randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i am positive my friend, lois, has lyme. sheis going to a fibro clinic and they have convinced her that its fibro.
they have her on methodone, hydrocodone, lyrica, and a ton of other meds.
she admits she has chronic insomnia, muscle pain and aches, well, all the symptoms of lyme. it's very sad because i have tried repeatedly to get her to a lyme doctor (and she lives very close to the one doctor here in texas).
but you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.....
but i think those are very heavy drugs. is anybody on them for lyme and do they help?
geez, i wish she would listen to me, but, oh well....
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
I go to a pain clinic also. If I listened to them I'd be in trouble. I told them I have Lyme but they wrote in my records that I have chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
With them it doesn't really matter because they aren't involved in my treatment of Lyme. Their only purpose is to help relieve the suffering I endure from severe pain.
I am on Methadone and Neurontin. I am sure someone will have an opinion that it is bad however anyone with such an opinion has no idea what I have endured with pain before I finally found relief.
I was screaming,vomiting, shaking, and losing consciousness from the pain. I was certainly in no condition for healing. With Lyme I have learned decisions are a matter of weighing benefits vs. detriments.
When the pain levels are extremely severe, or even just severe, narcotic pain relievers do not have the same "high" effect they would have if taken recreationally. I experience no high at all, only relief from my agony.
Thank you randi for asking if they are helpful instead of assuming the worst. I have taken a lot of insults regarding my personal choice not to suffer needlessly. Everyone has to make that choice for themselves.
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
hon, i'm the type of person that would never attack a person for doing what they believe is right for them.
we are all so very different that when someone finds something to ease their pain, i am not going to criticize them. i can learn from them because someday i may be in your boat and want help too.
i don't understand the narcotics thing as i've only had morphine once before surgery and it just put me flat out....so i am not doubting their effectiveness at all.
i was just surprised that a clinic that deals with fibro gave her all those meds. she seems to be functioning semi=well....she doesn't go out much, but can exercise, doesn't cook or clean...hmmm pretty much homebound. i feel very sorry for her. can't work, diagnosed bi-polar, skitz something or other. she's very sweet and likeable but i just worry she's being misdiagnosed...
so many people are going down the wrong path. i mean with the wrong testing and diagnosis.
i think if my doctor did give me something like meth, i wouldn't take it. i just don't know....
but i'm glad that some doctors are seeing that patients are suffering and willing to try to help.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
My husband and I are just coming off methadone - by choice. We want to see how bad the pain really is now. The methadone doses you get for pain maintenance are very low. It really does help with the pain.
Posts: 108 | From Florida | Registered: Sep 2005
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I hope it didn't seem like my defensiveness was directed at you or anyone on this board. I am just gun shy from my family giving me a hard time. I am so sorry about your friend. I know its hard when they won't at least consider it.
At the pain clinic there is a nurse who has a Fibro and CFS diagnosis. She is given epidurals for her pain and injections into "trigger points". We I brought up Lyme she said "but we don't have Lyme in New Jersey".
I was really sad that she wouldn't listen because she is so kind hearted and without a diagnosis and treatment she will just continue to deteriorate. She might not even have Lyme but she also really fits the mold.
Paula:
I have tried to taper off of methadone several times when I noticed less breakthrough pain. I also wanted to see if my pain was still severe. I have kept it at the lowest possible dose but the pain is still severe any lower.
Have you noticed any return in pain or had any withdrawal symptoms? Were you given anything to lessen withdrawal effects or is there a tapering schedule to prevent withdrawals? And one more, what was your pain like before?
So sorry if I'm asking too many questions. I've never met anyone else who's on Methadone, especially not anyone with Lyme related pain.
What type of pain does the Methadone help? I have 2 sons with severe, unrelenting headaches. They have PTC (pseudo-tumor cerebri), which is also known as intrancranial hypertension. I'm wondering if methadone would help this type of pain.
Thanks!
-------------------- Peggy
~ ~ Hope is a powerful medicine. ~ ~ Posts: 2775 | From MN | Registered: Apr 2001
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I wasn't sure so I did a little searching. The closest thing I could find to intracranial hypertension was migraine headaches. It seems methadone is used specifically to treat migraine pain as well as severe chronic pain.
