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Pain meds
Hi and thanks for visiting this thread.
I am trying to find a good solution for my chronic pain.
My doctor has tried a variety of narcotics and also meds like gabapentin. So far all that seems to (mildly) work is ibuprofen in very high doses.
I am curious about lidocaine patches and creams.
As far as nerve pain, are these good choices? Does anyone have experience with using lidocaine for chronic pain after inguinal hernia surgery? Or some other topical or even oral solution? If so what is the best way to use them?I am having problems with the mesh and nerves and resulting pain.
What are some home treatments or even prescriptions that would help me in the meantime?
I am active so I need to find a solution.
Thank you for reading and I look forward to your responses. -
5 Replies
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A good hernia specialist can help narrow down the causes of pain after hernia repair. Almost every single cause can be treated, so there is no reason to suffer.
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Not sure why your post was flagged. Fixed now. Thanks,
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Bye
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I posted a lengthy reply but it got lost or flagged for some reason. Anyway, I’ll try to dump a quick short version:
– Have you had any imaging to confirm there is not a recurrence or some other obvious issue going that may be causing pain?
– Have you been to a pain management clinic? Tried nerve block injections?
– TENS Unit can be effective for some people, it’s a little electrical stimulator you put on the site of pain, they’re about $40 on Amazon
– If ibuprofen works to some extent, and your health is generally agreeable to it, you may want to try a stronger prescription NSAID like mobic or diclofenac for 30+ day course
– Medical marijuana, if you’re in a state that supports it, it’s worth a shot, many people report success and there is a lot of ongoing research to support this
– Alpha-lipoic acid is demonstrated to reduce neuropathic pain over time, may be worth a try
– Vitamin C is also demonstrated to reduce neuropathic pain over time, also might be worth a try
– Opioids have potential side effects, they are effective at treating pain but really best thought of as a last resort
– Targeted physical therapy may be helpful
– Working with a pain therapist or pain clinic can be helpful
– Mentally challenging activities can be beneficial over time as they recruit new neurons to learn, something like learning new languages, learning a musical instrument, sudoku, crossword-puzzles, chess, programming, math, etc
Anyway, keep us updated on what you try, what works, etc. Good luck.
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Assuming you’ve already been checked for hernia recurrence? Have you had an MRI or any other imaging to see if anything obvious is to blame? How long ago did you have surgery and when did the pain begin? Have you tried a nerve block injection?
– As far as lidocaine patches, many can be obtained from drug stores and are certainly worth a try. If you try them out, let us know how it goes.
– TENS unit might be worth a try, you can order one on Amazon for about $40. Basically you put little pads on or around an area of pain and the TENS unit pulses little electrical currents through, which in theory disrupts pain signals. Some people report success with them.
– If ibuprofen works slightly, have you tried naproxen? And if your health permits, you might want to discuss an extended 30+ day course of another strong prescription NSAID like mobic or diclofenac with your doctor
– Prescription opioids often work very well for pain, but mass media / political hysteria about street drug addiction is harming legitimate patients. But they do have side effects, can become habit forming, and there’s a risk of rebound pain as well. These should be considered a last resort.
– Alpha-lipoic Acid. There is research to support it as helping neuropathic pain after several weeks:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3272801/
– Vitamin C. It’s not a pain killer, but it has demonstrable efficacy with helping to treat chronic pain over time. Will it resolve the pain completely? Doubt it, but it could help. Here is some data:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5391567/
– Medical marijuana. Controversial and with some societal stigma, but there is evidence that it is effective for many people. If you’re in a state that allows medical marijuana, it is worth investigating and considering. There is a fair amount of emerging research to support this as well:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4666747/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3243008/
– Targeted physical therapy may help as well
– Working with a pain therapist or pain management clinic can be very helpful
– Engaging in new mentally challenging activities can be helpful indirectly, as it recruits neurons to learn something new. Learning a new language, learning a musical instrument, crocheting, programming, sudoku, crossword-puzzles, painting or drawing, etc.
Anyway, keep us up to date on your progress, what you try, what works and what doesn’t, and how you’re doing.
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