For the past week I’ve had deep breakthrough pain that turned very bad in the past 48 hours. It went from 5 to 8 on the pain scale and the kind of pain changed dramatically. It was excruciating crushing stabbing and non stop. Even swallowing was impossible without doubling over in pain. It did not go away during sleep and has kept me awake for the past two nights. I’m on a high dose of neurontin so I did not take more. Instead I tried 600mg of ibuprofen but no relief, which I knew probably wouldn’t help. This morning I was ready to go to the ER and I took a Xanax tablet,which I don’t normally take. The pain was totally gone within a half hour. Can anyone explain why this med would work on TN pain? And is this type of pain evolvement typical?
I am on tegretol and lyrica similar to Neurontin type.I was told to take Tramadol for extreme breakthrough, I questioned the pain specialist , but he said it worked in a different way and was another tool in the toolbox.I find stress brings on attacks as it suppresses serotonin levels and drugs are less effective.The Tramadol works, I dont know the name of this in the U.S. but I can take up to 8 per day on really bad days.
I have looked up xanax which is valium in uk.I am taking this daily anyway, it is an anti anxiety med.I take it for balance as my vestibular nerve was damaged during my MVD.The doctor does not know how it works, but it does.
I think Red or Stef/Gloria has explained how they help one another in the Face Pain Info tab
Xanax is sometimes used as a facilitator or reinforcement for anti-convulsant or tri-cyclic antidepressant meds. I don't know that all of the interactions have been traced to specific mechanisms. But I've talked with several people in whom the combination of two meds is significantly more effective than either alone.
Breakthrough pain of the type you describe is fairly common, but unpredictable. Some patients never experience it. Others are debilitated by it. And then it can just up and disappear without apparent reason.
One thing I would encourage you to be careful about, though: Ibuprofen can have negative effects on both liver and gastric tract in higher concentrations. It's supposed to be an anti-inflammatory. But in large doses, it can have exactly the opposite effect.
Regards, Red
Thank you all for responding with helpful information. I don't know if the pain just stopped on its own, or if the Xanas did the trick, but I've made it through 10 hrs. so far today and no pain. Red, thanks for the warning about Ibuprofen. I try not to take the stuff but I was desperate.