@Marina Thank you for your message. I need all the luck I can get with this, along with some planning and very slow tapering.

@Haa 

Hi Haa, thank you for your support. I’m really grateful to have people backing me. Hopefully this time will go better than the last.

I think your idea of waiting a month and then trying a 1 mg cut out of the 91 mg dose is very smart.

 

I’m starting to formulate a game plan for how to begin, and I’ll post it once I have it written down.

@j1290 Thank you for stopping by. 

Your example with the Venlafaxine while you were hospitalized is exactly the kind of thing that concerns me. I’m really glad you were able to get it sorted out before it caused any problems.

How long have you been on Bupropion? I’m asking because I’ve been on Gabapentin for about eight years now. I do sometimes worry that I may end up needing to stay on it, but I guess we’ll see what happens.

    

I’m slowly getting everything organized to prepare for tapering. Here’s the plan so far:

1. Speak with my doctor, loop him in, and ask him to order liquid Gabapentin. Done.

   The pharmacy let me know that it will take a few days for the medication to arrive, so I’ll wait until then.

2. Once I receive the liquid, I’ll start taking 100 mg of Gabapentin in liquid form and keep the other 100 mg in capsule form, for a total dose of 200 mg. I dose 3 times a day.

   I will stay on this ratio and work on decreasing only the liquid portion over time. Normally I would do a cross taper from the solid medication to the liquid, but since I don’t trust myself to decrease the capsule to a lower dose accurately, this approach feels safer.

I’ll hold at that level for a month to see how I do, and then I’ll begin the taper.

@RachelSusan sounds like a great plan. I think it is a great idea to sit at this dose and transition for at least a month. 
If you want to transition a little slower, you could start with just the morning dose, after a week, add in the afternoon dose and then the evening dose. 
Whatever you feel confident with. ❤️🙏

11 hours ago, RachelSusan said:

I’m finally getting ready to start part two of my journey. I was able to successfully taper off Zoloft, and now I want to begin tapering Gabapentin.

 

I was originally put on Gabapentin to help ease the withdrawal symptoms from the Zoloft taper, and no one ever mentioned that I could become physically dependent on it. I actually found this out during my Zoloft taper, but at the time I decided not to deal with it since I already had enough on my plate with the Zoloft.

 

After I got off Zoloft, I did try to get off the Gabapetin once. In 2022 I reduced from 900 mg to 600 mg. I thought I was going slowly, but it turned out not to be slow enough, and I found out the hard way that I’m very hypersensitive. I ended up dealing with almost a year of hell afterward. Because of that, I’m planning to go even slower this time. Even so, I’m still pretty nervous about the symptoms. This one has definitely been a beast for me.

 

I’m sure I’ll be leaning on all of you for support. I’m also giving myself permission ahead of time to stop the taper if I need to. My doctor has said he’s completely fine with me staying on it for the rest of my life, rather that watch what I went through with the last taper, but I’d still like to give it one more try for a variety of reasons.

 

One thing @Haa said really stuck with me, and it made a lot of sense. They wrote: "But at least I will try to get down on some more manageable doses, in case I should be hospitalised due to other illness or end up having to move to a nursing home, if I get too old to manage on my own. No living soul will respect the tiny doses".

 

I have seen this happen a few times with older relatives of mine. In medical or care situations, there often isn’t much ability to cater to people who are on unusual dose sizes or medical staff may not realize how bad someone can feel if a dose is missed or if a medication is stopped suddenly.

 

It actually happened to me last year when I was in the hospital and the doctor there decided to stop my Gabapentin without saying a word to me. Thankfully I was coherent enough to insist on it being restarted, but it really made me think about what might have happened if I hadn’t been. Anyway, enough said for today.

Thank you, Rachel, for this update.  I look forward to hearing about your taper updates. I enjoy reading your responses as well. 

@NOW Thank you for your encouragement.  I will be interested in reading more about your experience with Outro as time goes on.

13 hours ago, RachelSusan said:

I’m finally getting ready to start part two of my journey. I was able to successfully taper off Zoloft, and now I want to begin tapering Gabapentin.

 

I was originally put on Gabapentin to help ease the withdrawal symptoms from the Zoloft taper, and no one ever mentioned that I could become physically dependent on it. I actually found this out during my Zoloft taper, but at the time I decided not to deal with it since I already had enough on my plate with the Zoloft.