I wasn't sure so I did a little searching. The closest thing I could find to intracranial hypertension was migraine headaches. It seems methadone is used specifically to treat migraine pain as well as severe chronic pain.
How old are your sons? Also, I don't want to assume, do they both have Lyme Disease?
My sons are 18 & 22. They have chronic Lyme disease & co-infections. They were diagnosed in 2001 but had been ill for a long time. Their LLMD thinks they were born with it.
PTC headaches are much worse than migraine headaches. On a good day, their headaches are a 6 & an 8 on a 1-10 scale. The oldest doesn't have a lot of other symptoms. If he could reduce the headache to a 5, he would be able to attend college. The younger one is a senior in high school and goes to school for 1 hour each day. He does have more symptoms such as joint/muscle pain, insomnia, scoliosis pain, etc.
I've been thinking they should do a trial of Methadone to find out how they react to it.
Thanks for the info!
-------------------- Peggy
~ ~ Hope is a powerful medicine. ~ ~ Posts: 2775 | From MN | Registered: Apr 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
-
This reminds me of a news magazine feature in Autumn of '84 about the use of herion in the UK for cancer patients. (At that time, it would have been on one of the 3 major networks.)
My mother was dying then of HIV/AIDS (though it was not detected until a week before her death). She was in severe pain and had tremors.
All they would give her in the hospital was tylenol (and she also had a failing liver so that should have been off limits). So, when I saw the program on herion use, I asked if she could get it.
Nope.
Anyway, and this is just based on that one feature, cancer patients who got herion for pain relief did great. They could be more involved in enriching activities and engage in conversation.
For those in whom the cancer receded, they could easily taper down from their dose and they did not become addicted to the heroin.
For those who did not see their cancer leave, at least this gave them a far better quality of life in their final weeks and months.
[edited to add for clarity: this is about how the pain somehow "uses" the heroin. For someone trying this for recreational use, the body would not "use" it but rather it would become destructive. I'm in no way advocating any pain drugs for off-label use.]
Here in the US, we are ignorant about strong drugs. I'm usually a fan of nutritional support - when possible - to help reduce pain. Magnesium can often be a big help.
However, many people need much more, even if while addressing infection as the cause of the pain.
I've learned from the posts here - so thanks for the candid comments.
-
Randi, as for your friend, simply masking pain won't work if an underlying infection is not addressed. But, maybe she has to get the pain under control before she can learn more about this.
Pain makes it very difficult to read and comprehend. I don't know how the meds affect the liver but you might introduce her to milk thistle - if, after reading, you find it can be used with her pain meds and not affect the desired effect.
[I don't know though, if hydrocodone is a steroid ??? Still, I know to much of that can affect ear nerves.]
You might give her a book (Singleton's?) or a few articles (Savely, Sherr) - or loan her the film "Under Our Skin" - and then just let it go.
=
[ 04. January 2009, 06:08 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
i've tried vicoden a number of times and it doesn't touch my pain...maybe takes the edge off for and hour or so...not enough to csleep
ibuprofen still works the best but is killing my gut...
i am getting worse and don't know what i will do
does methadone make you spacey---not able to drive and function?
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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I am sorry to hear that your sons are enduring so much pain. Methadone is typically reserved for the levels you described. If you can find a nice pain clinic near you it might be worth checking into. They are usually very understanding.
My heart goes out to you and your family. If you have any more questions I will be happy to answser them.
Keebler:
I am glad to hear that you learned from the posts in this thread. I was reluctant to respond for fear of ridicule but decided it would benefit others to address this issue. Now I'm glad I did.
Hydrocodone is Vicoden. It has no steriod in it. I have never heard of someone taking methadone and hydrocodone together. Maybe if it is spaced out or if one of these drugs is a low dose. My pain has been controlled on methadone alone but may hers wasn't.
Ipkayak:
It is hard to say whether or not methadone has interfered with my driving ablities or general function. I haven't been able to drive because of my petit mal seizures for two years and I felt foggy before I was on any pain meds.
I have never felt high on methadone though. When the dosage is precisely just enough to kill the pain adequately, the narcotic effects are "absorbed". The dosage can be adjusted accordingly however so its never been a problem in my case.
lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
thank you.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
Forest Nymph and Paula, how has methadone helped your pain?
Are you functional? ...to what extent?
