In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “Can you stop gabapentin cold turkey?”. Gabapentin is a gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog and is used for a number of conditions.

However, this medicine is not so simple when it comes to stopping it. This blog will include the consequences of stopping gabapentin cold turkey.

Can you stop gabapentin cold turkey?

No, it is not appropriate to stop gabapentin cold turkey. If you do so, you will be subjected to terrible withdrawal symptoms that might become difficult to live with. Some withdrawal symptoms are so severe that they can lead to hospitalisation and you may have to start gabapentin again to counteract some of the symptoms.

What happens when you stop gabapentin cold turkey?

Gabapentin is a gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog. Gabapentin mimics the actions of GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. GABA works by inhibiting the excessive neuronal firing in the brain which reduces the frequency of epileptic seizures.

Gabapentin is also used to reduce the intensity of neuropathic pain by inhibiting nociceptors (pain receptors). This medication is a prescription medication and should be taken only at doses determined by your healthcare professional.

It is not recommended to start or stop using any medication, especially while you’re being on any medication that can affect your brain, with your doctor’s approval.

Experts believe that people who misuse gabapentin are more likely to suffer from terrible withdrawal symptoms as compared to the people who stick to their doctor’s recommended prescription and take their gabapentin properly.

Several surveys have indicated that withdrawal symptoms are more commonly found in people who have been taking 400-800 mg for more than a month. Some experts believe that these withdrawal symptoms are similar to the symptoms caused by abrupt benzodiazepine withdrawal.

This may be due to the fact that both of these meds act either on GABA or mimic its activity. Make sure you stick to your doctor’s recommended dose and take it carefully in order to prevent your body from being physically dependent on the medication.

Withdrawal symptoms include:

Nausea
Vomiting
Restlessness
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Headaches
Palpitations
Fatigue
Insomnia or inability to sleep
Photosensitivity
Pain
Excessive sweating
Tremors
Hypertension

These withdrawal symptoms can vary from person to person and usually begin to show up within 10 hours to 10 days after you stop using gabapentin. Dependence is not common with gabapentin, as stated earlier, and can depend on a lot of different factors.

What is the best way to stop using gabapentin?

The best way to stop using gabapentin is to taper the dose gradually. Abrupt withdrawal can lead to the symptoms which can become too hard to bear. Make sure you talk to your doctor and follow the taper schedule properly in order for safe withdrawal.

Pfizer, the company which manufactures gabapentin, advises to stop using this medication over a period of one week minimum. The exact schedule is determined according to the conditions of the patient and the duration of his or her treatment.

The current dose of the drug also plays a major role. If someone is on higher doses, he or she will have to go for different tapered doses in order to achieve the lowest effective dose, after which the drug is discontinued.

Age and underlying health conditions can also make a huge difference. If the condition for which gabapentin has been prescribed is not getting any better then the treatment should not be discontinued, unless you suffer from an allergic reaction or unusual side effects.

Unnecessary withdrawal can lead to exacerbation of your condition. Age is a factor because the process of withdrawal should proceed slowly in elderly patients who can be affected when the dose is reduced as their bodies are much more sensitive to the concentration of medications.

If you are taking gabapentin and you wish to stop using it, ask your healthcare provider. Do not stop this medication on your own. If you have been misusing gabapentin and want to stop doing so, ask your healthcare provider.

You can also get help from rehabilitation, where you can safely taper off gabapentin and learn new lifestyle changes to help you deal with your addictions.

What is gabapentin and why is it used?

It is not recommended to start or stop using any medication, especially while you’re being on any medication that can affect your brain, with your doctor’s approval. The uses of gabapentin in detail include:

Convulsions

Gabapentin is used for the prevention and treatment of partial seizures. It can also be used in children above 3 years of age and in elderly patients as well. It may not suit some people, but overall it is considered a very good medication in order to relieve some epileptic symptoms.

Nerve pain associated with shingles

Shingles is associated with terrible nerve pain that can be controlled by gabapentin. It is caused by the chickenpox virus that can stay dormant in you for a long, long time.

This virus remains inactivated, but becomes active either because of compromised immunity or excess stress. This is indeed a very painful condition and some experts have related this pain to the pain that is caused by an actual heart attack.

Restless Leg syndrome

Gabapentin can also be used for the treatment, prevention and management of Restless leg syndrome. It manages the excessive and involuntary movements associated with this condition by controlling the excessive neuronal activity in your brain.

