I second the Tramadol. Just be very stingy with it. I find that I build a tolerance to it if I take an "extra" one every now and then. If I stay at the lowest dose possible and wait to take it until the "prescribed" time, it does a great job with the pain, if that makes sense. I just started taking Alpha Lipoic Acid a few days ago, if you haven't tried it, it might be worth researching. I can't tell you the results but a lot of people have results with it. You can find it where ever you get supplements. I just got serious with the gabapentin too and the verdict is still out. The "Brain fog" that Barb mentions is real but I am told that it also goes away once you settle on a dose that helps.

I'm just getting serious about trying to treat the pain and have not really tried a "bunch of different" medications. I do know this, you can take to many NSAIDS and they do affect you liver. (MOTRIN addict, Personal experience)

-Brian

I also take Tramadol. For 7 years in a cocktail with Neurontin/gabapentin
and continued to take it after I switched to Lyrica when it came on the market.
I was Rx'd for 100mg 4 x day but have now reduced that to the 3x day
when I take the Lyrica. Helps to control PN pain for me.

I have been taking alpha-lipoic acid for years, it reduces my pain level, but I have found that brand matters, I use Jarrow. Also evening primrose oil, or something else with GLA.
BasicPoke

I really like the r-lipoic... I switched to that about 2 yrs ago.
I think this form is now affordable and far superior.

Alpha never worked for me, at 600mg a day.

--the R-lipoic; 100mg/day seems to have roughly the equivalent effect of 600mg of alpha lipoic, and there's less of the acidity that makes some people leery of large alpha lipoic doses.

I also take the R-Lipoic 100mg/day, but can't say whether it has been effective or not.
Along with CoQ10 and Fish Oil and a few others, I seem to be able to maintain a tolerable PN pain level and not progress..... altho my recent heel spur kinda set me back, a bit. I stopped taking the Chondroitin/Glucosamine.... because the heel spur seemed to occur about a month after starting it. My wife takes it and says it helps, but its made of shellfish and oyster shell - calcium, and a bone spur is excess..... calcium/bone..... so I've held off of it, until the problem settles down.

I have tried the R lipoic for over a month now (up to 200mg/day now) without noticeable reduction in pain. I think it has to do with WHAT is causing the PN as to what benefit you'll get from ANY supplement.

Certainly didn't hurt to try, and I still haven't stopped it yet...maybe there is still hope.