Hi MominPain
I know that you aren't keen to take lots of drugs and you don't like the side effects - nobody does. However, if you want my honest opinion, it is not worth doing "suffering" and getting along with basic meds if taking stronger stuff is actually managing the pain properly. It depends on whether you are "suffering" the pain and getting by rather than properly managing and controlling it - only you can reflect on how you feel and answer that one.


I read your posts on the reaction you had to Lyrica - again, if I can be brutally honest, your reaction wasn't that bad!! I know it probably didn't feel like it to you but a bit of postural hypotension honestly isn't a big deal, its unlikely to do you any harm so long as you get up carefully and if I were you I would persevere for a few weeks at least to see if it passes. I am also very drug sensitive but often the side effects pass.

You need to dig deep and accept that none of the medication comes without side effects but a bit of experimentation, living with the side effects and patience can reap huge rewards. You will eventually know what balance between effectiveness and side effects is acceptable to you. However, I would really urge you not to give up too easily. I have been fortunate to get very good pain control but it has taken over a year. I have stability and what I regard as very good control in terms of the pain such that I am able to work, my mood is completely normal and I have a life and hobbies, albeit now as a wheelchair user.

My own personal view is that you should throw as much as you can at this in the early stages to try and get good pain control. If you read the clinical stuff on the physiology of emotion and pain it is pretty apparent that the more control you get over the pain, the better your emotional state will be. It gives you the best chance of restoring movement and normality. Cross the drug tolerance bridge if and when you come to it but what is the point in worrying about it now? It may not happen to you.

I have struggled with sickness from oral opiods but the patch based ones have been excellent - both buprenorphine and even better, my current one which is Fentanyl - I was given free rein by my GP with both drugs to increase/decrease the dose until I got a level that worked for me. A 50mcg/hr fentanyl patch does the trick and that dose has been working very well for me for a few months now. I also take a base of 4 grams of paracetamol per day plus Cymbalta which works very well for my neuro pain but only at the full 60mg dose (30mg did nothing). I take laxatives every day to deal with the constipation. I don't like it but its better than being in pain.

Nobody is a hero for suffering the pain. If the meds no longer work for you then that is different but you need to persevere with some of these drugs. My advice is be prepared to give them a bit of time, accept that you need to experiment and sometimes you also need to take additional drugs to combat the worst of the side effects.

Just my thoughts and I am sure not univerally accepted but pain management is very individual.