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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by flipsactown on July 27, 2004, at 0:24:18
Anybody know of any meds that will counter chronic low back pain, aside from narcotics. I had taking Oxycontin for 2 years and prior to that I was taking Tylenol/Codeine for ten years. Two weeks ago, I completely tapered off of Oxy and am now just taking T/Codeine #3, 2 tabs 4 times daily. I have been told that Nortriptyline, Amitriptyline, and Desipramine all help ease chronic pain. I have tried Desipramine taken along with Prozac and did notice an increase in energy, but Desipramine made me sweat profusely and I gained 30 lbs in a year. I guess I am wanting to take something to give me more energy as I am taking Lexapro for unipolar depression which is notorious for causing fatigue as a side effect. Fortunately, I am not gaining weight which is a very good thing.
Thank you.
FST
Posted by becksA on July 27, 2004, at 4:51:45
In reply to Chronic Low Back Pain, posted by flipsactown on July 27, 2004, at 0:24:18
Have you ever looked into Naprosyn? I don't take it personally but my father has for quite some time and it works wonders for him.
Posted by JenStar on July 28, 2004, at 23:53:10
In reply to Chronic Low Back Pain, posted by flipsactown on July 27, 2004, at 0:24:18
Sorry you're having back pain. Have you had any tests to find out what is causing the pain, such as a slipped disc, pinched nerve, etc? Has your primary care or specialist been able to suggest anything to help with the pain?
jenstar
> Anybody know of any meds that will counter chronic low back pain, aside from narcotics. I had taking Oxycontin for 2 years and prior to that I was taking Tylenol/Codeine for ten years. Two weeks ago, I completely tapered off of Oxy and am now just taking T/Codeine #3, 2 tabs 4 times daily. I have been told that Nortriptyline, Amitriptyline, and Desipramine all help ease chronic pain. I have tried Desipramine taken along with Prozac and did notice an increase in energy, but Desipramine made me sweat profusely and I gained 30 lbs in a year. I guess I am wanting to take something to give me more energy as I am taking Lexapro for unipolar depression which is notorious for causing fatigue as a side effect. Fortunately, I am not gaining weight which is a very good thing.
>
> Thank you.
> FST
Posted by flipsactown on July 29, 2004, at 1:43:44
In reply to Re: Chronic Low Back Pain, posted by JenStar on July 28, 2004, at 23:53:10
I injured my back over 20 years ago after being struck by a truck while on 10 speed bike. I have had 2 failed back surgeries, numerous injections, nerve blocks, acupuncture, lengthy physical therapies, used TENS unit, biofeedback, etc. I have had so much done to my back that my doctors have told me that the trauma already done to my back (the injury itself, the failed back surgeries, injections, nerve blocks) have produced scar tissues on top of scar tissues causing chronic pain similar to arthritis and that I will have to live with chronic pain for the rest of my life.
FST
> Sorry you're having back pain. Have you had any tests to find out what is causing the pain, such as a slipped disc, pinched nerve, etc? Has your primary care or specialist been able to suggest anything to help with the pain?
>
> jenstar
>
>
>
> > Anybody know of any meds that will counter chronic low back pain, aside from narcotics. I had taking Oxycontin for 2 years and prior to that I was taking Tylenol/Codeine for ten years. Two weeks ago, I completely tapered off of Oxy and am now just taking T/Codeine #3, 2 tabs 4 times daily. I have been told that Nortriptyline, Amitriptyline, and Desipramine all help ease chronic pain. I have tried Desipramine taken along with Prozac and did notice an increase in energy, but Desipramine made me sweat profusely and I gained 30 lbs in a year. I guess I am wanting to take something to give me more energy as I am taking Lexapro for unipolar depression which is notorious for causing fatigue as a side effect. Fortunately, I am not gaining weight which is a very good thing.
> >
> > Thank you.
> > FST
>
>
Posted by Shadowplayers721 on July 29, 2004, at 19:28:18
In reply to Chronic Low Back Pain, posted by flipsactown on July 27, 2004, at 0:24:18
Topamax & Neurontin have been know to help nerve pain.
