| Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe? |
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10/06/2013 17:05
nanshands 
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10/06/2013 17:05
nanshands
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
This discussion has really caught my attention as people continue to post comments. I have several thoughts. One, is there a possible connection between Shingles and DD/DC? Two, what role do medications such as Gabapentin/Neurontin play in aggravating and/or initiating this disease?
Why do I wonder about these possible connections?
My personal experience, which I hesitate to share so as not to scare anyone. But, I was prescribed Gabapentin to take for 30 days following my rotator cuff surgery due to the severe nerve impediment also repaired. The purpose was to help in jump starting the released nerve. After two days of this medication I ended up in the ER room. I will not go into my extreme, and uncommon adverse reactions to this medication. Scary, very scary. My DD diagnosed in February did not take off until after my surgery in May of this year.
Secondly, I received the Shingles vaccination in December of 2012, two months prior to my diagnosis of DD.
I look to this Forum not just a means to find answers and help for my DD, but perhaps a way to offer through our personal experiences ideas, possibilities of how this awful disease begins, at the very least what to avoid in our lives. Whether we like it or not, to one degree or another we are the "lab rats!" I just want to help the scientists and doctors figure out as much as they can.
Would love to hear from anyone in this Forum as to possible connections with Shingles or drugs and their DD/DC or MD/LD.
Nan
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10/07/2013 03:24
JohnG
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10/07/2013 03:24
JohnG
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
Aside from being more common in older people, I don't see much the two diseases have in common. At least not in terms of cause. Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus, and you can prevent it by getting a vaccine, as you mentioned. We don't know what causes dupytren's, but trauma including surgery is often mentioned as a factor in triggering it.
Edited 10/07/13 06:36
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10/07/2013 03:37
pia2some 
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10/07/2013 03:37
pia2some
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
JohnG:
Aside from being more common in older people, I don't see much the two diseases have in common. Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus, and you can prevent it by getting a vaccine.
It is being seen in younger people more frequently now. That is due to the chicken pox vaccination. People used to have their immune systems 'boosted' when they were exposed to kids who had the chicken pox. That is what kept the virus in check and didn't allow shingles to develop. Now, kids are vaccinated and aren't getting the chicken pox so those of us who had the pox naturally are at a greater risk of developing shingles since our immunity is never boosted. Thus the need for yet another vaccination.
Once you've had natural chicken pox, the virus remains in your body. It lies dormant in the roots of the nerves. Various things can cause that virus to become active and that results in shingles. The blisters from shingles usually follow a 'line' along the body and that is the path of the nerves where the virus has been dormant.
As I've been recovering from my hand surgery that was 1.5 weeks ago, I discovered blisters along my left side. Yes, I currently have shingles. Ugh.
So, no, I don't see how a virus from a childhood disease has any connection with DC, which is the over proliferation of collagen development in the hands.
~ dawn
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10/07/2013 08:20
Vonmae 
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10/07/2013 08:20
Vonmae
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
Hi Jolene,
In answer to your question I stopped taking Gabapentin in August 2012 and thinking back noticed nodules forming in my hand in July 2012. I don,t know how much Gabapentin you have been prescribed but I was on a very high dose (1800 mg.) per day. My main reason for stopping was a drop in kidney function but this medication should not be stopped suddenly but gradually.
Re the pain you are having after RT treatment I also suffered a lot of pain in my hand and up my arm for 5 weeks after first treatment. It's just started to drop off now. Hope your pain eases soon.
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10/07/2013 08:51
Vonmae
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10/07/2013 08:51
Vonmae
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
Re Shingles. I don,t think shingles would have anything to do with the development of DD. I was taking the Gabapentin (very high dosage)for the nerve pain caused by shingles. Maybe this could have caused a faster onset of DD who knows. As I have Leukaemia my immune system is very compromised and this allows the shingles virus to run rampant in my body whenever it likes as there aren't enough soldiers on guard duty to lock it out. Yes there is a shingles vaccine but it is a live vaccine which anyone who has leukaemia cannot have.
