I agree that many meds are used off-label, mainly because there are so few drugs for disease symptoms like MS...so the docs have to use the arsenal at their disposal, no matter if it's designed for the disease they're treating or not.

I was on Vioxx before they took it off the market, and to me it was a miraculous drug. I had no arthritic pain! I would have been willing to sign a waiver promising not to sue the drug company just so I could have it again.

I think that despite the stringent trials and studies that meds go through, one that has deliterious side effects slips through, as in the case of Vioxx.

Still, I would like full disclosure of side effects by the pharmas...then let the doc and me decide if the risk is worthwhile.

As for gabapentin, it didn't seem to help my neuropathic pain, either. Cymbalta seems to reduce it quite a bit...another drug used off label