Gabapentin

[jessejames]

Gabapentin is best known under the brand name Neurontin manufactured by Pfizer subsidiary Parke-Davis. A Parke-Davis subsidiary named Greenstone markets generic Gabapentin.

In December 2004, the FDA granted final approval to a generic equivalent to Neurontin made by Israeli firm Teva.

Neurontin is one of Pfizer’s best selling drugs, and was one of the 50 most prescribed drugs in the United States in 2003. However, in recent years Pfizer has come under heavy criticism for its marketing of Neurontin, facing allegations that behind the scenes Parke-Davis marketed the drug for at least a dozen supposed uses for which the drug had not been FDA approved.

By some estimates, so-called off-label prescriptions account for roughly 90% of Neurontin sales.[12] While off-label prescriptions are common for a number of drugs and are perfectly legal (if not always appropriate), marketing of off-label uses of a drug is strictly illegal.[13] In 2004, Warner-Lambert agreed to plead guilty and pay $430 million in fines to settle civil and criminal charges regarding the illegal marketing of Neurontin for off-label purposes, and further legal action is pending. The courts of New York State, for example, have refused to certify a class of injured parties who took Neurontin for off-label use, finding that they had failed to state that they had had any injury.[14]

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has archived [15] and studied [16] the documents made public by this case which opens a unique window into pharmaceutical marketing and illegal drug promotion. However, Pfizer maintains that the illegal activity originated in 1996, well before it accquired Parke-Davis (through its acquisition of Warner-Lambert) in 2000. Several lawsuits are underway after people prescribed gabapentin for off-label treatment of bipolar disorder attempted or committed suicide.

Pfizer has developed a successor to gabapentin, called pregabalin (being marketed as Lyrica). Structurally related to gabapentin, pregabalin is effective for neuropathic pain associated with diabetes, fibromyalgia, and shingles, as well as for the treatment of epilepsy and seizures.

[Ricky]

I take 3200 mg per day along with 16 mg of Trileptal and 120 mg of Cymbalta for the centeral nerve damage caused by my stroke to the left side. Together they keep the pain level at about a 7 so I guess it works. It definitely takes care of the PN that I suffer on the Right side due to DMII. So for PN it works great. For central nerve pain (known as Dejerne-Roussy Syndrome) its fair. The combo of the three make me crazy,sleepy. They also cause me to forget things like where I am at and who I am sometimes.

[evandc]

Weight gain, that's why me PCP took me off Gabapentin. Was taking for PN, so had to take other meds.

Don

[Pete53]

Don:

What do you take for PN now. The gabapentin sure helps and if I miss a dose I am reminded fairly quickly

[evandc]

Pete,

I take Baclofen (20 mg) at bedtime. My PN is mainly in the feet, they are numb & start that aching, shooting, drawing pain in the middle of night if I don't take something. Also use Trixaicin HP Cream (Capsicum Oleoresin) that burns like hell on other parts of body, but since the bottom of feet are numb I can't feel it.

Don

[john999]

There is a drug called Lyrica that is a drug for nerve pain. I don't know if the VA will prescribe it since it is expensive and new. Their is also Topomax. These drugs are for nerve pain as is neurontin. The VA prescribes gabapentin (neurontin) for just about everything including PTSD. It is an anti-seizure medication which is often given out for other things because it is cheap now.