Quietcook
09-14-2005, 03:44 PM
Posted this info long time ago but feel it worth repeating as noticing more and more people are taking Neurontin for back problems. This is just informational, as not all doctors provide warnings about this particular medication, along with the fact that it is not FDA approved for treatment of back/nerve pain problems. Being used in that fashion is what they call off-label prescribing of the medication.
This is not to say that it does not work in those methods, but it alarms me with the articles I've read, about its safety, especially in raising suicide risk among all patients who take it. Everyone has a different reaction to every medication, which we all know that more than one drug has been used for off-label prescribing, and nothing is done until a number of people die due to shootings or other deaths. Nno one particularly wants to add to their problems by becoming depressed or suicidal due to a medication reaction.
Read and printed out several articles from a San Franciso newspaper about Neurontin and patient's right to know and how much doctors feel they should disclose about treatments. It is truly scary. My own experience with Neurontin is limited, as it immediately caused me problems, so I was on it only a few days, and when a neurologist wanted me to go on it for back pain, my primary doctor refused because of the need for constant monitoring due to risk of damage to the liver.
Not discouraging you who take it and it works for you, but do want to encourage any of you who take it to be aware of all the signs of it causing complications, whether with organs of the feeling of suicide or depression. Search out the Chronicle articles from San Francisco just by using the paper, location and Neurontin in your search and read the concerns that FDA has and just be aware so that you can raise any questions you want to talk about with your doctor. If using it for nerve damage is working for you, that's wonderful, but be informed. If it is causing you any of the negative impacts, then please talk with your doctor and see if another drug might serve you better. Even the best drug that works wonders for it’s intended use, if when used in off-label situations it could cause enough problems that it could be removed from availability. It's just best for us to know exactly what the drug was intended for and if we're taking it in off-label prescribing situation such as for nerve pain, then be sure you know what to look for.
Neurontin is approved for treating seizures. If it helps in any other area, again it is wonderful, but just keep yourself informed and insist on the appropriate testing to make sure you don’t wind up with damage to your liver because it wasn’t monitored.
I really don't get too alarmed over many meds. But, remember the VIOXX deal? Just another drug, like Bextra, and what about Prosac that has had warnings, and it took years before the warnings were more than a mild discussion in a 30 second spot on the news.
My mother was on VIOXX and not having any trouble for the few months she was on it, but when the FDA came out with the first warning, it just so happened we had a doctor’s appointment the next day. He stopped her with VIOXX right then and I’m so glad. She did develop major heart problems, but no way for us to know if it was or was not related. However, later we found out three of her sisters, in other states were put on the VIOXX. We immediately let them know about the warnings and our concerns that they speak with their doctors, and even mailed them copies of the FDA warnings at that point. Well, one stopped it then, but the other two were of the opinion that their doctor would not give them anything that could do them harm and wouldn't even talk with their doctors about it, in spite of the fact that she was having unexplained bleeding and major blood loss while on it. She died from blood loss and several strokes a couple of months later, and the other died from stokes one month after that. What a waste, as both were much younger than my mother. Both of us thought them more educated than to just accept that their docs could not give them something that would harm them. How can a doc know everything about thousands of different drugs?
Just keep being your own best advocate and be informed so you can ask questions. Best wishes.
This is not to say that it does not work in those methods, but it alarms me with the articles I've read, about its safety, especially in raising suicide risk among all patients who take it. Everyone has a different reaction to every medication, which we all know that more than one drug has been used for off-label prescribing, and nothing is done until a number of people die due to shootings or other deaths. Nno one particularly wants to add to their problems by becoming depressed or suicidal due to a medication reaction.
Read and printed out several articles from a San Franciso newspaper about Neurontin and patient's right to know and how much doctors feel they should disclose about treatments. It is truly scary. My own experience with Neurontin is limited, as it immediately caused me problems, so I was on it only a few days, and when a neurologist wanted me to go on it for back pain, my primary doctor refused because of the need for constant monitoring due to risk of damage to the liver.
Not discouraging you who take it and it works for you, but do want to encourage any of you who take it to be aware of all the signs of it causing complications, whether with organs of the feeling of suicide or depression. Search out the Chronicle articles from San Francisco just by using the paper, location and Neurontin in your search and read the concerns that FDA has and just be aware so that you can raise any questions you want to talk about with your doctor. If using it for nerve damage is working for you, that's wonderful, but be informed. If it is causing you any of the negative impacts, then please talk with your doctor and see if another drug might serve you better. Even the best drug that works wonders for it’s intended use, if when used in off-label situations it could cause enough problems that it could be removed from availability. It's just best for us to know exactly what the drug was intended for and if we're taking it in off-label prescribing situation such as for nerve pain, then be sure you know what to look for.
Neurontin is approved for treating seizures. If it helps in any other area, again it is wonderful, but just keep yourself informed and insist on the appropriate testing to make sure you don’t wind up with damage to your liver because it wasn’t monitored.
I really don't get too alarmed over many meds. But, remember the VIOXX deal? Just another drug, like Bextra, and what about Prosac that has had warnings, and it took years before the warnings were more than a mild discussion in a 30 second spot on the news.
My mother was on VIOXX and not having any trouble for the few months she was on it, but when the FDA came out with the first warning, it just so happened we had a doctor’s appointment the next day. He stopped her with VIOXX right then and I’m so glad. She did develop major heart problems, but no way for us to know if it was or was not related. However, later we found out three of her sisters, in other states were put on the VIOXX. We immediately let them know about the warnings and our concerns that they speak with their doctors, and even mailed them copies of the FDA warnings at that point. Well, one stopped it then, but the other two were of the opinion that their doctor would not give them anything that could do them harm and wouldn't even talk with their doctors about it, in spite of the fact that she was having unexplained bleeding and major blood loss while on it. She died from blood loss and several strokes a couple of months later, and the other died from stokes one month after that. What a waste, as both were much younger than my mother. Both of us thought them more educated than to just accept that their docs could not give them something that would harm them. How can a doc know everything about thousands of different drugs?
Just keep being your own best advocate and be informed so you can ask questions. Best wishes.