Citation: BrockLanders. "Saved My Life During Opiate Withdrawal: experience with Gabapentin (for Opiate Dependency) (ID 80581)". Erowid.org. Aug 20, 2009. erowid.org/exp/80581
Ok, I've been struggling with opiate addiction for close to 5 years. It started during my time off work due to carpal tunnel syndrome and I was prescribed 180 Lorcet 10mg per month. I began to abuse them after about 3 months, and during the next few years, moved up to OxyContin...about 6 or 7 80's a day just to feel well. After which, I moved up to heroin, first snorting, then IV and IM. Never shared needles, I work in the healthcare industry, and have access to clean, sterile needles and equipment. Anyway... I got clean, then in May 2009, I was diagnosed with MRSA, and had to have a I&D, removing about a quarter of my upper deltoid muscle and all the surrounding tissue. I was hospitalized for over a month, and given IV dilaudid every 3 hours on top of OC 20's every 8 hours. The addiction was back...after I was discharged, I have been prescribed OC40's ever since, and have been abusing them again...even IVing them and the 4mg dilaudid pills that I've also been prescribed. Well, I broke out with shingles and was given my normal OC prescription along with Neurontin.
I've been on Neurontin for 3 days. I've had absolutely no desire to take my OC's. No opiates at all in 3 days, and my pain is controlled. I am active, talkative, eating, and sleeping normal, with no signs of opiate withdrawal. I've heard that gabapentin also has withdrawal symptoms, but only with prolonged use. I am hoping to be able to use this for a couple weeks, then the shingles should be gone, and my opiate withdrawals should also be a thing of the past. I used Lyrica, which I later found out is just a prodrug for gabapentin (pregabalin, I believe) to get off of OCs the first time... but just within the last few weeks did I realize they were related. This is definitely a life-saving substance.
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