Re: Neurontin? Barbara's file on it!

[Guest guest]

,

In polio patients, I think if you go to the Medline to read the articles on

it and RLS, instructions are below, it develops later. Also, par for the

course, the pack rat, me, also is my file on Neurontin. See it below.

Barbara

Instructions and site for medlines or search of medical journal articles;

free!

http://www.healthgate.com/HealthGate/MEDLINE/search-adv.shtml

Fill in Search: Polio and Restless Legs Syndrome

Retrieve documents increments of: Set for 200

Click on " Abstract Available " (just title if abstract or summary not

available won't help you probably)

Limit date range to: 1970 - 1998 (as example)

Click on circle in front of " Pubished between " and reset so says 1966 to 1998

or whatever dates you wish covered. Goes back maximum to 1966

Automatic Seaching for plural word in your search terms: turn " on " (bottom

page to right)

BARBARA'S NEURONTIN FILE:

Hi, Neuro prescribed Neurontin so I could get off the Maripex for a while.

Took one at 6 p.m. Around 9 p.m. my legs really started jumping here at the

computer. Thinking I needed more Neurontin, I took another. The legs

started going crazy, then my upper arms and hands. I was becoming afraid of

what I was in for when I went to bed. Went to bed around 11 p.m. and took a

tylenol with codeine. I didn't care if it interacted or not. I told my son

what I had taken. . . just in case.

F ortunately, the tylenol/codeine settled me down and I was able to sleep.

When the alarm went off at 5 a.m. I was waiting for the next " snooze " to go

off and my legs started up again. This was the first time I have ever had

RLS the first thing in the morning before I ever got out of bed. I must have

still had some Neurontin in my system.

So, I for one, cannot take Neurontin. It exacerbates my RLS terribly. I

called the doctor and I went back on the Maripex and he told me he couldn't

do anything else for me--he is referring me to a new neurologist coming to

town in April who he says is more versed in RLS. So much for this neuro.

Lindy B. in Southeast Texas

Hello All,

I think that the sleep survey is a good idea. Maybe we can use a

space to write in any extranious info that the Doc might find relavent. Also,

I think it's important to list any additional medical problems that we might

have. That's including say, a woman's menstral cycle-that's definitly a

trigger, or Arthritis, or Diabetes, or additional stress/anxiety. All these

things do make a difference as to how our RLS responds.

I will be seeing my Neuro in Boston this coming Monday and I get to

tell him of my latest malady, which is my eyesight in my left eye. I have

thought for the longest time that it was d/t my meds or something, but in the

past year or less, my eyesight has worsened. This morning I went to my eye Dr

and he confimed this although he's not sure what is causing it-it's not my

medications though. Something about my optical muscles are pulling away from

the object I'm looking at and it may be caused by my opitical nerves. He's

going to send a letter to my Neuro here and suggest some kinda test that

checks the optical nerves themselves. Maybe I'm experiencing Purgatory on

Earth.

I did want to mention a couple of meds, more for the new comers,

because I know that I've discussed them before. This is only MY experience

with these meds. Please remember that we all respond differently to

medications!!! NEURONTIN: This med has helped with my PLMD by almost ceasing

all my night time kicking, and I used to kick!! I have been on this med for

over a year. My current dose is 900mg, tid. I did have some shakiness at the

start of taking this med, but it has went away. This med also helps the

" creepy-crawlies " even though I still have symptoms, it's better and the best

tolerated of all meds tried.

WELLBUTRIN: I tried this med to quit smoking. I am still smoking !

I found this med to make my emotions off the wall and it made my legs out of

control. I tried this med for a week +, but had to d/c it because of the side

affects. I know of some people who did well on it, but it does have a

sideaffect of insomnia-that happened to my husband who also tried it. It made

him a mad man, very aggresive and he had to stop it.

I hope that who ever tries these meds has success. Actually, I hope that

what ever meds and/or alternative approaches that one tries works. Anything

to make this go as far away as possible!!!

I wish the best to all and good days and nights -

le in R.I.

Subj: Re: Neurontin/Drug Interaction

Date: 1/15/99 12:43:52 AM Eastern Standard Time

From: pathdoc@... ( L. Levin, M.D.)

To: MetaMom123@...

CC: rlssupport (AT) onelist (DOT) com

Connie,

Thanks for the kind words. Neurontin will increase the effects of any

central nervous system depressant such as other anti-epileptics, alcohol,

barbiturates and probably all sleeping aid medications. Its action when taken

with SSRI's and other antidepressants has not been reported. Neurontin should

be taken two hours before or after taking Maalox, to avoid reduction of

absorption. No other drugs are reported to interact with Neurontin. Of

interest, Neurontin can cause a false positive test for urinary protein when

tested by the dipstick method. The older, sulphosalicylic acid standard

method for urinary protein is not affected.

Dr. Levin

While I was away the last three weeks, doing lots of driving, I had to call

my doctor and he prescribed Neurontin. I was a little surprised since I did

not know this was used for pain. I also was a little nervous about taking

Permax and Neurontin together but I was too far away to call the doctor. It

did nothing for the pain in my legs but I guess it helped the twitching.

However, I was reading the pamphlet that goes along with the medicine and it

said one of the side effects was weight gain. Has anyone ever had a problem

with gaining weight?

I also have the itching but my husband bought a humiderfier for our bedroom

and that seems to help. I also bought some cream which diabetics use so I am

going to try that. I will let everyone know if that helps. The good news is

that I was able to drive 12 hours a day without going nuts. However, when I

had to sit for two hours listening to a lecture one evening, I was ready to

climb the wall. Muriel

Date: 1/13/99 11:54:44 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: pathdoc@... ( L. Levin, M.D.)

To: rlssupport (AT) onelist (DOT) com

To all:

All of you who are taking Neurontin (gabapentin) can rest assured, regardless

of what you have read on this net, that there is no danger of liver or kidney

damage due to taking this drug. An extensive search of the literature reveals

no cases of liver or kidney damage. In fact, several papers point to

Neurontin as one of the safer drugs being used as an anticonvulsant. The

reason for its safety is that Neurontin is not metabolized by the body. It is

excreted in the urine as the intact drug.

Mention is made that people with PRE-EXISTING kidney disease should adjust

the dose of Neurontin because it can build up if not excreted in the urine at

the expected rate. The same is true of Mirapex and many other drugs. The

damage referred to is not done by the Neurontin, it was there before you

started taking it. It is well recognized that Neurontin will increase the

effect of any central nervous system depressant. It does this in epileptics

(the FDA indication for Neurontin) as well as in people with RLS or anybody

else. All of the benzodiazepines are CNS depressants as is alcohol and

sleeping pills of any type. The way to handle this is to reduce the usual

dose of benzodiazepine or other CNS depressant if you find that the effect is

too strong because of the combined effect with Neurontin. The product

information in the PDR (which is the approved FDA wording) states that

routine lab studies are not needed when taking Neurontin.

If someone has information that contradicts the above, I would appreciate the

education. If not, I think that in fairness to the people taking Neurontin

that this misinformation stop. Express your opinion all you want, but don't

label it as fact. If the shoe fits.....

Dr. Levin

:

Check out this pharmocological site that I have used many times. I have a

Medications Web site linked to my RLS web site at

http://www.mLists.net/judson/rls.html and the site for the information on

Neurontin (Gabapentin) is http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/gabapent.htm.

Hope that this helps. I had good success with Neurontin when I was taking it,

and other than a little weight gain, that was the only noticeable side effect

that I had.

Jodi