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Q: Skin Condition - Gabapentin?
hELLO DOCTOR,
I AM 66,NON SMOKER, NON DRINKER IN PERFECT EALTH. ABOUT LATE
SEPTEMBER A FRIEND OF MINE GAVE ME ABOUT 25-30 PILLS FOR MY MIGRAINES. HE
HAD BEEN PRESCRIBED THEM FOR CHRONIC EYE PAIN DUE TO AN INJURY. I HAD NO
IDEA WHAT IT WAS AND THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A PAIN KILLER.
I TOOK ABOUT 5 TO 8 A WEEK, AS A SLEEP AID AND FOR HEADACHE. FROM LATE
SEPTEMBER TO AROUND EARLY DECEMBER I TOOK MOST OF THEM. WHEN I RETURNED FROM MY
TRIP I THREW OUT THE REMAINING FIVE OR SIX. I AM NOT SURE ABOUT ALL THE
ABOVE AMOUNTS MENTIONED. HE SIMPLY GAVE THEM TO ME LOOSE.
THINKING BACK, I PROBABLY STOPPED TAKING THEM AROUND THE END OF NOVEMBER.
THEN, AROUND THE END OF NOVEMBER I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE AN ITCHING, MOSTLY IN
THE GROIN AREA. I FIRST TOOK A TREATMENT FOR SCABIES, ETC BUT THE SYMP[TOMS
DID NOT IMPROVE. I HAD A COMPLETE CHECK-UP BY MY DOCTOR AND STANDARD ROUTINE
BLOOD TEST, AS I HAVE ONCE A YEAR. ALL TESTS WERE OK. THEN AROUND THE END OF
JANUARY THE ITCHING LEGS AND OCCASSIONAL STINGING AND ITCHING OF THE BUTTOCKS
THEY BEGAN TO RECEDE. THEN AROUND EARLY FEBRUARY SOME FORMICATION STARTED IN THE
FEET, ANKLES AND FACE AND SOME SLIGHT STINGING.
I WENT TO AN ALLERGIST AND HE TOLD ME HE THOUGHT IT WAS NOT AN ALLERGY AND
GAVE ME A PRESCRIPTION FOR A DRUG CLLED, ORFAN, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. I
DID NOT FILL THE PRESCRIPTION AND WENT TO A PYSHCHIATRIST BEFORE TAKING
ANYTHING. HE TOLD ME I WAS WISE TO CONTACT HIM AND NOT TAKE THE ORFAN. HE PUT ME
ON DEPAKOTE AND HYDROXYZINE PAMOATE. THIS ALLOWED ME TO GET SOME SLEEP.
STRANGELY , SINCE I FIRST SAW THAT LAST DOCTOR MENTIONED AROUND THREE WEEKS
AGO THE FORMICATION HAS INCREASED AND THE STINING HAS SLIGHLY INCREASED. THE
INITIAL TERRIBLE STINGING AND ITCHING OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER HAS NOT
RETURNED. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A DIMISHED ITCHING AND STINGING AND NOW,
FORMICATION. I AM GETTING SLEEP ON DEPAKOTE AND THE ANTI HISTAINE. AS A
RULE I DON'T LIKE TO TAKE MEDICATIONS UNLESS PRESCRIBED.
I AM A FORMER PFIZER EXECUTIVE AN HAVE BEEN AROUND MEDICATIONS AND HOSPITALS
A LOT. I WONDER ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:
COULD ONLY THOSE 25 OR SO GABAPENTINS TAKEN IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND
NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR STILL BE CAUSING THE ABOVE WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS? IN
THE
PAST , I HAVE REACTED VERY STRONGLY, UPON SUSPENSION OF TO OTHER MIND
AFFECTING MEDICATIONS, EVEN AFTER SHORT TERM PRESCRIBED USE.
