HWP is going to try and get off of gabapentin for his chronic pain, have read this can be very difficult. People have posted (on reddit) it is worse than getting of opiods. That sound pretty scary. Online threads have said taper very slowly and take magnesium and b vitamins. Is PharmaGaba beneficial for PD? I don't know alot about glutamate excitoxcity but GABA is involved in process. Truly shocked to read all the horror stories on gabapentin. He does not really think it helps that much with pain and when they attempted to up it from 900mg day to 1200mg he started to lose his train of thought, so we cut back to 900mg. Now he just wants to get off of it and see how he does.
Just read Gabapentin and related extended release versions are the 10th most prescribed drug in US. It has very little FDA guidance other than for seizures and post-shingles pain. MDs are prescribing it off label for everything from pain to depression.
Thank you for any advice.
-Syd
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Sydney75
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The liquid form of magnesium chloride for topical (mag oil) use may be more effective than oral magnesium, but combining it with oral magnesium glycinate may be a more effective approach. Both are available from Amazon.
Slower withdrawal should be useful and your doctor should give you a withdrawal schedule if you ask for it.
L-Theanine seems to be compatible with Gabapentin and may have some value with typical withdrawal symptoms from Gabapentin and you can ask your doctor to be sure.
The following study in people with major depressive disorder shows the potential of helping with the same symptoms most commonly seen with Gabapentin withdrawal.
L-Theanine, magnesium glycinate and mag oil should work well together to have a calming and relaxing effect that may be needed under the circumstances.
I've taken Gabapentin for neuropathy for several years. But only 300mg. I take it at night, my feet burn and I can't sleep. At this small a dosage, I have no side effects that I've noticed. I've tried not taking it, and I can't sleep. Thus, I've found out it is very effective with nerves and helping me to sleep so I'll keep taking it, since it is such a small dose. So, maybe your husband can taper down on the dosage and try taking it only at bedtime?
I also take GABA at night, 250 mg, for sleep along with L-theanine. My primary care recommended, along with magnesium.
Wish you luck, I can imagine at that high a dosage Gabapentin would have some side effects over the long term.
Yes his MS said taper back to 900 and then try 600, imagine some folks are on 3600mg! I read that to go lower than 300mg you need the 100mg capsule to taper. At lower doses much less side effects.
Hubby takes Pharma GABA(fast acting, 100mg chewable tablets) with SeroTrex (L-theanine), Magnesium Glycinate (two capsules) and Melatonin 2.5mg nightly about an hour before bed. He sleeps well until 7:30 am. The combination is excellent for relaxation and sleep.
My psy-doc says it’s a fairly benign med. Is your husband experiencing side effects?
Most MDs will not be very well informed about the appropriate rate for a taper. There are people who can taper more quickly, but our PD brains are already fragile and I think it’s prudent to avoid shocking the brain by going too fast.
if he’s been on it for a while, you can assume some degree of dependency, which means withdrawal symptoms.
There are several online sites organized by people who have successfully tapered off antidepressants, benzodiazepines and other drugs like gabapentin. I’ve found them very useful, but it’s also important to note that tapering isn’t the same for everyone and it’s not always a horror story.
His MD should prescribe in such a way as to allow him to taper at a rate that he finds tolerable. If he/she isn’t willing to do that, find a doctor who will.
wife was on Gabapentin as a paraplegic and it made her bat-shit crazy! We came off it in a hurry. They don't ell you about that before you start taking it.
It was the hardest drug I have ever quit taking and I used to have a morphine pump implant! Far worse than opioids. I thought I was stroking. My brain was sending out all kind of crazy signals.
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