Question: Adhesive arachnoiditis, Migraine, analgesic rebound...
Answer:
Full Question:
I have adhesive arachnoiditis, (on top of 12
levels of ruptured disks- 7 surgery sites-20" of spine surgeries, with
concomitant nerve damage to some) which causes severe intolerable pain. AND
migraines. Add to that, apparently, some possible analgesic rebound effect, from
being on narcotics for 13 years for the spine surgeries, and later, adhesive
arachnoiditis, and I cannot take the mega headaches any more. I am taking
Nadolol, but the migraines are getting worse and worse. They increase whenever I
take the pain medicine. The problem is, I have been slowly reducing the pain
medicines, Percocet and OxyContin, only to discover the suicide level
arachnoiditis pain rearing its ugly head. How on earth to 'reset' the pain meds,
and eliminate the migraines, without jumping off a cliff? This arachnoiditis is
the most devastating pain I have ever encountered. How do you back off of the
pain meds, and still stay sane? Any advice would be appreciated. Alex.
Answer:
Dear Alex;
You definitely need to seek a pain AND headache specialist. Opiates are a bust for many kinds of severe pain and, as you note, can increase headaches. Neuronal stabilizing agents are likely a better choice to reduce both arachnoiditis pain and Migraines. There are a number of these available. Also, sleeping well is a key issue, often ignored clinically.
Good luck in your search for relief,
John Claude Krusz
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Published November 27, 2005
