Yes, it's helped me considerably. The generic name is Amitriptylin (sp) and it's an old antidepressant but is also given to people with chronic pain and other things. If nothing else, it helps me sleep. That was one of my MAJOR problems- could not sleep or if I went to sleep, couldn't stay asleep. I had a hard time getting comfortable or would wake up hurting. The PM dr. prescribed it for me and we slowly increased the dosage over several weeks (I will PM you exactly what I take because alot of people aren't comfortable with exact meds and dosages being mentioned).

amiltriptyline is one of the older meds. it's been found not to be that great of an antidepressant, but is still popular for use in tx'ing insomnia in chronic pain patients. we all know how lack of sleep can play havoc with our pain and fatigue cycles.

but a word of caution needs to be said here, i think. elavil (another name for it) is an ssri, and can interact negatively with other medications, especially if you are also taking another a/d which is in this same class of meds. remeron or lexapro, for example, or any of the modern ssri's. the interaction takes place at the central nervous system level, and can be dangerous according to my neuro.

i personally had a bad experience with this phenomenon myself. lots of negative emotions like rage and grief, way out of proportion to the situation and easily provoked, were stirring up before the mistake was caught. Very scary stuff, limbic nightmare really.

dr. annest always told me our pharmacists have a remarkable body of knowledge at their fingertips concerning the meds we sometimes have to take and how they interact with each other.

this particular one is something that you should absolutely have your doc and/or your pharmacist check against, and in combination with, every single other prescription and over-the-counter med you are taking before adding it to your rx regime. i would, anyway, just to be safe. (yes, you can do it on-line yourself, but how many of us really know how to interpret the results?)

anyhew, fwiw you guys...

alison

Thanks red and Alison,

The pain doc had offered it but I declined and did not know if it was an ssri. I have not doe well with ssri's...similar rage etc.

I take Topomax at night (75mg) for nerve pain/damage and headaches. I also get trigger point ingections from my Dr. every 3 weeks or so.....This combo has really been helping. This is the only meds I take, I'm strongly believe in less meds......there bad bad bad for your body! Oh and of course my tens unit nightly......I simply cannot live without that!

Ann

Ann, medication for some short term or chronic illness's is a very good thing and many people can't live without them. But, you're right about the less meds is best! Class II narcotics is never good long term for any illness when one can take Advil or Motrin or whatever even if it means taking it a few times a day for the same condition.

If one has other reasons for taking it, then yes, of course each has their own pain level.

Congrats to those brave enough to wean themselves off the heavy duty drugs and take only PRN. (when needed) I bet you are way less "cloudy" !

I hope all have good pain control no matter what they want to take.

yes...defintely the sign that it was time to look more closely at surgery was when I could not stand to be unmedicated anymore.

can't wait for May 22.....

i take pulmicort which stops my chest breathing and all the subsequent negative effects.

Oops.....I guess I win (or am the loser )for the most meds.

Piroxicam.....daily anti-inflammatory

Zoloft....antidepressant

Nortriptyline......bedtime antidepressant to help me sleep(sim to elavil)

Neurontin .......twice a day for nerve pain

Vicodin......one to six times a day

and ice, heat, massage, TENS

Hi everyone,

I don't think that the intention of this thread was to make anyone feel bad about having to use medication to treat tos. It is not healthy to live in chronic pain. It is a diagnosis just like diabetes . Chronic pain can cause hypertension and cause malignant tumors to grow faster.

If you have pain it needs to be treated. If it can't be controlled by alternative medicine than you have the option of pain medications. If you have pain you have the right to have it treated adequately. But, you have to be your own advocate, no one will do it for you.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chronic-pain/PN00034



>Pain quiz: Do you believe the myths?

Pain can interfere with work, sleep, intimacy and overall happiness. But many people live with untreated pain anyway. Some don't seek relief because they've bought into the common myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings about pain and pain control.
Don't let yourself be duped. Learn to separate fact from fiction.
1. Pain is good for you. It builds strength and character.

• True
• False

2. Pain always means that some part of your body is physically damaged.

• True
• False

3. Pain is an inevitable part of aging and serious illness, such as cancer.

• True
• False

4. Increasing pain is a sign that your illness is getting worse.

• True
• False

5. Addiction to opioid medications — such as oxycodone or morphine — is very common.

• True
• False

6. Opioids can be administered only via injection.

• True
• False

7. If you start taking pain medication, over time your body will stop responding to it and it won't work anymore.

• True
• False

8. The dose of opioids always goes up, not down.

• True
• False

9. Morphine is given only to people who are about to die.

• True
• False

10. Doctors can't treat disease and pain at the same time. If pain control is an important part of your treatment, your doctor has given up on curing or controlling your disease.

