nerve damage pain relief? update: now with 100% more effexor
PracticalProblemSolver
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Are there any kinds of medications or treatments that target nerve damage pain? I've tried vicodin but it doesn't seem as effective with the nerve damage(direct hit on an anesthetic injection). My symptoms are burning, pins and needles and plain old pain. The burning is the worst, feels like a day old scalding all the time and opiates don't seem to affect it.
I'm already seeing a doctor about this, just want alternatives or personal experiences.
I'm already seeing a doctor about this, just want alternatives or personal experiences.
PracticalProblemSolver on
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Your obviously doing the best thing already, which is seeing a professional.
That's why drugs like Neurotin and Lyrica exist. A lot of people seem to be helped by antidepressants, especially Effexor. And, of course, pot helps a lot of people.
There are more targeted treatments, too, like using Botox to deaden the damaged nerve.
In other words, check with a doctor. If your primary care physician just wants to feed you more vicodin, ask for a referral to a neurologist.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
To put it bluntly, nerve damage is a complex thing. Pain from the original injury or trauma may be masking where the nerve damage truly is. In my case a whiplash injury obscured nerve damage in my shoulder. This didn't become obvious until my shoulder atrophied to the point where I re-tore an old rotator cuff injury and was finally given an EMG. Since you haven't mentioned how or why the pain happened, seeing a neurologist and getting an EMG needs to be your first step.
In terms of making it feel better; I went down the anti-depressant/muscle relaxer combo. It worked although in 30 minutes I'd be asleep in my chair which isn't the best thing to do at work. The other thing that's worked for me is acupuncture for both my neck pain and the nerve pain. The neurologist might have other ideas, like a partial never block. It might even be possible to get some physical therapy to try to rebuilt the nerve pathways around the effected area.
One last thing, you need a fair amount of perseverance in all this. My problems started in High School, and for awhile I was told things like "it's in your head", "people deal with worse pain", "you'll have to live with it", "we don't know so take this pain med," and the whooper of "there is nothing wrong with you." Keep with it until you get a rational diagnosis and some sort of pain relief.
Is it normal to feel high as fuck on this stuff? I did 37.5 mg a little while ago and I feel it fairly strongly, like I took a small dose of recreational drugs. Will that wear off as the brain adjusts?
Yes.
I've been on and off Effexor as needed for depression and fatigue issues, and when I first go on it after a long period of time clean, the first couple of days feel like a light dose of youknowwhat.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Oh, and I also started experiencing strange migratory pains throughout my body after I'd been on it for a bit over 2 weeks. Probably arthralgia, which is a possible side effect of Lyrica, but it seemed to be hitting me anywhere in any bone, not just joints.
On the other hand, the combination of Lyrica and Norco was finally providing *some* relief from the pain by the time I finally went in for surgery, and the transitory pain was far less severe. Still, the withdrawal from this stuff has to be the worst of any medication I've ever been on.
So, uh, anyway I hope the Effexor works for you and nothing else becomes necessary.
Electronic composer for hire.
Umm. No.
While you do have strong withdrawal symptoms, it is not an opiate. And if your dose stays at 37.5 mgs, the effects will be minimal. I think that's the lowest possible dose, so when you come off of it, you won't have to spend as long tapering down. But do be aware that what everyone has said about tapering is important because coming off it is unpleasant (I've had to go off for two surgeries and felt mostly really agitated and a bit glurgy in the stomach.)
I've been on 200mg for 2 years for migraines and about the only issues I've had are insomnia and when I do sleep, wicked vivid dreams. And while I was boosting up to that dosage, I felt....well, high as fuck would be adequate.