gabapenti

[comphibron]

Probably a couple of weeks ago a person wrote in they were using a drug called gabapentin for hearaches following their surgery for an AN.I wonder if that person would respond with info on the side effects they had,if any,from that drug.I have just starting taking gabapentin for trigeminal nerve pain and it seems like I have increased my headaches and have to take tylenol to stop them.I have only been on the drug for maybe 8 days and my doctor has said it would 3 weeks for it to become effective.
Tony

[Windsong]

I saw your post Tony and  decided I need to reply.

This is the first I have heard that gaba (neurontin) is being  prescribed for post op headache, bu that's by the by... I do know it is prescribed for trigeminal neuralgia pain.

It is also prescribed for other neurological conditions which have left the patient in much pain.

The interesting thing about this drug is that it has been the subject of a number of lawsuits the last couple of years and the manufacturers have paid out quite some big sums of money. If you do a google search you can find some of this. From what I read, it seems that there was a problem with off label use, meaning that the drug was used  and is fda approved for epilepsy but then prescribed for other things such as pain....and there was some "funny business" in that.......and i don't think this is the place to get into all the details about that but suffice to say,   it is, from what i have read again, being implicated in a number of areas in patient reaction.  I myself was prescribed that for pain (and this was not AN related), but I had to go off it fairly quickly. I know of a number of poeple who have been on it (again not for An, but for pain. ) Some of those people have said it works for them;  many others have said no.. citing weight gain, having to titrate up to huge amts of the drug, and not being helped, along with some other symptoms, some of which are being cited in a lawsuit filed this year.  Personally I would not take it ever again. But each of us reacts to drugs differently.

I do know that another drug is prescribed for trigeminal and that is tegretol. I have never taken that so i can't really comment on it, but I have a dear friend who did/is... again this was not for an An or any complications like trigeminal pain but for another neurological condition that is way up there on the pain scale. He has to have his liver monitored while on it..... but it works for him.

If I were you, I would do a bunch of searches on this drug and ask your doctor about what is else is out there for you..... there are others.


Sincerely,
Windsong.

[comphibron]

Thanks for the reply and info.I was taking it for a trigeminal neuralgia and I dont like it.So,maybe I will stop taking it.I have appt with a neuraligist tomorrow and will find out from him.
Thanks again
T

[Windsong]

Your welcome, Tony. I hope you get the treatment that can help you.
 Best wishes.

[sally]

Tony,
I was taking neurontin for pain associated with MS and I found that it effected my thought process.  I own a business and I couldn't remember longtime customers names when they came in.  I discontinued taking it and my memory recall has improved.
sally

[comphibron]

I did see a neurologist today and she prescribed gabapentin to me also.I expressed my concerns and she said she has never had a problem with prescribing it,but my wife and I still think it would be better to stop taking it as I am having some side effects with it even though I have only taken it for about 8 days.I can get the same benefit with a couple of tylenol.I know that isnt good either but there isnt the side effects and this trigeminal neurolgia should be temporary.Dont know what else to do,it all seems harmful.
T

[Kathleen_Mc]

To All: I think it is important that I comment on this thread. These drugs that your doctor's are prescribing were orginally made for the treatment of seizure disorders, which as you know orginate from the brain....as time has gone on both Neurologist and Psychiatrists have found these drugs helpful in the treatment of neurologic and psychiatric disorders (drugs such as Rivotril, Tregetol, Neurontin etc.) These drugs to have significant side effects and some of you have obviously experienced them....in some these side effects can be transient and pass with continued compliance with the drug and some people suffer the side effects for the entire time they are on the medication and for some the side effects are worse than the reason they were put on the drug in the first place. Speak to you doctor before stopping these type of medications, many of them you cannot stop "cold turkey" and have to be put on a schedule of gradual reduction until off them.... also there are other drugs that can be used to help our headaches that do not "work on the brain" such as Inderal (antihypertensive) and they can be just as helpful and they have far less significant side effects. Also remember these headaches may never go away (I still get them and it's been 15 years since my orginal surgery), maybe there are things you haven't tried other than taking a pill (which also effects your entire body to some extent ie:liver, kidney's)....no these other options are not the "best way to go" but I just think all other measures should be tried before you guys take medications that act on your brains functioning (neurotranmittors, brain chemicals).I work in the area of Psychiatry, I see people who've been on these drugs for a long time, sometimes it's not very pretty. Something else to keep in mind is these drugs have an effect on the mood (mood altering drugs they are) and if you have problems with depression taking these may or may not make a difference in this factor.
Kathleen

[Windsong]

Saw your reply here Kathleen. Good to see it.


Pain is a strange thing.... witness all the research going on right now for answers to it. The McGill pain index is interesting. Some pain is up there around 42, some around the 20's, some less etc....

I think it's important to know what one's doc knows about any new drug being given anyone and that it's not a case of pulling out big guns when a flyswatter would have the same end result...... with far less problems.