What did you do for lyme pain?

Ice is my favorite fix. Not directly on the joint, I wrap a frozen gel pack in a towel.

I love swimming gently in a cold lake. Oh my gosh instant relief - which goes along the same lines as an ice pack. When I can't do that a cool shower has to suffice.

Boericke and Tafel Sports Gel is what I also use. It doesn't stink like BenGay, it doesn't stain, but you do put it on and have to let it soak in for some time before you can lay on anything or put clothes on top of it. I put it on my knees and sit away from my chair while it dries.

All the anti-inflammatory foods I can eat. Turmeric, cayenne, - draxe.com/anti-inflammatory-foods/

If you find a wonder thing, please let me know!!

I was taking Gabapentin for nerve pain, but with all the other Rx and supps I was on I stayed away from traditional OTC pain killers. Besides... Tylonol and Mortin are suppose to be tough on the liver which is working overtime as it is.

just vodka... ('cause its gluten free 8*)


Neuropathy, and nerve and bone pain have reduced to just nuisance levels. And my Rx co-pays doubled this year thanks to Obama Care. So I look to cut corners where ever I can.

I just picked up a script for Alina last night and boy has that gone thru the roof since the time I took it in May thru Sept 2013 fighting Babs.

Like everyone said Gabapentin. I was first prescribed it for sleep. I know sounds weird but about 15 years ago was when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and the (idiot) doctor said that it helps with sleep because it allows that body to stay in stage 4 sleep longer. Eventually, another doctor had me take in 3 times daily.

Lyrics works for some people but the side effects are wicked. When I tried it I had to crawl to the bathroom because the room continuously spun. But it does help some people.

Cymbalta, Savella are the newest antidepressant meds that have been approved for Fibromyalgia. Neither worked for me and they both made me gain weight.

I was on Hydrocodone for more than 10 years and it worked for me. I never got high but I did have to be careful about making sure I didn't have to drive while it was in my system. It helps some people.

Having said that, my doctor retired and his practice kicked all the Fibromyalgia patients out. Yes, I have Lyme and have been diagnosed with it but not by my Rheumatologist. So I've continued on with that diagnosis to keep me on the meds that help me deal with symptoms.

So now I am taking LDN and I have found it works amazingly well. Pain was one of my worst symptoms and I was at a 8 to 10+ all the time. Severe headaches, muscle pain and just in the last 18 months joint pain. Like every joint all the time especially in the morning or if I stay in one position too long.

LDN is Low Dose Naltrexone. It has to be compounded because the standard dose is 50mg. It's doses of 1.5-4.5mg that are prescribed for cancer pain among other conditions. There's a website that does a pretty good job of educating people about it. The best I think was the Low Dose Naltrexone Council.

Not a lot of doctors are familiar with it. It was recommended to me to contact a compounding pharmacy and ask if they have the name of a local doc that prescribes it then make an appointment with that doc.

I went a different way. The is a website LDNDOCTOR.COM that is a telemedicine group. I made an appointment and the doctor sent me a link to a video hookup. I clicked the link at my appointment time and we talked through the video link (like Skype or FaceTime). I went with the Fibromyalgia diagnosis because that is less controversial. We discussed my meds, symptoms etc and she sent a script to a pharmacy she uses. They then call for payment information and mail it to you.

Naltrexone at the dose of 50mg is used to help people addicted to opiates because it blocks the opiate receptors. In the low dose form it forces the body to create its on opiates. Thats what helps with the pain.

They will not under any circumstances prescribe it for you if you are still on an opiate pain reliever. I told her I knew I would have to stop the opiates before starting LDN. It only takes about 3 days for hydrocodone to clear your system. I was able to wait until I got the medication then picked a 3 day period when I could stick to bed and not have to worry about pain. After the 3 days, I started at 1.5mg and then worked up to the 4.5mg which is whats working for me now.

Truthfully, the LDN works better for me than anything ever did. I do still have some headaches but they are the pain through the left eye kind and the hydrocodone never really helped those.

BUT I always knew that I didn't have an addiction to opiates. I routinely went off the hydrocodone for 3 or 4 days at a time because you do build up a tolerance to it. Some people have to wean themselves off of opiates. There must be something in my genes that prevents that kind of addiction. My Dad did that same with alcohol, just stopped one day no withdrawal.

Hope this helps.
Everyone have a good day,
Kim