Paula, how long were you and your husband on methadone? Was it for the pain associated with Lyme disease?
Can you give the 0-10 number scale comparing your pain before & after methadone? Did you try other pain relief methods, such as physical therapy, pool therapy, massage or acupuncture?
How well can you function on methadone? Do you think you'd be able to attend school/college and be able to manage a normal course load?
Paula, are you or your husband able to drive while taking methadone?
One of my family members has severe pain. They've tried fentanyl patches, morphine, oxymorphone, oxycodone, hydrocodone...nothing has helped. At this point the pain specialist is recommending methadone.
The LL psychiatrist is supportive of this decision and has a few Lyme patients who are doing well on it. These other patients were not helped by narcotics.
I'd love to talk to you more about methadone.
What does it cost? Does insurance pay for it? How often do you have to take it? Is it available in any form other than an oral tablet?
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
My daughter has taken both. Neither really reduced her pain, but it took the edge off. On a "good day" my daughters pain is an 8/10, on a bad day its a 10+, she now has IV pain meds, which have been a lifesaver.
As ForestNymph described, some Lyme patients are in AGONY. My daughter has vomited and blacked out from the pain several times. She was unable to even communicate effectively before the IV pain meds.
I think that as long as you are treating the Lyme aggressively, that it is okay to take whatever other medications you need to be able to continue to do so comfortably. Our LLMD agrees.
Your friend is not treating the Lyme, only the pain, which will just mask the symptoms. She obviously will not get well if she indeed has LD.
Posts: 371 | From CT | Registered: Jun 2008
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IKHDAD
Unregistered
posted
I am on MS Contin and have Lortab from breakthrough Pain and without it I would not be walking or be able to do anything but find a way to the ER.
It does not help with headaches and I am working with my doc to find something else for that.
The above items take the edge off from a level 8 or 9 pain .. down to a 5 or 6.. if that helps see .. the difference.
Still in constant and chronic never ending pain. worse some days than others.. But never .. relieved.. And never without pain.
This has been since I got sick.. and one of the things I hope treating the infections will help in the end.
Herxing make it even worse.
I do not think I helped but a little extra info from someone elses experience does always help me
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
Keebler, I'm sorry your mom suffered so much before her death. That should be a crime.
It is very difficult to deal with this pain. When you add the treatment for Lyme and the resulting herx, it makes the severe pain even worse.
It's difficult to choose whether to continue treatment and cause such a herx that you think you'll have to run to the ER every day, or to wonder whether your family member is still alive every morning.
JKM, would you mind telling us what IV meds are helping your daughter? Is she in school? If so, how do you handle the requirements of school?
My family member also gets nauseated due to the severe pain. Unfortunatley, nothing eliminates this nausea. Then you're in for a double whammy because of the rebound pain and other side effects associated from sudden 'withdrawal' of the other meds. Tablets are OK, but IV would be great for when the nausea interferes with the ability to take meds or to keep them down.
Nausea meds that have been tried are phenegren tablets, phenegren gel, zofran tablets, reglan tablets, carafate tablets, and zofran injections. None have had good effect.
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote: Forest Nymph and Paula, how has methadone helped your pain?
Are you functional? ...to what extent?
Can you give the 0-10 number scale comparing your pain before & after methadone? Did you try other pain relief methods, such as physical therapy, pool therapy, massage or acupuncture?
How well can you function on methadone? Do you think you'd be able to attend school/college and be able to manage a normal course load?
I'm not exactly sure what you meant by how has Methadone helped your pain? Let me know if my answers to your other questions don't cover what you're looking for.
You asked Are you functional? In relation to the methadone, if I take a look back to when I first started it, yes, it increased my ability to function significantly. I was much more ill at the time so there were limits. Since my condition has improved it helps even more.
Before I started on Methadone I was a 10+ in the mornings and a 10 through most of the day. In the morning it felt like a corkscrew was being twisted into my joints. The rest of the day it was a steady nerve pain everywhere in my body.
I started on Norco and it did nothing for the morning pain and on a good day I was lucky if it brough the nerve pain from a 10 down to a 9. Methadone took the edge off the morning pain (from a 10+ to a 10) and depending on the pain level it averaged an 8 to 9 but sometimes a 10 on a particularly bad day.
