Just thought I throw this out there for leg pain. I know you've already tried everything under the sun, so this may be very old news to you.

Anyhow, I used DMSO liquid on my forehead for facial pain. It helps the pain for several hours. (Yes, I was desperate!)

I had one IV of DMSO after dental surgery. It took down the swelling; felt great. The only medical approved use for DMSO is for interstitial cystitis.

The hassle factor of applying it is its biggest downside. But it really works.

Just a FYI:
DMSO is actually not the same as MSM capsules. Treepatrol posted info about DMSO a while back.

Here's what I did:
I rubbed in a layer of aloe vera lotion to avoid irritating the skin. Then diluted DMSO with a dab of distilled water in a tiny clear glass bowl.

Dab on diluted DMSO with cotton ball. Do not rub in DMSO. Be sure and use an old towel for spills. DMSO ruins jewelry, carpet, anything.

Wash your hands when done. After it dries in a few minutes, you can gently wipe away the excess. It penetrates through the skin to the bloodstream immediately.

I purchased mine at the feed store. They will sell 99% pure DMSO to you for animal use only. Mine was $7 for 16 fl. oz. (Keep DMSO away from children)

Some health food stores still sell the roll-on kind with aloe vera by Nature's Gift.

The strongest is the pure liquid which I think Nature's Gift makes, also.

Here's some examples: (don't know if site is reputable)

http://www.ihealthtree.com/dmso.html

Here's the Health Notes:

http://www.vitamin shoppe.com/learning/healthguide/healthguide_content.jhtml?Category=Supp&title=DMSO&relativePath=%2Fcontent%2Fhealthnotes%2FSupp%2FDMSO.htm

I'll check the board later, if you have questions; on my may to support group meeting.

Hope it might help.

Take Care,
Jan

Edited to correct link.

i go see another orthopedist,tomorrow afternoon.i think the most he might do,is order another m.r.i. of my knee/leg

so i am putting together a list of thing's to pick up.(topical). alot of people here have given me name's of differabt thing's to try..

stopping at the feed store was not one of the places.lol..i am just kidding with you jan.you made me laugh.haven't laughed in a while.

i will stop at the con-agra ,tomorrow.plus baby doll and pretty boy could use some chew snack's..

if this does work,i will lose all confidence with my doctor's,and start see the pup's vet.lol..

i have to find something to kill the pain....thank's jan, gary

Good luck at the ortho tomorrow. Sounds like a busy day. Hope he can help figure something out for you.

I know the DMSO sounds hokey, but that's why I was trying to show you the link about general information.

This is it: DMSO Health Guide

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/learning/healthguide/healthguide_content.jhtml?Category=Supp&title=DMSO&relativePath=%2Fcontent%2Fhealthnotes%2FSupp%2FDMSO.htm

I just tried to do a Lymenet search for Treepatrol's info, but the SEARCH feature doesn't work. I'll find it by the time you're all better. LOL

Your posts always crack me up. Glad you got a chuckle. Also sounds like a big day for baby doll and pretty boy!

Speaking of vets....,
Our former Texas state Senator Chris Harris took his dog to the vet. The vet diagnosed the dog with Lyme. He asked the vet if he could also have LD.

As it turned out, Sen. Harris had bizarre heart problems that didn't respond to conventional treatment. Yep, he had LD & found out through his vet.

Forgot to mention, if you decide to use the DMSO, be sure the leg area or skin surface is cleaned with soap & water. Don't use alcohol because the DMSO will carry it right through the skin (bad).

Anyway, let us know how you do. Hate to see anyone living in horrific pain on Lymenet.

Everyone's probably already mentioned Elavil to you. I use low dose (10 mg) Elavil plus 2 Motrin tablets for pain. You can take up to 25 mg three times a day, but you'll be a zombie.

The Elavil really does turn the pain receptors off. It doesn't work immediately, but when it kicks in------the pain goes away.

When I took Percocet, the pain would return in 2 hours and it was as if I had taken nothing. Just a thought.

Bye,
Jan

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/028006.html

I ran across these other precautions:

Never use on broken/bleeding skin.

Don't cover with bandage if waist up.

May cover with white sock/bandage if below waist.

Wait at least 30 minutes after hot shower.

Drink fluids to flush out of system.

they changed it over to nortriptyline.i take 40mgs daily plus 20 mgs of lexapro.

all that along with the percocet and duragesic patch950s0.

still the burning and pain drive me crazy.i'm now to take more painkiller's.now i wait an hour or so,till they kick in.back to bed for another few hour's.

hellofaway to live.just hope something good come's outa this trip to the orthopedist.

my gp(bless that man),is waiting in the wing's ,to increase the dosage on the pacth,to 75s every two day's.

i know i am going the wrong way.but i have no choice in the matter.all my effort's ,are fruitless.frustrating to the point of slapping the hell outa someone.

pain,interupted sleep,lyme rage.all contribute to one nasty sob.me......

anyway jan, thankyou for your help.you will never know how much everyone's input,toward's my health,mean's to me...gary

p.s...maybe when i am out,i will stop by the hardware store to get some #2 finshing nail's,that might help with the pain.sorta,round out the trip.lol...

