Anyone have central post stroke pain syndrome? Your treatment?

Hi.

I had a brainstem stroke over 2 years ago.

I had pain in my right side, mainly below the waist, when undergoing physiotherapy in hospital but developed more general Central Post Stroke Pain about 8 months after stroke.

Symptoms include cold right foot, sensory issues in that leg including partial numbness, needles and pins and aches that sometimes gets more moderate to severe especially when stressing it. I have structural issues in that knee and there seems to be synergistic pain in the knee from stroke pain and structural pain. It's quite limiting.

I tried anticonvulsives for about a month but didn't have any effect and significicant side effects. My GP wants to try Cymbalta now, but I am hesitating. I've contemplated scalp acupuncture but am hesitating on that.

The trend in time is that it is either getting worse or remaing the same, it varies from day to day in severity too.

I purchased new sneakers this week and that has helped somewhat.

Eric

@blueflower1 - I moved your post to this existing discussion of Central Post Stroke Pain Syndrome so you can chat with others here:

- Central post stroke pain syndrome https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/central-post-stroke-pain-syndrome/

If you are replying by email, click on VIEW & REPLY so that you will be brought to the discussion. I suggest reading previous posts and posting yourself, as you feel comfortable.

What symptoms bothering you the most today, blueflower1?

Is there anyone out there who can share their medical treatment experience with Central Post Stroke Pain Syndrome ?

I suffered a basal ganglia hemorrhagic stroke in 2020. Symptom onset came on suddenly in the past 6-8 months.