Neurotin - other uses

[BuckeyeFan]

Has anyone else heard of using Neurotin for anything besides seizures?

My Mom has terminal cancer and the hospice doctor has prescribed Neurotin to help control pain. I understand it to be an interim step before going to the strong pain killers. I had not heard of this use before. She does not have real bad pain now, so I hope this helps for awhile.

Anyone have experience taking it with nerve pills such as tranxene or zoloft?

[Bernard]

Neurontin was one of the drugs singled out as being abused for off-label use some time ago.

According to what I can find, Neurontin is FDA approved for treatment of epilepsy and "nerve pain" (Postherpetic Neuralgia). It seems to be commonly prescribed for off-label use in managing of forms of pain.

http://www.onlinelawyersource.com/neurontin/uses.html

http://www.drugs.com/pro/neurontin.html

[Meetz1064]

know it to be used quite commonly for pain, especially amongst friends of mine that have fibromyalgia. It is a lower class med for pain--not in the same class as the regular pain killers, but it does work on the nervous system to deal with the neuropathy that can be quite common.

My friends that have taken it with Zoloft have had 50/50 good and bad experiences with it--you might want to go look it up and drugs.com on the interaction area. As for the tranxene, I don't honestly know about it.........

Tell your mom Hi for me, and give her lots of hugs.

M

[Nakamova]

I think neurontin has been used off-label for peripheral neuropathy, and for bipolar. Dilantin has also been used for peripheral neuropathy. Ironically, Dilantin can CAUSE peripheral neuropathy after extreme long-term use (due to nerve damage), but it can help treat it in other situations.

[Crystalblue]

When I worked at the hospice, quite a few of our patients took Neurontin for nerve pain. It really did work for some of them, too. I don't know anything about your mom's cancer, but her Dr. may suspect a tumor putting pressure on a nerve. Or, some types of chemo cause neuropathy, which Neurontin is approved for treating. Sending good thoughts for your mom and for you.

[huskymom]

So sorry to hear about your mom! I took Neurontin for quite awhile after loss of muscle function while it was building back up. It helped a lot with the nerves and muscle pain. I wish the best for you and your mom.

[Endless]

It was prescribed for me for about 7 years for nerve pain, and it worked. It had the side benefit of improving sleep. I had a hard time both pain-wise and with sleep when I went off of it.

[Birdbomb]

My husband was prescribed Neurotin for "Restless Leg Syndrome" several years ago. I think his wound care specialist took him off it.

My pain specialist wanted to try it with me but because of my own bad experience with it years ago, nixed the idea.

[BuckeyeFan]

Thanks for the input everyone. Mom's most significant pain is in her lower back/hip/leg right now. That sounds like it matches up with others nerve related pain usage. Glad to hear it worked for some of you.

Some of my web research did show its use as a pain killer, though it is unclear if that is actually FDA approved.

Also, thanks for your continued support.

[Meetz1064]

just wrote an article for a client on meds and their off label uses. One of them being Neurontin.

Anticonvulsants, as a whole, are the largest group of meds that are routinely given to people in off label uses. Topomax, Lamictal, Neurontin and Gabitril being some of the most popular. Weight loss, mood stabilization, migraines, bi polar treatment, depression and pain treatment are all off label uses of these meds.

The FDA gives their approval for the anticonvulsant as just that. Doctors find out about the other uses over time--through various ways. Sometimes by trying it out on their patients for the off label reason anyway, sometimes by using it for seizures, and noting an improvement in the other area.......