The initial withdrawal phase of Neurontin typically lasts a week if it is abruptly stopped, with some lingering symptoms carrying on for slightly longer. Currently, there are no medications that can completely stop Neurontin withdrawal.
All that can be done pharmaceutically is symptom management, with medications such as antiemetics for extreme nausea that is likely to occur. Mild sleep aids such as an over-the-counter like melatonin can help with insomnia and anxiety. If the patient is in a medically supervised detox facility, the overseeing doctor might prescribe something slightly stronger to aid with sleep if insomnia is still present after treatment with an over-the-counter.
If Gabapentin abuse is stopped in time, likely the patient will not experience any lasting damage to the internal organs. The body is amazing and can recover very well from extreme abuse. If it cannot fully recover, it can learn to compensate, and the addict can still have a life full of quality. What will be key to successful gabapentin addiction treatment is finding out why the addict is abusing the medication in the first place.
This typically involves a day stay at a quality inhouse transitional program that is experienced in treating this type of addiction. In rehab, clients facing the disease of addiction can begin to learn what is causing drug abuse in a comfortable, secluded setting. This safe-zone of personal exploration is designed to foster a loving environment where the client can delve deep into personal issues that may contribute to addiction.
Co-occurring mental health disorders often become prevalent or are exacerbated in individuals who are misusing prescription medications like gabapentin. The healing begins internally and radiates outward in a short period of time.
Of course, relapse is always a possibility, even with the best intentions. This is why after a day stay at an inpatient facility, it is prudent for the client to consider the continuation of treatment.
This can be done in various ways. One of the more common is the traditional, statistically-proven effectiveness of a dual diagnosis program. An individual suffering from gabapentin addiction can receive the proper therapy and care needed while being able to slowly reintegrate into society addiction-free and happy. The major types of addiction treatment options available include:.
In addition, sober living houses can provide a supportive environment where recovery is the main focus. This hive-mind setting fosters a successful reintegration into a society where the addict knows he has a safe place to come home and lay his head every night, without the threat of drugs or alcohol being present.
Every thousand-mile journey begins with that first step out the door. As overwhelming as addiction seems to those suffering from it, the burden will immediately begin to lift when the addict simply admits he or she needs help. Talk to a family member or trusted friend and let them know what you are suffering from. Being able to freely talk among those who understand what you are suffering through because they have been there is cathartic, and they can get you to the help that you truly need and deserve.
This fact is true, regardless of whether any actual physiological dependence is present. Issues that can result specifically from a psychological dependence include cravings, anxiety, agitation, and depression. For those who are struggling with the abuse of gabapentin or other substances, it is critical to seek professional help as soon as possible. A person who is abusing gabapentin is at an increased risk of doing so in conjunction with other drugs or alcohol.
If this is the case, this is another problem that deserves to be addressed in its own right. Harmony Treatment and Wellness offers comprehensive, evidence-based services. These include, but are not limited to, the following:.
If you or someone you know needs help breaking free from the chains of substance abuse or addiction, contact us today! We are dedicated to providing our clients with the tools they need to be successful at recovery and foster the healthy, satisfying lives they deserve! Restlessness Trouble sleeping Anxiety. Panic attacks Anger and aggression Violent behavior. Gabapentin capsules and tablets are normally swallowed, but there have been reports of the powder from gabapentin capsules being snorted.
Gabapentin can produce feelings of relaxation, calmness and euphoria. Some users have reported that the high from snorted gabapentin can be similar to taking a stimulant. It can also enhance the euphoric effects of other drugs, like heroin and other opioids, and is likely to increase the risks when taken in this way.
Gabapentin may also enhance the euphoric effects of other drugs, like opioids, and is likely to increase the risks when taken in this way. Gabapentin has effects in similar brain pathways to those that are affected by drugs like benzodiazepine. It can cause dizziness, forgetfulness, drowsiness and confusion, all of which can put you at risk of hurting yourself, especially in certain environments.
Manufacturers recommend that when used as a medicine, gabapentin should only be used by women who are breastfeeding if the potential benefits outweigh the risks. They also point out that in animal studies toxicity has been seen during pregnancy. Gabapentin has been associated, rarely, with jaundice.
It is not safe to take gabapentin without a prescription. The effects of a gabapentin high range from an elevated mood or euphoria to a sense of calm, relaxation and improved sociability. While the effects of gabapentin abuse might sound harmless, the problem is amplified when it is mixed with other substances, such as alcohol or opioids like heroin, fentanyl, and prescription painkillers because it increases the potency or lethality of all the substances combined.
Many people have started misusing it to get high or increase the effects of other substances and it has become a favorite of opioid users to enhance the effects. Because it is not a controlled substance, it is fairly easy to find on the streets. Gabapentin is only approved by the Food and Drug Administration FDA as anticonvulsant drug for people with epilepsy and for nerve pain associated with shingles.
Because the drug is thought to be relatively safe, though, physicians prescribe gabapentin for a number of off-label uses. Critics of off-label prescriptions for Neurontin point to the opioid epidemic as a stark lesson in what happens when doctors over circulate a reportedly safe drug.
Murphy lamented that another consequence of gabapentin abuse from over-prescribing it might lead to policies that make it more difficult for patients who do well on the medication to get a prescription for it. Responsible physicians will only prescribe dosages from 1, to 2, milligrams maximum per day of gabapentin for patients who need it, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The drug is also fairly inexpensive, even when it reaches street level sales. In Athens, Ohio, authorities report milligram gabapentin pills go for 75 cents each. That is a relatively cheap price for obtaining any type of prescription medication on the street that has a high potential for abuse or to be used recreationally.
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