ADD medications help with pain problems?

[akiss4u]

Has anyone suffered from chronic pain and noticed once they started ADD medications their pain had stopped or been greatly reduced?

[Mary]

The doctor put me on wellbutrin because of my stress levels..but wellbutrin helps with the dopamine and other things that we lack....because lack of dopamine also causes the fibro to be worse. They're upping my dosage this week... just to keep me calmer so my back doesn't knot up.

I'll let you know more as I find out.

[hummingbird7525]

I am very interested in your question about chronic pain and add meds helping the pain. Please let me know your thoughts.

[Tracer]

There is a website www.add-fibromyalgia.com. Patricia has a lot of info, some anecdotal, some research that supports a connection between ADD meds and relief of pain.

I am recently diagnosed with ADD and am noticing an improvement with the pain and fatigue and even PMS.

Good luck!

[QueensU_girl]

I have found that stimulants increase muscle tension & pain. I can only comment on two stimulants, though (Dexedrine and Wellbutrin).

YMMV,

Emma

[stacy]

I know this is an old but but I am a newbie with ADD as well as fibro and CFS and the add meds where e tremndous help at first , but after some months it burns the adrenal down even further and causes way more fatigue. So it is really imperative to pace yourself if you take ADD meds.

[dede4004]

Hi,
I do not have add/adhd, but my husband does.(chronic migraines) We both go to the same pain specialist. We are one of the few "couple" patients that he treats along with his other patients. Our doctor is aware of my husbands add/adhd.

A good pain specialist can work with you on controlling the pain and still work with the add. Our doctor is in UNC North Carolina Neurosciences Hospital. They have a magnificent pain clinic there. But you need a doctor's referral.

I've had chronic pain for 29 years. (A car accident, I was rear ended) But the whiplash and such caused a ruptured disc in my low back and a condition in my neck that took 5 surgeries to correct. Because of scar tisussue I will never be free from pain. (also trapped neves in my bracial plexis) My condition is called thoracic outlet syndrome, but I would be diagnosed with fibromyalgia if I didn't have the TOS. I still have all the symptoms of fibromyalgia though.
The meds regimine I've been on has helped me, plus trigger point injections, and also botox injections into the affected muscles. I am the best I have been in many years.

There's always a factor of doctors accusing those of us with chronic pain as "drug seekers", but in cases of REAL CHRONIC PAIN, this is not so. I've had my share of being accused over the years, and even being refused treatment. I have never been and am still not "addicted" to my med regimine. I've weaned myself off several meds, and am on the lowest dose of pain meds the doctor suggests. That is a great thing.

Of course, STRESS plays a HUGE PART in the amount of daily pain. I didn't even realize how much until my husband and I separated. Being around him was causing me so much stress that the pain was out of control. I've learned a lot since, and have been able to control the stress better.

I wish you well on your search for this. There are so many GOOD pain specialists out there..

I don't know if this has helped at all or not, but I hope it has.

Take care,
Dede

[sec384]

i, too have been diafnosed with intractable migraines and am in pain most days. i just started ritalin this past tuesdayand can't find a clear answer about whether it's cool with my hydrocodone. any ideas?

thanks,
susan

[Scattered]

A few months back I did something to both knees and the pain was pretty much constant. I don't take my Concerta regularly because it causes tics, but on a few occasions when I did take it my pain dropped almost to zero. It's an interesting question -- I'd love to know why that is.

As far as migraine pain goes, my stimulent medication brought on worse and more frequent migraines.


Scattered

[leana]

i too would like to know about chronic pain and stimulants! ive been taking ritalin three times a day, its great for giving me that"lift" and waking my brain up, but i really notice my back pain is worse,all the nerves feel like they are trying to jump out, spasms i think.but when i was on the adderall, my pain seemed to be well managed for some reason, but i also was so sedated, i was like a walking zombie.so the perfect add med for chronic pain sufferers,would be something that wakes your mind up, like the ritalin, but also puts your pain to sleep,like the adderall. if this med excists, please let me know!

