The Truth About Gabapentin (Neurontin) Withdrawal

  • The Truth About Gabapentin (Neurontin) Withdrawal

    And What the Pharmaceutical Industry Hides From You But You Need to Know

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The Truth About Gabapentin (Neurontin) Withdrawal

(The same Discontinuation Syndrome Symptoms are reported for SSRIs, SNRIs and Benzodiazepines )


Neurontin (gabapentin) is a previously approved anticonvulsant as an adjunct treatment for partial epileptic seizures in adults and children. It is also indicated in over 50 countries for the adjunctive therapy of epilepsy and a range of neuropathic pain conditions. It is now approved in the United States to manage post-herpetic neuralgia.  A significant portion of its use has been reported as off-label.

What pharma and the doctors will not tell you and may not even be aware of: Gabapentin can have horrendous withdrawal symptoms that last up to two years or more, and many of the symptoms can also be permanent.

People report horrific symptoms while pharma works on hiding the truth about this from the public so they can sell more drugs to make more money while ruining more lives. One person called it “The Devil’s Drug.” While compiling the list of withdrawal symptoms, we could see why.  While taking the drug, the side effects are extensive, but we focus on the withdrawal symptoms called Discontinuation Syndrome.

Withdrawal symptoms can be severe and include both emotional and physical symptoms. Thoughts of suicide and suicidal ideation are side effects of Gabapentin withdrawal. We spoke to several people who have attempted suicide and thankfully survived. They also discuss many other adverse effects; the extensive list of symptoms is below. Many of the people we spoke to reported that the doctors did not advise any side effects to be aware of, let alone the Discontinuation Syndrome. Is it possible they are unaware that the withdrawal syndrome is exceedingly terrible?

In their post-marketing surveillance, Pharma says the withdrawal will last up to two weeks. The people we spoke to have been suffering for years. The pharmaceutical-reported post-marketing surveillance list is below in gray. This list is minimal. These surveillance reports are entirely contrary to our real-life observational investigation.  Many people are suffering extensively. The real-life list of withdrawal symptoms list below is enormous. It was obtained by following less than 300 people and compiling their reported symptoms.

We are continuing our research and have several people coming forward. We will interview them and get into much more detail about their experiences with Discontinuation Syndrome.

Some have lost jobs, careers, and relationships, had psychotic episodes, and suffer from permanent life-altering symptoms, all from taking a drug they were told would help them with medical conditions.

Even if you dig, you will find that pharma barely has any information on the adverse effects of the Discontinuation Syndrome associated with Gabapentin. There is a minute amount of information available, but you will notice how they focus on abuse and addiction, leading you down a different path. It appears they want you to believe addicts who abuse this drug have problems. That is very far from the truth—they are not the only ones.

The people we interviewed suffering from Discontinuation syndrome were taking Gabapentin “As Prescribed” for seizures, fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome, depression and other medical conditions. 

We have seen a lot of diversion to abuse and addiction. Is this a tactic used to cover up facts? You can make that judgment for yourself.  Instead of discussing the withdrawal effects and how they can be life-altering, they would give you the impression that addicts abuse this drug.  Many of us will say it is their fault for abusing prescriptions to get high and dismiss the issue.

Questions to ask yourself about Gabapentin withdrawal:

Why does post-marketing surveillance say the symptoms resolve quickly when many people report permanent withdrawal symptoms?

Why are there groups of people gathering to support each other and offer advice on how to get through the very long, horrendous withdrawal phase if the symptoms resolve themselves in a few weeks?

Why does our list of symptoms reported from real-life sufferers contain about ninety reported symptoms, some severe, and pharma’s list has just a few?

Is focusing on addiction and abuse a deception method to lead you to believe something other than the truth?

One Clinical Trial Addresses Abrupt Discontinuation

After the drug has been released to the market, the pharmaceutical manufacturer monitors and tracks the drug’s side effects and safety. They report minimal symptoms and say they resolve themselves quickly.

Here is what pharma reports:

Post-Marketing Surveillance Manufacturer Reports: Adverse reactions following the abrupt discontinuation of gabapentin have also been reported. The most frequently reported reactions were anxiety, insomnia, nausea, pain, and sweating.

That does not sound like it is horrendous and life-altering. Read on.

The Truth About Gabapentin (Neurontin) Withdrawal

Gabapentin Withdrawl Support Group – Facebook Group

This Gabapentin Withdrawl group is an excellent place to go for support, information, and the truth. This group will answer questions based on their experiences. This Discontinuation Syndrome that follows the cessation of Gabapentin use has very little information, science, or studies. Pharma does not want you to become aware of it; it will interfere with profits, —but this group is very well informed.

Are you at risk for suicide when you start or stop taking antidepressants? We think so.

Gabapentin withdrawl

A self-published book of a woman’s struggles using multiple medications to cover symptoms of withdrawal from a medication. A prime example of how medication usage gets extensively out of control.

