Hi Miriam Im a New Yawker also from across the river in Long Island City.
There are many medications to take for PN pain and individual ones work for some people and not for others its a hit or miss. Titrate up titrate down its a real PITA. Its important to find a neuro that you can work with and who is up to date on the latest treatments for PN. I have heard less than overwhelming praise for being treated by Latov both online and from people in the NYC area who are or were treated by him. In all honesty to me he sounds like any other schmuck neuro who loses interest after a few tests and passes you off to pain management. There are all too many neuros out there like that. From people ive spoken to if you arent a candidate for IVIG he loses interest. A pitfall of using a research oriented medical center. If you dont fit into their interest they lose interest. There might be a better neuro for you there at Cornell. Glenn knows them you can ask him.

As far as other people knowing about what you are going through, in another thread Melody has posted about a support group for PN that meets in midtown Manhattan the third thursday of the month. There you can meet and talk to other people in person who know something of what you are going through.

Dont feel guilty about your children, im sure you are doing the best you can and as someone who as a kid had a mother battle hodgkins back in the 60's for five years believe me they are happy to have you.

A few months back i started taking Elevil (amitriptylene) at night for throbbing and burning pain at a low dose 25 mg and it has helped with those pains and also to go to sleep and stay asleep. They are very tiny pills.
Oh yeah do you have any idea of the cause of your PN? Take care and hang in there.