Pain management & drug use?

[moonmom801]

I struggle with a severe form of spinal arthritis. My doctors encourage me to medicate. I don't like to. I tend to slip in and out of dependency according to pain levels and depression about it. I stay far away from oxy and morphine because they are very difficult for people to quit. Vicodin makes me sluggish and sad. I lose connections and sulk in my bed. I just stopped all about a week ago. Feeling a bit better. Still depressed with another RF medical procedure looming. I'm worried. Anyone else in this boat? Any personal advice from experience is welcome. You have to be here to know.
thanks

[philnoir]

Lyrica (pregabalin) is a GABA analogue, similar to Neurontin (gabapentin). Even though pregabalin is approved for The results are still out on whether or not people suffer neurological dependance on this medication. People using high doses of pregabalin (> 1000 mg/day) report problems stopping this medication.

My attitude about certain reported side-effects, like weight gain, is that I'll never know what they'll do to me until I try. Weight gain is one of the minor side effects, and I wouldn't worry about it until I had a problem with weight gain taking the medication.

I've used it in conjunction with opiate treatment when I've needed acute pain control for a limited period, for instance, with a root canal procedure I had last year. Breakthrough opiates don't really cut it for me, but I found that pregabalin 150mg TID for 2 days before, and then for 5 days after the procedure, was very effective in controlling that kind of neuropathic pain.

You mention NMDA-antagonists -- Have you tried Namenda (memantine)? It is an oral NMDA-antagonist. I used to take ketamine capsules, but they are compounded, not covered by Rx, and got too expensive for me to afford.

I recently had a low-dose ketamine infusion. It helped my pain temporarily, but no long-lasting effects. I plan to try it again, to see if there might be a cumulative trigger that needs to be achieved.

[moonmom801]

It seems lyrica can cause weight gain. That would be an issue as I had gestational diabetes.

[moonmom801]

I am over the withdrawal stage and am fine there. I rotated meds, slowly decreasing amounts. I struggle with the concept of using these addictive substances but when I'm in pain I don't care much. Then comes the isolation and weight gain and eventual weening off until the next bad flare up. It is a drag to have to live this way. I think if I could treat the depression it would be better but have never been able to find one that works well for me. I have tried them all and am waiting for the new NMDA receptor anti depressants to be available. I will research lyrica.

[Danielpatrick521]

I was in the same boat and I don't know if this will work for you but it did for me. I got on lyrica 100mg. It's non narcotic and helps withdrawal. I think it's actually for fibromyalgia or nerve pain not really sure but I got shot in the face and jumped a year later and they hit me in the jaw with a sledge hammer and it works good for me. If not you can always try suboxone that's specifically for getting off opiates and I think it helps with pain a little too but I would try the lyrica first and see if that works. Hope this was helpful for you and good luck. Oh yeah don't get in methadone that's terrible for your body and at least for me when I got off methadone it was by far the worst withdrawal I've ever experienced. Good luck to you though.

[Pantx]

Well, long term chronic pain management usually does come with dependence which is not the same as addiction. You do need to be mindful that it can quickly become an issue of addiction and to prevent that I recommend treating your depression. Treating depression helps pain levels.  Try to de-isolate and talk to your doctor re: the depression. I have chronic pain and rotate on my medications to prevent dependency and tolerance