I know that doesn't sound like much but when I was a constant 10/10+ for so long, an 8 or 9 was wonderful. The edge off in the morning allowed me to go back to sleep until it wasn't as bad. It always seemed like the intervals were larger in the higher pain levels than in the lower ones.
Now that my condition has improved, my pain is still a 10 without methadone, but the quality must be different somehow because the methadone is more effective. I now average anywhere from a 4 to a 7 and only get up to an 8 or 9 occasionally on a bad day. I have had a 10 once in the past 3 months.
Before methadone I did try every pain reliever and alternative method I could find. I tried experimental supplement, accupunture, chirprators, etc. I am not saying these methods wouldn't help others but in my case they did not help.
Like I said before, I don't know how much the methadone is effecting my abilities since I was having cognitive problems and seizures before. I had to drop out of college for those reasons alone. I would imagine killing the pain would be better than being in pain while going to school but everyone is unique.
quote: My family member also gets nauseated due to the severe pain. Unfortunatley, nothing eliminates this nausea. Then you're in for a double whammy because of the rebound pain and other side effects associated from sudden 'withdrawal' of the other meds. Tablets are OK, but IV would be great for when the nausea interferes with the ability to take meds or to keep them down.
Nausea meds that have been tried are phenegren tablets, phenegren gel, zofran tablets, reglan tablets, carafate tablets, and zofran injections. None have had good effect.
I had this happen to me and I ended up in the ER from a combo of being flooded by the pain, withdrawal effects, and dehydration. It took several IV injections to stop the vomiting.
I was later prescribed Zofran ODT sublingual tabs. They dissolve under the tongue, not in the stomach. Has your family member tried these? The only problem is they are ridiculously expensive if you are self-pay. My uncle with colon cancer takes these during chemotherapy.
posted
I am sure we all rate pain a bit differently too.
I guess I have always left the 10 number open for the one I have not experienced yet and I know is there and i visualize if I was a10 I would be dying without any chance of survival and nobody could help and I would go into to full shock and that would be my end.
I had to write out definitions for each number for my doctor so they knew what I mean and some doctors I noticed knew this and had their own descriptions for you on each number..
I guess its all relative and it is all perspective and we also can ont feel each others body or pain..
No matter what I do not wish this upon anyone.
Does anyone know what percent of Lyme related Pain is from inflamation? I have heard so many opinions and some say of course all pain is directly related to that. Some say no and it is due to substances in our spinal fluid and how the brain is working etc...
And.. I still wish knew more of exactly why hurt so much all of the time.
Anyone read any articles or have any clues?
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
Thank you for these details Forest Nymph. That's exactly the type information I wanted to know.
I didn't know about sublingual Zofran.
I mentioned Reglan, but am not sure that was prescribed for nausea. Prevacid help sometimes, but not always.
One of our LLMDs think Bartonella is the major cause of the digestive problems and severe gut/digestive pain.
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
My husband and I both had pain from Lyme. I had fibromyalgia for a while, he still does. I have a lot of joint pain. He has more neuro symptoms.
Methadone, in 20 to 30 mg, 4 times a day, helped us both. You don't feel "high" like you might on some narcotics. You can function as usual. Of course, my usual includes a big problem with memory loss - so any kind of learning scenario is tough, with or without methadone.
You really don't feel anything on methadone. Just the dulling or absence of pain. I took Klonopin (.25 mg, 4 times per day) with the methadone. I'm having a lot more difficulty giving up the Klonopin than the methadone.
My doc gave me a guideline for reduction of addictive meds - reduce no more than 10 percent each 5 day period.
So, I've been reducing methadone for about 25 weeks now. I've gone from 120 mg methadone per day to 20 mg.
Having had the debilitating pain you describe - I vote for pain management every time.
About the "trigger point" injections: I asked my doc and the injections there are cortisone. So I didn't want to take those - I heard somewhere cortisone feeds the little spirochetes. Don't know if it's a for sure thing - but I'd check.
I wish everyone pain-free nights, if not days.
Posts: 108 | From Florida | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
I started taking hydrocodone/ vicodin for extreme sciatic pain about 20 days ago. I hate taking the pills but the pain is too much to handle. I can not even lay in my bed without narcodics for now.
