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Questions and Answers
- Q
- Subject: Rationale for using Tegretol & Neurontin
I am a nurse case manager looking for information on how Tegretol &
Neurontin work in pain managment. Any information would be appreciated.
Thank you.
- A
- Tegretol (carbamazepine) has been around for quite a
while ... it was used in the 60's to treat trigeminal neuralgia and manic
depression ... it wasn't 'til 1974 that it was used as an anticonvulsant ...
probably with this history in mind, the johnny-come-lately Neurontin
(gabapentin), officially indicated as an adjunct drug in the treatment of
epilepsy, has been tried in the treatment of painful peripheral
neuropathies. There are many, often enthusiastic, anecdotal account of its
effectiveness ... one comment was 'if you're in pain, it's worth a try'.
One common reason for using a combination of drugs
(if they don't interfere with each others' pharmacokinetics and action, as
these don't) is the possibility of reducing the dosage of each with
consequent reduction in the incidence and severity of unwanted side-effects.
This may be the case here. How they work in pain management? - I'm sorry, I
have no information on that.
Best wishes.