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Has any one used Mexiletine for myelopathy pain syndrome.
Had spinal cord compression 2 years ago due to ACDF surgery. Neurosurgeon and all MRI and CT show stable hardware and fusion . No signs of further compression and cord signal has return to normal and various diagnostic tests show multiple deficits such as possible brachial plexus cereal plexus or stretch injury to nerve on right . In the last few months started to show signs of muscle atrophy on right trapezius muscle contraction in different parts of my body and burning sensation of skin on neck shoulders arms . The doctors want to try Mexiletine for symptoms. Has any one had this experience?
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@jab29
What levels of your cervical spine did you have ACDF surgery done on? Did your pre-surgery MRI show cervical myelopathy spinal cord compression/flattening? Did you have spinal nerve roots/nerves compressed/pinched causing radiculopathy? Did you have pre and post surgery EMGs/nerve conduction studies of upper and lower limbs and how did the results differ? Do you have peripheral nerve damage causing your symptoms and do you have radiculopathy?
I have cervical and lumbar stenosis and degenerative disc disease that has caused myelopathy spinal cord injury and neurogenic claudication/radiculopathy. My levels that I had decompression and fusion surgery are c5-c6 and l3-l5. I am having surgery on c6-c7 next month due to spinal cord compression and radiculopathy symptoms. I recently had my right hand carpal tunnel surgery and still need to do the left hand (contributes to some of the numbness/weakness symptoms). My recent MRI of cervical spine also shows no issues with hardware at c5-c6 or signal but what it does not detect is permanent spinal cord damage at the nerve cell level. I would love to know if there is an actual test for spinal cord injury to cells/microvasculature impacting communication from brain through spinal cord to peripheral nervous system and autonomic nervous system controlling organs.
My spinal cord decompression helped relieve some symptoms (walking issues and bladder control) but I still have residual weakness in bilateral shoulders/arms/hands. I do have some neuropathy symptoms of burning/numbness/pins and needles in hands/feet/hips and my new herniated disc at c6-c7 is causing worsening balance issues, limb weakness, bladder control issues have returned and the nerve pain in my hips/hip flexors makes walking hard.
I had spinal injections in the past and not sure if they would help at all. I have not been offered any pain medication for myelopathy and had not heard of Mexiletine but will look it up. I understand that spinal cord injury cannot heal but you need to stop the damage and progression through decompression surgery. Nerve roots/nerves may heal but it is not guaranteed and it can take a long time if it is possible. Nerve ablation and spinal cord stimulators are options for pain management. Have they offered this to you? Did your neurologist ever do the small fiber neuropathy skin punch biopsy to see if that is contributing to your burning sensation? I also have small fiber neuropathy.