Again dont know the root cause of the pain-
bad bicillian shot too close or into nerve Lyme in nerve lifted something Mild bulging disc at L5-S1 Lyme?
All I know is if I dont take these the pain is too much to handle.
-------------------- Positive 10 bands WB IGG & IGM + Babesia + Bartonolla and NOW RMSF 3/5/09 all at Quest
sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
I didn't read everyones posts - I just skimmed it...
I tried trigger point injections but it didn't do much for me. Some relief maybe lasted a day or so. It's not long lasting in my experience.
There's alot of stigma surrounding pain med use... it's all uncalled for. There are studies that have found the addiction rate is very low for people with chronic pain.
Chastising people for using pain meds is a remnant of the "war on drugs". If you read the facts, there's no need to blame the victims for using drugs that may help them to function.
We all react differently, though. You just have to see if it helps or if you have adverse reactions.
If the treatments to get rid of the source of the pain don't work - pain meds are a lifesaver. Sometimes, you have to try to treat the cause & the pain concurrently.
It's good to know the cause & treat that but in many cases of long term Lyme infection - the treatments don't always work.
We have to try the best we can to live through this & do what we can to feel better.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Oh, sorry, hshbmom, you asked about methadone pain comparisons and cost, etc.
My pain went from a good solid 8 to 2 or 3 like overnight.
A month supply of methadone like I took (30 mg, 4 times a day) was around $42 (120 10 mg pills).
Yes, our insurance covered it. We just paid $10 a month.
Now that I only take 5 mg, 4 times a day, my pain is never over a 5, usually a 2. What I thought must be true - I'm finally getting better.
I take mostly Doxy and lots of supplements, but my hubby could never tolerate Doxy - he takes Biaxin. When I tried Biaxin, I landed in the hospital with heart attack symptoms. Everybody's different!
Posts: 108 | From Florida | Registered: Sep 2005
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
Thanks Paula!
I'm relieved to hear the price isn't outrageous...and that you got such a drastic reduction in your pain overnight.
This gives us some hope. If the pain can be controlled, then the treatment could continue.
Randibear, I didn't mean to hijack your thread. Hydrocodone hasn't helped much at all, and methadone seems like our last pharmaceutical option.
The pain specialist told us that some people have died after taking only one dose of methadone. I believe these deaths are related to a G6PD deficiency, which you CAN test for. I don't know how reliable the tests are.
The pain specialist suggested two other pain treatment options:
1. taking pharmaceutical grade amino acids to help boost the body's production of neurotransmitters. Cost ~ $150.00 per month.
2. a battery-operated device, similar to a TENS unit, that stimulates the brain electrically I don't know the cost of this.
posted
I just wanted to say I really appreciate everyone's receptiveness to this topic. I think it is really helpful since so many of us are in terrible pain.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency is a hereditary, sex-linked enzyme defect. It results in the breakdown of red blood cells when the person is exposed to certain drugs or the stress of infection.
Alternative Names G-6-PD deficiency; Hemolytic anemia due to G6PD deficiency; Anemia - hemolytic due to G6PD deficiency
Causes The primary effect of G-6-PD deficiency is the reduction of the enzyme G-6-PD in red blood cells, causing destruction of the cells (hemolysis). Ultimately, this hemolysis leads to anemia -- either acute or chronic.
In the United States, many more black than white people have the disorder. Approximately 10 - 14% of the black male population is affected. The disorder may occasionally affect a black women to a mild degree (depending on their genetic inheritance).
The disease also tends to affect people of Middle Eastern decent, particularly Kurdish and those of Sephardic Jewish descent.
People with the disorder are not normally anemic. They do not display any evidence of the disease until the red blood cells are exposed to certain chemicals in food or medicine, or to stress.
Medications that can bring on this reaction include: (Our pain specialist said methadone can cause this reaction.)
Antimalarial drugs Aspirin Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) Quinidine Quinine Sulfonamides (antibiotic) Nitrofurantoin The chronic anemia is unaffected by exposure to these drugs.
Other chemicals, such as those in mothballs, can also bring about hemolysis in people with G-6-PD deficiency. The risk of acute hemolytic crisis can be decreased by reviewing the family history for any evidence of hemolytic anemias or spherocytosis, or testing before giving any medications belonging to the above classes.
The hemolysis episodes are usually brief, because newly produced (young) red blood cells have normal G6PD activity.
