Posted by Larry Hoover on October 30, 2005, at 10:23:28
In reply to Re: Neuropathic pain meds » ed_uk, posted by kerria on October 20, 2005, at 6:44:17
Hi kerria. I've got a neuropathic pain syndrome, too. It sure does suck, eh?
> Yes-that would be good although i think i'll probably have bad side effects. i wasn't able to take so many already- that the dr tried me on before starting the oxycontin.
>
> The high dose of oxycontin is making me sick also but takes pain away- the others made me sick but didn't take pain away-If you're taking enough oxycodone to try and make the pain totally disappear, you're really taking too much. The side effects arise because the receptors that are responsible for the pain aren't perfectly capable of soaking up all the oxycodone. When they're nearly saturated (and a little of the pain remains), some of the oxycodone binds to other opiate receptors, and gives you nausea, sweats, possibly migraines. If you can find a dose that helps the pain but leaves you clear-headed, that's the right amount.
My doctor gives me oxycontin, and percocets. The percocets are 1/4 the dose of the oxycontin, and I can fine-tune the dose much better that way.
I also find that the oxycontin doesn't last 12 hours, which is another reason to have the percocet on hand, to "top up" the dose. One thing you might try is to take your oxycontin based on your symptoms. Like, for example, take 40 mg when you get up, and wait a little while. If you need more oxycodone, take another tablet. A few hours later (seven, you say?), when the pain starts to come back hard, take one oxycontin tablet. Give it a half an hour, and see if that takes the edge off. If not, take another one. And so on. You might find you level out the pain relief without getting the side effects, by staggering the "start time" for each dose of oxycontin. Just watch your total dose for the day.....set aside one day's dose, and only use that many tablets. I think you'll find that things will go smoother for you.
> The pharmacy is supposed to call me back when they get the Lyrica in. i think that's what it is, it's the new neurontin. Neurotin gave me a migraine. i hope they don't make me buy the entire 100 tabs.I'm just starting on Lyrica. Started at the lowest possible dose, and working up. So far, not the slightest side effect. I couldn't tolerate Neurontin.
My pain doctor added in clonazepam, at .5 mg. It really has helped to take the sharpness out of my pain. He said it was an off-label use, but he's had good success with it.
> According to most of the info on PNE it's important to get the nerve blocks first anyways. The pain management office didn't call me back- they might think that i'm too difficult a patient.Don't even consider surgery until you've tried the nerve blocks. There are different substances that can be injected, as well. So, if one kind of nerve block agent fails, there are others to consider.
Surgery, as often as not, leaves you in just as much pain (or more) than before the surgery. It should be the last resort, if all else fails.
> The dr that referred me back to get the nerve block is one of their most respected referring drs i think so that's good.
Now they know the specific nerve root to target, to get the pudendal nerve, you're getting a very specific treatment.
> i feel so abandoned by my T and everyone in this. Now that i have a dxx- the thing that everyone was complaining about- no one will help me.Try and set those thoughts aside. They really don't help you. You've got the diagnosis now. Before that, they would have been negligent if they *didn't* consider neurotic/somatic pain.
> T is too busy and psychDr hasn't called back since dx. i think he was dissappointed that it wasn't psychological pain- he probably was the #1 advocate of that.
>
> Which medicines works the best for nerve pain?
>
> Thank you so much,
>
> kerriaI think you're going to have to experiment to determine which ones are best. I use oxycodone, like you do. I get some relief from nortriptyline, but I hate the side effects. I'm hoping the Lyrica will let me get off the tricyclic, but it's too soon to tell.
Wishing you success with the nerve block.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:566119
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20050929/msgs/573344.html