"I take my pain meds when it happens but they take 40-60 mins to work"

When I first started taking Lyrica I was under the impression that it worked like a pain med ie, Take more if pain increases when in fact it wasnt that type of med. Nobody mentioned it had to be built up in the blood over time.

I used to swing from my initial dosage of 150mg to 450mg daily if the pain was chronic. I was in LALAland

what pain meds do you take?

I've been told you can get a generic bite plate that is boiled, then you chomp on it to fit your mouth. I think in sporting goods sections.


As for Lyrica, neurontin type meds, they do take time to build up to work.

I take oxycontin, oxycodone and flexeril (muscle relaxer)(which ALL put me in lalala land!) for the so called pain maintenance and breakthrough. They help to keep the pain down or bring it down. I use the oxycontin for maintenance and the others for the end of the day of flare-ups.
None of them are really helping as much as they used to, or I am going through something new; I am also breaking out with these itchy little sores all over my hair line, the back of my neck and the back/base of my head. This seems to happen every year around the anniversary of when I first got sick, normally February/March. So maybe I am having sort of virus fight and am having an autoimmune reaction? and the pain is just so bad the pain meds aren’t working anymore. Or I am worried I have become acclimatized to them, built up a resistance. I have not done a search into alternative pain meds as I have found it a bit overwhelming to look up med advise on line; I might just ask here about what others have found as better methods of breakthrough pain remedies?

Thanks aussiemom - that will be worth looking into!

Thanks for the input
p.s. Lyrica doesn't help me as I don't have any myelin sheath problems - just sfn.

Stress is a factor in pain levels and I know from other posts that your home life can be stressful, can you set some time each day to concentrate on breathing exercises to calm you down? this may help with the pain - although with children in the house this won't be easy(I speak from experience) .
Have you tried some of the supplements recommended on this board, I didn't for a long time but have been taking some and found I am more alert and more in control of the pain ( although I decided to switch from Gabapentin to Lyrica a few weeks back and was almost tipped over the edge).
I wish you luck in finding meds that helped - I have been prescribed tramadol for breakthrough pain and it has worked wonderfully for the moment....... But as we all know this horrible condition has a way of getting through all the pain barriers that we use

Thanks malawigirl and no I haven't been trying the breathing exercises enough latetly. I find that I just zone out to much into a book of game of computer solitaire. When I do try breathing exercises I give up to easily. I do have some time in the morning when my youngest is at k-garten. So OKAY enough of that because yes I am definatly under alot of stress. Time to kick myself in the hinney (sp?) and try harder. Thanks malawigirl!

I don't think you need to kick yourself anywhere lol just be kind to you. I have to work at the breathing also but went through a 7week pain management course and the tutor couldn't stress how important this can be in helping.
Have you visited a pain management consultant yet?

Theanine has helped with lifting my mood and sleep, which has in turn helped with the pain as my coping mechanism is back.
Lipoic acid must be helping with pain as when I had run out the pain levels went up around three notches.