Fw: Neurontin --- Gabapentin

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From: " Carolyn Wolf (by way of ilena rose) " <carwol@...>

Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2001 7:04 PM

Subject: Neurontin --- Gabapentin

> Ilena,

>

> I spoke with a friend today who was recently prescribed Neurontin, also

> for nerve pain (not a Silicone Survivor)..She has been to the library and

> looked up information on it, which I had not done- Patients taking

> it should probably check USPDI - Volume 1, ( the pages for Professional

> use) -- page 1487. This is a Medical Knowledge Book with information on

> lots of medications to be found at any library; the Volume 2, for

> patients, does not give very much information on counter indications,

etc,

> so one should be sure it is volume 1. I also went to my favorite book

> store this evening and looked in Physicians' Desk Reference Book....page

> 2269.....Parke- is the pharmaceutical company that manufactures

> Neurontin, or Gabapentin.. Most often occurring side effects:

> somnolence, ataxia, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dizziness.. They also found

> pancreatic acinar adenocarcinomas in male rats. .It is fetotoxic in

> rodents, with delayed ossification of several bones in the skull, fore

> limbs, and hind limbs. There is also a warning that patients should take

> their first pill before going to bed, in case of adverse reactions...I had

> no information given to me by my doctor or pharmacist, so I took my first

> pill in the morning, and it made me " drunker than a lord " - very, very

> dizzy.... For discontinuing the medication:

>

> GRADUALLY, over a MINIMUM of one week.. This would be for

patients

> who have been taking it for a short period of time - the longer one has

> been taking it, the longer it would take to wean oneself from it..

> Supposedly, it takes up to 120 days for it to get out of the system.

> From what I read, it is primarily prescribed for epilepsy seizures; my

> friend's pharmacist told her that the FDA has not approved it for

ANYTHING

> other than that, but that it has been found to help with nerve pain.

> The sisters were so good to share their experiences with me when it was

> prescribed for me (for nerve pain, only); I don't know if they know of

> the adverse reaction warnings, or not...I most certainly was not informed

> in any way. The Web address for the Physician's Desk Reference:

> www.PDR.net. I believe the page number is 2269..I think it extremely

> important for any women of child bearing age to read this...and for each

> of us to weigh the pros and cons concerning ourselves..

>

> Thank you, and thanks to my sisters who shared with me... Carolyn..

>

>

>