Does Neurontin lead to ALS?

[MtPockets]

I'm glad you found it Cheryllyn. I really believe there is a correlation between the two.

It really bothers me that a Pharmaceutical company would put on the market a medicine that they have no idea HOW IT WORKS. DUH! Especially one that effects the motor nerves. :roll:

But there are many of them out there today. A good example is aspirin. No one knows how it works, but it does?

I know what you mean about typing. I am having trouble with my left hand with weakness, pain, and spasms. It's hard to write by hand anymore due to the shaking.
I'll hang in there the best I can, I hope you do too. Looking forward to reading your posts.

 

[wandabates]

wanda

I am on gabapentin for 2 months now,at the biggining it seems to help but the pain came back and with what i am reading it scares me to continue.

Have you ever heard of Lyrica?My neurologist put me on it for nerve damage,after doing an emg and nerve velocisty test,and it seems to help my back pain,from what i hear it is concidered a narcotic and but he has me on 50mg 3 times a day.I too have taken neurontin in the past and now have signs of als,mine started with a swallowing difficulty,now it is getting progressively worse,cough every time i eat and no gag reflex,babinski sign positive,hyperreflexia,weakness in my arms and legs,headaches all the time.I wonder if the neurontin caused any of my problems.There is no way for any of these drug companies to know the long time efect of these drugs they are marketing because they do not do long enough studies on them.Iwas also around black mold where i did work for 3 years and i wonder if that might be why i am having my problems ,it started about 4 or 5 months into me starting there.Probably will not ever find out,but good luck too you.

 

[kylisa]

Hey All

I don't know if this drug causes ALS. I do know that my mother has never taken this or any other drug, other than an occassional Advil or a rare antibiotic. She has been recently diagnosed with full blown ALS. Upper, Lower, and Bulbar regions are all affected.
So, her case is not in any way connected to drugs of any kind.

 

[Carolrose]

Hello Everybody.. I'm new, and found this forum when I did a search on "Neurontin and ALS". I took Neurontin, 300 mg 3 times a day, for over 4 years for Restless Leg Syndrome, and wondered if there could be some correlation between the drug and the disease. It started with leg weakness in early 2005, and I was diagnosed in June of 2006.

I was told I have a "rare slow moving variant" of ALS, since I'm still able to walk around with a rollator and crutches, and have no upper body symptoms, after 3 years. They can't explain my symptoms otherwise, though I've also had Lyme Disease and currently have herniated discs.

I stopped the Neurontin about the same time the symptoms began.. It should be easy to do a study on how many patients with ALS have taken Neurontin, but I doubt it will happen. The drug companies would not want to be held accountable.

Carolrose

 

[MtPockets]

Neurontin and ALS

I am the one who started this thread. This is the information I have regarding Neurontin.

Does anyone know of anyone studying this drug Neurontin as related to causing MND ALS? Here are a few quotes I have found:

It is given commonly for nerve injury to reduce the pain and the company that makes it states that it does not know how it works. But somehow it stops the nerves from relaying the pain to the brain. The reason I am concerned I was on this drug at 2500mg per day for over 10 years due to a spinal injury from a plane accident 18 years ago. If this drug contributed to my ALS in any way it needs to be pulled off the market before others get the same disease.

Here is a partial list of the side effects from the Neurontin website:

"Nervous System:

Frequent: vertigo, hyperkinesia, paresthesia, decreased or absent reflexes, increased reflexes, anxiety, hostility; Infrequent: CNS tumors, syncope, dreaming abnormal, aphasia, hypesthesia, intracranial hemorrhage, hypotonia, dysesthesia, paresis, ystonia,hemiplegia, facial paralysis, stupor, cerebellar dysfunction, positive Babinski sign, decreased position sense, subdural hematoma, apathy, hallucination, decrease or loss of libido, agitation, paranoia, depersonalization, euphoria, feeling high, doped-up sensation, suicide attempt, psychosis; Rare:oreoathetosis, orofacial dyskinesia, encephalopathy, nerve palsy, personality disorder, increased libido, subdued temperament, apraxia, fine motor control disorder, meningismus, local myoclonus, hyperesthesia, hypokinesia, mania, neurosis, hysteria, antisocial reaction, suicide."
I just finished filling out a report to the FDA about how the Neurontin had affected me. I doubt that it will do any good, but if anyone else out there is taking it, I would reconsider. It's too late for me but maybe someone else might not have to go through this ALS. That is why I was wondering if any scientist or group is studying this drug.
An interesting thing I found out while filling out the form for the FDA is the company that makes the drug, Neurontin, is Pfizer and they do not know or have any idea how the drug works? They said that from their own website. You got to be kidding me.
God Bless,
Big AL

 

[sand]

Thank you for your information. It was really appreciated and I am going to taper off taking this drug.

 

[MtPockets]

<b>Neurontin</b> Are You Taking This Med? Can it cause ALS?

For those of you taking Neurontin, please read all the comments about this medication on this thread. You might change your mind about using this.

I am no Doctor by any means, but I am concerned about all the side effects listed and the fact that the company has no idea HOW IT WORKS.

Please consider discussing this with your Doctor.

 

[lovelily]

Hmmm....I took these meds for a few years for some nerve pain in my hip, the same time they put me on 'crestor'.

How can a company not know how their medicine works? :-?

take care
lovelily

 

[PDaddy]

I've heard the same about Rilutek, they don't know why it works...

 

[MtPockets]

How does Medicine Work?

In all fairness I have to say they also do not know how ASPIRIN works either. :-D