@Mpt...You seem totally legit to me. Checked your posting history, etc. but hardly needed to as just the way you have been writing stuff up, I just plain could not smell a rat. Plus why bother to make it up? Seems pointless.
However, I understand why it's a worthwhile question and indeed an important one when considering taking a med like this based on an "internet chat board" reference.
Now, totally "talking out of my ear" here (sic). But in regard to toxicity of this drug...Yeah, it looks somewhat unappealing in relation to potential vision and skin colouration effects, etc. in particular. [Here's one link for those who missed it:
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM259619.pdf ...and here's another with some photos too - ref. 2013:
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM349554.pdf ... and yet another:
http://www.drugs.com/pro/potiga.html ].
However, in my long and unfortunate use of a lot of meds during a seven year period of undiagnosed illness I kind of figured a couple of things out regarding meds/prescription drugs...especially in the USA = the land of law-suits. If a drug is really, really bad in regard to dangers and side effects, it is unlikely to be available to the general public in a pharmacy c/o a casual doctor's scrip. This does NOT mean that PLENTY of meds are not toxic and indeed cause death, destruction and all kinds of glossed over crappy conditions. Just read the side effects list for about
any drug, OTC or prescription only...it's startling.
Retigabine (Potiga) is made by a major Big Pharma company. My sense is, that if this stuff was liquid jet fuel for eye damage (= a BIG deal...eyes are super important!!!) it would have been pulled. Just too risky with too bad of a target area (vision) to risk selling the stuff. I mean why bother when there are so many other anticonvulsants out there??? How much money could they make of this v. the risks??? It plain does not look like a big mover med. I mean who ever heard of it before this thread?
Like I said, I may be talking trash here, and I am NOT a doctor...but I do know that lawyers love to find irresponsible meds made by big, juicy pharmaceutical companies that they can sue big on behalf of clients. Soooooooo...maybe this drug is worth a spin. For sure I am going to talk to my doc about it next week. Trouble with me though, is I tend to be 'super weird' in relation to meds, and have a certain reputation at this medical practice for just such. I plain
don't react to a lot of stuff that I
should react to, and
do react to stuff that's 'tiddlywinks' nothing for most anyone else. So I am super cautious on this one....but?????
Is anyone else in the process of trying it?! Would be very interested to know - like a lot of us would I figure.
best, Zimichael