Why?

So it has been about about a month since I had the 6 teeth extracted. I was feeling very good since and started to feel hopeful that maybe all the pain was just tooth related, but the last three days have been kind of hard for me (mostly in the mornings) I wake up feeling like I got hit in the face with a bat or something, it hurts to talk or do anything and by my third dose of Gabapentin I feel mostly better but that is not until like 3 or 4pm. I am upset about this. I'm upset because what I thought I was progressing in is not at a stand still, and I am scared again. I don't want to go back to being in pain like before I don't want to go back to the depression like before either. I am trying to be optimistic but its hard know that this is never going to go away and that it can just come out of the blue like this. Encouragement and support might help me at this point.

I've had the same problem recently. Had a few "good" weeks and thought maybe things were finally going in the right direction, but now things went back to bad. I just try to remind myself that since I've had better days before, that I just need to ride it out until I get some good days again.

Sarah, what is your dose level and schedule on Gabapentin (Neurontin), please? And what exactly is the time sequence or pattern in your pain? It may be that you'll get better results on a different schedule.

As for having six teeth extracted... I've heard this particular story before. What's done is done, but very likely the teeth had nothing directly to do with your pain. I am simply appalled that a dentist would pull healthy teeth, even in response to urgent demands of a patient, unless there was clear evidence of abscess or bone infection.

Regards, Red

I wake up at like 5:30am and take 400mg of Gabapentin, then I take another 400 at 10:00 am then 400mg at 3:30pm then at like 8 I take the last 400mg dose. at 10pm I take 40mg of Amitriptalyne (sp?) yeah but I am seeing another doctor who is more into like "traditional Chinese medicine" he did a lot of blood work and from that he has asked me to take the following: Manesium 2X a day; Valerian w/ Hops at night time; Vitamin D3 2X times a day; Melatonin at night time; an Rhodiola in the morning. I also drink this tea at night to help for "restful sleep"; he wants me to also meditate 2 times a day but I don't really do that, and I use the Neti-pot every day. I feel like all this has really been helping so I'm not sure why its acting up. I also drink this "organic throat coat" 2-3 times a day because my throat always hurts a lot.

The dentist I am going to didn't want to pull my teeth out but he does feel it is necessary. I am also going to get 5 more pulled on the bottom in about a month-ish well they are getting prepped for temporaries.

honey, I am right there with you & Crystal. and I agree with Crystal -I try to remember that I have had better days before & I pray for them to happen again. there is no doubt it’s tough. so stay with us, stay connected, & we’ll help each other through. and we will all hope for better days.

Yikes! WHY are you are willing to put up with having healthy teeth pulled, Sarah? It's unlikely to help your pain unless there actually is some source of infection there -- and that should be glaringly evident in X-rays.

As for the rest of the treatments this other doctor is suggesting, I don't see any that will obviously hurt you. But herbal remedies are rightly notorious for not maintaining manufacturing uniformity or standards. So you don't know what you're really getting, even in the same manufacturing lot. Moreover (at least as far as I know), Valerian and Rhodiola have no published trials information to demonstrate efficacy in nerve disorders -- and both have a potential for interactions with mainstream medication.

While I respect your right to determine your own course of treatment, Sara, I think your present Chinese Traditional Medicine physician is badly misinformed concerning the alternative medicine nostrums he's prescribing for you.

Regards,

Red



Sarah♥ said:

I wake up at like 5:30am and take 400mg of Gabapentin, then I take another 400 at 10:00 am then 400mg at 3:30pm then at like 8 I take the last 400mg dose. at 10pm I take 40mg of Amitriptalyne (sp?) yeah but I am seeing another doctor who is more into like "traditional Chinese medicine" he did a lot of blood work and from that he has asked me to take the following: Manesium 2X a day; Valerian w/ Hops at night time; Vitamin D3 2X times a day; Melatonin at night time; an Rhodiola in the morning. I also drink this tea at night to help for "restful sleep"; he wants me to also meditate 2 times a day but I don't really do that, and I use the Neti-pot every day. I feel like all this has really been helping so I'm not sure why its acting up. I also drink this "organic throat coat" 2-3 times a day because my throat always hurts a lot.

The dentist I am going to didn't want to pull my teeth out but he does feel it is necessary. I am also going to get 5 more pulled on the bottom in about a month-ish well they are getting prepped for temporaries.

Hi Red,

I have been told by 4 different dentists that my teeth are not saveable. The one that I am working with now is a Prosthodontist at University of Illinois in Chicago - specializing in total mouth restoration. I like going there because they are learning and the do everything the rite way and discuss with the faculty and professors rather then deciding off of a hunch what they should do. I had several abscessed teeth before they were pulled and I still do. As far as the other doctor, I think the Valerian is for a more restful sleep because I told him I don't sleep more then 4 or 5 hours a night and then I'm tired all day so he said I should try taking the Rhodiola instead of drinking so much caffeine... I could see why it would seem weird about the teeth being pulled, and honestly this is the only dentist/specialist that has said some of them were saveable. so crazy.



Richard A. "Red" Lawhern said:

Yikes! WHY are you are willing to put up with having healthy teeth pulled, Sarah? It's unlikely to help your pain unless there actually is some source of infection there -- and that should be glaringly evident in X-rays.

As for the rest of the treatments this other doctor is suggesting, I don't see any that will obviously hurt you. But herbal remedies are rightly notorious for not maintaining manufacturing uniformity or standards. So you don't know what you're really getting, even in the same manufacturing lot. Moreover (at least as far as I know), Valerian and Rhodiola have no published trials information to demonstrate efficacy in nerve disorders -- and both have a potential for interactions with mainstream medication.

While I respect your right to determine your own course of treatment, Sara, I think your present Chinese Traditional Medicine physician is badly misinformed concerning the alternative medicine nostrums he's prescribing for you.

Regards,

Red



Sarah♥ said:

I wake up at like 5:30am and take 400mg of Gabapentin, then I take another 400 at 10:00 am then 400mg at 3:30pm then at like 8 I take the last 400mg dose. at 10pm I take 40mg of Amitriptalyne (sp?) yeah but I am seeing another doctor who is more into like "traditional Chinese medicine" he did a lot of blood work and from that he has asked me to take the following: Manesium 2X a day; Valerian w/ Hops at night time; Vitamin D3 2X times a day; Melatonin at night time; an Rhodiola in the morning. I also drink this tea at night to help for "restful sleep"; he wants me to also meditate 2 times a day but I don't really do that, and I use the Neti-pot every day. I feel like all this has really been helping so I'm not sure why its acting up. I also drink this "organic throat coat" 2-3 times a day because my throat always hurts a lot.

The dentist I am going to didn't want to pull my teeth out but he does feel it is necessary. I am also going to get 5 more pulled on the bottom in about a month-ish well they are getting prepped for temporaries.

Lowered caffeine seems like a good plan whether or not you're taking other herbs. Given the conditions you report in your teeth, I can understand why a dentist would consider extractions.

Regards, Red