[Buttermaker]

Hey guys,

I was stabbed multiple times 11 months ago, one of which got me in the left arm severing my ulnar nerve at the elbow. In the beginning i was prescribed lyrica, cymbalta, and norco's. I had ulnar nerve repair surgery. i felt like it got a tad bit better after the first month but besides that ive had shooting pain, numb pain, and extreme sensitivity in my hand. I finally got a real PM doc(i had one in the area where i got stabbed as well, but he sucked) who bumped me up to 4 norcos a day from 2. its still not enough tho, i feel like i need something that lasts longer or i need 2 of em 3 times a day.Im also getting a stellate ganglion block tomoro, hopefully it works! he also put me on amitriptyline, which hopefully will start kicking in in a couple days.

Ive gone through PT and acupuncture. nothing helps. And when im not on the norcos i feel crappy and dont want to do anything. Ive tried neurotin and lyrica with no relief. Im no doubt addicted to norcos so im scared to think wat will happen if the ganglion block works and they stop prescribing pain meds. would my PM doc help me with this problem if the block works?

thanks
Butters

[Leesa]

Hi butters ~ You have several problems here! My gosh, stabbed 11 times? Bless your heart.

As far as being addicted to the Norco's, you HAVE to be open and honest with your PM doctor in order for him to help you. Hopefully, he'll try to help you get off them, but he may refer you to an addiction specialist. Plus you SHOULD be going to NA or AA -- one or the other. Addiction is a disease, and it has to be treated like one. Unfortunately "doctors" don't understand it like they should. So that's why you should go to NA. There, they will TREAT you like you need treating. It's NOT about will-power. It's both a disease of the mind and the body. The mind tells you lies and the body believes it. I'm a recovering alcoholic, and I totally understand what you're going thru. I'm also a recovering addict, as I got addicted to Xanax, and that was horrible! It was worse than coming off the booze. But I did it and you can too -- but we need help. We CANNOT do it alone -- we have to have support, and you do too! So go to some NA or AA meetings. You'll find that the people there are just like YOU.

It kinda sounds like the Addiction is your main problem here -- is that true? I'm sure they'll find a medication for the Ulnar nerve. Have they tried Topamax? That works great for me for nerve pain. And keep in mind that nerves GROW BACK. They grow back at the average rate of one inch per month == sometimes faster, sometimes slower, but they grow back. And when they grow back, you get zaps, and it can be painful too. But that's telling you that they're growing! So it's a good sign. I know it's uncomfortable but be grateful you feel it -- if you didn't, then you'd know they weren't growing at all.

I wish you the very best! Keep us posted, will you? God bless and please take care. Hugs, Lee