Gabapentin Withdrawal

Believe it or not, Gabapentin withdrawal (Neurontin withdrawal) is a thing. This drug has been prescribed freely by doctors all over the world, often without a thought for the addictions that it might cause and the Gabapentin withdrawals that might be triggered thereafter. It has been used as a drug for pain, for anxiety and many other issues.

It has been handed out in large doses and for long periods, and only now are doctors the world over waking up to the issues caused by Gabapentin addiction and by Gabapentin withdrawal.

On this Gabapentin withdrawal page we’ll try to clear this issue up for you. We will look at Gabapentin withdrawal symptoms, while also showing you how you can get help and teaching you a little more about this drug. Your doctor may not have told you much, so it’s important for you to try and fill in the gaps yourself.

Does Gabapentin Cause Withdrawal?

Although Gabapentin is not considered to be addictive by users, it is addictive and it can trigger withdrawal. Gabapentin withdrawal may not be as severe as withdrawal from other drugs, but it’s far from pleasant at the same time.

Gabapentin Abuse

For many years, no one really considered Gabapentin abuse to be a thing. It just wasn’t listed as a drug that could cause addiction and Gabapentin withdrawal was also overlooked and ignored. Thankfully, that is no longer the case. There are no many recreational users of this drug who are in deep, as well as may users who are prescribed it for a genuine illness, only to end up addicted and stuck in the cycle of use, addiction and withdrawal.

A previous study has determined that as many as 1/5th of people in methadone clinics (for treatment of heroin addiction) have used Gabapentin to increase the effects of the methadone. There are also many issues with Gabapentin addiction and Gabapentin abuse in poorer regions, where opiates and stimulants are considered too expensive and rare, and where Gabapentin and Lyrica have flooded the market as a result of patents being over prescribed and then selling their drugs on the street.

How Long Does Gabapentin Stay in Your System?

Gabapentin has a half-life of between 5 and 7 hours. However, in terms of how long Gabapentin stays in your system, this doesn’t quite answer the question. You could easily feel the effects of the drug for longer than this (and for a lot less). Gabapentin will also stay in your system for longer than this. It just depends on the method of detection that is used in a drug test.

So, if you’re worried about a Gabapentin drug test (such a specific drug test is unlikely, but there are still ones that will show) then take the following into account. First though, let’s clear something up.

Does Gabapentin Show up on a Drug Test

Believe it or not, there is a Gabapentin drug test of sorts. There is a common misconception that it will not show up on a drug test. But if your sample is sent to a lab then they can look for it and might choose to do just that.

Many will tell you that you wont be tested for it because it’s not a controlled drug. But while that is true to an extent, Gabapentin is being abused more than ever and is becoming a serious problem. They are trying to stop it and that begins with controlled drug testing for those suspected of using it.

If that’s the case then you’ll need to know how long Gabapentin will remain in your blood, hair and urine.

How Long Does Gabapentin Stay in Your Blood?

A blood test for Gabapentin is expensive and not ideal, so it’s highly unlikely that this method will be undertaken. In many cases they will use urine or hair samples. Not only because of the expense, but because it just won’t detect traces of Gabapentin for very long.

How Long Does Gabapentin Stay in Your Urine?

Gabapentin moves out of the urine fairly quickly. Most of it will be gone by the first day and although we haven’t been able to verify this via official sources, it seems that Gabapentin will be cleared from your urine within a couple days on average.

How Long Does Gabapentin Stay in Your Hair?

All drugs stay in the hair for a lot longer purely because hair grows slowly. Not only is this a fairly cheap method, but it’s also one of the few that gives you an idea of the extent of use. You can expect Gabapentin to remain in your hair for a lot longer, maybe even weeks. However, most drug tests for Gabapentin will likely be performed on urine.

Gabapentin Toxicity / Gabapentin Overdose

There are many Gabapentin users who erroneously believe that it’s somehow impossible to overdose on Gabapentin. That is proof of just how dangerous the misinformation is concerning this. Too many think that Gabapentin is harmless and that has led to all kinds of issues. The truth is that Gabapentin overdose is very real and it may occur at much smaller doses than you think.




The exact dose that can trigger Gabapentin overdose will spend on a number of factors. They include the tolerance, body weight and genetic makeup of the person taking the drug, but dose is obviously a major player, as is age, illness and any vulnerabilities.

One of the first signs of Gabapentin overdose is double vision, but overdose symptoms may also include slurred speech, lethargy, diarrhea and drowsiness. Seek immediate medical help if you believe you have taken an overdose and/or are experiencing any of these side effects.

Gabapentin Withdrawal Symptoms

Gabapentin is actually used to treat many forms of addiction, both as a recommended treatment and an off-label one. It may help with opiates like codeine and even heroin, as well as drugs like synthetic weed. But addiction to this drug is also possible and Gabapentin withdrawal symptoms exist.

These may be exaggerated side effects that are associated with use of the drug, including anxiety, muscle weakness, light headedness, memory issues and a general malaise. As with most sedative drugs Gabapentin withdrawal symptoms also include difficultly sleeping, which is a symptom that many will experience.

If the drug was prescribed to help with pain, then that pain will return and may be exaggerated. Intense sweating and nausea are also likely Gabapentin withdrawal symptoms. But it will depend on the length and severity of use.

The “thoughts of suicide” may also increase during Gabapentin withdrawal, which can leave the user in a very vulnerable state.