Re:Elavil-Anne

[Guest guest]

Anne,

Thanks for reposting what stopped your burning/pain. It is so good to hear a

success story of what has worked to eliminate symptoms. The frustrating part

is what worked for one may or may not work for another.

My symptoms sound very similar to yours: 24/7 vaginal and rectal pain which

intensifies before my period. I only have rectal burning after BM's and it

also intensifies burning on vulva afterwards. It will be 2 yrs in Oct. since

this first started. I started taking Elavil about 2 months ago and so far

have not had any relief. I started out on 10mg and increased very slowly. It

has only been 2 wks since I have been on 100mg. You said you felt relief

about 4 wks into the Elavil, when did you start the oxycodone? My dr said if

it was going to work I would have already noticed by now. I am just

wondering if I should increase to 150mg. Many women got relief on a much

lower dosage, so I was starting to give up on the Elavil. What do you think

I should do. I am so sleepy in morning on 100mg, have dry mouth,and very

constipated even though I take natural fiber, but I am willing to indure the

side effects for the chance that it might work. Should I up the dosage to

150mg and if that doesn't work ask my dr for a Rx for oxycodone. I am also

taking Zyrtec for allergies which also makes me tired in mornings, so I

don't know if I could also take the pain meds. I hate to take meds and it

was hard enough starting the Elavil, so I am sort of skeptical about the

narcotics, esp. since they are addictive. It may also look weird to ask the

Dr for them, since many people want them to get high or whatever pain meds

do for those who abuse them and get addicted. Did your dr suggest it or did

you. You also said you had pain from your knee and I do not have any pain

beside the vulvodynia. I will try to take it earlier in the evening, rather

then right before bed like I have been doing. Does it kick in and make you

tired right when you take it at 7 pm.

Thanks for all of your advice. I am just frustrated and didn't know if I

should increase the Elavil or give up on it.

Melinda

> cahouse5@... wrote:

>Subject: Re: New Here with questions!

>

>>My trigger: allergy to iodine, shellfish, chocolate and strawberries,

>compromised immune system from drugs used to suppress rheumatoid arthritis,

>an ill-advised 1 and a half year course of antibiotics for alleged " chronic

>bladder infections " , hypothyroid and depleted endocrine/adrenal glands from

>years of prednisone to suppress RA activity (again), candida overgrowth,

>stress.

>

>What it triggered: 24/7 vaginal and rectal burning which intensified

>before

>my period. 3 years without relief.

>

>Things I tried initially: 9 doctors (3 gynes, 2 urologists, 2 naturopaths,

>1

>pain control specialist, 1 allergist), two reiki people, a person who

>reads

>your eyes... medications (over 35 medicines in one 3 month period,

>everything from antifungals, ABXs for STDs I did not test positive for,

>temovate, OTC yeast stuff, topical lidocaine, neurontin, imipramine,

>vicodan,

>darvacet, lorcet, atarax, other horrible stuff (like for instance tegretol

>an

>anti-seizure med--the side-effects of which will scare the hell out of you)

>and on and on and on (Talk about getting desperate and hopeless).

>

>What finally worked: Elavil 150mgs. Elavil is an old school

>anti-depressant. I initially refused this since I thought they thought this

>was all in my head. Then it was explained to me that elavil blocks the

>nerve--a nerve that for whatever reason is firing off and causing the

>constant pain. Felt first relief about 4 weeks into it. You usually

>start

>on a lower dose, I started ay 25mgs and increased by 25 mgs every week. In

>addition to that I was given time released oxycodone 20mgs every 12 hours

>to

>cover the pain until the elavil reached a level in my blood stream.

>Dropped

>to 50mg of elavil after about a year for maintenance and discontinued the

>narcotic pain reliever within that same year. Note: I don't think I could

>have toughed out waiting for the elavil to work without the narcotic pain

>reliever to bring some relief. I am fortunate that I could so easily

>discontinue it as I am told that it is highly addictive. This was not a

>problem for me at all. When the pain stopped, I just stopped the pain

>meds.

>

>Side effects: Yes. I toughed it out, as I was in excruciating constant

>pain

>and had to hope it was going to help. Extreme dry mouth, extreme craving

>of

>sweets, weight gain, groggy in the AM if meds taken too late the previous

>evening.

>

>What to do about side effects: Take meds before 7P at night, drink lots of

>water, try and control the sweet craving with gum and hard candy, walk and

>watch weight as best you can. The side effects resolved in about 3 months

>and I don't notice them anymore.

>

>What happened when I discontinued the elavil to see if I was " cured " : For

>4

>weeks nothing happened. Around the 5 week limit, the 24/7 burning

>returned.

>I immediately returned to the elavil at 150mgs and eventually could drop

>back

>to 50mgs. Pain resolved to nothing after about 3 weeks back on the elavil.

>

>I hope this helps.

>

>Anne

>

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