Neuropathy: Do Opioids help?

When nothing else has helped me, yes definitely, opioids do help the burning for 2 to 3 hours and sleep is very important.

I take 900 mg gabapentin 3 time a day plus tramadol as needed. I take 1/2 of the 50 mg tramadol because I can't handle the whole 50 mg because it makes me dizzy. I tolerate the the 25 mg very well. I used to take more before I started taking gabapentin but the gabapentin works pretty well and I only need the tramadol as breakthrough pain relief. So far I don't have a definitive diagnosis. I started out seeing neurologists and had all the tests for neuropathy but everything was pretty much normal. I'm told that the muscle biopsy showed inflammation so now it seems I have myositis. I switched to a rheumatologist who is treating me for osteoporosis and now also for myositis. It is early days and I don't know if this is going to lead to anything conclusive but in the meantime I am managing with these medicines. But I have weakness and fatigue and I cannot do much without causing a lot of pain the next day or so unlike the normal muscle pain expected from unusual work or exercise. I don't like opioids but I also can't live with the kind of pain I have without some amount.

@irishpat70 What's going on that you're considering an opioid? I have been taking morphine sulfate contin for more than 5 years to help with my neuropathy pain that includes burning feet. It's a medication that I take after having tried everything else, to no avail.

Are there other medications you take that help? May I assume that you've talked with your doctor about this? When someone takes as many medications as I do, it's important to have a doctor who manages all of them.

Jim

i take methadone 5 mg and it does help for a little while

@irishpat70, There is a good article posted in another discussion by @steeldove that you might find helpful.

What Should I Know About Opioids and Living With Chronic Pain? https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2765691

so glad you dont take opiods and things are working for you

It helps me for occasional use when the pain gets really bad. In such cases I take 25mg tramadol to sleep as it makes me very drowsy. Interestingly enough I've noticed that I always get flu-like symptoms that only last a day (runny nose and sneezing) a couple of days after taking the tramadol. I don't know if it's some kind of mild withdrawal symptom, my allergies acting up, or if it's a mild cold? But it's what I have for desperate times.

I take Buprenorphine which seems to take the edge off a little. Buprenorphine is an opioid, but it is supposed to be less addictive and you do not build up a tolerance to it. They use it to help opioid addicts get off of opioids. It is hard to find a doctor who will prescribe it (and any opioids) however. I have taken up to 8mg twice a day. I am currently taking around 4mg twice a day and it still helps.I have severe burning neuropathy in feet, legs, hands, and arms, and also severe neck pain. It seems to help take the edge off of the burning nerve pain the most.