United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

When I was younger (I am now 28), I'd often get shock-type pains in my arm. I now get them every so often, but I've had them for 2 days straight. I couldn't sleep and I'm having trouble concentrating at work. I tried a muscle relaxer (Skelaxin), but it doesn't really help. Is anyone else experiencing this? Are you taking anything for it? The pain gets so extreme that it takes my breath away and I find myself almost convulsing in pain. Your help is appreciated.

I'm an internal medicine PA and was recently discussing a relatively new drug called Lyrica with a local neurologist, and I asked if he had any success using it for the neuropathic (nerve) pain associated with BPI in adults or kids. He said he had used it in adults and it had worked well. It is a similar drug to Neurontin (gabapentin) but has stronger binding to nerves' calcium channels where it works and is supposed to have fewer side effects, less sedation, and is dosed less often. I treat other types of nerve pain in my practice and Lyrica has so far proven to be superior to Neurontin (but much more expensive!) and I have also had some success with nortriptyline (brand-name is Pamelor). I would love to hear if anyone here has tried Lyrica, and has it worked for you for pain associated with BPI? (Don't I sound like a commercial?!)

Skelaxin is a modest muscle relaxant but will not affect nerve pain, it simply relaxes skeletal muscle without making you feel too much like a noodle like most other muscle relaxants will. The pain you describe doesn't really sound like muscle spasm pain... sounds more neuropathic ("shock-like", "jolts", sudden, intermittent, can also be burning or "pins-and-needles" like). I'd talk with your doctor about trying another medication if I were you.

Steffany

Erica
I know just what your talking about with the shock pains. I loose my breath when it happens.

When I was a teenager my family doctor started to give me B-12 shots and it seems that the shockers real were happening less often and then not at all for a while. That is if I did not try to lift things I should not lift and continued with the vitamins.

I stopped taking vitamins and changed doctors over the years and most doctors felt I did not need B-12 shots and it was just in my head that it helped....
So I continued with the shockers and they offered me many pain killers but told me vitamins do not work.

A few years ago the shockers began again but so often I felt I needed something and asked for B-12 shots. My doctor gave me a hard time at first but my family has a strong history of pernicious anemia so she gave in... I don't get the shockers... I don't care what anyone thinks it works for me...
I also take B-Complex vitamins and have since I was a child. My family doctor had the idea that if your under stress the nervous system is affected. Our nervous systems have been under a great deal of stress with bpi injury...

I am just sharing what works for me.
I know most doctors don't approve of the vitamin approach because their is no proof.
I don't need a study I know that's what has worked for me.

Kath adult/robpi

Thank you both very much. It's funny that you mentioned stress, Kath. I am under a TON of it right now--moreso than I was in college or any other event in my life. I'm not only planning my wedding, but we are moving out of our apt. and into our 1st house at the end of the month. I've been worried sick about all this--especially in terms of finances! So I'm wondering if stress triggered this or not. Again...thank you both. I'll look into both treatments!

My Dr. prescribed Lyrica for me. I tool a--a low dose and every place in my body that has nerve damage felt like it had bugs crawling on that nerve. It was aa really a creepy crawly feeling. Maybe if I continued them they would have helped, but I just could \n't stand the "buggy" feeling. My mom takes Lyrica for diabetic neuropathy and she said it really helps with the pain.
I guess everyone is different.
I am cutting down my work hours to 3 days a week. My arms, hands and shoulders are really bothering me. Sure hate to give up the money, but I feel that my quality of life is poor and am miserable all weekend trying to recuperate from the week.
tried to explain to some co-workers about Erbs --but they just didn't get it. Noone knows that "tired" at the end of the day is different than in severe pain and exhausted. I give up. I'm just going to cut the hours and not worry about trying to make a bunch of 2 armed workaholics understand. Sure wish I could get them to tie one of their arms down for a day.
someone made the comment --I think Kath--they were told--you look ok to me . A lot of people are worse off than you are--this while waving both arms above their head.
Thanks for letting me vent. I'm frustrated--I want 2 new bionic arms and pretty straight pain free fingers!!!!!!! Pat

Pat - Thanks for sharing your Lyrica experiences. I forgot to explain in my last post that my son has a LOBPI. I just hardly ever post here but happened to be looking through the adult board for people's experiences with nerve pain, partly out of professional curiosity and partly to have an idea what to expect with my son.

Kath - I'm not that surprised the B-12 works for you. I have heard that before in regards to neuropthic pain, and have tried it for a few of my patients with mixed results. It's pretty hard to get toxic B-12 levels if you use it orally, and when I inject it I monitor blood levels periodically. I forget which journal I saw it in, but there was a study done recently on B-6 and B-12 use for neuropathic pain (diabeteic neuropathy and Carpal Tunnel pain). Do you get relief only from injected B-12, or also from oral supplementation?

I found that the B-12 injections worked for the shocks the most. But I have a family history of pernicious anemia so perhaps that is why the oral b-12 did nothing. I also feel all the stress we are under to compensate and function could contribute to low b levels. I take a B-complex either 50 or 100 orally because I told the doctor my feet were burning and she said that indicated low b and advised me to take them... I had stopped for awhile because I felt good. I never seem to learn that when I am feeling good it is because of the vitamins.

I don't take anything for pain because they just don't seem to work for me. I tend to tough it out...

I was told at one point something about intrinsic factor and the fact that when we have stomach upsets and stress in our lives b vitamins protect the nervous system... We need B .... I would much prefer to take b that I can't overdose on or become toxic on then take some drug that will kill my liver or play havoc with the rest of my blood chemistry.