Hello everybody:
I have been tapering off vic while still experiencing severe pain brought on by a compressed occipital nerve on the left side. I saw my primary care this afternoon who said that I need neurontin to start treating the nerve problem. I have pain, weakness, tingling, etc all the way down my left shoulder and arm. Not to mention the headaches and ear pressure.
Anyway, he spent an entire hour with me discussing the problem and my deep deep concerns about the opiate pain killers. He has spoken directly to my spine surgeon and they agree the neurontin is a good start and that my pain is very real both on the pain killers and off. Before beginning the taper, I was only taking 1 vic about 6-8 hours, no more than 3 a day.
UGGH. Continuing to be frustrated and looking for input
T
Hey T, this is not medical advice of course, just me personally. But I took neurontin for awhile and swore by it. Stopped my headaches in ten minutes! I know of others, including my husband who say it is very effective for burning pain. I'd still be taking it occassionally probably if it werent extremely expensive, here in the south anyway. I don't know a real lot about it, but I was told it was once used for treating seizures and they discovered it blocked the nerve endings that deliver pain. I also read somewhere that it has been used with people for chronic pain disorders. I think you might be pleased with how much it helps you (of course everyone is different). Hope you have good insurance though, my perscription ran from 300 dollars and up depending on the milligrams. Good luck with it! Love you, see you tonight, Kat
hey t -
sorry to hear you are in so much pain. have you tried something like PT or massage - stretching exercises of your neck etc.? my apologies if you have already answered this in another post - it's been a while since i've visited this board.
your message caught my eye. i would be interested in hearing your physician's thoughts or comments about what i have posted below. this was published last may and i remember seeing this in great detail on the news program 20/20.
way to go on the taper! what is your goal date to be off completely?
namaste'
sammy
______
News: Pharmaceutical Whistleblower
Pfizer Guilty, To Pay $430M
AP - Denise Lavoie
05/14/04 - Pfizer Inc. will plead guilty to criminal charges and pay $430 million in fines to settle charges that a company it bought illegally promoted non-approved uses for a drug.
The settlement with the world's largest pharmaceutical company over Warner-Lambert, which Pfizer bought in 2000, includes a $240 million criminal fine the second-largest ever imposed in a health-care fraud prosecution, the Justice Department said. Pfizer also will pay $152 million in civil fines to be shared among state and federal Medicaid agencies. Another $38 million would go to state consumer-protection agencies.
Under the agreement announced Thursday by federal prosecutors, the company acknowledged spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote non-approved uses for the anti-seizure drug Neurontin. The company said the activity occurred years before it bought Warner-Lambert.
The case began in 1996, when scientist David Franklin filed a whistleblower lawsuit under the U.S. False Claims Act, which allows private citizens to sue on behalf of the government and receive a portion of awards in cases where companies are defrauding the government. Franklin will receive $26.6 million as part of the settlement.
Franklin's suit alleged that, to drive up sales in the 1990s, drug maker Parke-Davis and its parent company Warner-Lambert promoted the drug Neurontin for relieving pain, headaches, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric illnesses though it was approved only as an epilepsy drug. While doctors can prescribe drugs for any use, promoting drugs for so-called "off-label uses" is prohibited by the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act.
The lawsuit alleged the company's plan included paying doctors to put their names on ghostwritten articles about Neurontin and to induce them to prescribe the drug for various uses by giving them tickets to sporting events, trips to golf resorts and speakers fees.
sorry to hear you are in so much pain. have you tried something like PT or massage - stretching exercises of your neck etc.? my apologies if you have already answered this in another post - it's been a while since i've visited this board.
your message caught my eye. i would be interested in hearing your physician's thoughts or comments about what i have posted below. this was published last may and i remember seeing this in great detail on the news program 20/20.
way to go on the taper! what is your goal date to be off completely?
namaste'
sammy
______
News: Pharmaceutical Whistleblower
Pfizer Guilty, To Pay $430M
AP - Denise Lavoie
05/14/04 - Pfizer Inc. will plead guilty to criminal charges and pay $430 million in fines to settle charges that a company it bought illegally promoted non-approved uses for a drug.
The settlement with the world's largest pharmaceutical company over Warner-Lambert, which Pfizer bought in 2000, includes a $240 million criminal fine the second-largest ever imposed in a health-care fraud prosecution, the Justice Department said. Pfizer also will pay $152 million in civil fines to be shared among state and federal Medicaid agencies. Another $38 million would go to state consumer-protection agencies.
Under the agreement announced Thursday by federal prosecutors, the company acknowledged spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote non-approved uses for the anti-seizure drug Neurontin. The company said the activity occurred years before it bought Warner-Lambert.
The case began in 1996, when scientist David Franklin filed a whistleblower lawsuit under the U.S. False Claims Act, which allows private citizens to sue on behalf of the government and receive a portion of awards in cases where companies are defrauding the government. Franklin will receive $26.6 million as part of the settlement.
Franklin's suit alleged that, to drive up sales in the 1990s, drug maker Parke-Davis and its parent company Warner-Lambert promoted the drug Neurontin for relieving pain, headaches, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric illnesses though it was approved only as an epilepsy drug. While doctors can prescribe drugs for any use, promoting drugs for so-called "off-label uses" is prohibited by the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act.
The lawsuit alleged the company's plan included paying doctors to put their names on ghostwritten articles about Neurontin and to induce them to prescribe the drug for various uses by giving them tickets to sporting events, trips to golf resorts and speakers fees.
Wow T, that's all news to me. I'm glad somebody was on the ball and knew about this. I would never ever recommend anything that I thought would harm you in any way. Glad Dsam was paying attention!! You know, I can't figure out why drs are still prescribing this medication with all that going on. The only thing I know is that is really was effective for me and my husband, I've heard of others too. Anyway, at least you have some information to work with to help you make a decision about what would be best. Thanks Dsam, for noticing, I would hate to steer somebody in the wrong direction. It's nice to know there are knowledgable people around here who are nice enough to share what they know!! Much love, Kat
