07/31/2025
Stay tuned for ground breaking news about real solutions for Peripheral Neuropathy!
In the meantime, consider this data about Gabapentin, a drug commonly prescribed in an attempt to manage the symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy.
(Info borrowed from my colleague and friend Elizabeth Sheehan)
*GABAPENTIN TRUTH*
Pfizer has more than one poison!
One of the drugs they slapped me on was Gabapentin. It was unbeknownst to me - one of the most dangerous drugs on the market.
Here I was having mostly neurological symptoms and they were giving me handfuls of a drug that causes literal brain damage.
So here's sources on the truth behind this over prescribed drug owned by that's right...
PFIZER.
1. Gabapentin has limited benefit for pain
Multiple reviews show it only helps about 30–40% of people with neuropathic pain like postherpetic neuralgia or diabetic neuropathy.
SOURCE:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6364254/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27086356/
2. FDA warning: serious breathing risks
In 2019, the FDA warned that gabapentin can cause serious, even fatal respiratory depression, especially with opioids, benzos, or in those with lung issues.
SOURCE:
https://www.fda.gov/.../fda-warns-about-serious-breathing...
3. Increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia
Studies show people taking gabapentinoids long-term have a higher risk of developing dementia or mild cognitive impairment.
SOURCE:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35786967/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10266423/
4. Serious psychiatric side effects
Case reports and studies document mania, psychosis, aggression, suicidal ideation, paranoia, and emotional blunting.
SOURCE:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18370546/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6364254/
5. Common side effects often ignored
Drowsiness
Dizziness
Ataxia
Peripheral edema
Fatigue
Visual changes
Weight gain (~2.2 kg average in 6 weeks)
SOURCE:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493229/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16734938/
6. Dependence, withdrawal, and misuse
Gabapentin is often abused in combination with opioids. Withdrawal can cause agitation, confusion, tremors, insomnia, and even seizures.
SOURCE:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855415/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27776388/
7. Pfizer’s $430 million lawsuit for off-label marketing
Pfizer (then Parke-Davis) was fined for aggressively marketing gabapentin for unapproved uses. The main clinical trial cited was unblinded, poorly controlled, and served more as a marketing tool than real science.
SOURCE:
https://www.justice.gov/.../opa/pr/2004/May/04_civ_322.htm
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15118046/
Gabapentin is not benign. It’s overprescribed, poorly understood, and its long-term risks especially for mood, memory, breathing, and addiction are downplayed hard. People deserve to know the real cost before they say yes to it.
I had to taper my dose down over time to come off it. And it still sucked. Here's some more detail:
🔥 What Happens When You Stop Gabapentin
🚨 1. Withdrawal symptoms start fast
Gabapentin has a short half-life (5–7 hours), so symptoms often begin within 12–48 hours of the last dose.
Common withdrawal effects:
Severe anxiety or panic attacks
Insomnia
Sweating
Restlessness
Irritability
Nausea
Heart palpitations
Light sensitivity or visual disturbances
Tremors or muscle twitching
Agitation or rage
Rebound nerve pain, worse than before
SOURCE:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855415/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27776388/
🧠 2. Psychological crash
Gabapentin alters GABA and calcium channel signaling in the brain. When stopped suddenly, your brain is left without that "calm buffer," which can cause:
Severe mood swings
Depression or suicidal thoughts
Feelings of electrical zaps or brain fog
Disassociation or derealization
This is especially intense for people who were using it to manage anxiety or PTSD. Many say they felt like they were losing their minds.
SOURCE:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493229/
⚡ 3. Risk of seizures
Gabapentin was originally developed as an anti-epileptic. If you stop it abruptly, your risk of seizures goes way up even if you’ve never had one before.
SOURCE:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3217514/
🧪 4. Withdrawal mimics other illnesses
Many people end up in the ER or being misdiagnosed because gabapentin withdrawal can look like:
A panic disorder
A new neurological issue
Hormonal imbalance
Fibromyalgia flare-up
This is why so many users get gaslit even though it’s their nervous system detoxing from a powerful neuroactive drug.
🔁 5. Rebound symptoms
If you were using it for pain, sleep, or anxiety those symptoms often come back harder than before. This is part of withdrawal, not a sign that you “need” the drug again.
Rebound symptoms:
Worse nerve pain
Heightened anxiety
Insomnia
Tinnitus
Headaches
This often causes people to go back on it unknowingly creating a dependence loop.
⚠️ Tapering Matters A LOT
Gabapentin should never be stopped cold turkey unless absolutely necessary. Even short-term use (a few weeks) can cause withdrawal.
General tapering advice (not medical advice):
Drop by no more than 100–300 mg every 5–7 days
The slower, the better some people taper over months
Monitor for symptoms and pause taper if nervous system gets overwhelmed
SOURCE:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23318710/
Doctors and pharma reps may say gabapentin is “non-addictive,” but the lived experience of real people says otherwise. Withdrawal is real, painful, and often misdiagnosed. People deserve truth, support, and alternatives not gaslighting and suffering in silence.
YOU DESERVE TO KNOW ALL THE RISKS OF WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY!!!!
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