How to use gabapentin properly?

Immediately talk to your healthcare provider if you experience unusual side effects while taking gabapentin. Do not recommend this drug to someone else and use it as long as your doctor has advised.

Inform your doctor if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive. It is extremely important to ensure safety of your meds during your pregnancy. Some meds can cross placenta and are capable of causing unwanted side effects in the growing fetus.

Inform your doctor if you’re a breastfeeding mother. Gabapentin may be capable of passing into the breastmilk and may cause side effects in newborns.

Do not stop gabapentin abruptly. If it’s time for you to stop this med, your doctor will simply recommend a taper schedule for you, which should be followed vigilantly if you wish to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay.

Make sure you use this medication or any other medication only when your doctor has advised it. Using medications which can affect your brain is not something ideal and should not be encouraged unless it is absolutely necessary to do so.

Make sure you discuss everything in detail with your healthcare provider and ask if you’re at the best possible dose of gabapentin. Also inform your doctor if you’re taking any other medication.

Drug interactions should be an important consideration before taking two or more medicines together. Yes, drugs in combination are often used to achieve better therapeutic response but this is not the case with every interaction.

Some drugs are highly incompatible with one another. They often cancel out each other’s effects or antagonise them. Some drugs are so incompatible that they end up changing the entire chemical composition of one another.

Some interfere with metabolism or bioavailability (the rate and extent at which the active drug moiety enters systemic circulation/blood). This can lead to drug accumulation in different parts of the body.

It is always advised to inform your healthcare provider of any medicine you take before getting a new prescription. Your doctor will make sure not to prescribe any such drug which might interfere with those you are already taking.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we have discussed the consequences of stopping your gabapentin cold turkey. If you do so, you will be subjected to terrible withdrawal symptoms that might become difficult to live with.

FAQs: can i stop gabapentin cold turkey

Can gabapentin be stopped abruptly?

No, it is not appropriate to stop gabapentin cold turkey. If you do so, you will be subjected to terrible withdrawal symptoms that might become difficult to live with. Some withdrawal symptoms are so severe that they can lead to hospitalisation and you may have to start the treatment again to counteract some of the symptoms.

What happens to your body when you stop taking gabapentin?

Gabapentin is associated with withdrawal syndrome when you abruptly stop taking this medication. Experts believe that people who misuse gabapentin are more likely to suffer from terrible withdrawal symptoms as compared to the people who stick to their doctor’s recommended prescription and take their gabapentin properly.

Several surveys have indicated that withdrawal symptoms are more commonly found in people who have been taking 400-800 mg for more than a month.

How slowly should you come off gabapentin?

How long does it take for gabapentin to wear off after stopping?

It is quite difficult to give an exact amount of time taken by gabapentin to be eliminated from your body completely because of its variable effects in different individuals. Withdrawal symptoms may last up to 7 to 14 days

However, this too depends on the duration of your treatment and the dose at which you were. Make sure you ask your healthcare provider if you wish to stop this medication. Abrupt withdrawal can make your condition worse. Do not stop gabapentin abruptly.

Is 300mg of gabapentin a lot?

300 mg is usually considered the initial dose of your treatment with gabapentin. This dose is later escalated to much higher doses in order to meet the needs of your treatment goal. Make sure you stick to the recommended dose and do not stop taking the medication without your doctor’s approval.

Is it difficult to get off gabapentin?

It can be difficult to get off gabapentin because it might produce dependence, especially in people who have been taking this medication for a long time now. It is advised to not stop this medication abruptly. Sudden withdrawal can lead to the relapse of epileptic seizures and you can also suffer from tremors and other psychological symptoms.

References

J W Norton (2001) – Gabapentin withdrawal syndrome https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11479399/
Gabapentin Withdrawal Symptoms, Signs & Side Effects https://americanaddictioncenters.org/neurontin-abuse/gabapentin-cause-withdrawal-symptoms
Gabriel C Quintero – Review about gabapentin misuse, interactions, contraindications and side effects and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5308580/
Gabapentin https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/21561-gabapentin
Gabapentin Withdrawal Symptoms, Signs & Side Effects https://americanaddictioncenters.org/neurontin-abuse/gabapentin-cause-withdrawal-symptoms
National Library of Medicine – Gabapentin https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a694007.html

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Can you stop gabapentin cold turkey?