Anyone with experience tapering down or off Gabapentin?

[thebrain]

I have been on 1200 mg 3x/day for several years and I'm trying to taper down just to see how my body reacts. I don't have any negative side-effects and I'm honestly not worried about any effects on my body - but if less would work, why take more, especially as it's expensive.

I kept track of my pain for 14 days on my regular dose and then went down to 900 mg 3x/day 9 days ago. There hasn't been a noticeable increase in my pain levels (OK, I didn't do a time-series analysis, I hated that class, but I graphed it). However, yesterday and today (days 8 and 9 on the new dose) I feel like I'm getting the flu. I have head and body aches, fever/chills, I'm sensitive to touch - but I'm also coughing a bit. So of course, I could be, y'know, GETTING THE FLU... but I'm in AZ, weather is beautiful, I don't interact with too many people, etc.

Can anyone who has tapered off Gababentin tell me how long they took (what their schedule was) and how it went, not pain-wise, but any other apparent effects?

My regular doc said do a week at each new dose. Mathematically, it should take 2-3 days MAX for your levels to be relatively stable at a new dose. I want to go down to 600 now, but if what I'm experiencing is withdrawal and not flu (or, FSM save me, both) I don't want to do that just yet.

Thanks!
-brian

[alheim]

I am not a doctor, but I spoke to the pain management doctor who specializes in BPI pain at the Mayo Clinic about this exact thing. When I flew out I was using 600mg of Gabapentin before bed each night, and I forgot my prescription at home. I met with him ~30 hours after my last dose and stated that I was worried about stopping so quickly, without tapering off. I also mentioned that I felt that it wasn't doing anything, plus my pain levels had decreased over the months, and that I didn't really need it anymore.

Anyway, he said there's not really a need to taper off as is often stated, and that the reason tapering is advised is because a small percentage of people are prone to seizures when stopping suddenly. In my case, I was already ~30 hours past my last dose and by then, it's all out of your system anyway.

All that said, I wouldn't think that your flu-like symptoms are from this. But you might as well continue tapering off anyway, I suppose. You're ready for the reduction to 600mh and then you're already halfway there. I don't think you need to wait so long between dose reductions.

[Master DIVER TOM]

From the Quest for pain relief
Never ever stay on a med to long , Longer you take a med the less affective it is over time,
Never stop taking a med until your doctor can give you a replacement med that Works
You are on med I never heard of maybe it will be my next try
I think one thing is are trys end up being real pain crashes , by our trys
Some times a extra pill is needed , The quest for pain relief is a true life long Quest and so is are never ever stop trying.
Just thinking, Hi Brain
Tom