery and it did help the pain from a pinched nerve.  From what I understand, not a proper medication for bone or muscle pain.

It helped me,
Jen