Gabapentin (also known by its brand name Neurontin) is an anticonvulsant medication that has recently been linked with incidences of birth defects, a gabapentin side effect that was allegedly not included in the drug’s warning label.

Although gabapentin is an anticonvulsant drug primarily designed to treat epileptic seizures, the medication is also popularly prescribed to treat nerve pain conditions, including diabetic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, trigeminal neuralgia, multiple sclerosis, and other gabapentin nerve pain conditions.

Gabapentin Nerve Pain Treatment

As stated above, gabapentin is popularly prescribed to treat nerve pain conditions. Below are some of the nerve pain medical conditions that have been approved for gabapentin treatment.

• Diabetic Neuropathy: a type of nerve damage that many diabetics suffer from, since high blood sugar can injure nerve fiber throughout the body. Most individuals suffering from diabetic neuropathy suffer from nerve damage in their legs and feet. Because diabetic neuropathy is a type of gabapentin nerve pain, many physicians prescribed Neurontin to diabetics to help ease their discomfort.

• Peripheral Neuropathy: a type of nerve pain that develops when the peripheral nerves in the body are damaged. This can occur from infections, traumatic injuries, inherited conditions, exposure to toxins, and other factors. Those suffering from peripheral nerve damage are prone to weakness, numbness, and pain in hands and feet much like diabetic neuropathy patients. As a gabapentin nerve pain condition, it can also be treated with a Neurontin prescription.

• Trigeminal Neuralgia: a condition in which an individual suffers from chronic pain that develops from an affected trigeminal nerve. This type of nerve pain causes pain in the face.

• Multiple Sclerosis: an autoimmune disease that attacks myelin, the protective sheath surrounding nerves in the body, which in turns disrupts the nerves communications to and from the brain and body. After some time, multiple sclerosis causes the nerves to deteriorate, which for some patients can be irreversible. MS can cause numbness, tingling, and pain in the body, which can be treated with Neurontin.

While many patients are grateful that their nerve pain could be treated using the Neurontin anticonvulsant treatment, just as many were displeased to discover that they may not have been adequately warned of certain Neurontin side effects.

Neurontin Side Effects

Women who were prescribed Neurontin for gabapentin nerve pain conditions, seizure disorders, or were prescribed Neurontin for off-label issues including anxiety, insomnia, and bipolar disorder have claimed that they experienced Neurontin side effects. One troubling alleged Neurontin side effect is Neurontin birth defects.

Some known birth defects associated with the use of Neurontin include:

• Cleft palate
• Craniosynostosis (skull malformations)
• Other bone malformations
• Heart defects
• Hydroureter and/or hydronephrosis
• Hypospadias (an abnormality in the opening of the urethra in boys)
• Polydactyly (extra fingers or toes)
• Spina bifida
• Other congenital defects