Dr Kumar realized right away that I should see someone about my occipital neuralgia pain. This was life changing for me. They adjusted my gabapentin to 600mg in the morning, 600mg midday and 1,200mg at bed time. They also added 100mg amitriptyline at bed time to help with break through pain. Both medications are nerve pain meds. (I’m listing dosages in case it helps anyone and skipping titration. I will continue as meds are added.)
We then tried nerve pain injections. This worked for a few days but when it wore off, the pain came back with a vengeance. A muscle relaxer, baclofen 20mg, was added to my nightly routine and taken as needed throughout the day. The pain was more tolerable but always there. They routinely take my blood work to ensure my kidneys and liver are functioning at a normal level.
A BIG shout out to Ashley from their office!! Since I was still having trouble sleeping, she prescribed a compound pain cream. AMAZING. Applying this cream takes my pain away. The ingredients go directly to the nerve and aren’t diluted like oral medications. The ingredients aren’t processed through my kidneys or liver. I use this cream along with my daily meds.
The compound cream is not covered by insurance. I’ve had conversations with the pharmacist that makes my cream. She said some lawmakers are trying to pass bills that would change laws and drug companies. My insurance will pay for opioids; we all know the negative side effects. Yet they won’t pay for something that’s non-addictive and better for your body. It is super expensive but worth every penny. Unfortunately, my oral medications are expensive too. Ok, I will step down from my soapbox…for now.
Me Myself and My Dystonia 