I use Aleve liquigels for pain... The liquigel formula is very superior to the tablet type for me. I can get by with ONE capsule a day, whereas the tablets did nothing for me.
You might want to try them. If you have the same effects, you will be reducing the amount daily you take, and this is better for your heart. ( I don't use them every day either!)

Can only use tylenol. I am in 3rd stage kidney disease and when I used to work I used alot of Motrin and Excedrin which excessive use caused additional damage to my kidneys.

My sister is a physican and she stated 20mg of methodone is what she would prescribe for me. I have read alot about it and how it does help however I am still very nervous about starting it and that affect it will have on me.

I had loratab prescribed to me after my first c-section, had several left over so I used them while I worked and did not have a neurologist. I was told they are very addicting.

I have also seen Cymbalta and Lyrica used with the neurontin or gabapentin.

Hopefully the pain management clinic I will be going to will help. As of yesterday I have had to take my self down off of the gabapentin since I was exceeding 4800 mg. My sister said that high of a dose was "toxic" so I took her advice and switched my dosage around a little bit. Also has anyone had any success with a lidocaine patch. My sister also said to try that as well.

My own neurologist has offered me no other options for pain relief so I am going else where.

mrsD, would there be any reason for me Not to try this Aleve liquid along with my percocets? Well, not together but hours apart...I would LOVE to get off these percs. & was hoping to wean off. BUT need Pain relief? What do ya think?....Motrin 800 works but kills my gut no matter how much I eat.

Aleve liquigels have 220mg of naproxen in them. That is much less than the Motrin. It is therapeutically about equal to a 400mg Motrin. NSAIDs work for those with inflammatory pain. They are less effective for NERVE pain.

I don't have alot of nerve pain. But I do have burning now and then...I also have arthritis. Inflamed joints can pinch nerves and cause pain that way. So it can be complex in choosing a medication solution.

I can't say if the Aleve liquigels would be easier on the stomach. I don't take them often or every day because of that risk. But I did take them for 3 days in a row for that nasty sore throat! The lower dose effectiveness means less potential for GI upset. You'd just have to try them to see how you react.

For those here who use NSAIDs already, the Aleve liquigels may afford a way to reduce the dose/exposure without losing relief results.

Late 2005-Early 2006

Prescribed Daily Pain Regiment
8-10 5mg oxycocet (As Needed)
1-2 250mg Naproxen (x3)
200 mg Amitriptlyne Nightly
(Used for Nerve pain, Sleep & Chronic Migraines)

Results: Decent Pain relief still days with bad breakthrough but on average Good.

Early 2007
Prescribed Daily Pain Regiment
60-80 mg Oxycontin Daily
1-2 250mg Naproxen (x3)
200 mg Amitriptlyne Nightly
(Used for Nerve pain, Sleep & Chronic Migraines)

Around this time i started trying different Nerve pain meds on top of Elavil.

Neurontin Not sure on Dosage. As well as 1 or 2 others over the span of 8 months or so.


Results: Again Decent Pain relief still days with bad breakthrough but on average Good. Tho depended Completely on the Narc's

2008ish ...Time of Detox

After about 3 Years of Being on Narcotic pain meds. Determined I was heavily addicted and no matter what the dose Still in Pain. 1 Week later. Admitted my self into local "Medical Managed" Detox Facility here on the Island. The pain meds for the 9 days i was there are below. On top of that i was taking Decreasing amounts of methadone to relieve the DT's of coming off the Oxycontin. During this time i was in the worse pain I had been in since 2005. I was in bed all day except meal times in which i had to get up. The only relief i would get would come 1-2hrs after receiving a dose of Methadone. Max dose was 25ml decreasing 5mg daily till i was off it. Day 1 & 2 consisted of 2-3 10 ml doses which topped day 2 at the 25ml.

Prescribed Daily Pain Regiment in Detox
1-2 250mg Naproxen (x3)
200 mg Amitriptlyne Nightly
(Used for Nerve pain, Sleep & Chronic Migraines)


Results: Terrible!! In extreme pain Constantly! Not sleeping, and when i did sleep constantly being awaken.

2008ish ...Non- Nartoic

Prescribed Daily Pain Regiment
150mg Lyrica x3 Daily
1-2 250mg Naproxen (x3)
200 mg Amitriptlyne Nightly
15mg Imovane (Was waking up at 4-5 am Due to pain. If sleeping at all.

During this 6 week period, I was of Narc's from my Doctor. Within 2 weeks. I was in such severe pain i went to the street for methadone. I advised my family doctor of this and she tried to get me into see a Pain doctor that was licensed to prescribe methadone (There are only 2 Doctor on PEI that can do this. It took over 5 weeks to get into see the doctor i needed to see. During this time waiting i was spending between 40-100$ daily for methadone from the street avoiding using Street Pain Killers (Perc's oxy's D's ect ect)

During this time i lost everything i had worked for in the prior 5 years. As explained in another one of posts. I've had interesting past between the age of 17-22ish. I had been clean from all street drugs for all those years. Yet here i was again.


