There are many reasons you may want to stop taking a medication. Maybe you’re getting unwanted side effects. Or, perhaps, it’s not working as well as you hoped. Cost or refills could be a factor, too. No matter the reason, you may understandably feel tempted to stop your medication without talking to your healthcare professional (HCP) first – but not so fast.
Some medications can be dangerous to stop abruptly. Not only could your medical condition get worse, but you could also experience problematic side effects or withdrawal symptoms. And with some medications, such as antidepressants, stopping cold turkey is riskier the longer you’ve been taking them. The dose of some medications need to be gradually lowered (tapered). Your HCP can help you with a taper plan to slowly lower your dose over a period of time.
Below, we’ll talk about 10 medications that may lead to serious problems if stopped abruptly.
Gabapentin (Neurontin) is approved to treat seizures and nerve pain. It’s also used off-label to treat withdrawal symptoms in alcohol use disorder. But, you shouldn’t stop taking gabapentin suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms can start as soon as 12 hours after stopping it.
Gabapentin withdrawal symptoms occur more commonly in people taking this medication at a high dose or in those who take it for a long time. They include:
- Agitation
- Anxiety and restlessness
- Tiredness
- Sensitivity to light
- Dizziness
- Irregular heartbeat
If you’re taking gabapentin for seizures, stopping it can cause seizures to return or worsen. This is why it’s important to talk to your HCP about a plan before stopping gabapentin.