I checked into this recently and so did a horse friend of mine, for me. The horse supply suggested I find a source for it that was made for human consumption. They indicated the purity would be higher and thus much better for me than the animal grade.

I called Dr. Julian Whitaker's number I subscribe to his newsletter and remember him talking about it once) and they told me a company that sold it. I called them and they told me that the whole food type store, called Wild Oats, sold it in my area. I talked to them and they had it mixed with all kinds of different things, one being aloe vera. As mentioned before, you never want to apply it without it being mixed with something like this... it would burn you. They sell it in the pet section in the store, as the FDA has never approved it for human use... but IT WAS formulated for human use.

At one point, I thought I heard that some government group was looking into it's use for arthritis, but I never heard the outcome.. if there was one.

Can't get to the computer because my son's home from school-----having to share!

I agree with you about the elavil. It is like a key turning on the appetite. I may have end up asking for some Nortriptyline if that would help me lose weight. (I must keep something like Elavil in the cabinet.)

Gosh, I'm sorry you're still in such pain with those heavy duty meds.

I don't know how you stand it. Pain can take over your life and it changes you. It will pummel you down.

Glad your GP is going to try to up your dosages of pain meds.

At some point, you've just got to have some relief to break the cycle.

Try to hang in there a while longer & something's bound to help the pain so you can sleep and HEAL.

I'm going to post a new topic about Dilantin, but I don't think it'd help your severe pain; unless something was added to it.

Wish me had some real answers for you.

Take Care,
Jan

after i told/show him my situation,he didn't run off.also,his office didn't look like my garage.(last ortho did!!)

they want me to get another mri on my knee.to see whats what.they think maybe scar tissue.

don't matter.i need them to cut me open.a visual dx,is best.

if they cut me open,they will test some tissue for lyme.i need to increase my chance's,so my biopsy trun's out pos. for keet's..

any idea's? i am going to do an epson/peroxide bath's up to the day of surgery.(i am thinking ahead.maybe shouldn't)

i will still try to get the dmso today.got home late yesterday evening.i am already beat this morning.

i am serious about help with idea's,to help make sure i get a pos. result from the biopsy.

gonna call my gp this morning.get an appointment.he is good with ideas.plus a gotta get this pain killer situation ,worked. ins. co. put me on generic patch.worthless !!!

thank's for all your input.mean's alot....gary

------------------

jan, you might want to try the nortriptyline. i didn't gain any more weight.but then i didn't lose all i gained..

but i don't/can't exercise.all the pain prevent's that....gary

Glad you didn't have to go to the garage ortho!! unbelievable.

Gosh, I don't know what to tell you about trying to get a positive on knee tissue. You'd think the Bb would be hiding in there.

If you're insurance would pay for a PCR on the tissue, that might help??? Don't know. (I'd hate to pay for a PCR------cause it's so hard to get a positive back.)

What about calling Igenex Lab just for info. One poster recently called & got to talk to Dr. Nick Harris. He might have some ideas for you-----don't know.

Or, go to www.Igenex.com

Just don't have any good ideas for you; maybe some others will.

I found this on the web:

"In our neuroborreliosis population, many patients have musculoskeletal complaints, and occasionally these are the major and most debilitating problems, sometimes accompanied by fever and chills.

Typically, large joints are involved and the arthralgias are migratory, which in fact fits the classic description for LD.

In a few cases, actual arthritis is evident, although only rarely does this persist. When it does persist and comes to joint replacement surgery, we have anecdotal reports in which orthopedic surgeons, upon

opening the joint in question, discover a cheesy, fibrous exudate which is uncharacteristic for the usual bacterial infection and which proves to be negative or sterile on routine smears and cultures. This is the prototypical ``Lyme joint'' which almost no one in the operating arena ever recognizes.

In fact, some surgeons stop there and refuse to go on, believing that their patient has an unusual and previously unrecognized infection that makes their job impossible.

However, if the arthroplasty continues after these initial concerns are addressed, we have noted a high rate of success in joint replacement (personal experience)."

If it's o.k., I'll e-mail you the link. Heck, you might consider calling them and ask how to get a positive test. Ask one of their nurse practitioners to ask about it for you------be sure & tell them you're desperate.

Just a FYI:

You're knee pain may be way past this point-------but even traditional Orthos have been injecting Hyaluronic Acid as a lubricant into the knees which allows some folks to delay surgery.

It helps certain folks. Yep, I saw it on the evening news. LOL

Seriously, I do realize you need to find the best procedure & lab to get a positive test.