What is the best pain medication you all have found to help? My doctor gives me Norco 10 and has written for me to take two as needed prn. But I just really feel like they do anything.
It is generally accepted that Narcotics don’t do much if anything for TN, particularly type 1 with the shocks, most doctors won’t even prescribe it. I am an ATN sufferer, I get medium relief from Norco’s, but I don’t use them except in the worst attacks. It frustrates me to not be able to get them for “emergency break through” pain days, because I have had doctors tell me it is impossible for it to help my pain, even though it does, but that is the medical community for ya. I digress.
Generally there are 2 types of medications recommended for TN.
The first is epilepsy meds, Carbazapiene, Oxcarbazapine, Lyrica, Gabbapentin, Lemotrigine, etc. are some that I have tried.
The second type is certain Antidepressants. Nortryptiline, Amitriptyline, and Cymbalta (American name) to name the most popular.
Sorry for bad spelling, my brain is not what it was, but these should be close enough to search.
I would ask your doc about getting on one asap. But be aware, they all have side effects, some of them nasty, and it takes a long time to tear them up and down, it took me 3 years to find a combo I can live with. Good luck!
Thank you for your input!
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TN is known for not responding to pain meds, that’s actually one of the ways to help diagnosis it.
ATN will respond in a limited fashion. Numbing agents like lidocaine seem to offer good relief. Daily meds like gabapentin may help, or just about any anti convulsive med seem to help with ATN in some fashion.
I get excellent help from ice packs for some reason. Maybe it’s a home remedy sort of numbing.
People have talked about peppermint oil helping as well. Someone mentioned chewing altoid mints, too.
I had a 2nd MVD 18 months ago, was successful , maintained with 600 mg of gabapentin, but now the strikes are starting again. Most likely more veins have overgrown on the nerve again. My neurosurgeon has added baclofen, (muscle relaxant). It has helped, lousy side effects. I will fight this as long as possible then will have to have my 3rd MVD.
Every day is a blessing from God.
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