Managing nerve pain

Everyday living
1

Hi All,

I was diagnosed with MS in 2015 and have experienced, what I now know to be nerve pain, in many different forms.

I have recently relapsed and feel better in myself, however debilitating nerve pain is stifling my recovery, and is stopping me from doing every day things and getting back to work.

Any activity that involves a slight exertion of strength is flaring my nerve pain and forcing me to retire to the sofa or bed to rest. Does anyone else experience this after a relapse? Is it likely to go away, or is it the legacy of this recent relapse and is here for good?

I take Amytriptyline at night for nerve pain, but have only recently (last few days) started Gabapentin to help me cope during the day. I would say it is keeping the pain back during very low levels of activity or rest (I hardly notice the pain), but it’s still not holding things back when I start to do that bit more (lifting kids or cleaning). I can up my dose of Gabapentin, but with it being early days, I want to give it a chance to get into my system properly.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Joe

2

Hi Joe,

I use quite a few things on and off for the pain which can be extreme, however the Gabapentin seems to be the best long term thing for me. I up my dose after agreeing with the GP.

I am careful and have great respect for Gabapentin as it starts to work properly after taking it for three weeks using properly. However, for me, it does make my head very wuzzy and concentration is difficult. So again with the agreement of my brill GP, I do not take it for 24 hours before driving somewhere that isn’t just down the road or if I am doing something that needs brain cells bursting into action. Also if I am taking my full dose for days with other bits and pieces, I make the days in-house days and stop in as if I go out I know I will forget something or trip.

It is the only thing that all the Doctors agree on to use long term to ease my symptoms. It also helps with the right tremor which comes back as soon as I stop taking it. Hope this helps. We are all so individual, Pam

3

Oh yes and I forgot, with the M.S. nurse I call this the ‘fat’ pill. I don’t even look at a biscuit, just take the gabapentin!! Swings and roundabouts!

4

What dose of amitriptyline are you on? I take it for nerve pain in my buttocks and thighs. It works well at 50mg at night. But I have heel nerve pain which it doesn’t touch. Bouds x

5

For me - 25mgs of Amitriptyline works well for pain, but has added to bladder retention when the dose was increased above 15mgs creating

a need for catheters to help empty my bladder. I want to avoid this, so I’m sticking to 15mgs of amitriptyline and 2mgs a day of Tolterodine a day.

I still have the burning neuro-pain but it is tolerable and no catheters - yet.