KEPPRA (Dr.) Neuropathic pain.

[Guest guest]

HI

I'm so sorry but I know someone asked about Keppra? I'm so far back I'd never find the name forgive me... but here's just a little bit about it and I see Dr. is one who did a study or trial with it but I don't have the results.

(U. of Rochester Medical center)

, D.

Etiology of vulvar vestibulitis

, D.

Vulvar Vestibulitis Trial: Desipramine-Lidocaine

, D.

A Prospective, Open-label trial of Levetiracetam (Keppra TM) in Patients with Generalized Vulvar Dysesthesia (formerly dysesthetic vulvodynia)

, D.

A Prospective, Open-label trial of Levetiracetam (Keppra TM) in Patients with Generalized Vulvar Dysesthesia (formerly dysesthetic vulvodynia)

KEEP SCROLLING.......>

UCB Pharma Inc.

Start date

01/24/03

End Date

03/31/05

Source: http://www.loftusmd.com/Articles/Pain/overview.html

(for below article)

In nature, pain is suppose to be a response to a noxious stimulus to teach us to not do whatever we did that caused the pain in the first place. Pain is sensed by small fibers in the peripheral nervous system. They relay the information to the spinal cord and then to the brain.

Most pain medications that we think of - tylenol, aspirin, ibuprofen, codeine, morphine, and other narcotics, are tested in models of pain that do 'not' involve damage to the peripheral nervous system itself. Common pain models include skin trauma, orthopedic surgery, child birth, and kidney stones.

When neurologists think of neuropathic pain, we are refering to pain being caused by the peripheral nerve fibers themselves.

Descriptions of neuropathic pain by patients typically include words such as burning, shooting, stabbing, or electric like and not aching or crushing. The distribution of pain will be along the course of a particular peripheral nerve or a group of nerves of similar length.

For neuropathic pain, non-narcotic pain relievers are generally 'not' helpful. Narcotic pain relievers typically have initial success but many times patients have to keep increasing the dose.

I am not aware of any narcotic medications being approved for neuropathic pain by the FDA.

Neurologist have learned that other types of medications - such as tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRIs) and some anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are very useful in this type of pain.

Topical anesthetics can also be useful. The approach to a patient with neuropathic pain when seen by a neurologist will be very different when seen by physicians who consider themselves pain specialists.

The following are the medications currently on the FDAs 'approved' list for neuropathic pain and their indications.

Gabapentin or Neurontin is FDA approved for post-herpetic neuralgia.

Duloxetine or Cymbalta is FDA approved for pain diabetic peripheral neuropathiy.

Carbamezepine or Tegretol or Carbatrol is FDA approved for facial pain. Pregabalin or Lyrica is FDA approved for post-herpetic neuralgia and painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Lidoderm - a topical anesthetic - is FDA approved for post-herpetic neuralgia.

Some of the most frequent causes of neuropathic pain are reviewed in separate articles but any shooting, stabbing, or burning type pain in the distribution of a particular nerve can benefit from this approach. It is important to try to identify the cause of the nerve injury and fix it where possible. Unfortunately, this is not always possible.

Here he mentions Keppra and seizures :

http://www.loftusmd.com/Articles/AED/keppra.html

and on his last line he says ......

"Keppra® has been shown in some open label trials to be effective for neuropathic pain." <----which gives you the above info.

AND Here he says: http://www.loftusmd.com/Articles/AED/zonegran.html

''In open label add on trials, Zonegran® has been shown to be effective in some forms of neuropathic pain.'' (same as above too.)

Me here.... So all in all I really dont know that much about it myself other than some have tried it but I've really no idea if it was beneficial or not hon. I sure wish you luck if you try it and be sure to let us know.

Hugs and sorry so far behind, with the holidays & more coming up it's been a zoo around here.*smile*

Dee~