Another interesting point. I also have 3 auto-immune diseases - psoriasis, lupus and reynards disease. When I told Dr.Borg (radio-oncologist) who is doing my RT treatment that I had reynards disease he said that he has noticed that quite a few of his DD patients also had reynards. More food for thought. It would be great if somebody could put the jig-saw pieces together. I also wish Doctors would take more notice of the symptoms, histories and observations of their patients.
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10/07/2013 12:57
JohnG
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10/07/2013 12:57
JohnG
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
Raynaud's disease?
I hadn't heard of it before, so I looked it up.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/raynaud...DSECTION=causes
Among the many causes listed are injuries to the hand, prior surgery, and use of vibrating tools etc. that are rough on the hand. Those sound like some of the things that might trigger Dupuytren's as well. So maybe somebody might have both diseases because of the same trauma?
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10/07/2013 13:39
callie
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10/07/2013 13:39
callie
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
JohnG,
There does seem to be some connection to Raynaud's. My feeling is that it is a genetic connection. My daughter noticed Raynaud's very early in life at age eight. By the way, Raynaud's is very easily controlled by Nifedipine (e.g. Procardia).
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10/07/2013 13:46
Jolene
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10/07/2013 13:46
Jolene
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
Hello,
So I contacted Patti Lundblade at PDLABS in Texas. She state Not to be concern with gabapentin. It is NOT the same as phenobarbital. She stated there are no real studies that gabapentin brings the onset of DD/LD or aids in the progression. she stated if it were her she would not be worried. Patti Lundblade said gabapentin did NOT have any of the compounds in it that have been related to the onset or progression of DD/LD
This is the pharmcay that has the patient on the topical transdermal verapamil 15% gel. On their website it states:
Medications/ Vitamins/ Supplements
Medications often used for treating high blood pressure that belong to the drug class known as beta adrenergic blocking agents (beta-blockers) have been reported to cause fibrotic tissue disorders. Anti-seizure medications such as phenytoin and certain supplements such as glucosamine/chondroitin and large doses of supplemental vitamin C may also promote the production of excess collagen.
http://www.pdlabs.net/dupuytrens/causes_dupuytrens.html
None the less I am going to request a different medication. Mainly because of the thickness I began to feel on day one and day two of taking this medication. Now on day 5 I have the shoulder issue begining.
I just don't know what to do these days.
Edited 10/07/13 17:47
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10/07/2013 14:24
pia2some
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10/07/2013 14:24
pia2some
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
JohnG:
Raynaud's disease?
I hadn't heard of it before, so I looked it up.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/raynaud...DSECTION=causes
Among the many causes listed are injuries to the hand, prior surgery, and use of vibrating tools etc. that are rough on the hand. Those sound like some of the things that might trigger Dupuytren's as well. So maybe somebody might have both diseases because of the same trauma?
I have secondary Raynaud's. There are two types - primary and secondary. Primary Raynauds occurs when there is no other illness involved, whereas secondary Raynauds usually is part of another autoimmune disease. I have SLE (lupus) and have Raynauds and Sjogren's diseases that are a part of the lupus.
Raynauds is a vascular problem. You will have spasms in the vascular system in the fingers and toes that constrict the bloodflow and that constriction causes the fingers to turn blue and white and become cold. Then when the spasms stop and the blood returns they turn red.
Does DC ever interfere with blood flow in the fingers? I've never heard of that happening. So the mechanisms of DC and Raynauds are completely different. It would be interesting to know if the two diseases affect one another.
~ dawn
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10/07/2013 19:59
nanshands
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10/07/2013 19:59
nanshands
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Re: Gabapentin and Dupuytrens is it safe?
Thanks all for the great feedback, discussion and thoughts! Very interesting reading about the Raynaud's. Along with, why we need another vaccine related to the Shingles. That sure makes sense.
I spent some time reading through what the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has to say about Shingles and the vaccine. I think it is well worth reading and considering the possible pros and cons of the vaccine for those with DD. Not sure after what I read if I had known I had DD if I would receive the vaccine during an active phase of this disease. There are a lot of hard calls out there for us to individually make. This is a great Forum to get us thinking and researching what is best for each of us.
Nan
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