Neurontin and jank

In response to the question about whether Neurontin damages the kidneys: this is one of my strong concerns, as I have a lifetime of problems of the urinary system. Since pain of the lower back over the kidney is one of the prominent symptoms of kidney damage/infection (and I have only had it since taking Neurontin), I don't want to take any chances. I'd advise that you -- or your husband -- check into this. Best wishes, JanK

RE: Spitting up blood

This is a BAD side-effect (although it's the first I've heard about it as connected to Neurontin) and you need to see your doctor immediately! Blood coming-out where it's not supposed to be is a sign of a broken blood vessel somewhere( you need to be ready to tell your doctor -- or call 911 -- about quantity of blood, frequency and timing of blood flow.) If it's from the head-area it could be from a small stroke. Facial numbness is also a symptom of a small stroke, serious as a heart-attack. Are you having trouble talking, walking, or paralysis in any limbs? CALL YOUR DOCTOR -- preferably the one who prescribed the Neurontin...tell him/her it's an emergency.

The facial numbness could very well be connected to nerve-damage in the herniated disc, but it's more frequently a sign of stroke, nerve damage from clots, etc...

Sometimes pain is a survival characteristic...it tells us something is wrong in the body. Good luck. JanK, Neurontin userid, certified Master's level counselor and First Aid practitioner

I would also like to know of documented use of liver and (especially) kidney problems with Neurontin, as I am having side effects that seem to indicate great wear-and-tear on the kidneys. JanK

Ref, Swelling of feet and legs: Try to think back about whether the swelling happened before or after you went off the Neurontin, as this drug acts like a strong diuretic, and if your kidneys are not working correctly (your doctor) can check this for you) one of the first places fluid collects is in the lower extremities. If the swelling started two weeks ago it could be a 'rebound effect' from going off the drug.

Also, diabetes and congestive heart failure have symptoms of swelling in the feet and lower legs. It depends on what condition you were taking the Neurontin for; obviously it's a bad symptom, but probably is only peripherally connected to Neurontin. Gapentin, the primary ingredient of N. is often given to people who are on kidney dialysis, since that is the primary effect it has on one's body.

JanK, Neurontin taker, and a person who has researched this drug extensively for physical effects.

Answer to "how pills fix the problem": Nobody knows, but the most recent and informed opinion is that some of us have sensitized pain-paths, and Neurontin somehow either dulls the nerve -paths, and/or relaxes muscles that are clenched up from nerve-messages, of whatever origin.

Myself, I'm just happy to have something that dulls the muscle pains.
JanK

SHARP PAINS IN THE HEAD: Yes, I too have those, but lots of tests revealed the cause was (1) sinussitis, (2) magnesium depletion, which makes the muscles contract in spasms or (3) small strokes, sometimes called TIAs or temporary ischemic attacks.

Since you are overweight already, how is your blood pressure(major cause of strokes and heart attacks). How's your cholesterol (possible cause of blood clots)?

You are right, it's a bad sign to have sharp pains in the head and should be checked-out.
JanK, Neuronin patient, etc.

PS: Restless Leg Syndrome: Probably caused by magnesium and calcium depletion, as the diuretic-effect of Neurontin exacerbates electrolyte imbalance. You should fast-fast have your doctor check this, and see what supplements you should take (potassium also affects muscle function, as erll, but it's a complicated and delicate balance.) JanK

Answer to 'Requesting Comments':
Yes, those are all side-effects that I (and others) have noticed. Have you talked to your doctor about it? The main question here is, have you become addicted to the stuff, or could you taper off and do with something else, or with smaller doses?

I asked my pharmacist to fill the prescription with 100mg capsules instead of 300 mg ones, and have been tapering myself off for the last 6 or so months. So, I only take as much as my pain and discomfort seem to require.

Much of the symptoms you describe have abated -- and I had a test to show kidney functioning (which came out 'normal'), so the pain over the kidneys problem is not so frightening now.

However, the BEST thing to do is ask your doctor to help you addrress this problem together with you -- and if he/she won't then you need another doctor.
Hope this helps, JanK

Constipation: As I have been making some progress on this problem of late, thought I would add the info to this registry (does anybody else read and respond to this besides me?)

A helpful bit of info recently read was that diahrreh/constipation comes from either too much or too little water in the bowel. Since Neurontin makes a person VERY dry (all that water being excreted) and I make sure that I drink the same amount -- a lot -- of water every day,it figured that stimulating-type laxatives would worsen the problem. Getting off of them and going to small amounts of mineral oil plus one of those new non-gritty metamucil products, keeping up the water drinking, all seem to help.

