BBM
Newbie
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 38
Loc: Midwest
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I have a doctor that is not real understanding about my pain and wants me to stop taking hydro even though he only prescribed it a few times for me. Anyway he said for me to try neurontin for my back pain. He said that it was a seisure medicine but is also used for other things and one was pain. Has anybody used this for pain management?
Thanks,
BBM
Edited by Melody (03/03/04 06:09 PM)
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bronwyn
Journeyman
Reged: 11/11/03
Posts: 69
Loc: bluegrass
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My pain management doc had me on it. It didn't work for me, and in fact it really messed with my cognitive abilities ( i couldn't put a simple sentence together on it). They were concerned enough to wean me off of it pretty quickly. I am now on topamax which is similar, but does seem to be making a difference (just started late last week, so we'lll see). It has cut my appetite (i would love to lose weight anyway) and has helped me sleep and has drastically cut back on the pain. Good luck. Several people I know are on neurontin and it works for some and not others. give it a fair trial and if it doesn't work, you may want to try topamax.
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Bronwyn
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BBM
Newbie
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 38
Loc: Midwest
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Thanks Bronwyn! Do you use the topamax for migranes or something else? I wouldn't mind a good nights sleep or losing weight either. The nuerontin is supposed to put weight on you or at least it does for people I know that have used it but they did not use it for pain management. I'll have to make that choice. I don't use hydro all the time but just 3-4 times a year, usually for about a month or so,when I severely pull/strain my back because of my severe scoliosis. So I don't think I really need to worry too much about the liver issues but my doctor does.
Thanks again,
BBM
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hoop123
Enthusiast
Reged: 12/14/01
Posts: 258
Loc: New York
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I had read somewhere , I think in the New England Journal of medicine that Neurontin was wrongly being perscribed for pain management. In fact if I remember correctly, the article blasted the medical community for using this med where in fact no data contained any info as to it's effectiveness in pain relief. Wish I knew where that artical was, but it should be easy to find. Mention this to you're Doc. This med also has a lot of side effects. So be very careful. My Doc had me on 800 mg. every 4 hours. Needless to say three auto accidents later, my wife called my Doc and blasted him. I never realized. Thank God for the little women. But it is written that it is not described anywhere (PDR) as a pain manangement med.
Best Regards,
Hoop
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zoe11
Journeyman
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 87
Loc: Other side of the moon
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It has been on the news lately that neurontin also could cause suicidial ideation. Now I don't know if this is a backed up study of media gone wild. It's hard to say these days. I take something similar Zonegran. I can say that it stopped the shooting pain from going down my legs.
zoe
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greta66
Stranger
Reged: 08/08/03
Posts: 14
Loc: GA, USA
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I've been taking neurontin for about five years now as a migraine prophylactic. It does significantly reduce my migraine frequency and severity. However I tend to have to go off it during periods when I have to study intently. As another poster mentioned, it definitely affects my cognitive abilities as well. I can't think of simple words. People notice a distinct change in my vocabulary/communication when I'm on higher doses. BUT higher doses no doubt mean fewer migraines for me.
When I first began taking it I actually fell asleep at work while someone was speaking to me! I often thought I'd fall asleep at the wheel driving. This side effect (sleepiness) went away in about three weeks.
But it really has worked wonders for my migraines.
I've read the same about it being wrongly marketed as a pain med. I don't use it as a pain med. and have no clue how it could be considered such. It prevents many of my migraines but wouldn't do a thing for one of my migraines as a pain med.
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PrivateRealm
Threadhead
Reged: 03/18/03
Posts: 975
Loc: usa
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I was on Nuerontin for mood swings and as a combo preventive migraine med, but it didn't help pain at all. After 2 years of the Nuerontin, and slowly gaining weight, I was switched to Topomax.
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KeriAnne~~~
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take - but by the moments that take our breath away."
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sigmund
Member
Reged: 07/29/03
Posts: 181
Loc: Vienna
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In pain management, neurontin works specifically on pain due to disorders of the parasympathetic nervous system, the neurons closer to the surface and radiate pain, such as with fibromylgia. It is usually not used for CNS-caused problems so you might check with your doc as to why he prescribed it, ask if he ran all the relevant tests re: degenerative disorder or trauma due to accident.
