Can I gradually eliminate my Gabapentin dose altogether if there is no pain?

I have gradually reduced Gabapentin dosage over 2 years from 1800 mg/day to 200 mg/day that I take at present? I want to confirm if it is safe to eliminate it altogether as I received some arguments against it.
Thanks for the help.

I am interested this too.

Greetings Unbroken,
It is great that you have gone fro mm 1800mg to 200mg! I would consult your doctor about eliminating it altogether. 200 mg may be the ideal maintenance dose for you or maybe not. good luck and keep us informed.
Scott

I, too, have reduced my meds over the past several months from 2700mg gabapentin a day to 300 a day, or every other day. I have not had a TN strike for 4 months now…although I am told it can return at any time. I feel so much better without the high dose of meds. I have other issues that cause neck and head pain which depends on position. I will get dizzy and nauseated, and need to slowly move my head to a point that the symptoms abate. Neuro says it is vertigo. I disagree because of the pain. Neuro made me feel like a whiner and did not order MRI. These episodes do not happen daily, just when I turn my head a certain way…like to look for traffic when changing lanes etc. Anyone else experience this? I do have vertigo going down steps or looking down at patterned carpeting, but no pain. The pain is real. Does vertigo cause pain that spreads through the entire head?

1 Like

I did the same thing, gradually tapering down my meds with my neurologist watching me when I was in remission. Of course, it’s come back now and I am upping the dose again, but I will taper again when I think it’s safe to do so. I suspect that one of the reasons that medication eventually ceases to work may be that doctors were keeping patients on a constant high dose, so that when an attack came, it was impossible to increase the medication to a point where it would work again. I am not a doctor though.

Hi Boots,
Have you tried Epley maneuver or equivalent as treatment for the vertigo? Just a suggestion as it may help.

Following this conversation as well; I am down to 300mg/day, in the evening. Makes me rather sleepy. Had an attack in the early morning hours one day this week, lasted 3.5-4 hours. It had been a couple of months. Hope to keep it that frequency, no more.

Curious how you’re still doing. At one point About five years ago I had gotten down to really low dose gradually though I have increased to taking it three times a day 600 mg of gabapentin and Trilepital. I haven’t had any major attacks and I’m going to start trying to titrate down again. How often did you Change the dose down? Did you stay on the same dose for a week before working down?

I have weaned off 3200mg of gabapentin and switched to a lower dose of tegretol 200 mg twice a day and baclofen 1/2 tab once a day with success.