Gabapentin Withdrawal Side Effects (Also the same for SSRI‘s and SNRI’s)

Pharma’s Version & The Real-Life Version
Two different stories

WHAT PHARMA WILL TELL YOU:

Signs and Symptoms

The most common symptom was agitation, occurring in about half of the recorded cases. Confusion and disorientation were the next most common symptoms, followed by:

  • Sweating
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms
  • Tremors
  • Fast heart rate
  • High blood pressure
  • Insomnia

Real Life Report of Symptoms

Self Reported from 300 People

  • Agoraphobic
  • Akathisia
  • Antisocial behavior
  • Anxiety
  • Balance problems
  • Bladder pain
  • Blurred vision
  • Brain zaps
  • Burning skin
  • Clumsiness
  • Coordination issues
  • Depression/anxiety
  • Derealization
  • Dry eyes
  • Dry mouth
  • Dry throat
  • Dystonia
  • Esophageal spasms
  • Euphoria
  • Eye tearing
  • Facial tingling
  • Flu symptoms
  • Forgetful
  • Full body clenching
  • Gabapentin induced dementia
  • Hair thinning
  • Hallucinations (skin melting, bugs crawling on the skin, skin peeling off)
  • Heart palpitations
  • Hot flashes
  • Intense fear
  • Insomnia
  • Intrusive thoughts
  • Kidney problems
  • Lack of empathy – emotional numbness
  • Lack of functioning
  • Light sensitivity
  • Loss of saliva
  • Loss of writing skill
  • Lost job and relationship
  • Mania
  • Memory loss
  • Memory loss & confusion
  • Mental disorders
  • Movement Disorder
  • Muscle tightness
  • Mush brain
  • Nerve damage and shakes
  • Nerve issues
  • Nerve pain
  • Neuropathy
  • Nightmares
  • Numbness
  • OCD
  • Pacing
  • Panic attacks
  • PAWS dissociation
  • Psych ward admission
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Sensory sensitivity
  • Severe ear ringing after one pill
  • Severe fatigue
  • Seizures
  • Slowed speech, like my mouth & thoughts arent matching
  • Stomach cramping
  • Shocks in teeth
  • Social issues
  • Spastic gait
  • Spastic movements, eye “skipping.”
  • Spelling issues
  • Balance problems
  • Suicide attempt
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Sunburn through clothes
  • Sweating
  • Swollen joints
  • Temporary partial blindness
  • Tinnitus
  • TMJ jaw clenching and pain
  • Toe Numbness
  • Urinary issues
  • Vertigo
  • Restless Leg Syndrome
  • Vocabulary problems
  • Watery eyes
  • Weight gain
  • Vomitting

Gabapentin Withdrawl & Slow Taper Method


The many people who suffer from this Gabapentin withdrawal syndrome have mostly reported that the doctors do not know the vast Gabapentin withdrawal symptoms —some of which can be life-altering and possibly life-threatening. Some doctors advise that they should wean off the drug, but usually over a brief period of two weeks. Those in the Facebook groups have discussed the slow taper method. Some have reported tapering off the medication over two years to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Some have said the withdrawal symptoms were permanent, even with the slow taper method. The method involves removing tiny portions of the pill daily and weaning off in minuscule amounts.

We spoke to one woman who was told she was a hypochondriac and that these symptoms were not possible by her doctor. The doctor straight out told her they did not believe her.

Kaydee Ledger tells her story of Gabapentin withdrawals and more in her book, “God Wants Me Here, For Now: God’s Protection through Psychiatric Medication Adverse Reactions,” Ledger shares her survival story of medication mismanagement, bringing awareness to the severe and pervasive problem of psychiatric drugs in America.  Her self-published book is available by clicking the link above. This woman was treated for years by doctors who prescribed and changed her medications over and over as she continually asked for more or different medications to cover the symptoms of the medication withdrawals.

We cannot express the dangers of this medication enough, but the good news is there are other options available if you have not yet started this drug.

Functional medicine doctors address the root cause of diseases. They do not prescribe a chemical to alter the body’s physiology to cover symptoms. We believe in treating toxicity and deficiency in the body to reverse, suppress, cure, or use whatever word you choose to use that is appropriate for the situation. Becoming symptom-free, regardless of the label, is the ultimate goal. Avoiding this drug should be a priority.

There are safer alternatives without the adverse side effects and the possibility of Discontinuation Syndrome. We’ll discuss those alternatives with you at the end of our article and give you some resources. Suppose you are here to research Gabapentin before taking the drug. In that case, we highly recommend that you contact Facebook groups and people who suffer from Discontinuation Syndrome to verify that what we say is true. We always suggest you do more research, gather your facts, and make your own decisions.


Cymbalta and SSRIs, SNRI and Benzodiazepines Discontinuation Syndrome

Gabapentin is not the only drug that causes Discontinuation Syndrome. There is more information you might want to read. Our investigation uncovered that adverse withdrawal Discontinuation Syndrome was the same as SSRIs and SNRIs.


Extensive Gabapentin Off-Label Use & the Fraudulent Studies

Off-label use uses a product outside of the indications included in the approved product labeling. Off-label use of medications is a common practice in the medical industry.

Radley et al. indicated that gabapentin was among the medications with the highest proportion of off-label use, with 83% of its use being off-label.

