United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

hey people i was knocked off my motorcycle 2 months ago resulting in a bp injury to the left arm im goin for a op on 21st ov december for nerve transplant as the docs say the nerves have been complely severd but am really strugglin with the pains i am gettin in my hand although i do not feel anything to touch or hot water the nerve pain is really bad none of the drugs i am on are working (morphine.gabapentin) can anybody please help me

hang in there dale the pain will get better. the excruciating pain is still vivid in my memory. it has only been 6 months since my injury. no to say i dont have pain, but it is tolerable enough to get by without meds. i was on lyrica and several narcotics for a few months. i still struggle with not being able to grip anything and if i can grip it i have no strength in my fingers to hold on to it but that also is getting better although verrrryyyy slooooowwwwwlllyy. hope this helps. hang in there it will get better.

Morphine doesn't work for nerve pain in any case.
How much Neurontin were you on?
Have you tried Lyrica? It works better for me than Neurontin did.
Add a low dose of tricyclic antidepressant as well, that can help.
Vitamin B12 can help as well.

hi,
welcome to the club. i'm 3 months out from my accident. i also did not get complete relief from opiates. i've found that tramadol helps a good bit. good luck.

I second the motion to try antidepressants - for me, gabapentin (neurontin) 900mg 3X/day made it so i didn't cry and could sleep but that's about it; adding desipramine 125mg/day makes the pain very tolerable - sorta like a plain old pinched nerve feeling (unfortunately it has some wicked side effects that will really cramp your style in the bedroom so i'm also taking mirtazapine 15mg/day which counteracts that to a limited extent).

For me, opiates DID seem to work, but my docs wouldn't keep me on it, also, i like to be able to have a couple drinks when i want and prescription opiates are nearly always mixed with high doses of asprin or something else you don't want to mix with alcohol.

On a related note, this may sound bad, but a couple of stiff drinks definitely helps me out, dunno if it really kills the pain or just helps me get distracted but i definitely go out for drinks more often than i used to, and the getting out with friends definitely helps on the distraction front. the worst thing you can do when you're in pain is sit at home thinking about how you're in pain.

Exercise! about all i can do is ride a stationary bike but i joined a gym so that i can do that, i also lift some weights while i'm there, both help but mostly it's the aerobic exercise that helps - my arm NEVER hurts once my heart gets going, although the pain returns pretty soon after i stop.

-brian

cheers people im currently taking gabapentin 300mg 6x a day unfortunately exercise is a no go at the minute as i also broke my back in 6 places broke 2 ribs broke my jaw in 2 places and have ligament damage to my knee but will definately speak to my doctor about some of the other drugs you mentioned cheers