Posted by NicholasD (209.83.95.17) on February 24, 2000 at 20:37:43:
In Reply to: neurontin posted by KELLY CASTLETON on February 24, 2000 at 19:47:50:
Neurontin has been studied since 1983 and was approved by the FDA for the control of epilepsy in 1994. Parke-Davis has been successfully conducting long-term clinical trials in doses at 2400-3600mg a day.
In 1996, research for other purposes began appearing and there has been a quiet revolution of patients and doctors finding that Neurontin is helpful in illnesses other than epilepsy. Neurontin being prescribed for disorders other than epilepsy is called "off-label" use.
Neurontin has medical studies showing it effective for off-label illnesses such as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), peripheral neuropathy, the pain and spasticity of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), trigeminal neuralgia, migraines, neuropathic pain, postherpetic neuralgia, post-operative pain, myofascial pain (MPS), radiation myelopathy, Restless Leg Syndrome, Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), Periodic Leg Movement (PLM) and it is concluded (in one study) that gabapentin (Neurontin) "represents a novel class of antihyperalgesic agents" (pain medications). It also has been shown to be helpful in mood disorders such as Bipolar Disorder and depression.
Dr. Seastrunk, a psychiatrist from Texas, has been finding that Neurontin may be helpful in CFS and FMS and theorizes that is because there is a focal brain injury that Neurontin can minimize.