Pain relief

[DemolitionRed]

Has anyone here been treated for nerve pain? and if so, what helped you the most?

I have suddenly become allergic to Codeine, so all opiate meds are now out of the question. The one thing that really helped me was a high dose of Gabapentin but although it was great for the pain all I wanted to do was sleep and my moods became really black. I've tried Amitriptyline but that didn't do much at all and I've also tried Naproxen but they were pretty useless.

My next step is cortisone injections but I really don't want to go down that invasive route unless there is nothing left that I can take orally. My doctors are telling me there isn't much else they can try which I find hard to believe. I'm willing to try herbal remedies; in fact I would far rather try a natural based product if it really works.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[AnnieK]

Have you tried tramadol?

[smudgie]

I would try pregablin..mess about with the dose until you find what works enough to ease the pain without making you too drowsy.
Good luck with it, nothing much worse than pain.

[Vicky.]

I am on nefopam because I have a massive tolerance to opiates. Apparently its usually the next thing they try

Naproxen are useless

[DemolitionRed]

Thanks for the replies...

Annie, unfortunately Tramadol is classed as an opiate, even though its the synthetic version. I had a fairly sudden acute reaction. My face and throat swelled and so my doctor won't risk it.

Smudgie...I'm looking into Pregabalin as we speak. It looks very similar to Gabapentin. Its for neuropathic pain too and it sounds like you can play around with the dosage much more. I'm going to investigate it and see what people have to say about it.

Vicky, Nefopam hasn't even been mentioned to me. I'm going to look into this drug.

Just out of interest (I know I should of put this in my initial post) has anyone here had cortisone into the spine? and if so, did you get massive hair loss a few months later?

[Kizzy]

Have you ever tried a TENS machine DR?

[DemolitionRed]

Thanks Vicky, I'm going to talk to my doctor about this because I really don't want to feel like I'm in a drug induced state all the time.

I do indeed have a tens machine Kizzy and I use it every night on full power! :)

[Vicky.]

I'm not sure GPs know much about it because I'm sure they would use it more often...I only found out about it at A&E..after having a boatload of gas and air and a shot of morphine. A&E doc asked what I was taking and I told her I was on codeine but they werent working well and I told her I was taking up to 300mg at a time (not on the advise of my doc mind...just to stop me having another trip to hospital through the pain) and she said I must have a really high tolerance after she told me off for taking so much. Then she mentioned nefopam and sent a note to my doc, who perscribed it the next day.

It doesnt work too well when the pains severe though, but it works sometimes.

Theres something called fenatryl that could be tried before injections and that too. I've never had it (doc refuses, says its too strong :bored: ) but apparently its like a time release patch that you stick on your arm like one of those that stop you smoking. No idea how it actually works but loads of people swear by it

They tried me on tramadol too, though I didnt know it was classed as an opiate. Absolutely useless stuff. Had to take high doses of that too but it did nothing at all for the pain really, just made me feel slightly like I was on speed, then I found out it causes seizures :S

[AnnieK]

I don't know if it's been mentioned to you DM but my brother in law had terrible back pain from a fracture and he was given a mobile type epidural that worked for a good couple of months.

[DemolitionRed]

I'm going to talk to my doctor about Nefopam tomorrow Vicky. This may just be the answer.

Do you mean Fentanyl? If so that is unfortunately another synthetic opiate based medication. My friends on that and it works really well for her.

[DemolitionRed]

I don't know if it's been mentioned to you DM but my brother in law had terrible back pain from a fracture and he was given a mobile type epidural that worked for a good couple of months.

This is what I had whilst in hospital Annie. I had a broken neck and I did have surgery. I was never given the option of going home with this but in all honesty my pain levels were very tolerable after surgery. Like your brother, this pain will diminish more and more during the healing process. I'm presently having physio, aqua therapy and hospital style Pilates.

I'm back at the pain clinic in two weeks and I need to find out what the pain killer they were using in the epidural. I suspect I'm now allergic to it but its worth asking what it was.

[Vicky.]

I'm going to talk to my doctor about Nefopam tomorrow Vicky. This may just be the answer.

Do you mean Fentanyl? If so that is unfortunately another synthetic opiate based medication. My friends on that and it works really well for her.

Yeah thats probably it. Never knew that was opiate based either...guess that wouldnt work for me either then. Saying that, oxycodone works spot on (took some off a friend once) but again, doc reckon they are too strong for me :fist:

[Vicky.]

Epidural I think will have been morphine.

So weird how you can just randomly become allergic to stuff D:

[Kizzy]

Have you ever been offered acupuncture? It's been said it relaxes some muscles that could help maybe.

[DemolitionRed]

I had acupuncture about ten days ago Kizzy. I walked into the clinic with a migraine and she immediately put a needle between my wedding and middle finger. That cured the migraine but unfortunately the rest of the treatment didn't make a whole lot of difference. I have had acupuncture before and its really helped and so I'm not saying I wouldn't give it another go but I'd probably go to a different practitioner next time.