If indeed, you do have a spinal cord problem, it's unlikely that neurontin would help, nor would topomax. If the tests provide evidence, suggest seeing a neurologist and/or pain management specialist.
anna22
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how can you tell the Dreamer from the one who dreams the dream?
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Disciple
Member
Reged: 12/11/03
Posts: 114
Loc: Deep South-GA
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BBM,
I too have been on neurotin, which indeed is mainly a seizure medication. It was given to me to prevent the episodes of migraine headaches but I can't say I saw much improvement. Topamax really did the trick except if gave me an upset stomach and my doctor was not comfortable correcting one problem while creating another. Nevertheless, in both cases, I was given something for pain
in addition to the neurotin, topamax. For the lucky ones able to use Topamax, weight loss is big bonus. You didn't indicate why you were taking the pain meds, so it's difficult to determine if it will work for your condition. I suggest looking for the usage on an internet search. 
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The kindest words ever spoken are harsh words left "unsaid". A SOFT ANSWER TURNETH AWAY WRATH: BUT GRIEVIOUS WORDS STIR UP ANGER. PROVERBS 15:1
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BBM
Newbie
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 38
Loc: Midwest
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Thanks Everyone for your help on this issue. This board has really turned out to be a Great source of information. I need pain medications usually around 3-4 or maybe 5 times a year for my back. I have a severe curvature of my spine which is a form of scoliosis and I because of this I severely strain my back often. I have been to physical therapists and orthopedic drs but short of surgery there is nothing I can do.
Anyway, thanks again for all the helpful info.
BBM
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bronwyn
Journeyman
Reged: 11/11/03
Posts: 69
Loc: bluegrass
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BBM -
I have severe back problems, which is why I was on the neurontin and am now on the topamax. My migraines (which I used to get frequently and now get rarely I don't take anything for preventatively for - the one time I did it was an ace inhibitor and my blood pressure dropped so low I passed out). I'm not sure if I will continue the topamax because I can't keep my eyes open at work right now. We'll see...
Bronwyn
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Bronwyn
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Dasani
Enthusiast
Reged: 10/29/03
Posts: 286
Loc: FL
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BBM,
Neurotin, as everyone has already stated, is not for pain, however, it is believed that it has the abilty to coat nerve endings and lessen the pain associated with those nerves. Therefore, if you do not have a pinched nerved in your back, foramenal narrowing or chronic migraines, there is no reason for you to take Neurotin. There are too many unwanted side effects that you may experience from it. This is an obvious case where your Doctor is a coward and more concerned with preserving his medical license, than he is with caring for and treating his patients with the proper medication. It's amazing that they take the Hypocratic Oath to become doctors, but very few of them abide by it. If it doesn't work, just tell him it doesn't and then question him as to why he took you off of a medication that was effective for your pain. By the way, Neurotin has produced no clinical evidence that shows it reduces pain, therefore, it should be used "in conjunction" with a pain reliever such as Hydrocodone or Oxycodone for moderate to severe pain associated with nerve encroachment ar narrowing of the foramen (or spinal canal), and not by itself. Good luck.
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cleo911
Veteran
Reged: 08/22/02
Posts: 549
Loc: Bikini Atoll
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Another off-label use, which I personally use, is in the easing of benzo withdrawl symptoms. It's anti-seizure properties have alot to do with that, and it also defeats the insomnia that comes from benzo withdrawl.
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okiedad777
Member
Reged: 01/12/03
Posts: 138
Loc: Oklahoma
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Where can you get it?
Just curious
Jimbo
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Jimbo
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keystone
Veteran
Reged: 09/05/02
Posts: 598
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Quote:
My Doc had me on 800 mg. every 4 hours. Needless to say three auto accidents later, my wife called my Doc and blasted him. I never realized. Thank God for the little women.
Hmm. I am glad you didn't get hurt!
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The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he never existed.
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hoop123
Enthusiast
Reged: 12/14/01
Posts: 258
Loc: New York
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Keystone,
Thank you for youre concern. I am not knocking the drug, just the way it's been used. Again thank you for the concern. I am so lucky I wasn't killed. Although I did get sued by someone I hit. I should have sued the Doc.