Plus my husband makes an espresso-latte that works like a charm. Does anybody else have advice or success with the constipation problem? JanK

The only FDA-approved use for Neuronin is for muscle-spasm connected pain, with epilepsy. However I have noticed that most of the people who have responded to this side-effect registry take it for other reasons. I -- for example -- use it for fibromyalgia, a type of arthritis characterized by (in my case) whole body aching, something like a bad case of flu. It is similar to Dilantin, and nobody knows exactly HOW it works, except that it helps the kidneys remove Gapentin from the urine, and for that reason is often given to kidney-dialysis patients.
It has its own list of side-effects, and reading these postings will educate you about a lot of them, and it SEEMS to be as dependence-producing as Vicodin and related products, but not officially addictive.
I am concerned that you would be taking Neurontin in addition to Vicodin. Does the amount of Vocodin you now take not manage your pain?
If It were me in this position I would much rather be taking Neurontin than Vicodin, because of the addiction problem, and this might be your doctor's attempt to wean you off of Vicodin, especially if you are needing increasing amounts of Vicodin, a baaaaad sign.
TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR about this! Not a lot is known about the interactions of these two drugs, and in my mind could be possibly dangerous. The Neurontin seems to increase the effect of other medicines, especially the ones in Vocodin. Depending on your particular situation, taking Vicodin and Neurontin at the same time could be good, or life-threatening. Is your doctor going to mnonitor you closely, or are you going to be a guiney-pig? At the least monitor youself and the effects on your body for adding Neurontin -- and insist on starting with the smallest dose of Neurontin possible. I commend you for wanting to find out more before you take what sounds like an unexplained drug.
JanK, Neurontin patient, grandmother, retired Master's level alcohol and drug abuse counselor, First Aid Certified counselor, and elementary education teacher.

URGENT URGENT death-connected symptom (swelling and pain in legs):

The death of NBC journalist 39 year old and otherwise-healthy David Bloom in the Iraqui war last weekend made something "click" in my mind: The cause of his death was a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lungs brought on by sitting and sleeping in a cramped position (knees up under chin, in a Humvee) for days at a time, and (HERE'S WHAT IS IMPORTANT) he was dehydrated.

Taking Neurontin dehydrates a person, and many have posted side-effects of leg pain and swelling. Dehydration reduces the blood's ability to flow freely -- or rather -- increases clots, which then can travel to the brain (strokes) heart (heart attack) or lung (pulmonary embolism).

It is the same thing that has killed people who sit in airplane seats for long overseas flights, while not drinking
enough water.

Our society discourages us from drinking as much water as we need, and urinating frequently enough -- from lack of public restrooms to not letting school children go to the bathroom frequently enough (left to itself the human body will void the bladder every 20 minutes).

To all my fellow Neurontin userids: drink more water, your life could depend on it! JanK

JanK, I thank you so much for your answers!and to everyone who has posted too! after all the reading I am going to request that my Dr.does NOT put me on the Neruontin (unless he has some serious reasons)after my surgery I will be very IN-Active and blood clots are always a factor,I have had 3 back surgeries before so I am not a stranger to that!In response to
The Vicodin I am taking,it does keep the pain under control as much as it can...I have so much going on in there that there is no pain med out there that can control it completly,I REFUSE to take Oxycontin or Ms Contin for it.I have a VERY good Physician and he monitors everything very carefully,I am not worried about him at all,God bless him,he has literally saved my life several times over!I will ask him next week at my appointment why he is leaning towards this med and go head to head with him...lol..thanks for the info!...I will post with the answer,in hopes to help someone with a similiar problem.~Nanc~

Neurontin for IBS:
If "IBS" means "irritable Bowel Syndrome" I have some personal experiences to pass on --
I was already a userid of Neurontin for fibromyalgia -- a condition in which the muscles of the body ache like having the flu all the time -- and the Neurontin wasn't helping a bit with the gut-wrenching cramps and diarrea of IBS.
My doctor prescribed Lomotil --which I DO get in a generic called Lonox -- and only one pill at a time stops the IBS problems, even though at first I was up to 4 at a time (the instructions say to take one pill after every instance of cramps and loose bowels.)
Why don't you ask your doc about this, instead of upping the dose of Neurontin (which hasn't helped my IBS at all). Best wishes -- JanK

Reference "not being able to release urine from the bladder": what were the meds that caused you to have this
effect, and were you taking them for a long period of time
before the Neurontin? Have you ascertained that simple
urine-retention was the problem (i.e. swelling of extremities, etc?) thanks for your input -- JanK

To Spider 256: Numb face sounds like a side-effect of the
herniated disks...is there some other drug besides Neurontin
that can be used for the bi-polar problem? My handy book (which I heartily reccommend) "Change Your Brain Change Your Life" by D. G. Amen, says that Neurontin has the smallest number of side-effects, and seems to be used most often for emotion management and pain reduction.
"Stenosis" means pinching-off, right? If a nerve is pinched in the cervical area, this would say to me it's probably involved in the facial numbness you experienced.
Have you talked to your doctor about this? Whatever, the Neurontin probably doesn't cause it, but you do have a serious problem, and the prescribing doctor neds to know. JanK