[dede4004]

Hi,

I have an update on my meds and pain control. My new doctor has me on Wellbutrin and Lexopril. The combination has NOTICEABLY decreased my anxiety level but not my pain level as of yet. But, I do know that when my stress level is down my pain goes down, so I'm not sure why the med thing hasn't worked the same way.
He also discovered something new. (a ruptured disc in my neck) He said it is small and wasn't going to do anything about it. But, a disc problem causes pain regardless of size. It does answer why I've had such chronic pain on the spinal part of my neck.
I'm also going to get more Botox injections and have more tests. I'll let you know what happens.

[QueensU_girl]

Yeah, I've heard that Wellbutrin and stimulants make MSK (musculoskeletal) pain worse.

My mom has a herniated disk with neuropathic pain, and they made her worse too.

For bodilly pain, i found LLLT (Low level Laser therapy) works well. No potential serious side effects like BOTOX (e.g. ICU on ventilator).

The NBA and NHL players and Olympic athletes use Laser all the time.

You are right about Stress and pain. Stress tightens muscles, causing pain increases, yup. it's biochemical.


MSK issues are the main cause of back/neck/spinal pains. Muscles {that are too tight/shortened with spasm/weak/loose) can pull disks out etc.)


Each Vertebrae has several sets of muscles pulling on it, remember. (e.g. multifidi; rotatores, erector spinaes, etc.)




http://www.americanacademyofmanualme.../12867406.html





PS have you read Devan Starlanyl's book?

[QueensU_girl]

re: disks and pain (interventional radiology)

Imaging {Xrays/CT/MRI) etc is not always accurate regarding disks and pain.

Bad Imaging Results & no pain/symptoms
A person can have a Grade 1+ slip on imaging and have no pain.

Healthy looking Imagine Results & terrible pain/symptoms
On the Corollary, A person can have a 'negative' imaging picture and have terrible pain.

Studies have shown that "what you see" is not always the same as the "symptoms" and "pain".

This is why spinal pain is such a mystery!

[Mary]

I'm no longer on any of my meds.. one of the main reasons I don't come in like I used to. Lots of pain and stress and more. Sitting here with a heating pad on my back and shoulders as I type. Have to alternate between ice packs and heat in order to survive. What's worse is, I live in Michigan. Hubby refuses to move to a warmer climate. If anyone wants to ask questions feel free to... one thing is to read as much as you can about Fibro, chronic fatigue and even arthritis... RA sometimes follows these diagnosis.

[VisualImagery]

I have Fibro and here are some things I learned or experienced:

Concerta does help me with my fibro symptoms but is not a cure nor does is completely relieve the pain. So here is a list of other things that help.

Massage therapy is an excellent pain reliever---every 2-3 weeks helped me so much--off work and can't afford right now.

Walking--when I got in shape for a long trip I noticed my fibro pain was almost completely gone. Balance disorder now and off my walking for now.

Magnesium relaxes muscles, 400mg a day is recommended for women, most of our diets don't provide enough Mg as it is.

New Disovery---Tricyclic Antidepressants--Desipramine, the drug info said it can be used to treat chronic pain and migraines. I can't take SSRI's and needed and Antidepressant, this one is working very well, just have to be careful about drug interactions. I have less fibro pain with this med than with any of the SSRI's--they actually caused a lot of muscle tension for me.

Reflexology-Foot or Hand you can do much of this yourself, although you might want to get a book or take lessons or have a session to learn more. I haven't, but am trying this out to see if it helps. Learned about it in depression support.

Deep Relaxation, Guided Imagery, and/or Mindfulness Meditation all of these methods teach you different ways to deeply relax muscles, breathe from the abdomen, focus your mind on the present and many more I don't know about yet. I do know it helps my ADD focus internal and external and is helping me deal with chronic illness in a positive way.

Stretching find a good book on stretching at the bookstore and start out gently with only a few and build up from there. If you really can't walk yet, this is the place to begin. It feels good, can be almost meditative one you develop a routine, and is very therapeutic for fibro. No bouncing just hold each stretch for about 30 seconds or until you feel the muscle relax. Longer stretching increases flexibility, short stretches won't relieve pain like long, gentle stretching.

Those are some of the modalites I use, have used and plan on using again. Nothing works perfectly, but you can improve your health and lower your pain levels, without drugs! The only medication I noted was tricyclics but that is not a common option with the advent of SSRI's. And there is always Aleve when you really need it---or Advil or whatever you like and can take.

VI