LymeNet Flash: Why won't the pain go away?

This is topic Why won't the pain go away? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by jo3 (Member # 6317) on :

Hello all
I'm on Mepron and Zithro but I got off for 3 days since my LLMD thinks that the severe pain in my leg,hip and back are due to a herx. I'm slowly starting to creep up to the full dose-1 tsp.Mepron and 2 Zithro.
The ortho thinks the pain is due to a back prob. of sorts.
Alot of you kindly gave me your advice- and I don't think I'll do the MRI since I wouldn't have surgery right now anyway.
My question is why has the pain come back after just a few decent days- I'm taking 1 Neurotin at night (the ortho thinks I shut increase the dose to 2 a day but I'm afraid I'll be more dysfunctional) and I'm on 1 1/2 Vicodin (super strength) as well. I can't exercise since I'm already in pain and will only make it worse.
Any words of wisdom? I don't know what more to do!

Posted by James H (Member # 6380) on :

I mentioned this already... If this were my pain I would try the massage therapy / chiropractic route at this point if you have not already done so.

Whether Lyme is the root cause or not often that kind of pain can be relieved with kinder, less invasive, and less expensive means than surgery. At the very least you would have another perspective on the cause of the pain. If they can help in your particular case the pain can be gone quickly, and they can give you some pointers on how to keep it from coming back.

You should be able to find out pretty quickly if this approach is going to help for you, and it does not have to cost alot of money to find out.

...Of course maybe you've already been there and it did not help.

[This message has been edited by James H (edited 07 February 2005).]

Posted by NP40 (Member # 6711) on :

May want to try different pain meds if your Doc will work with you on this. I'll bet we went through 20 different pain meds until we hit on Duragesic patches and percocet.
Only ordered a small amount of pills at one time, until we knew they'd work, otherwise you'll spend a fortune.
Our son tried vicodin, and it had no effect at all. Keep searching as pain can interfere with your healing.

Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :

Jo,

I'm so sorry you are in so much pain. For the quickest route, I also suggest trying another pain med. We all respond to different things. And it seems many of us with Lyme don't get good results from Neurontin.

Longer term, I'd suggest trying to find a specialist who really treats pain. In my experience, I found even a pain specialist who didn't believe I had Lyme could still help me treat the pain. He knew about all the meds and knew a wonderful physical therapist - who did believe the Lyme dx.

Don't give up. It's hard to find the right meds for your pain, but it can be found.

-Aniek

Posted by jmardis (Member # 6643) on :

Hello,
Sorry you are in so much pain. I was having severe pain in my left leg and right arm. Also severe muscle tightness in upper back. The chiropractor helps me greatly.

Also magnesium and B6. The massages were great too.

LOL

Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :

Jo... just so you know...

The herxing makes the pain worse. Day 4 after starting Mepron, a herx like effect may take place... and then a few weeks after that another one may hit.

Not much at all you can do for the pain if it is from a herx.. but the chiropractor helps me and might be worth the trip.. as James said.

Keep in mind too.. the Zithromax will stay in your system at least 2-3 weeks after stopping it.. and you can still herx.

Hope you feel better soon!

Posted by troutscout (Member # 3121) on :

Have you tried Prolo Therapy?

Dr C...from Missouri does it.

Trout

PS...I am taking a natural supplement that has not ONLY reduced my herxheimers...but also potentiated the ABX I am taking. I have imbedded a clinical trial abstract for you..it inhibits the cox-2 inflamatory process. Contact me if you are interested.

3: Nakatani K, Nakahata N, Arakawa T, Yasuda H, Ohizumi Y.
Inhibition of cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin E2 synthesis
by gamma-mangostin,a xanthone derivative in mangosteen, in
C6 rat glioma cells.
Biochem Pharmacol. 2002 Jan 1;63(1):73-9.
PMID: 11754876 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Inhibition of cyclooxygenase and prostaglandin E2 synthesis by gamma-mangostin, a xanthone derivative in mangosteen, in C6 rat glioma cells.
Nakatani K, Nakahata N, Arakawa T, Yasuda H, Ohizumi Y.
Department of Pharmaceutical Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, 980-8578, Sendai, Japan.
The fruit hull of mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana L., has been used for many years as a medicine for treatment of skin infection, wounds, and diarrhea in Southeast Asia. In the present study, we examined the effect of gamma-mangostin, a tetraoxygenated diprenylated xanthone contained in mangosteen, on arachidonic acid (AA) cascade in C6 rat glioma cells. gamma-Mangostin had a potent inhibitory activity of prostaglandin E2 ( PGE2) release induced by A23187, a Ca2+ ionophore. The inhibition was concentration-dependent, with the IC50 value of about 5 microM. gamma-Mangostin had no inhibitory effect on A23187-induced phosphorylation of p42/p44 extracellular signal regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase or on the liberation of [14C]-AA from the cells labeled with [14C]-AA. However, gamma-mangostin concentration-dependently inhibited the conversion of AA to PGE2 in microsomal preparations, showing its possible inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX). In enzyme assay in vitro, gamma-mangostin inhibited the activities of both constitutive COX (COX-1) and inducible COX (COX-2) in a concentration-dependent manner, with the IC50 values of about 0.8 and 2 microM, respectively. Lineweaver-Burk plot analysis indicated that gamma-mangostin competitively inhibited the activities of both COX-1 and -2. This study is a first demonstration that gamma-mangostin, a xanthone derivative, directly inhibits COX activity.
PMID: 11754876 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

------------------
Now is the time in your life to find the "tiger" within.
Let the claws be bared,
and Lyme BEWARE!!!
Iowa Lyme Disease Assoc. www.ildf.info

[This message has been edited by troutscout (edited 08 February 2005).]

Posted by Cheryl (Member # 75) on :

SO sorry you are in pain!!! Here is some info to read:
http://www.lymeinfo.net/pain.html