Risk factors for G-6-PD deficiency are being black, being male, or having a family history of G6PD deficiency. Another type of this disorder can occur in whites of Mediterranean descent. This form is also associated with acute episodes of hemolysis. Episodes are longer and more severe than in the other types of the disorder.
Symptoms Dark urine Enlarged spleen Fatigue Paleness Rapid heart rate Shortness of breath Yellow skin color (jaundice) Note: Severe hemolysis may cause hemoglobinuria (hemoglobin in the urine).
Exams and Tests Anemia Hemolysis Increase in the number of young red blood cells in circulation, following a hemolytic crisis Reduced G-6-PD activity
Tests may find:
Elevated absolute reticulocyte count Elevated bilirubin levels Elevated serum LDH Heinz bodies present on examination of the peripheral blood smear using special stains Hemoglobin in the urine Low red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels Low serum haptoglobin
Additional tests may include:
Methemoglobin reduction test Methylene blue test
Treatment
If the cause of a hemolytic crisis is an infection, it should be treated. If the cause is a drug, the drug should be stopped. People with the Mediterranean form, or those in hemolytic crisis, may occasionally require transfusions.
Outlook (Prognosis) Spontaneous recovery from hemolytic crises is the usual outcome.
Possible Complications Rarely, kidney failure or death may occur following a severe hemolytic event.
When to Contact a Medical Professional Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms of hemolytic anemia due to G-6-PD deficiency develop.
Call your health care provider if you have G-6-PD deficiency and symptoms of hemolytic anemia do not disappear after treatment of the cause.
Prevention People with G-6-PD must strictly avoid anything that can bring on an episode, especially drugs known to cause oxidative reactions. Talk to your health care provider about medications in this class.
Genetic counseling or genetic information may be of interest to carrier women and affected men.
Hoffman R, Benz Jr. EJ, Shattil SJ, et al., eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingston; 2005:658-60.
Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2004:1027-28.
Review Date: 2/26/2007
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
Here are my notes from an appointment with our pain specialist:
Neuropathic pain is modulated through receptors: gamma, beta, alpha receptors...
Medicines bind to these receptors. It may take 4-9 meds to get pain relief. When you get more than 5 medicines, you usually end up with a drug interaction.
Options for Neuropathic (Lyme) Pain Relief:
1. poly-pharmacy approach --a slow steady process where you start low and titrate up until you get pain relief
2. alpha stimulator --is like a tens unit for the brain (works via the brainstem) This is not a medication, therefore has the added benefit of no likely drug interactions, no side effects, and it's not addictive.
3. oral supplementation of pharmaceutical grade amino acids, which supply the building blocks fo rthe neurotransmitters, such as seratonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
?? is Used to Tx seizures in Lyme patients This re-regulates ---- by adding dietary ----.....to make good neurochemicals
NeuroResearch --initial cost $ 150-175/month This is not a medication, therefore has the added benefit of no likely drug interactions.
4. acupuncture --try 4-5 sessions and if it doesn't help, discontinue therapy
5. narcotics --Only of 30% of those with neuropathic pain respond to narcotics, Only 30% of those get meaningful pain relief
a. fentanyl patch --can get too fast absorption in hot weather if you're active & outside b. morphine derivative c. methadone binds to a NDA receptor; can interact with other medications,
Benefits of methadone:
+ cheap medicine + easy to take + gives good pain coverage
Limitations & Dangers of methadone:
- there is a slow titration of 3-4 weeks and it's not an overnight solution;
- can cause overdose easily because the effect is very slow, but will build up in your sytem (the effect is cumulative)
- some people have died from taking one dose because they don't have a liver enzyme (G6PD) to metabolize it
THERE IS A TEST FOR THIS ENZYME to determine if it would be dangerous for a patient to take methadone.
********************************************* Pain specialist stated: People with G6PD deficiency should not take methadone. The G6PD deficiency causes an inability to metabolize metadone. There is a test available for it. *********************************************
My primary concern: Is the test for G6PD deficiency an accurate test?
hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
I corrected information I wrote about alpha stimulation. It does NOT require brain surgery!
A device called the Alpha-stim 100 uses external ear clips to deliver a small microcurrent of electricity to the brain, retraining the way your brain responds to pain.
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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