I have appointment in July. I don't know if I should call before then or not. I'm definetly not going to take any more Darvocets.

What are the options instead of Darvocet. I would like to try to just use teens unit and heating pads. Any other drugs better then Darvocet and don't cause nauseua?

Billy, I don't recall if you take or have tried something for the nerve pain--like Lyrica or Neurontin. I take Lyrica at least 3 times a day and try to stay ahead of the pain. But I know some have trouble with this med. Also Lidoderm patches if your insurance would provide them are good for me as it's not internal. Also ChinaGel or Biofreeze are topicals. I try to stay away from things that make me tired and use meds like Ultracet (much better for me than Darvocet) or muscle relaxers as little as possible. I turn to TENS or ice or heat and rest as much as I can. But if I am out I know that I will need a supply of nerve meds like Lyrica to keep me going. And I do try to always stay ahead of the pain. Now if only I can learn to stay away from typing and handwriting. Even a bit of these and I am in pain for days on end.

So far I tried, Neurontin, Codene, and Darvoset. They all make me sick eventually. I would rather just have something for only when the pain gets bad without making me sick.
Next appoinment with pain dr. is middle of July. I don't know if I should call or wait until then to tell her.

I'd call; that's a long wait to be in pain. And give some of the topicals or ice/heat/TENS, etc that you haven't yet tried a chance too. At least you're still experimenting with what might help. If the pain is that bad what about taking something with the med to try to alleviate the sickness. I really believe in doing whatever one can to stay ahead of the pain. Not that it has to be a med--you could try adding accupressure points to try to relieve stomach ache too.

i had trouble with dilaudid but not morphine in my IV's after surgery- I think reactions to pain meds are very individual. I take a long acting (12 hour) med called Opana ER. It is oxymorphone, and you can also get a short acting variety that some use for breakthrough. I use oxycodone for breakthrough.

Also, have you tried any of the antidepressants? THey also can work very well on nerve pain. Bad side effect is generally weight gain, but surely not worse than lyrica. Depending on how quickly you react to them you might even be able to use them on a one at a time basis. The effexor i am on at the lowest dose combined with wellbutrin has made an amazing difference for me in terms of pain control. I went from taking 2-3 breakthrough pills per day to 1-2 per week. I am no longer afraid to walk out of the house without my breakthrough meds. It also seems to work like i would have expected muscle relaxers to work for me, even thought they don;t seem to. The day i started taking effexor i felt something just let up in my back, and my arms have worked significantly better ever since. I still take pain meds, but a lot less of them with the help of the A/D's. The mood improvement i get with them is also more than a littel significant. I don't know how i survived my previous life being such a crazy *****.....would NOT go back!!!!

the weight, well that is a separate issue....but every time i try to get off the effexor i decide the weight might just be worthwhile in exchange for the mood improvement and pain control. Wellbutrin isreported to usually cause weight loss rather than gain, which is why i take it in conjuntion with the los dose of effexor.

also, i woudl vote to call the pain doc- pain is not helping you get better.

Johanna

I tend to agree w/ JoKat.... I vote to call the doc- 4-6 wks is a long time to wait in pain.

Without taking any medication I still feel dizzy/lousy on most afternoons. I wonder if its just from the TOS.

One of my main symptoms at the beginning - other than the hand, arm, neck & shoulder pain- was dizziness.
Is your voice and swallowing fairly normal or it it affected also?

If so that could be the vertebral artery symptoms.
Have you seen this chart?
http://tos-syndrome.com/newpage12.htm

YES!!! Voice is hoarse at times too.

Any advice on how to help stop dizziness and headaches?