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Suggest Treatment For Nerve Pain

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Posted on Wed, 29 Oct 2014
Question: Hi, I had a tummy tuck in 2006. Plastic surgeon said that she "pulled me tight!" 4 years later I now have this nerve pain above my navel. The pain is sooo bad: pulling, burning and etc. If I press on the pain area, the pain goes away. If I let go, the pain comes back 24/7. Had all tests (negative) in past 8 years....8 years of pain, but Board Certified Neurologist put me on gabapentin and truly the Zanax that he prescribed is the only thing that helps. Zanax effects last about 5 hours. Taken 3 times a day with gabapentin. Now after trying acupuncture, lazer and magnets ($1500 for 6 treatments)....I am at my wits end. I know that surgery will help if the surgeon just lifts area up between navel and breast bone. I have tried this and the pain goes away. What do you think, Dr. Prasad? Thank you for listening!! XXXXXXX
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Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (23 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
See below!

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.

I am so sorry to hear about this pain that you have reported. I understand this must have been a very disturbing issue to deal with. 8years is not 8days and worse of it there is no definitive solution being proposed at this time. Stay calm, positive and optimistic.

I know you have tried a lot of several medications and procedure to help with this. Unfortunately, none has provided a long lasting solution. From the description of your pain, it is clearly a nerve pain and precisely peripheral neuropathy. The medications prescribed are often used for this condition. Clients do not respond to them in the same way and this trial of different molecules often warranted until the right drug is identified for each patient. Talk to your doctors and ask him to try other medications to see is the response would be different.

Though this pain is of neurological origin, the exact cause is not known. If it were clear that this was caused by a nerve compression that needed surgery to decompress, be sure your doctors would have considered that right away. I understand you are in pain but undertaking a procedure we are not convinced it is the best at this time and cannot guarantee any improvement in the clinical condition would not be the best.

Each time we touch on an area that has nerve pain, we excite many other normal fibers that attenuate the pain. This is how caressing works to relief pain. That in itself doesn't suggest that a procedure which lifts up this area would resolve the problem. Whether you press or just caress or lift up, always expect to witness a decrease in the severity of this pain.

IN all, I don't really think surgery would make this better at this time for the various reasons that I have cited. should we have more information suggesting so, then we would strongly consider it as an option. Ask you doctors about the prospects of trying other medications to see if they work better for you.

I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Ivo Ditah

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 3984 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Nerve Pain

Brief Answer: See below! Detailed Answer: Hi and thank you so much for this query. I am so sorry to hear about this pain that you have reported. I understand this must have been a very disturbing issue to deal with. 8years is not 8days and worse of it there is no definitive solution being proposed at this time. Stay calm, positive and optimistic. I know you have tried a lot of several medications and procedure to help with this. Unfortunately, none has provided a long lasting solution. From the description of your pain, it is clearly a nerve pain and precisely peripheral neuropathy. The medications prescribed are often used for this condition. Clients do not respond to them in the same way and this trial of different molecules often warranted until the right drug is identified for each patient. Talk to your doctors and ask him to try other medications to see is the response would be different. Though this pain is of neurological origin, the exact cause is not known. If it were clear that this was caused by a nerve compression that needed surgery to decompress, be sure your doctors would have considered that right away. I understand you are in pain but undertaking a procedure we are not convinced it is the best at this time and cannot guarantee any improvement in the clinical condition would not be the best. Each time we touch on an area that has nerve pain, we excite many other normal fibers that attenuate the pain. This is how caressing works to relief pain. That in itself doesn't suggest that a procedure which lifts up this area would resolve the problem. Whether you press or just caress or lift up, always expect to witness a decrease in the severity of this pain. IN all, I don't really think surgery would make this better at this time for the various reasons that I have cited. should we have more information suggesting so, then we would strongly consider it as an option. Ask you doctors about the prospects of trying other medications to see if they work better for you. I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.