hello,

Due to my alcoholism (been sober 9 years and counting) I cannot take any narcotic pain medication. I also cannot take any benzo's like Klonopin or Valium. Basically anything potentially addictive is off limits for me.

Currently I take Neurontin and Topamax for the neuro pain. However, I have been having horrible bone type pain for the past two weeks. From my hips on down hurt so bad like the bones are broken...I feel so old. Does anyone have any good recommendations for any RX meds or homeopathic that I can take given my restrictions? It's just killing me....

Thanks

Ann

P.S. The Neurontin and Topamax are taking care of the electric shock and burning feelings...it's this bone pain weary feeling I can't get a hold of.

First, congrats on 9 years sober!

I'm afraid I dont have any answers - but hoping you get some good responses - I'm trying to find the same... I get extremely sick from opiates and need not only for PN pain but for very damaged lumber spine (the pain doc is tring to figure out a mix she can give me for the back pain as injections, but I'm allergic to iodine, (which they use to guide the needle injection of steroids, and they are worried about effects of other stuff in the cocktail too).... topomax and nerontin I tied for PN pain - but didnt agree at all.,..

Right now I'm taking lots of tylenol - yes - I know its very bad for my liver - but I cant sit for more then maybe 1/2 hour without severe pain - so the docs just keep checking my liver which is fine for now - and as far an PN pain - just try to really ease up and rest them when I really ach.....

Hopefuly there is something homeopathic that someone can recommend? (I have tried PT numerous times, light streaches, etc. but they just cause more pain which doesnt let up until I do (and its not immediate pain - I pay for two or three days for what I did several days before I really didnt feel)

Hi Ann-Elizabeth:

Here to your sobriety.....

I think that is so cool!!!

I don't know about non-narcotic painkillers either. I used to have to take Tylenol with Codiene for my degenerative joint disease years ago. I was like 100 lbs overweight and the knees were awful. But the side effects of the pain killers (constipation), killed me. So I lost he weight and exercise every day. I'm very lucky in that department. I probably have to be hit over to head to take a pain pill, but that's me. That's not other people.

Do you know why you have the deep bone pain?? Have you had an x-ray or spoken to any doctors? If you've posted this before, I am sorry, but I did not read about it.

Just curious.

Melody

Have you mentioned that you feel this is bone pain to your doctor, Ann? If so, what was the doctor's opinion about this? I think I remember you are seeing a Neurologist, but do you have a regular Internist?

Cathie

P.S. I am impressed you have been sober now for so long. That is just great! I think we have had some other people post on this board, or the old Brain Talk, who had been alcoholics at one time or another in their lives. I cannot remember what was prescribed for pain relief. Usually, for people who are not alcoholics, I think most docs still start out with non-narcotic pain killers anyway and attempt to give their patients pain relief.

For bone pain, I doubt you would get any relief, but have you tried the trigger point injections for other areas that really bother you?

Hi Ann-Elizabeth, i used to get a lot of temporary relief from actual bone problems from Lazor Accupunture & or combined with old style Accupunture, another that comes to mind is Bowen therapy, which is only a very gentle & slow massage but works on your whole body, its really amazing, i know with me after i had the 3rd treatment i felt fantastic all over, NO aches or pains anywere but the benefits lasted for about 2 weeks then i needed more therapy just like acupuncture, if the pain is centralized strong Magnets may help too.
good luck
Brian

What works for me is taking script strength Ibuprofen (600 to 800 mgs). I only take it at night as it seems to help with PN symptoms. It works well for pain, period. I was taking it post carpal tunnel surgery after about 10 days on Darvoset. Gabapentin (generic Neurontin) worked fairly well for the PN but had other, very bad sides I couldn't deal with. I can't take the Ibuprofen twice a day as it eats my stomach up. Once a day doesn't seem to be a problem so far and I've been doing this for about 2 weeks now.

I had some problems with bone pain while taking Gabapentin which started after I'd been on it for several months. I wonder if it's related? It's since gone away after stopping the Gabapentin.

I did send an e-mail to my neuro last nite. The bone pain is part of the PN I think. I've heard other people here talk about it. Feels like walking on broken bones. So I don't think magnets would work because it is more a generalized feeling, but I will look into the Bowen therapy. I do take 4 advil and get some relief...I'll keep doing that...I just worry about taking that much advil.

Wouldn't it be great if there were a magic wand we could wave over our body to make our pain go away?

Anyway, I had a CT scan yesterday from my collar bone to my pubic bone to rule out any cancers that may be causing my PN. I'll find out in a week, but I assume that I would have been held for more testing if anything had been readily apparent. Next my neuro wants to do further kidney tests and amyloid testing. At least he's thorough. I would just love a diagnosis that we could treat!

Ann

I sure hope you're able to get a diagnoses about the underlying cause. I'm in that same boat right now. And just beginning the road the finding a cause. I hope so anyway. Just treating the symptoms isn't where I want to be.

Electro stimulation works like a miracle for me. I've been using the Rebuilder ( www.rebuildermedical.com ) for about 10 years now. Pain relief is immediate, and lasts for several days.

I only bought that overpriced thing because of recommendations from others in the BrainTalk forum, and their 30 day no-questions-asked guarantee. Even then, I didn't buy it until somebody in the forum returned it and promptly got their money back. When I started with it I used it twice a day and started noticing improvement within about 10 days. The company has provided much better than expected service over the years.

Other electrical simulators such as TENs units, or the Rejuvenator (doesn't appear to be in business anymore) might work, but I know that the Rebuilder does.

Besides reducing pain, there is a lot of research support that electro stimulation heals damaged nerves once the source of the injury is removed.

It really works, huh? I came across this ad about a week or so ago and it just sounded too good to be true. But if it really does work it's worth every penny. And cheaper in more than one way than meds. Do you know if Medicaid would pay for it? I'll have to do some more checking and see what I can find. Thanks for the heads up about this.