Several members mentioned that it takes time for the medications to build up in the system. I seem to face the opposite behaviour. When I first take a new medication (or up the dose), my condition improves dramatically for three or four days, and then it starts to worsen again. All the effect of the medication is worn away within a week of so.
Is this phenomena common? Should I expect it to stop if the dosage is high enough? (I am currently taking 1200 mg of Trileptal)
I have the same issue, when I first starting taking Tegretol, it worked for a few days, then the pain came back,, raising the dose didnt help and only left me feeling like a zombie in pain. I have switched medications about 5 times, had a glycerine rhizotomy and now am scheduled for an MVD in october. I will say I did finally find a combo that works, it just takes time and a little bit of experimentation. You will find something that works better for you, but you are not alone in having this happen.
Wendy
Moran, I also have the same problem. Each medication I try seems to help for a few days or weeks and then the effectiveness seems to wear off. I was recently referred to a neurosurgeon to discuss glycerol injections or gamma knife but it turns out that I'm not a candidate for those procedures. I could have MVD but I'm very reluctant, as I've heard it isn't as effective for ATN. So, I'm back on the search for an effective medication "cocktail" to manage the pain.
Wendy, may I ask what med combo worked for you?
Thank you for your responses. I also hope to have an MVD in a few months, but it seems harder and harder to find something that will work till I get to the operation. Lately, I started to use the PainShield device, hoping that it will be able to bridge the gap. They say it takes two weeks for it to start being effective, so I still need to wait and see if it does something.
Moran, I am taking celexia, 10mg, very small dose, and that got rid of most of the ear pain and tooth pain,, for breakthrough tooth pain I take fiornal with codeine, it is a migraine pill I have taken since I was a kid, long ago, lol. It is really an "old school" migraine pill,, but with the combo of the anti-depressant I have found enough relief I can drive occasionally and feel somewhat human for most of the day. I cant work because I drive about 100 miles a day for work as an insurance adjuster,, and taking the narcotics isnt a great idea and driving all day. I have every finger and toe crossed that the MVD does the trick and I can get off all this stuff. I gained about 10 lbs from the celexia, but no other side effects
Wendy
Moran said:
Thank you for your responses. I also hope to have an MVD in a few months, but it seems harder and harder to find something that will work till I get to the operation. Lately, I started to use the PainShield device, hoping that it will be able to bridge the gap. They say it takes two weeks for it to start being effective, so I still need to wait and see if it does something.