COULD THIS BE A MANIC THING EITHER PRECIPITATED OR AGGRAVATED BY THE
GABAPENTIN OR GABAPENTIN WITHDRAWAL ALONE, OR MANIC ALONE? I MIGHT ADD
HERE THAT AROUND THE END OF SEPTEMBER I WENT THROUGH AN EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING
EXPERIENCE, THE WORST IN MY LIFE. I WAS QUIET, WITHDRAWN AND HOMBOUND FROM
AROUND THE END OF SEPTEMBER THROUGH OCTOBER. THE PSYCHIATRIST SAID THAT
HARROWING EXPERIENCES AND ANXIETEY CAN CAUSE SKIN
SENSATIONS IN THE ENTIRE POPULATION. IMAIGHT ALSO ADD HERE THAT I HAVE NEVER
HAD ANY ALLERGIES, RASHES, HIVES OR ITCHING. ONLY A SEVERE WITHDRAWAL WHEN
STOPPING TAKING MIND AFFECTING MEDICATIONS LIKE THEY USE TO PRESCRIBE YEARS AGO
LIKE VALIUM ETC. MY EXPRIENCE WITH MIND AFFECTING MEDICATION IS EXTRMELY LIMITED
BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT AFTER ONLY A FEWW WEEKS OR SAYS USE, I
HAD WEEKS OF WITHDRAWAL.
OH, MY FMAILY DOCTOR PRESCRIBED ABOUT 45 TEMAZEPAM FOR SLEEP, BECAUSE OF THE
INTENSE ITCHING AROUND DECEMBER. I HAVE READ THAT TEMAZEPAM CAN ALSO CAUSE
THE ABOVE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.
COULD THOSE TWO DRUGS, SORT OF BACK TO BACK, TAKEN BY A PERSON WHO APPEARS TO BE
VERY SENSITIVE, STILL BE CAUSING THE STINGING AND AND NOW, STARTING THREE
WEEKS BACK, FORMICATION?
OR DO YOU FEEL THAT IT IS NOT MEDICATION RELATED? IF IT IS A WITHDRAWAL FROM
THE ABOVE TWO MEDICATIONS ABOUT HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE BEFORE THE
STINGING AND FORMICATION GOES AWAY? AS A LAST RESORT, I AM GOING TO WEAR
ONLY COTTON PANTS AND SHIRTS TO SEE IF MY SYMPTOMS ALEVIATE THEMSELVES. I
HAVE WORN FABRICS, OTHER THAN COTTON ALL MY LIFE WITHOUT PROBLEMS.
PLEASE EXCUSE THE LENGTHY LETTER BUT I THOUGHT I SHOULD MENTION EVERYTHING
TO GIVE YOU MORE TO WORK WITH. I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS WEB SITE AND THE
CHANCE TO CONSULT YOU ON THIS. MY DOCTOR, THE ONE I SAW ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO
DOES NOT KNOW IF THE ITCHING OR FORMICATION IS MANIC OR NOT. HE DOES FEEL I
TAKE THE DEPAKOTE FOR AWHILE. I WIL SEE THIS DOCTOR ABOUT EVERY TWO-THREE WEEKS.
THANK YOU,
Dear Mr. S' --
From your description of this series of events and your current symptoms I would
be very concerned about the mania part all right. Do continue to work
closely with your doctor on that part.
As regards your question "COULD THIS BE A MANIC THING EITHER PRECIPITATED OR AGGRAVATED BY THE
GABAPENTIN OR GABAPENTIN WITHDRAWAL ALONE, OR MANIC ALONE?" --
yes. That is, any of these is worth considering. I'm certain I've
seen skin conditions caused by emotional conditions, remitting when the latter
does. I've also seen gabapentin act just like an antidepressant and cause
manic symptoms; and seen stopping gabapentin suddenly cause mood instability
(there is a syndrome, not common, called "antidepressant withdrawal-induced
mania", for example).
I hope that helps you a bit. I agree with your
doctor's approach.
Dr. Phelps
Published March, 2002
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