Posted by ed_uk on June 16, 2005, at 17:04:27
In reply to Re: medical marijuana/Sativex/ethics, posted by dog on June 16, 2005, at 9:02:14
Hi Dog,
>Ed, that was one of the best emails i think i have ever had!
:-)
>my pain is such that i sometimes hurt all over. its like the morning after a car wreck or an accident kind of pain, just all over. esp. legs and arms but certainly not limited to them, also back and sides, etc.
Could you see a pain specialist? Each type of pain needs to be individually identified and treated. Neuropathic pain (pain due to nerve damage) can be treated with drugs such as gabapentin (Neurontin). Your Cymbalta may also relieve neuropathic pain. Dantrolene (Dantrium) - a skeletal muscle relaxant, is only effective in treating pain due to muscle spasm.
>tylenol #3s do help but make me feel "drugged".......
Perhaps you could try a different opioid/acetaminophen combination such as oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet) or hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Vicodin).
>one of my problems is fatigue. have tried amantidine (sp?), but it doesn't help much i don't think....
The supplement acetyl L-carnitine may be of some help...........
J Neurol Sci. 2004 Mar 15;218(1-2):103-8.
Comparison of the effects of acetyl L-carnitine and amantadine for the treatment of fatigue in multiple sclerosis: results of a pilot, randomised, double-blind, crossover trial.
Tomassini V, Pozzilli C, Onesti E, Pasqualetti P, Marinelli F, Pisani A, Fieschi C.
Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Rome "La Sapienza", viale dell' Universita 30, Rome 00185, Italy.
Treatment with acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR) has been shown to improve fatigue in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, but there have been no trials on the effect of ALCAR for treating fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS). To compare the efficacy of ALCAR with that of amantadine, one of the drugs most widely used to treat MS-related fatigue, 36 MS patients presenting fatigue were enrolled in a randomised, double-blind, crossover study. Patients were treated for 3 months with either amantadine (100 mg twice daily) or ALCAR (1 g twice daily). After a 3-month washout period, they crossed over to the alternative treatment for 3 months. Patients were rated at baseline and every 3 months according to the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the primary endpoint of the study. Secondary outcome variables were: Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Social Experience Checklist (SEC). Six patients withdrew from the study because of adverse reactions (five on amantadine and one on ALCAR). Statistical analysis showed significant effects of ALCAR compared with amantadine for the Fatigue Severity Scale (p = 0.039). There were no significant effects for any of the secondary outcome variables. The results of this study show that ALCAR is better tolerated and more effective than amantadine for the treatment of MS-related fatigue.
Other treatments for fatigue due to MS........
Modafinil (Provigil) - may be effective for relieving excessive daytime drowsiness.
Traditional stimulants such as amphetamine (Adderall), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) may also be of some help.
>Dantrolene (Dantrium)
Unlike baclofen and tizanidine, dantrolene doesn't cause drowsiness. Dantrolene does sometimes cause muscle weakness though.
Kind regards,
Ed.
poster:ed_uk
thread:507273
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050611/msgs/513845.html