Length of gabapentin

[senders]

I have severe RLS . I have gone through hell from pramipraxole, augmentation, impulse control issues and then DAWS. I tried to go without medication for a year after getting off pramipraxole. I ended up going from morphine (that didn’t really help at all) to methadone going from 5 mg working my way to 10 mg and that did help mostly.

I am now weaning off methadone and working my way up gabapentin. I am now at 1000 mg of gabapentin and 5 mg of methadone. I take 400 mg gabapentin at 530 in the evening and 600mg at 730. I have tried different doses at different times but always having terrible symptom starting at 3-330 in the am.

My question is how long does gabapentin last?

[SueJohnson]

I thought gabapentin made you too sleepy in the morning and I suggested you try pregabalin. Did you? I probably told you this before but according to the Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS: "Most RLS patients require 1200 to 1800 mg of gabapentin ." It's possible that your dopamine receptors were damaged by your DA use in which case gabapentin/pregabalin won't work.

Why do you want to come of methadone? 20 mg is the highest dose recommended by the Mayo Algorithm so you had a ways to go still.

Have you tried buprenorphine?

[senders in reply to SueJohnson]

The reason I want off methadone is that I am 46 yrs old and if I get to 20 mg now and it’s not working well then I’m screwed because there isn’t anything left to try. Also I am an active person and I feel that there are some side effects that make it hard to do the things I love. I have to try this just so I know I’ve done everything I can.

[Mariuni]

Gabapentin has a half-life of 6 hours.I take 200mg at 4pm and 200mg at 11pm.

I hope it helps your symptoms

[senders in reply to Mariuni]

Thank you

[Ex-rugbyplayer]

Hello.

I’m on Gabapentin and have been since coming off Pramipexole. I currently take 200mg in the morning, 200mg at 1.00pm, 200mg at 6.00pm and finally 600mg at 8.30pm. I find my legs start to jump around 6.00am.

[SueJohnson in reply to Ex-rugbyplayer]

Do you have RLS symptoms during the day? That's common with augmentation but you are off pramipexole so one normally has symptoms only at night. If you don't have symptoms during the day and the ones you are taking at night are working you can slowly withdraw from the ones you take during the day. You need to do so very slowly to avoid withdrawal effects. Reduce by 25 mg (100 - 200 mg) every 2 weeks. If you do so you will have no withdrawal effects. If not controlled at night take the 400 mg at 4 pm.

[Ex-rugbyplayer in reply to SueJohnson]

Thanks for your input Sue, I will reduce my Gabapentin intake in the morning and see how that goes.