Dextromethorphan Versus Placebo for Neuropathic Pain

Inclusion Criteria

• •Patients must be over 18 years of age.
• •Patients must have a definite diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy or post herpetic neuralgia or a diagnosis of neuropathic pain of various etiologies other than diabetic neuropathy or post herpetic neuralgia.
• •Duration of symptoms must be at least 3 months.
• •Severity of pain must be at least mild, if constant; or at least moderate, if intermittent and at least 2 hours duration a day.
• •Patients using tricyclics, narcotics, or antiseizure medications, must keep the drug dosages constant throughout the study.
• •No patients with unstable disease process; i.e., angina pectoris, accelerated hypertension, recent stroke or transient cerebral ischemia, uncontrolled seizures.
• •No pregnant or lactating women. Women of child bearing potential must use birth control pills, intrauterine device, or barrier contraceptive devices.
• •No history of significant drug abuse or PCP use. No history of IV drug abuse, prescription drug abuse, or alcoholism.
• •No significant liver or kidney disease.
• •No MAO inhibitors.
• •No cognitive impairment or language difficulty as judged by difficulty completing pain diary, medical history, or telephone conversation.
• •Patients must not have any other chronic pain condition that gives them pain greater than the neuropathy pain.