 

After I got off Zoloft, I did try to get off the Gabapetin once. In 2022 I reduced from 900 mg to 600 mg. I thought I was going slowly, but it turned out not to be slow enough, and I found out the hard way that I’m very hypersensitive. I ended up dealing with almost a year of hell afterward. Because of that, I’m planning to go even slower this time. Even so, I’m still pretty nervous about the symptoms. This one has definitely been a beast for me.

 

I’m sure I’ll be leaning on all of you for support. I’m also giving myself permission ahead of time to stop the taper if I need to. My doctor has said he’s completely fine with me staying on it for the rest of my life, rather that watch what I went through with the last taper, but I’d still like to give it one more try for a variety of reasons.

 

One thing @Haa said really stuck with me, and it made a lot of sense. They wrote: "But at least I will try to get down on some more manageable doses, in case I should be hospitalised due to other illness or end up having to move to a nursing home, if I get too old to manage on my own. No living soul will respect the tiny doses".

 

I have seen this happen a few times with older relatives of mine. In medical or care situations, there often isn’t much ability to cater to people who are on unusual dose sizes or medical staff may not realize how bad someone can feel if a dose is missed or if a medication is stopped suddenly.

 

It actually happened to me last year when I was in the hospital and the doctor there decided to stop my Gabapentin without saying a word to me. Thankfully I was coherent enough to insist on it being restarted, but it really made me think about what might have happened if I hadn’t been. Anyway, enough said for today.

Good luck @RachelSusan

 

Perhaps consider a micro taper? 1/30 of your monthly drop but daily. Can be a very calm way down, bit math heavy but once you’ve got it under your belt it may suit you. Allows you to creep off without your brain noticing. 

Wishing you well @RachelSusan. xx 

@LostinCanada What a great idea. I will start with just the morning dose, and slowly transition over to the liquid that way. Thank you for the suggestion. Simple yet brilliant. 

@Chippy I will consider a micro taper.  Yes it is math heavy but do-able. This time I am going at a snail's pace. I don't care if it takes me a few months just to move from the capsules to the liquid. I will view just doing that step as an accomplishment.  For me, any withdrawal  is very frightening.  I am glad I have this space to discuss. Already I've been given some  excellent ideas.

@Tracey Hi Tracey. Thank you so much. 😀

4 minutes ago, RachelSusan said:

@Chippy I will consider a micro taper.  Yes it is math heavy but do-able. This time I am going at a snail's pace. I don't care if it takes me a few months just to move from the capsules to the liquid. I will view just doing that step as an accomplishment.  For me, any withdrawal  is very frightening.  I am glad I have this space to discuss. Already I've been given some  excellent ideas.

That’s it @RachelSusan not a race! 😀

4 hours ago, RachelSusan said:

withdrawal  is very frightening

It is so traumatic... Hopefully the beginning cuts will be easier since they are on the high end. It will take a bit to find your sweet spot...for me, doing the BM slide is problematic at this point..my symptoms stack....so like you mentioned, take your time, figure it out...it isn't a race....it is about stability and being able to function. Maybe Gabapentin will be easy for you. ❤️🙏

Edited March 7Mar 7 by LostinCanada

On 3/6/2026 at 2:54 PM, RachelSusan said:

Your example with the Venlafaxine while you were hospitalized is exactly the kind of thing that concerns me. I’m really glad you were able to get it sorted out before it caused any problems.

It was partly through luck, a great patient advocate, and some cunning that I managed to avoid issues.  That said, I've read some stories and knew a friend of a friend that wasn't so lucky with 

unfortunate results.   

 

On 3/6/2026 at 2:54 PM, RachelSusan said:

How long have you been on Bupropion? I’m asking because I’ve been on Gabapentin for about eight years now. I do sometimes worry that I may end up needing to stay on it, but I guess we’ll see what happens.

I was on the Bup for around 20 years.  Easy to get off of it, they told me.  Just stop taking it, they said.  😁  I looked at one guide to tapering ADs from England and they no longer consider it low risk for WD symptoms, 

which I suppose is a step in the right direction.  

