Posted on 03/28/2006 10:20:46 PM PST by neverdem
A widely used drug that has been mired in controversy for most of its decade-long life may now bring relief to postmenopausal women whose lives have been disrupted by unrelenting hot flashes. The relief may be especially welcome to women who have had breast cancer and cannot take estrogen.
The drug, best known by its trade name, Neurontin, but now prescribed generically as gabapentin, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1994 to treat epileptic seizures. In 2002, it was approved to treat postherpetic neuralgia, horrific pain that sometimes follows shingles.
Aided by the Internet and, the government has said, an illegal marketing campaign by its parent company, Neurontin sales eventually exceeded $2 billion a year before its patent expired and the generic gabapentin entered the market in 2004.
The parent company, Warner-Lambert (since bought by Pfizer), was investigated after a whistle-blower said it had paid doctors to promote Neurontin to their colleagues for a host of additional symptoms not approved by the F.D.A. The whistle-blower also said the company had paid to have research articles prepared claiming benefits of a dubious nature.
Varied Applications
As a result, Neurontin has been used for problems like migraines, social phobia, attention-deficit disorder in children, gastric ulcers, restless leg syndrome, essential tremor, osteoarthritis, backache, insomnia, anxiety, bipolar disorder, panic attacks and withdrawal from cocaine and alcohol — all known as off-label uses.
Its most frequent off-label use is as an adjunct to drugs used to treat pain, especially pain thought to have nerve involvement.
Thus, gabapentin was part of the medication prescribed for my unrelenting pain after a double knee-replacement operation last year. It was prescribed again last fall when I developed debilitating back and leg pain caused by a pinched nerve in my back.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
A doctor may, of course, prescribe any drug for any reason, including off-label indications. The risk is that the patient pays for untested effects and undocumented side-effects. It's a crapshoot that occasionally pays off - one prominent rheumatoid arthritis drug turned out to be extremely effective against psoriasis. You could also kill yourself.
Schweitzer's Folly (global warming politics)
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
IIRC, you're referring to Enbrel. Considering that they are both auto-immune diseases, the odds of benefit were better than usual, but immunosuppressants are always risky.
Thanks for posting.
I was just prescribed Lyrica for unrelenting fibromyalgia and other nerve pain. This was of interest to me.
As a result, Neurontin has been used for problems like migraines, social phobia, attention-deficit disorder in children, gastric ulcers, restless leg syndrome, essential tremor, osteoarthritis, backache, insomnia, anxiety, bipolar disorder, panic attacks and withdrawal from cocaine and alcohol — all known as off-label uses.
Sounds like this compound could useful when FR servers go down for a spell...
I suggest observation of some one on Neurontin for a period of time.....then observe them coming off of it. Of course it helps all types of chronic pain and complaints. It turns you into a real mind-numbed robot.
Dreadful effects. This is a drug than can cripple and kill, and IMHO, they're still looking for a proper (and safe!) use for it.
Be careful.
bump for later
please be advised: "fibromyalgia" is often medicalese for "it is all in the patient's head", used as such by a physician who will not look carefully for the cause of the perceived pain.
fwiw, I have observed that most cases of "fibromyalgia" are actually exacerbated cases of fibromyesitis - a very small, localized soft-tissue injury - with attendant edema (swelling) which causes an impingement on a nerve root, which in turn causes referred pain along that nerve chain AND cascades of neuromuscular and even skeletal problems, as well as panicking the patient.
if you want to talk about this, FReepmail.
methinks you replied to the wrong post ;)
Dreadful effects. This is a drug than can cripple and kill, and IMHO, they're still looking for more proper (and safe!) uses for it.
How's that. They have at least three FDA approved indications. Always beware of adverse drug reactions or interactions.
You just described ME! Five years ago, there I was with a horribly swollen elbow and numb fingers. The Doc sent me to the orthopedic surgeon who kept giving me cortisone shots, to no avail. They recommended surgery to relieve the nerve.
Meanwhile, I began suffering from horrible rib, neck, and back pain; and was seeing my chiropractor. No matter what he did, the pain was not improving. Finally, after a month...I mentioned my elbow problem. He took one look and said.."well, there's the entire problem." Two weeks of treatments by his massage and physical therapists (on the elbow) relieved my symptoms. He also recommended a headset for my cell phone...who knew there was "cell phone elbow?"
I have lingering minor problems; but when it acts up....a little ice fixes it; no cortisone, no surgery.
I think you mean fibromyositis. No need for private emails. Tell us what you think and know about fibromyalgia.
I have had it since I was electrocuted in a inground swimming pool in my early teens some 27+ years ago.
I no longer take anything for it except for Tylenol and I do at home heat therapy on the areas that are giving major pain. All the drugs I have been on in the past did nothing but bring on new problems. I have had some of the best (highly qualified) doctors treat me over the years.
I have learned to live with it and accept it over these past 27+ years. As I know what my limitations are, but that took time to learn as the years have gone by.
I now have a high tolerance to pain and I have accepted the fact that there is no cure.
And it can bring relief to many. I used it after a bypass for nerve damage pain. It kept me from going nuts. Well - more nuts.
Individual experience varies.
please be advised:
One of my clinical attending physicians told me the same about polymyalgia rheumatica with which my mother had been diagnosed. She was taking 8 coated 325mg tablets of aspirin and 5mg of prednisone daily. She became anemic to the point where blood transfusion was required, besides the bilateral knee replacement caused by degenerative bone disease, aka osteoarthritis, the actual diagnosis. She's been doing well since the operation, except when she fell, from a B12 deficiency, fracturing her osteoporotic pelvis. Something about age seems to make them recalcitrant.
It's a wonder drug IMO. While I wasn't able to drop the opiates it did seem to make them work better. Just wish I could have been better able to afford it. Haven't looked into the generic version yet. Wonder if it's covered by Medicare Part D?
Bad drug interactions can and do happen. Different drugs affect people differently too. Friend of mine's spouse/doc prescribed for him an allergy med a couple years ago(he has terrible spring-time allergies). Even though taken by millions in his case it effectively shut down his lower digestive system and nearly hospitalized him. He stopped taking it and was fine a couple days later.
My cousin is currently taking prednisone for rheumatoid athritis(sp?). Says he's slept like 5 hours in the last 4 days. Doesn't want to eat and has unbelievable energy too! The exact opposite of what it does to me-all I want to do is eat and sleep when on it.
Be very careful with any new drug and start with the smallest effective dosage.
"Try living inside a pain ridden carcass that you can't get out of."
You said it, brother. I couldn't have put it better. And Neurontin has made life bearable again. I'd gladly kowtow to the inventor; an end to chronic pain and no adverse side effects whatsoever. Wonderful stuff, IMO.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.