Peripheral Nerve Damage

[Judy]

I have been told I have permanent damage. This pain goes from buttock through and around my upper left thigh and stops at the knee. This becomes very painful as the day goes on. it does not make a difference whether I am working or not. The only time I do not have pain is when I sleep, first couple hours of the morning and when I lay down.
I am currently taking 3600 mg/daily of neurontin and 150mg daily of tramadol. My pain management doctor has had me try cmybalta and also Lyrica.
Nothing seems to have worked as of yet. He keeps telling me there any many more medications we can try until we find the correct one.

Does anyone else have this? If so what do you take to provide relief from this pain?

Please let me know if you have any suggestions. I go back to him on Tuesday.

Judy

[Harrison]

Judy, I am sorry about your news. Could you be more specific about which nerves are damaged -- and were any suggestions offered to improve your condition?

[Judy]

Both Dr. Yue and the pain management doctor say at this point it is permanent. Their solution is neurontin and tramadol for the rest of my life. The pain starts in my left buttock and travel through the left thigh and that is it. It just at times can be very painful. I wake up in the morning and am completely painfree. I think as soon as I start walking and sitting it appears. It starts about 10:00 am. and last until I lay down. When I lay down it is again total painfree. it is very weird.
I go to the pain management doctor tomorrow and he probably try to add another medication. He had me try cymbalta, lyrica and neither worked. He claims there are many others to try and it is just a matter of finding which combination works best.

Judy

[Mariaa]

Judy,
I think I've told you this before however will mention it again. My Percutaneous discectomy on L4 in '92 left me with this kind of pain and many other troubling,dibilitating,painful nerve type of feelings thru buttocks and legs. It was severe for the first four years, and by the 4th year died down to nearly nil. The only thing was the pain could be exaccerbated by certain activity like exercising, relations, and so forth.

Starting Neurontin in '98 helped greatly. Starting MS Contin and then Methadone (had to d/c the Ms Contin) in 2001 and ESIs really seemed to have knocked this pain nearly completely..

Except when ESIs wear off, then some of the pain comes back in the buttocks tho not much, more of it seems to be disc related/DDD related.. at least that's what *I think *~

Good luck with your meds and hope they help to knock the pain out for you. Even tho I've been advised I'd be a candidate for ADR, I've also been advised I'll probably take Neurontin for the rest of my life due to nerve damage from the surgery in '92. I was just happy to get eventual relief from that rather seemingly specific pain!

[Judy]

Mariaa my problem that the neurontin (3600 mg. daily) tramdol don't work for long. I have taken a vicaden when it gets real bad. I just don't want to have to depend on them if I don't have to.
My husband just keeps asking isn't there something they can do with the nerve surgically so that I do not have to take any medications daily. I was told at one time and I don't remember if it was from Dr. Yue or the pain management doctor that they can cut the nerve. Did you ever get this opinion? I am going to the pain management doctor this afternoon and will ask him his opinion.
What do you think? What if anything besides medication were you offered? Did the nerve block, epidural and nothing worked.

Judy

[Mariaa]

Judy,
The RAZC (sp) procedure was offered to me several years ago but the option withdrawn after WC denial as studies yield that best or optimal results occur with more recently formed scar tissue and mine has been noted encasing the right S1 nerve root since 1993.

Other than meds, ESIs, nerve root blocks, there was nothing. I must say I endured the worst of the nerve related burning pain before any pain meds or ESIs were even offered (from 1992/3-1998-2001). Time helped a great deal it appears.

[Judy]

Mariaa, the pain management doctor wants to put in a spinal cord stimulator but I am not sure what to do. His nurse has been using one for some time now and I am suppose to go talk to her on Wednesday. I just have mixed emotions. On one hand I say to myself it is only a trial, what do I have to lose. Then I remember all the people they said it was a waste of time. I just am torn about what to do. Well Wednesday is still a couple days away, I thinking I will go and listen does not mean I have to decide. What have you heard about them, was it offered to you?

Judy

[Alastair]

Hi Judy,
Can you get to a PT and get them to have a "Tweak" at your Piriformis muscle- - - it just might help - - --its in your buttock
Best
Alastair

[Mariaa]

Judy,
I'm kind of late replying to the question about spinal cord stims but yes, I was offered this as well except it was thought to be "over-kill" if I was taking such a low dose of Oral pain medication. I was told this would be a modality that would be considered if I failed on oral meds or maxed out on dose of oral meds and had to try something else.

I have known people that have gotten a spinal cord stimulator and returned to work full time because they had such great success with them.

Good luck, please keep us updated on your decision with the trial..

If you can find someone that does massage on this area (piraformis) and works with people with nerve type of damage/failed surgeries and such, it might be worth a go at this type of therapy.