Symptoms of a Drug Prescription
Drug Prescriptions
Another Look at Gabapentin
By Nikki and Anne Heart ♥ August 1, 2024
*Although we wrote this post together, we have chosen to present the following through Mom’s eyes.
It’s been awhile since my daughter Nikki was prescribed Gabapentin.
Gabapentin is in a class of drugs called anticonvulsants.
It has FDA approval for some seizures, restless leg syndrome and postherpetic neuralgia none of which my daughter ever had.
But it is however used off-label for many other illness or symptoms ranging from anxiety to refractory chronic cough.
When my daughter Nikki was prescribed Gabapentin in capsule form, it was basically because no other drug prescribed prior seemed to work. This drug was just the next on the list.
The health care provider my daughter had at the time instructed her to open the Gabapentin capsule and take 1/4 of the powder daily.
Because of the impracticality of taking a consistent dosage, the outcome was also inconsistent. Some days it caused my daughter to have an extreme high while other days just overall sickness.
Henceforth, my daughter was only on Gabapentin for three months. Still, she did have withdrawals after she was told to abruptly stop taking Gabapentin.
An awareness to Gabapentin dependency and withdrawals should be noted prior to prescribing
When my daughter started taking mental health prescription drugs, I knew very little about dependency and withdrawals.
Like most, I had the belief that as long as a drug was used as prescribed, it would be safe from dependency with mild to no withdrawal effects.
It wasn’t like my daughter was using street drugs. Rights?
However, as time went on, we both became aware that this isn’t the reality of prescription drugs.
Learning from the opioid crisis, this unfortunately isn’t the case.
The opioid crisis has unquestionably proven that prescribed drugs can indeed cause dependency and severe withdrawals.
Still, it is sad how many people believe it can’t happen to them.
That they can’t become an addict. Addiction doesn’t happen to people like them.
But the truth and reality of the situation is that addiction can happen to anyone.
When my daughter took Gabapentin, at times she experienced a euphoric feeling which is not uncommon. Luckily, she was unable to take Gabapentin for a long period of time.
Over the years, I have learned euphoric feeling can create a potentially addictive nature in some individuals, causing severe psychologic dependence and withdrawals in patients taking it.
This warning of addiction was never discussed or maybe it just wasn’t known at the time.
What you should do when taking any prescription drug
- Learn all the facts regarding a prescribed drug
- Be aware of the side effects especially the less common ones
- Notice any changes you are having while taking a prescription, whether good or bad
- Recognize an extreme euphoric feeling may not necessarily be good
Remember everyone is different especially when it comes to prescription drugs.
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”
-Aristotle –
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Note: All information in “Nikki’s Story” are based on detail journals covering seven years of Nikki’s life on prescription drugs.
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