Re: Neuropathy

Posted By CCF Neuro MD on April 08, 1997 at 08:33:00:

In Reply to: Neuropathy posted by Helaine on April 08, 1997 at 08:31:35:







: Neuropathy
This Message was posted by: Helaine  -  3/31/97 3:59:55 PM
Message:
My husband has been diagnosed at new york University
Hospital with Neuropathy caused by Chemo Therapy
he had only three treatments with Taxol andParaplatin
They couldn't give him any more because the neuropathy
was so bad, The neurologist treated him with 7oomg. of
Neurontin a day. He took it for a month but had no help.
He is also on an anti-depressant. His toes and fingers are
numb and ice cold and Tylenol doesn't relieve the pain.
Is there another drug thjat has been successful for this type
of neuropathy?
Any help would be appreciated...............Thanks



        


Cisplatinum and Taxol may both cause peripheral neuropathy due to their being directly toxic to nerve endings in some people.
Presumably your husband has had an EMG test to figure out the severity of the neuropathy and its prognosis. There are a
number of medications that can be tried in general for the ice cold and/or pins and needles sensations and pain such
neruopathies often cause. One class of medications is the tricyclic medications, originally used for depression, but which are
useful in a wide variety of other conditions in much lower doses than those required to treat depression. Examples of such
medications include amytriptiline, nortryptiline, imipramine, desipramine, and doxepin, any of which may be effective in an
individual case but all of which have associated side effects. Another class of medications often used to treat such neuropathies
are the anticonvulsant medications. Neurontin is one of these, often chosen for its lack of drug interactions and side effects, but
also less effective than other medications in this class for purposes of treating neuropathy. A third medication in its own class is
mexilitine, an often neglected option that is available if medications from the other two classes of medication fail to adequately
control the symptoms. This medication is in essence a pill version of lidocaine (novacaine) and works by anesthetizing the
painful nerve endings. It must be used cautiosly, however, particularly in anybody with any risk for or history of heart
problems. Hopefully your husband's neurologist will be able to get his symptoms under effective control. I hope this helps you
understand some of the reasoning behind the drugs tried on him up to now.