...especially to those linking Neurontin with severe pulmonary problems.

I have been taking Neurontin for about a year now in an attempt to relieve intractable pain caused by occipital & trigeminal neuralgia. While my pain certainly hasn't disappeared, I would say that there has been notable relief achieved...before beginning Neurontin I would experience extreme pain (on a 1-10 scale) anywhere from 8-10 on a daily basis, often for the majority of the day. Since my dosage has been increased to 1600mg/day most days my pain doesn't hit 8+ for any measurable period of time. Usually it stays anywhere from a 3-7. As I mentioned earlier, it's, unfortunately, almost never gone but for brief moments. However, the difference Neurontin has made to my life is that had you asked me a year ago if nothing were to change regarding my pain could I go on with any quality of life I would have answered no way...now, while I certainly would prefer less pain, I can say that I think I could go on if I had to endure this degree of pain on a daily basis. I would think that's a significant difference.

Sure, as with most drugs there are some side effects...the most marked of those being clouded/slowed thinking...there seems to be a delayed response when looking for a particular word usually several times a day...a bit frustrating, albeit somewhat humorous and something I can certainly live with...additional side effects I've noticed are clumsiness and increased salivation, both mild...two effects of this med that have certainly turned out to be bonuses are that I now fall asleep easier and a virtual disappearance of my restless leg syndrome, which used to be a real irritant. Oddly, perhaps, I haven't noticed that I am drowsy during the day at all, nor can I really tell I've taken it beyond the typical decrease in my pain about 2 hours after ingesting it.

Now, as to those posting regarding lung problems...much of what I've read is someone assigning cause and effect to something that happened to them with no proof whatsoever that the neurontin was, indeed, the culprit...they could just as easily have contracted a virus, which often progresses to bronchitis, and then suffered ensuing recurrences or repeated bacterial infections.

The reason I felt compelled to respond to those allegations is that when I was 18 I was diagnosed with a very rare lung condition called Histiocytosis X or Langerhans Cell Hystiocytosis which severely scarred my lungs and which, over time, led to COPD and emphysema. I have been, more or less, a respiratory cripple for quite some time. I would think that with my severely compromised respiratory status that I might be especially prone to related side effects if neurontin were that prone to causing lung problems, but in the entire year since starting this drug I have suffered nothing whatsoever related to my pulmonary deficits...

...all I am saying is please take such claims with a grain of salt and don't jump to conclusions and make connections where there aren't necessarily any to be made...there are ambulance chasers out there only too ready to pounce on any drug for nearly any possible side effect given an opportunity and their motivation is, well, rather obvious.