The off-label uses include the treatment of bipolar disorder, depression, migraines, neuropathic pain, diabetic neuropathy, trigeminal neuralgia, fibromyalgia, attention deficit disorder, restless leg syndrome complex regional pain syndrome, a periodic limb movement disorder of sleep, and drug and alcohol withdrawal seizures.

The manufacturer is not allowed to advertise the drug for any off-label purpose. Yet, Warner-Lambert promoted this drug for a variety of off-label uses and landed them in a court of law. They paid out a substantial settlement for the unethical practices, but the increase in usage, accompanied by the possibility of the toxic withdrawal, is now more widespread. The drug became generic in 2004. Pfizer pled guilty and paid a fine of $430 million for its Medicaid fraud marketing scheme.

The Neurontin Legacy — Marketing through Misinformation and Manipulation

  • C. Seth Landefeld, M.D.,
  • and Michael A. Steinman, M.D.

Parke-Davis, a former division of Warner-Lambert, planned to have the drug used for fifteen other off-label conditions, according to the authors. A pain specialist, Scott Rueben, MD, and the company fabricated the studies before the FDA approved the drug for only post-herpetic neuralgia in 2002 with no knowledge of the fraud.

Doctors promoting Gabapentin have advised that they get their information on off-label use from conferences, literature searches, and even pharmaceutical representatives. We also did an expose about the deceptive practices of the pharma sales force.

This drug is widely prescribed, and many blame the increase in prescribing Gabapentin due to its ability to fight pain. It is an alternative to opioids amidst an opioid epidemic.  This increased use is going to leave many unsuspecting people with the possibility of having a horrific time with the Discontinuation Syndrome.

We, and many who have suffered, believe this drug needs to be pulled off of the market. We have testimonials from people whose lives have been ruined by the Discontinuation Syndrome.  There are safer alternatives to this toxic medication. We will discuss some of the alternative methods. We do not believe anyone should take Gabapentin and should find any alternative necessary.

We will focus on natural alternative methods for specific illnesses. We spread awareness that there are other options other than toxic medications. After reading this article, many will understand why.

Gabapentin and Fibromyalgia

Gabapentin is often used off-label to treat Fibromyalgia, which is a curable disease. Part of the cure for autoimmune diseases is to get medications and toxicity out of the body.

You can read more details later about autoimmune diseases:

Gut Health and Autoimmune Disease –  Scleroderma and the Holistic Cure – Vaccines Cause Autoimmune Disease – Toxins, Thyroid and Autoimmune Disease

Dr. Terry Wahls – The Wahls Protocol

Dr. Wahls is a functional medicine doctor with a cure for auto-immune diseases. You can see her recent interview with Dr. Hyman as she discussed “the cure” to multiple sclerosis and autoimmune disorders. And yes, here we use the word cure just as Dr. Hyman does as he opens the interview. Dr. Terry Walh’s health was deteriorating when she decided to take her health into her own hands. Just a few years ago, she was in a tilt recline wheelchair, and today she runs in marathons. She now teaches other functional medicine doctors how to cure multiple sclerosis and autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Terry Wahls – The Wahls Protocol – Cure Your Auto-Immune Disease

Dr. Wahls is a functional medicine doctor with a cure for auto-immune diseases. You can see her recent interview with Dr. Hyman as she discussed “the cure” to multiple sclerosis and autoimmune disorders. And yes, here we use the word cure just as Dr. Hyman does as he opens the interview. Dr. Terry Walh’s health was deteriorating when she decided to take her health into her own hands. Just a few years ago, she was in a tilt recline wheelchair, and today she runs in marathons. She now teaches other functional medicine doctors to cure multiple sclerosis and autoimmune diseases.

Clinical Trails say:

In rats, increases in the incidence of pancreatic acinar cell adenoma and carcinoma were found in male rats receiving the highest dose (2000 mg/kg).

From PubChem:

Compound Summary

Gabapentin

H351 (12.24%): Suspected of causing cancer [Warning Carcinogenicity]H360 (75.51%): May damage fertility or the unborn child [Danger Reproductive toxicity]

H361 (16.33%): Suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child [Warning Reproductive toxicity]

Information may vary between notifications depending on impurities, additives, and other factors. The percentage value in parenthesis indicates the notified classification ratio from companies that provide hazard codes. Only hazard codes with percentage values above 10% are shown.

Gabapentin and ADD/ADHD

Gabapentin is often used for ADD and ADHD; although there are no controlled studies on the use of Gabapentin in children and adolescents, they report safe and effective use in adults. After what you have just read and a Discontinuation Syndrome sufferer, you like a good deal of may believe these reports are false and deceptive.  Safe and effective is the opposite of what our investigation concluded.  Read more about ADD/ADHD and some things you might want to consider.

Gabapentin and Depression

Gabapentin is often used off-label for depression. We discuss depression and alternatives to medications in great detail. Be sure to read some of our suggestions on what to do instead of taking this medication if you have not already started it. If you have started this medication, we suggest joining the groups of sufferers, the only experts we have found in the safe withdrawal of this dreadful medication.