Going cold turkey

[Annmarie09]

Hi so I thought I'd try stopping my meds fed up of them ! I feel like I've put on weight always bloated so thought it must be the meds. So stopped gabapentin and any thing else so 4 days later feel terrible did t get out of bed till 4pm today had to phone in sick.I can't believe how I feel e a fly like I used to before being diagnosed so I've learnt something I can survive without the meds !! I really am surprised how much they must help don't get me wrong I still suffer daily when on them but this is a total different level. So pushing the gabapentin down today and waiting for the relief!! Xx

[Flyby7]

You have to be careful about your meds just go to your doctors and explain to them how you feel but don't come of them byet your self I done that to one of my tabs tramadole I felt like #### whent back on felt better but don't come of yourself you will harm yourself more take care

[Bananas5]

Oh no Annmarie09. Stopping gabapentin suddenly is one of the worse things to do.

This should be done extremely slowly under supervision of your GP or pain consultant. It does say on the leaflet which come with the meds..do not stop taking without supervision.

You don't say what your other meds are but it can be a dangerous thing to do.

I would recommend you speak with your GP asap. Let him sort out a reduction regime and certainly never stop more than one drug at any one time

x

[rosewine]

Unfortunately however much we hate it sometimes we just need the meds. Gabapentin like its sister drug Pregablin which I am on should never be stopped suddenly. It could be that some of the side effects you are having are withdrawal symptoms. I must admit a few years back I was totally convinced that Pregablin wasn't working for me so I slowly started to reduce the dose I took. Well I sure learnt my lesson as the burning, shooting pains soon went back to their original level and in the end I had to give in and start increasing the dose again. Hope the pain soon starts to ease.x

[Annmarie09]

I know I did come off it slowly but now I'm back to slowly increasing it again. I won't do it again because I know I need them.

[TheAuthor in reply to Annmarie09]

Hi Annmarie09

I am so gneuinely sorry to read that you have had to start taking Gabapentin again despite coming off it slowly my friend. It may be worth talking to your doctor about what other medications may suit you instead? I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck and please take care of yourself my friend.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

[moo196]

I'd ask for a detox programme that reduces your meds slowly.....

I'm not sure that 4days shows anything much other than the bodies need for the drugs ie addiction and therefore your need to withdraw slowly over months.

Good luck

☺

[MaryBac]

I slowly decreased my gabapentin, as they told me you can have seizures if you stop cold turkey. I had to go back on due to the nerve pain in my lower back and legs.

[Elky]

Don't ever stop on your own. I've had to change painkillers, it was a case of stop morphine one day the straight onto new one next day. I went into cold turkey next day. Absolute nightmare and totally debilitating. Doc didn't say this might happen and best he could come up with is 'hang in there'