• True
• False

NERVOUS SYSTEM



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Pain quiz: Do you believe the myths?

You answered 0 of 10 questions correctly

1. Pain is good for you. It builds strength and character.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


In some cases, pain serves a good purpose. It warns you that something is wrong — for instance, you're burning your hand — and makes you withdraw reflexively, before the hot dish you've picked up does any real damage. However, persistent pain provides no useful warning. It distracts you and curtails your activities, leaving you frustrated, tired and depressed. By trying to "tough it out," you may be compounding your problems, rather than getting stronger.


2. Pain always means that some part of your body is physically damaged.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


Not all pain is associated with a detectable injury or disease. Many people are quick to assume that if they have a pain, some specific abnormality must be causing it. And they're almost equally quick to assume that if an abnormality is present, it can be cured with an easy intervention. But this isn't always the case.
Chronic pain may be particularly difficult to trace to a specific cause. And even in conditions in which there is damage to the body, the amount of damage often does not correlate with the amount of pain a person feels.


3. Pain is an inevitable part of aging and serious illness, such as cancer.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


Pain is more common as you age. And pain is common in some illnesses. But pain isn't inevitable. Regardless of your age and medical condition, if you're in pain, you should ask your doctor for treatment. Pain control helps you heal faster and promotes a better response to other treatments.


4. Increasing pain is a sign that your illness is getting worse.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


Pain can wax or wane for many reasons, so it's not a reliable indicator of failing health or advancing disease. On the other hand, it's important to seek medical attention for any new or worsening pain.


5. Addiction to opioid medications — such as oxycodone or morphine — is very common.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


When used correctly, opioid medications — also known as narcotics — can be very effective. While it's true that over time, you may need a higher dose, or a different medication, for the same pain relief, this tolerance does not mean you're addicted. Similarly, physical dependence, which means you have withdrawal symptoms when you go too long without a drug you've been taking regularly, differs markedly from addiction.
Addiction is defined as the obsession with taking a drug against medical advice and despite the fact that it is having harmful effects on physical, mental and social health. Most people who use opioid medications for pain under the direction of their doctor never become addicted.


6. Opioids can be administered only via injection.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


Opioid medications come in a variety of forms, including:

• Tablets, capsules and liquids
• Transoral (lollipop)
• Nasal sprays
• Injections
• Suppositories
• Patches, to affix to your skin

7. If you start taking pain medication, over time your body will stop responding to it and it won't work anymore.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


It's common to develop a tolerance to pain medication, which means you'll need higher doses to achieve the same level of pain relief. In some cases, tolerance proves to be helpful, as many of a drug's side effects — such as sedation — may disappear once your body becomes used to the medicine.
The dose of morphine and other opioids can be gradually increased as much as is needed. Unlike most other medications, there is no upper dose limit for opioids. However, in some cases, increasing tolerance may be an indication that a given medication is not suitable for the problem at hand.


8. The dose of opioids always goes up, not down.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


Once your pain has been controlled effectively for a few days, the dose of opioid often can be reduced without the pain recurring. This is one of the paradoxes of treating severe, chronic pain.


9. Morphine is given only to people who are about to die.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


Many people mistakenly associate morphine with a terminal condition. This is partly because of the widely believed — but incorrect — idea that a "lethal dose" of morphine is the only way to stop serious pain just before death.
Morphine can be helpful for people in hospice care at the end of life, but it's also effective for painful conditions that aren't life-threatening. For example, morphine is commonly used to control pain after surgery.


10. Doctors can't treat disease and pain at the same time. If pain control is an important part of your treatment, your doctor has given up on curing or controlling your disease.

Your answer: No answer

Correct answer: False


If this were true, it would be an awful dilemma for doctors. Luckily, this notion is nonsense. Doctors aren't forced to choose between treating disease and controlling pain. In fact, disease treatment and pain control are almost inseparable — an exclusive focus on either one diminishes your health and quality of life.





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• 'Mayo Clinic on Chronic Pain,' Second Edition (Softcover)

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