Posted by Cinderella on August 3, 2004, at 15:49:29
In reply to Re: Chronic Low Back Pain » JenStar, posted by flipsactown on July 29, 2004, at 1:43:44
Yah...that's sad. I had scoliosis as a teenager but no one bothered to correct it. Now I am in my 40's and have degenerative arthritis and bone disease so my sacroiliac bone is always inflammed and painful. I've had sacroiliac injections but to no avail. I faithfully do my physical therapy and heat treatments. Also do electrode therapy too. Chiropractic fixed it but only for one day and then the pain came right back. Doctors prescribed celebrex, vioxx, and bextra until I thought my digestive tract and kidneys would explode. No doctor EVER suggested or prescribed any tylenol #3 for me or vicodin. If they had way back when, I probably wouldn't have missed so much work back then. I finally saw a pain management specialist. I have been taking a compounded dose of 10mg hydrocodone/325mg acetaminophen for 2 years now. I split the dose in half and take 1/2 in the morning and half at night. While my pain is not completely gone but I can live with it. I also take Zoloft for depression. It helps some too with pain perception. I have never had to increase my dosage and still take the same amount unless my pain is not bad that day and then don't need as much. People told me how habit forming it was and to stay away from it but ya know what? I think I'd rather be dependent on this stuff than to whine in pain all the time and be useless to others and make others around me miserable. Everyone's different though. You have to do what's right for you.
C
> I injured my back over 20 years ago after being struck by a truck while on 10 speed bike. I have had 2 failed back surgeries, numerous injections, nerve blocks, acupuncture, lengthy physical therapies, used TENS unit, biofeedback, etc. I have had so much done to my back that my doctors have told me that the trauma already done to my back (the injury itself, the failed back surgeries, injections, nerve blocks) have produced scar tissues on top of scar tissues causing chronic pain similar to arthritis and that I will have to live with chronic pain for the rest of my life.
>
> FST
>
>
>
>
> > Sorry you're having back pain. Have you had any tests to find out what is causing the pain, such as a slipped disc, pinched nerve, etc? Has your primary care or specialist been able to suggest anything to help with the pain?
> >
> > jenstar
> >
> >
> >
> > > Anybody know of any meds that will counter chronic low back pain, aside from narcotics. I had taking Oxycontin for 2 years and prior to that I was taking Tylenol/Codeine for ten years. Two weeks ago, I completely tapered off of Oxy and am now just taking T/Codeine #3, 2 tabs 4 times daily. I have been told that Nortriptyline, Amitriptyline, and Desipramine all help ease chronic pain. I have tried Desipramine taken along with Prozac and did notice an increase in energy, but Desipramine made me sweat profusely and I gained 30 lbs in a year. I guess I am wanting to take something to give me more energy as I am taking Lexapro for unipolar depression which is notorious for causing fatigue as a side effect. Fortunately, I am not gaining weight which is a very good thing.
> > >
> > > Thank you.
> > > FST
> >
> >
>
>
Posted by karlak13 on August 20, 2004, at 21:53:13
In reply to Re: Chronic Low Back Pain, posted by JenStar on July 28, 2004, at 23:53:10
I took a very low dose of methadone for a different chronic pain (cluster ha) than my back pain that I just had surgery for but the methadone 10mg am and 10mg pm took care of all my back pain and ha pain. When I stopped taking it the pain in both areas came back full force.
Posted by flipsactown on August 20, 2004, at 23:43:35
In reply to Re: Chronic Low Back Pain, posted by karlak13 on August 20, 2004, at 21:53:13
Thanks for responding. What type of back surgery did you have? I had both a spinal fusion and then a disckectomy(sp?), where they removed a disc. Only the spinal fusion which I had done first did any good, in that it relieved my leg pain but did nothing for the low back pain. Both were done in 1980's. My paindoc had offered to Rx Methadone for my chronic pain, but I chose the Oxycontin, which I decided to stop after 2 years. I understand Meth is also addicting, but maybe a low dose would not be so. Was it addicting for you? I am currently taking Tylenol/Codeine #3, 2 tabs x 5 daily for pain relief, but after being used to Oxycontin, the Codeine is obviously weaker. That is the reason I am looking into something to supplement or replace the Codeine.
FST
> I took a very low dose of methadone for a different chronic pain (cluster ha) than my back pain that I just had surgery for but the methadone 10mg am and 10mg pm took care of all my back pain and ha pain. When I stopped taking it the pain in both areas came back full force.
Posted by karlak13 on August 21, 2004, at 21:04:31
In reply to Re: Chronic Low Back Pain » karlak13, posted by flipsactown on August 20, 2004, at 23:43:35
I had a disckectomy(sp?) at L5-S1. No I didn't find the methadone addicting at all. I never developed a tollerance to it and I had no problems going off of it. I have drop foot as a result of nerve damage from the disk pressing up against it. I have a numbness that runs from my left but check all the way down the outside of my left leg down into my left 2 toes. I can't stand and ballance on that leg or stand on my toes on my left leg. I am lucky to be walking the surgeon said I might never walk again. I took lots of physical therapy and in time I was walking again. Talk about lots of prayer! They did emergency surgery on me because I had severe low back pain with drop foot and couldn't lay flat for the MRI. They had to knock me out with morphine to get me in there. I woke up after surgery. Last thing I remembered was the shot of morphine for the MRI. My husband gave them consent along with my out of it "X".
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