Pfizer has a Patient Assistance Program for US citizens who have no insurance to help with the expenses of this very expensive drug.
Application Requirements for Patients
--Single household income must be $16,000 or less; if married, household income must be $25,000 or less.
--Patients must not have any prescription drug coverage through private insurance or any public assistance programs.
--Patients must submit a copy of their tax return and financial documentation to verify eligibility only once per year, but they need to reapply for medications every three months.
--Patients must mail in the completed application and supporting documents.
This page is at:
http://www.pfizer.com/subsites/philanthropy/access/connection.care.applications.html
Pfizer also has a Share Card Program to help eligible low-income Medicare beneficiaries.
You can be part of the Share Card Program if:
--You are enrolled in Medicare
--You have no prescription drug coverage
--You are not eligible for Medicaid or any other drug benefit plan funded by the state
AND
--Your gross income is less than $18,000 a year ($24,000 for couples)
This page is at:
http://www.pfizer.com/subsites/philanthropy/access/share.card.index.html
Go to the Neurontin website and look at all the ailments it's prescribed for. I was given it to withdraw from Attivan. My g/f's brother is prescribed it for phantom leg syndrome, and my friend is prescribed for bipolar disorder. I saw a 60 minutes bashing it because it is mass marketed for about 30 different ailments that are in no way connected with each other. If I were you, I would stop taking it all together.
I think neurontin should be taken 3 times a day (refer to <a href= http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/gabapent_ids.htm> http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/gabapent_ids.htm</a>). 600mg twice a day and 300mg once a day. It seems that increase in heart rate is not due to neurontin (refer to <a href= http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/gabapent_ad.htm> http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/gabapent_ad.htm</a>).
Your questions range outside of my direct experience and expertise but I can give you some guidelines. It is unlikely that splitting the pills has any deleterious side effect..if anything, it would decrease the potency because of exposure to moisture..but your pharmacist could probably answer this question. The heart rate and neuropathy questions can't be answered online without a physical exam, but certainly losing weight is the single most important thing you can do. I suggest you look at www.masteringfood.com to see if that might help keep you going on that issue in the long run...