Present Day
Prescribed Daily Pain Regiment
75-150mg Lyrica as needed
1-2 250mg Naproxen (x3)
200 mg Amitriptlyne Nightly
15mg Imovane (Was waking up at 4-5 am Due to pain. If sleeping at all.
80mg Methadone Daily (40ml x2)


Results: Decent releif. I have bad breakthrough but treat it with lyirca & naproxen. Sleeping is still not what it use to be. Tho on occasion i will sleep right threw a day to make up for it :P


My pain level has been escalating as of recently, with methadone being up'ed to 100mg Daily. I am waiting still to have hardware removal Surgery and more then likely a nerve block Surgery, but the wait is very long.

Methadone Saved me from a life of extreme ups and downs that are always there with narcotic pain killers. Eventually the line between pain and Addiction become thin, yes the pain is there always but it's not pain relief you're getting. It's High.

This is just my experience. I know people who have been on Narc's for 20 years and are relatively fine. (Not Blindingly Addicted as i became)
If you one of those people with a addictive personality like me, methadone could be a good thing, but it has some really terrible side effects especially for young men^^ and the pills that make that 1 side effect go away are really expensive.

Ckfisher

I am using 900mg neurontin, 300 mg (or less) tramadol. My PN is not from diabetes, but we don't know yet for sure where it came from. I mistook it for gout for many years. It started in 1999 with numb toes and has progressed to numb feet, ankles, and lower legs skin, etc. Pain began last year with tingling and burning of lower legs and feet. It seems to have progressed rather quickly lately, but we are dealing with it. Neurologist tested extensively but cannot find the cause. I gave up all alcohol and caffeine last year, drink only water,
watch my diet, etc. B vitamins daily. Trying to manage the pain. Thank you for this forum, I am learning much. All the best to you all, Tom C. Bear

I take up to 500 mg of Vicodin a day, and I use medical marijuana. When I find the right dose I can actually function a little better. . . too much and I may be happy and relaxed, but no better than if I had taken 1000mg of Vicodin! My gastro authorized the use of medical mj for **** sphincter pain that is the result of scar tissue at the site of my ileal anastomosis. Some days (like today) I have to fight this pain AND my PN pain . . . and it is not a simple matter to move through the day with any significant accomplishments.

I am attending a pain clinic, but finding that counseling may be more what I need. The discouragement is near unbearable at times, espcially when I think of the future and what life will be like as the economy gets worse, more of my limited income gets eaten away by medical, and the fact that I have a first grandchild due any day. I hate the thought of being the grandmother who is always fuzzy headed.

I don't work anymore because between the pain, the volatility of my Crohn's, issues with incontinence, and lack of sleep I would likely not make it a week on a job that required alertness and the ability to multitask. The fact that every once in a while I actually produce a painting at my easel seems miraculous when compared to the fact that I don't get much done on many days. And being as art is all I have now, one might think that it would be a simple matter to block out the pain and paint . . . but creativity is greatly affected by pain, espcially chronic pain.

Gabapentin caused me increased incontinence, which someone with no colon really has little tolerance for! I have read the horror stories of what it is like to use and quit the other newer genration of nerve meds . . . and I choose to learn how to live with my pain. Don't like it, but hey, what can you do when you want to continue to use the good brain you have been given?

Lyrica and Elvil are the meds I have tried for neuropathic pain. Lyricas has been helpful for me. As others have said, my pain has not dissapeared but it has diminished and some lucky days I am completely pain free.

Thanks for posting. Your situation is really tough.

I'd like to comment on the "vicodin" . 500mg of Vicodin refers to the Tylenol part. The narcotic part is 5mg of hydrocodone.
This is really a low dose of narcotic.

There are many versions of Vicodin:
Vicodin 5/500
Vicodin 7.5/750mg called Vicodin ES
Vicodin HP 10mg/660mg

The first number is the narcotic, the second is the Tylenol part.

There are other hydrocodone products with less Tylenol. Taken over long periods of time for pain, the Tylenol can have a negative/toxic effect on the liver.

To avoid this is NORCO...
Norco has 5mg/7.5mg/10mg with 325mg of Tylenol.
Available in generic also to save money.

If your pain is severe, I don't see why you are not on Percocet? This has oxycodone in various strengths like the Vicodin. It is used for more persistent/severe chronic pain.

I wish we could change things here for you. This is the best I can do for now. Hang in there!

I was diagnosed with PN about 10 months ago. The pain in my feet is so severe I'm afraid to drive my car. Every drug the doctor has tried so far either has no effect or has bad side effects. Has anyone found a good pain releiver with minimal side effects? Here is what I've tried so far:

Lyrica: Little relief and bad double vision
Gabapentin: No relief
Lidocane: No relief
Trammadol: Nausea
Oxycondone: Nausea (Actaully vomiting)
Capsation: No relief