I think I read that if you've been on something over 4-6 years you start becoming high risk for symptoms.   Sure wish they'd told me that nugget of wisdom before they started me on these things 😂

I waited 10 or so years between tapers to handle life stressors, and in retrospect I wish I had tapered sooner.  I think I would have had an easier time getting off the Bup.   

@LostinCanada Thank you for your support. Currently waiting for the pharmacy to get the liquid Gabapentin. It has to be special ordered.

 

 

@j1290 Thanks for answering about the question about the Bup and the additional information. It's something to really think about. I've been on the Gabapentin for somewhere around 8 or maybe even 9 years, I'm guessing. Could have been more.

Edited March 8Mar 8 by RachelSusan
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29 minutes ago, RachelSusan said:

Currently waiting for the pharmacy to get the liquid Gabapentin. It has to be special ordered.

 

You probably know this but make sure you follow the cross over procedure found in here in case you don't @RachelSusan Using Manufactured Liquid Antidepressants 🙂 

Hey RachelSusan, I hope that everything has been working well for you. In reading over the last couple of week's posts (couch surfing/viral stuff kept me offsite), you have a solid plan to taper from Gabapentin. It is not a benzo but is in that anti-convulsant/GABA drug grouping. They are not easy to come off like the rest of the stuff everyone on here is facing. So just take your time and you will be off of it.My Mirt is 8-9 years too, but we will prevail! 

We are all rooting for you!! Blessings/prayers/well wishes, my friend 🤗🌺

@namastejen1

Thank you so much for stopping by my thread and for the encouragement. It really means a lot. You’re right, the Gabapentin taper hasn’t been the easiest, but I’m taking it slow. I tried to taper the Gaba about four years ago and got from 900mg to the present 600mg a day I am taking. For me it was actually harder than the anti-depressant, which was hard.

Eight or nine years on Mirt is a long road too, but I believe we’ll both get through this one step at a time. I’m rooting for you as well and really appreciate the kind words and support. Wishing you strength and steadiness on your journey.

Hi @RachelSusan, I just wanted to come and say hi. I read your thread over at SA and I was really taken by your resilience in coming off the drug, even when your withdrawal symptoms were challenging. Honestly, I'm terrified about resuming my taper (well, not exactly - I'm very emotionally blunted, but cognitively I know I'm terrified) and I can't imagine having your strength and resilience to continue and not just hold out of fear. I really wish you all the best for your next taper and trust you have the knowledge and self-understanding to make it as safe as possible.

 

Given the weight of the pill, I know I'm going to have to transition to liquid. I'm nervous about this as one of my big WD symptoms was looping/OCD-like thoughts - it sounds so benign writing it down, but I've never experienced anything like it, completely consuming to the point it was very very hard to feel any sense of respite/peace/distraction. I'm wondering if you experienced this at all during more acute WD waves and if you ever dealt with anxiety around dose accuracy once you went to liquid? Although I'm years away from the 2mg and below drops, would it be OK to talk me through how you measured such tiny increments? Only if/when you have the time. I hope you're well and wishing you all the best.

@molly97

Thanks for stopping by. 

 

Tapering off Zoloft with the liquid version was the most manageable way for me to handle the process and make the very tiny cuts needed.

 

I dealt with anxiety around dose accuracy all the time when I went to liquid. I was constantly worried that my math was wrong, however I can't say it was to the level of OCD, although I know others did feel this way. 

 

The standard recommendation is usually a 10% reduction plan once a month, based on the previous dose rather than the starting dose. In the beginning, I tried to push through with those larger tapers because I wanted to be off the medication quickly, but it really affected me and was just too much. I was actually all over the place for a while until I realized I needed to reduce by far less. Ultimately, I ended up with much smaller reductions. It all depended on how I felt, and I adjusted based on my symptoms.

 

When the doses got too small to measure with a standard syringe, I switched to a 1 mL syringe purchased off of Amazon. Then when I still couldn't get a small enough dose measured, I started adding water to the medicine to create a larger volume to work with. If I mixed my dose with water, I would just take that entire amount to get my dose. Then when it came time for me to make my next reduction, I was cutting from a large amount of liquid instead of trying to measure a tiny, invisible drop.

