Need advice on pain meds

Hey proudmom.Just more of what your taking.But that's not going to make the Nerve Pain go away.Just change your perception of it.Which is probably about as good as it may get.

I hope your surgery is a success.

My last PMD stuck my Sciatic Nerve with a back injection.That was the worst pain I've ever experienced.Worse than breaking my shin in two.For 49 days.From my hip to my right foot.I kept a heating pad wrapped around my calf the whole time.Had an extension cord sticking out my sweat pants.

I was taking 30 mg oxyconton x 2 then and it didn't touch the pain.I begged them for an increase.They told me that pain meds wouldn't help nerve pain.It made it more tolerable.

Like you said,sleep was the only relief.

I know it doesn't help but they probably don't want to raise your pain meds for fear of increasing your tolerance.That might make pain control after surgery tougher.

I know none of that helped.Nerve pain is just a whole 'nother animal than any other kind of pain.

The 15th is getting closer.I hope you find some relief between now and then.

God Bless You.

Rick

What the max neurontin I can take.
And is there another nerve pain med that works better.

Talk to your PM dr about whether your Gabapentin/Neurotin can be increased. I know you are also on Amitriptiline which is also used off label to treat nerve pain. Your dr is your best person to ask about this since you are on the meds that you are. You can also go to Drugs.com & look up the max dosage, but again its up to your dr to decide on any increases. It may be Lyrica that some say causes weight gain & since you are having surgery soon you don't need to pack on weight.

the stimulant beats the sedation and fights apathy. Vistaril, Phenergan, Meclizine can also be potentators. Lyrica is a cleaner med that Gabapentin with a extra action to relieve nerve pain. Methadone, Levorphanol, Demerol, or Dextromethorphan added are good for nerve pain and clonidine.

I agree with SS and was looking at your base meds and NOT seeing anything that is covering at a continuos rate but rather up and down leaving you to spike and crash. Base meds that maintain therapeutic serum levels work far better at calming nerve related pain than meds geared and designed to treat and rescue acute levels of pain. Its also safe to say that the "nerve " meds are particular in each of us and no matter the dose you just may not have the correct one onboard. Back to what works for me may not at any levels work for you! The first shot for me was climbing the neurontin scale only to succeed at sending my brain into the fog and not necessarily relieving the sciatica. Lyrica on the otherhand worked like a charm at a relatively low maintaince dose. Without any side effects whatsoever yet others report no such thing but cymbalta will work miracles for them at better than adequate dosing? Amitrypt may be contributing to the nerve pain as Susie stated its seen to help some folks off label others increases issues when taken in conjunction with other meds of this variety. Its a trial and error kinda game but unfortunately not all Dr's know how to play and prefer sticking to what works for the vast majority. Hoping your surgery brings you relief.

Amitryptiline did nothing for me, and it works for a lot of people to relieve the PGAD condition that I have, so I was disappointed :( I didn't stick with it for long, so maybe I need to go back and try it again.

I'm not a doctor so I'm not going to give you advice on what meds you should take like others have done, but I'm just hoping that your surgery works and you can lower your pain dramatically. If I were you I'd be worried about your pain control after surgery since you're already on so many meds. I'd put together a solid plan with your doctor before the surgery so that you don't have to be calling for more meds or left high and dry in terrible agony.

Gentle hugs to you -surgery is not far now.

We cannot prescribe meds but through experience and research offer advice and direction and that's all that we have done here. Given you some possible leads to follow to find relief your not getting. I preach consistently that education and information is power and power that allows you the knowledge to advocate better care for yourself by enlisting the help of your medical team who hopefully should take your thoughts into account when planning your care. Its probably a good thing I cannot prescribe since I certainly would be at the top of the DEA watch list and would ensure no animal or human would suffer needlessly!!

Thanks guys definitely going to be talking to my PM. I'm praying this surgery tomorrow fixes most of it.

How'd your surgery go? Hope all is well. :)

Vickie, having an on sit MRI is terrific. also your story reminded me of a case were the Fed Gov brought charges against a pain physician, a lady who used polypharmacy and high dose opioids. that was the charge, no other issues, a team of 20 plus pain practioners of all types from the Practical Pain Mang. editorial board including editor in chief testified on her behalf after going through all her records and got her found not guilty. i think the DEA would make much more progress looking at state to state doctor shopping then to different state for pharmacy shopping than with aiming their efforts at legit doctors and pharmacies and patients.

Hey Angela.Praying for your swift recovery.

I think everyone that has surgery has those same thoughts right after the procedure.

I hope your Doctors are at least trying to keep your pain manageable.

God Bless,

Rick

Angela, I do hope he will give you the valium, that seems to help most that have spine surgery. Several here that have had spine surgery were really helped with valium after surgery. Severe muscle spasms right after surgery seems to be normal & causes severe pain like what you are talking about. Hoping he will either add something for the nerve pain or even a steroid to help get some of the inflammation down. It will get better, remember that.

Take care.