Neurontin - 600mg horse pills!

Question

Anyone else have problems with the new pressed 600mg (new to me) neurontin pill?
I'm thinking after being on it just at night for a few weeks (still working up) that it just lies
there at night and then when it does finally kick in does so all at once, rather than the nice
"even" effect from the powder in the capsules.........

I seem to have more indigestion, despite the prilosec in the morning and zantac at night after
starting the new dose..  I have not moved into the 2 day doses at the new rate because I have a ton of driving
to do in the next 3 weeks and know it will affect vision/concentration til adjusting.

Medicare will not give me 2 of the 300mg capsules, they insist "less pill is better".......grrr
Am seeing neuro on the 1st and am sure he is ready for suggestions if I have any, his nurse said,
when I complained over the size of the horse pill (have swallowing problems) that he was aware
of the Medicare rule.

Pharmacist said "try" to ask order for 300mg every 4 hours (round the clock) and then just use the
night doses to fill in the gaps during the day (same # of pills, at my usual times)

Any others dealing with this?

SarahL2491 · Answer

I take the generic as well and yeah, horsepill is the word for me to use!  LOL

Guess will go back to crushing and "filling" the empties and just carry 2 pill packets in my pocket.  I keep a packet there (I fill 7 days packets at one time) that has 4 dividers in it, so the whole day's meds go with me regardless of where I am.  Each morning, I grab one packet from the basket and put it in my pocket!  Then when I am on the last one, I fill them all again........it works very well for me, perhaps will have to get 7 more and just put the neurontin capsules (now filled and equaling 3 for each dose (TID) and carry 2 packets.

thanks for the thought though!

kwarendorf · Answer

Hi Sarah -  I'm not sure if branded Neurontin pills are different from the generic gabapentin pills. I take gabapentin and they are indeed giant. 

I'm maxed out at 3600mg/day. This is divided into 1200mg doses, morning noon and night. I don't seem to have any side effects, for which I'm grateful. My only complaint is the white powder residue they leave in my hands :-)

Kyle

SarahL2491 · Answer

No Candy, that's the difference between our two countries, medicare dances to their own self imposed rules. They say "600mg tablet" or not........they refuse to pay for 2-300mg capsules under their drug program and to buy them on my own is over $700 for 3 months supply........when I should be able to get them for under $20 with my drug plan.........a sad thing!

candy158 · Answer

can't the pharmacist give you the caps instead???  That is what they ended up doing for me.... I take 1800mg. per day so that is 2 pills 3 times a day, and I still eat yogurt, or grapes, or applesauce , and it is nicer....

SarahL2491 · Answer

I've tried that candy, am more worried about the entire stupid cement pill sitting on my stomach slowly dissolving than getting it down!  I have several that are large, but those break in half ok and are crushable and fit into one tablet (provigil, etc) but the dissolve rate has changed with the solid pill and I think that's my main problem.

When I use 2 - 300mg caps (have some left but not too many) then I don't get the stomach problems............

candy158 · Answer

yeppers, sure do, I take them wit applesauce, and it seems to help.  How many do you have to take ???   but, I do find that applesause does work.  Hope this helps....:)

SarahL2491 · Answer

@kat....yeah, you can crush them but takes 2-3 empty capsules to refill them, already been to a compounding pharmacy about that......to use them, medicare won't pay them plus they get $20 a month to do them into one pill , they use big machines to pack it in.  They will sell me the empty capsules but realized I can get them from my veterinary supply house!  same price.  Then you have to be careful as the 3r capsule doesn't totally fill and I divide out my doses for the day in a small packet I carry in my pocket.

@Sandy...yeah, I can, but they stick in my throat AND still have to dissolve and meanwhile sitting on my tummy.  So will find out in May, if Medicare will fill it...........maybe should call my idiot drug co......and spend 3 hrs on hold and get 5 different answers from 5 different people with fake names!  (grin)
will keep you guys posted.

teetee8 · Answer

can the pill be broken in half?I would ask the Doctor. I have a problem with swallowing.so some of my med's i break in half.

torikat32 · Answer

Hey Sarah sorry to hesr bout the horse pills the makers of the drugs dont thick bout people who cant swallow them. I would try to crush it or do like the pharmacist said ask doc for new  script. Hope you find a easier solution

Be well
Kat