 

When you get ready to transfer from the pill to liquid, do remember to try and use the formula for the crossover taper listed. Of course, if you are like me, you can go even slower. I might take two months to cross over when I do my Gabapentin taper. Here is the recommend formula. Start with 3/4 old and 1/4 new for 3 to 7 days, then move to 1/2 old and 1/2 new for 3 to 7 days, followed by 1/4 old and 3/4 new for 3 to 7 days, and finally all new thereafter.

 

 

Since everything is custom to your medication and how concentrated it is, it will all need to be figured out at the time. You can do it yourself if you wish, AI is great if you want a hand with the math, or you can work with your doctor or perhaps someone here on the site.

 

Keeping a log was the only way I stayed on track with these changes. So I didn't have to second-guess myself. If I started feeling any symptoms, I knew I needed to hold at that current dose longer. It took some patience, but it avoided the withdrawal issues that came with dropping too fast.

 

It is great to see that you are currently holding at 18.75 mg and that your symptoms have resolved. I am rooting for you as you move forward. You have so much strength, and I truly wish you the very best on this journey.

@molly97 

I just realized I may have misunderstood your question. It went off like a light bulb turning on in my head. Are you talking about getting a prescription for liquid Zoloft (sertraline) or making your own liquid from a pill or capsule? My comments were geared toward getting a prescription for the liquid and working with that. I should have clarified that first, but better late than never, right?

@RachelSusan Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I am talking about the manufacturer’s liquid, yes! Although it’s a little hypothetical at the moment as I haven’t been prescribed it yet. I’m in the UK and the my NHS GP isn’t keen to prescribe it because of the cost. I could maybe convince them for 6 months - a year and then switch to private, but the uncertainty is scary.
 

I was so traumatised by what happened to me in Dec that I want to dry cut until a few times and  then make the switch - just because I want to get used to making reductions, feeling the symptoms and have them resolve before I make the switch to liquid. I’m just so scared that I won’t tolerate the liquid and then I won’t be able to come off my meds. Or, that I’ll have a reaction to the liquid that IS tolerable, but I’ll feel so traumatised by ANY symptoms that I won’t stick with it. Does that make sense?  Sometimes I’ll flick through SA and hear BrassMonkey make comments about how some people just can’t tolerate the liquid, but I never understand what happens if this is the case? I don’t know if I’m thinking too far ahead - it’s a hard balance between informing yourself and terrifying yourself sometimes. Sorry, maybe I should have tagged you on my thread rather than put this here? I never know what to do! 

@molly97

Hi, thank you for your message, and please don’t worry about where you posted it.

First, take a breath. What you went through in December sounds extremely difficult, and it’s completely understandable that you’re feeling anxious about making changes after being hurt by withdrawal before. Anyone in that situation would feel cautious.

Right now the most important thing is simply staying stable. You don’t need to solve every future step at once. When you feel ready to taper again, dry cutting is probably is the way to start back since you are comfortable with it. If you eventually decide you want to try the liquid, you can look into it carefully at that point.

From what you’ve written, it sounds like you may be trying to think through many “what if” situations far into the future. That’s very understandable, but it can also create a lot of unnecessary distress. It is often much kinder to yourself to stay focused on the step you are on right now rather than worrying about decisions that may never arise.

I am now following your page. If you would like me to see something, you can either come to my page or post on yours and start the post with @rachelsusan, the same way you tag me on my page is perfect.

For now, the priority is stability and giving your system time to settle. The rest can be worked through one step at a time when you get closer to it.

I got my liquid Gabapentin last week, but I’m actually waiting until April 1 to begin. If I’m going to take on something this ridiculously hard, starting on April Fool’s Day somehow feels like the most fitting choice for a Gabapentin taper.

 

At the moment I’m taking 600 mg per day, 200 mg three times daily. My plan is to keep half of each dose as capsules from the supply I already have and convert the other half to liquid so I can make smaller, more controlled reductions.

 

For the first month or two, the focus will mainly be on gradually shifting part of the dose over to liquid so everything is set up for a smoother taper later on. @LostinCanada gave me a suggestion which is in my thread, as to how an make that transition to the liquid and I’m going to follow that suggestion.

 

For me Gabapentin is a beast. It was far worse than the Zoloft and I can’t believe I am attempting it again, but I am.

Edited March 18Mar 18 by RachelSusan
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