Best Regards,
Hoop
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monkeysneem
Stranger
Reged: 05/06/04
Posts: 2
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I recently read that approximately 60% of the prescriptions for neurontin are for off-label uses. It's only FDA approved for siezures. So if your doc is prescribing it for pain management maybe you can call he/she out on this and ask for something that is approved for pain management not just marketed for it by the drug rep.s. I read that the drug reps are pushing it for chronic pain, migraines, etc..
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msimm
Newbie
Reged: 11/18/04
Posts: 48
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I haven't used Neurontin (gabapentin) myself (for pain management or anxiety/depression) but recently came across a post on dr-bob.org mentioning a synergistic relationship between gabapentin and naproxen in pain management.
PubMed abstract
Original dr-bob.org post
Just in case anyone was interested. It looks like Neurontin has been used for just about everything. 
Here's more general (US NIH) information about Gabapentin:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202732.html#SXX13
And some more general information from biopsychiatry.com:
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/gabapentin-neurontin.htm
Goes without saying, google is a sea of pages regarding Gabapentin.
How about some about.com just for good measure?
http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/gabapentin/
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woolius
Member
Reged: 02/08/02
Posts: 169
Loc: US
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I did take neurontin for pain management for about 6 months. It did help, but I have to say that getting off of that stuff wasn't exactly a picnic in the park. I weaned myself down from 2400mg to 300mg in over a 2 month period. From there, I went down 100mg about every 2 weeks. The last week I was on it I took only 50mg. Within two days of not taking it any more, I got terrible headaches almost every day. I called my doctor and he said this was a common side effect and would stop after 7 to 10 days. This went on for over 3 weeks.
Pfizer is accused of falsifying clinical trials and illegally paying physicians to prescribe Neurontin and conceal the off-label use on claim forms.
http://www.onlinelawyersource.com/news/pfizer-sued.html
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cherokeereb
Member
Reged: 05/08/03
Posts: 131
Loc: Southeast
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Well I have never used it but hubby does. He has a chronic pain condition and he swears by it. He call tell if he misses a dose which is usually at night. The next day he'll be in pain and as we try to figure out why a bad day he'll pop up with, "I missed my med yesterday!" I am gonna look in to the topamax that is mentioned as neurontin does have many side affects and interacts with many meds but ya take the good with the bad.
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Voo
Newbie
Reged: 10/04/04
Posts: 48
Loc: right coast, but not right pol...
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gettting off neurontin was the hardest detox i have ever had, and i don't consider 1 year of benzo's then withdrawal a picnic in the park. i was seriously in bed, feverish, sweating and wanting to die for two straight weeks after quiting cold turkey. the ridiculous thing was, neurontin , didn't even help that much. topomax, however, was wonderful, even helped me lose those last 5 stubborn pounds, and i stopped taking it when i decided to get pregnant, no withdrawal effects for me whatsoever. my mother, however, has a condition similar to mine and takes major amounts of oxy, vicodin, darvocet, soma, meprobamate and topomax. she has lost so much weight due to the topomax that she is on the verge of being hospitalized--yet she claims she just can't go below 150mg of topamax a day without having such pain she can't get out of bed. the weight loss seems to be accompanied by an image disorder (still thinks she's fat) and the topamax has made her look at least ten years older than she is. it's sad, she is so weak she can't even hold her grandson, but refuses to try to strenghten up even a little for her own sake, not because i want her to be able to hold her ten pound grandson for 5 minutes. she didn't have a problem detoxing off the neurontin, but the topomax is a different story. just goes to show everyone is different-even within the same family.
just my 2 cents,
voo
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Ember
Member
Reged: 03/20/03
Posts: 131
Loc: USA
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worse w/d I ever experienced,4 full weeks of wanting to die after taking it for 1 yr. I will never take just what ever a doc(pysch)will order me. It made me completely suidcial forthe 1st time in my life and I did not know or trust myself. Should NOT be used for anything
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fusion1
Stranger
Reged: 09/06/03
Posts: 4
Loc: TX
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this is great information, i appreciate all the posts. I am 2 years out from cervical fusion surgery and continue to have chronic pain. stopped going to otho surgeon as we provided no help or insight and went to neurologist who prescribed Nuerontin...been on it for 6 months w/no noticeable improvement. I asked him for hydro b/c of continuing pain and he says he will put me on topamin (topomax). Guess he is nervous about narcotics. But i am not confident that topamin is the way to go. Need help, that is for sure. thanks.
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