Gabapentinoids Quitting gabapentin and nootropic/supplement questions

[LindaLipsky]

Hi there, I'm new here. I've found discussing this issue on Reddit to be pretty limiting so here I am.

I've been on gabapentin for going on 4 years now. I have several reasons for wanting to be free of it 1.) it really worsens my anxiety to be on a medication that I'm literally dependent on, i feel trapped. 2.) because of my anxiety/paranoia I get on reddit and start believing that the gabapentin is doing lasting damage to my brain. 3.) it has stopped helping in anyway it has in the past. 4.) I'm incredibly lethargic, and just feel "dumb" now.

So I do use phenibut intermittently alongside the gabapentin. While I psyched myself out over the phenibut off and on for the last two years, I've realized I often just confuse my baseline anxiety for phenibut withdrawal or glutimate toxicity. They are both weird drugs, and I've found that for reasons I can't explain I can drop my doses of either sometimes with minimal side effects, while other times I experience awful panic/derealization. I take kratom sometimes, but I build tolerance in just a few days so I've been steering away from it lately.

I've read from some folks that they've found great relief with certain nootropics. I'm mostly interested in attending to the receptors that I've battered so aggressively with gabapentinoids over the years. That and anything that might help low energy, despair, or brain fog.

Sorry for rambling, if anyone has read this I really appreciate it.

 

[Snafu in the Void]

1.) it really worsens my anxiety to be on a medication that I'm literally dependent on, i feel trapped.

Wise insight. Anxiety is unfortunately one of those things that doesn't respond well to long term medication. Most anxiety meds lose their effectiveness over time and leave you with even worse anxiety than you had before you took it. I have severe life long anxiety and I have come to the conclusion that the real solutions are in things like coping mechanisms, diet, sleep, meditation, breathing exercises and exercise (big one). These have helped me more in the long run than any medication.

I've realized I often just confuse my baseline anxiety for phenibut withdrawal or glutimate toxicity.

Another good insight, I also have this problem.

Unfortunately I don't really have the answer I think you're looking for. I don't have much experience with nootropics. You may want to look into Ashwaghanda and/or Kava as possible replacements. I know how scary it is to think about dropping the GABAergic drugs altogether when you have major anxiety, but this is the safest bet.

Instead of looking for something to replace the gabapentin/phenibut with, I would genuinely advise you look into exercise (aerobic is best), get your diet in check, get sleep and stick to a daily routine and a few other things. These types of things ESPECIALLY EXERCISE have done way more for my anxiety than any drug ever did.

When I started running 10-12 miles per week, ate healthy, meditated 15 min per day, etc, I noticed a drastic decrease in my overall anxiety. When I get home from a 3 mile jog it feels like I took a benzo, super relaxed and no anxiety. I LOVE RUNNING.

 

[polarthedog]

I’m quitting gabapentin and dxm right now, I’m down from 1200 mg of gaba too 300 mg, and I’m down from 120 mg of dxm too 80 mg.

Also I was tripping on the dxm 1-2 times a week at high doses, the. Taking lots of gabapentin to sleep afterwards, I haven’t done that for 2.5 weeks

I recommend black seed oil and high cbd weed, that helps and there are no withdrawals

Also, kava kava might help with your anxiety. It seems to have a reverse tolerance with a lot of people, meaning it gets stronger if used regularly, and I have never seen anybody reporting kava addiction.

When I take it, it feels like low dose Valium, very nice herb/drug

It’s legal and you can get it cheap online

 

[polarthedog]

Wise insight. Anxiety is unfortunately one of those things that doesn't respond well to long term medication. Most anxiety meds lose their effectiveness over time and leave you with even worse anxiety than you had before you took it. I have severe life long anxiety and I have come to the conclusion that the real solutions are in things like coping mechanisms, diet, sleep, meditation, breathing exercises and exercise (big one). These have helped me more in the long run than any medication.


Another good insight, I also have this problem.

Unfortunately I don't really have the answer I think you're looking for. I don't have much experience with nootropics. You may want to look into Ashwaghanda and/or Kava as possible replacements. I know how scary it is to think about dropping the GABAergic drugs altogether when you have major anxiety, but this is the safest bet.

Instead of looking for something to replace the gabapentin/phenibut with, I would genuinely advise you look into exercise (aerobic is best), get your diet in check, get sleep and stick to a daily routine and a few other things. These types of things ESPECIALLY EXERCISE have done way more for my anxiety than any drug ever did.

When I started running 10-12 miles per week, ate healthy, meditated 15 min per day, etc, I noticed a drastic decrease in my overall anxiety. When I get home from a 3 mile jog it feels like I took a benzo, super relaxed and no anxiety. I LOVE RUNNING.

I agree with all of that other than the running, I think biking or swimming is better because it’s easier on your joints

That being said, regular exercise completely treats my fibromyalgia, and it help ALOT with my anxiety and depression, I don’t notice near the same relief from the drugs I take if I’m not exercising regularly, both are needed for me, neither works as well for me without the other.

Also I’ve read that exercise slows down tolerance buildup to opiates, and it seems to help heal the damage caused by opiates, speeding recovery. I think it would probably do the same with any withdrawal.

 

[Snafu in the Void]

I agree with all of that other than the running, I think biking or swimming is better because it’s easier on your joints

yeah, luckily my body still allows me to run, I seem to get more endorphins/runners high compared to biking/swimming - probably because its wearing my body down more lol

Also I’ve read that exercise slows down tolerance buildup to opiates, and it seems to help heal the damage caused by opiates, speeding recovery. I think it would probably do the same with any withdrawal.

it does! exercise is a catalyst towards all progress

nutrition is the building block, exercise is the construction worker who actually repairs your body and brain - it speeds up recovery and repair significantly

 

[Xorkoth]

Yeah whether running, or biking, or swimming, or whatever it may be, regular daily cardio exercise is about the very best thing you can do for anxiety or depression, as well as for post-acute drug withdrawal symptoms. it's so often overlooked, and I find that a lot of the time, people who have never experienced first hand how effective it is do not really believe it and are just like yeah, yeah, okay now someone give me a real answer.