Gabapentin has it in codeine

I have had RLS (since I can remember) at 16, although I remember having sleep problems as a child so it’s quite possible it started much younger.
I’ve managed the condition using marijuana but tried ropinerole about 7 years ago. I came off of that after a few weeks due to the nausea and constant hot flushes.
During a pregnancy almost two years ago the symptoms became severe. I was of course not using marijuana during pregnancy and therefore was sleeping 2-3 hours per night, spending the night crying… then going insane as this progressed for around 8-10 weeks of sleep deprivation. Doctors wouldn’t take me seriously because they didn’t want to medicate me. Finally a sleep doctor prescribed codeine but the dose I required to get rid of my symptoms was too high for him to be comfortable. Then I was put on pramipexole (sifrol), this helped at 0.125 for a while and then needed to be increased to 0.250.
Edited (adding this part): I was iron deficient at this time and received an infusion and have had normal- high levels of iron since. The doctor has checked these levels a few times and is still happy with them, I can’t remember the number but I know it’s above the requirements for someone with RLS. I also had no relief from the infusion.
My symptoms started occurring earlier in the night, slowly moving from 8:30 to 7:30 and then earlier. And now I have RLS in the mornings, with my symptoms start from about 3am and continuing well into the morning, even happening while I am exercising at the gym. I will also have them if I sit or lay down during the day, at work, in lectures, at the movies, etc.
Sadly the pregnancy ended in a loss, not related to the medication or sleep issues, but I continued to take the medication and using medical marijuana and Valium for nights the symptoms were unbearable.
I have now been on pramiexole for about 1.5 years and it is clearly not working. I refuse to increase my dose because of augmentation and we are currently trying to conceive. I also notice a lack of impulse control at higher doses.
My sleep doctor prescribed me Targin to come off of pramipexole for 10 days and then go back on it to see if it ‘reset’ the medication, but this didn’t work.
But! When I was taking 5mg targin in the morning and 10mg targin at night, I no longer had RLS. It was amazing!
I went back to the doctor and told him that pramipexole isn’t working, I don’t want to increase, my symptoms have augmented severely to the point I have RLS 24/7 and I asked to be put on Targin. (Opiates are safer in pregnancy than dopamine agonists so this was part of my thought process - why keep taking something that doesn’t work that well and isn’t pregnancy safe). He was worried about dependence and then told me to increase my pramipexole dose instead… he gave me targin for breakthrough symptoms however targin is not effective for this because it takes 2 hours to kick in, and when I have breakthrough symptoms, I need something to work quickly. I tried to increase my pramipexole dose and stopped after two days because my impulse control was horrendous.
Between the last visit and next visit (next week) it has been almost two months. In the meantime, my husband and I are suspecting that pramipexole may be responsible for other psychological symptoms that I am experiencing. I experience an inability to deal with stress and end up with leaden paralysis quite often. I experience many of the symptoms of dopamine agonist withdrawal, no motivation, no interest in activities or hobbies. So my husband suggested I try to halve my dose back to 0.125 to see how I was, and my ability to deal with stress improved but my RLS is so severe that I am struggling to function. I went back to 0.250 and the same depressive symptoms occurred.
Anyway… sorry for the long post but I will be seeing my sleep doctor next. I want to get off of pramipexole. I can’t take gabapentin due to its unsafe nature in pregnancy. For me, the only logical solution is daily opiate therapy. I would rather be dependent on opiates than to suffer the agony that I am in now.
Any advice for my appointment or situation? (Absolutely no alternative medicine suggestions please and thank you)
Anyone else feel that dopamine agonists changed their personalities and caused them to be depressed?
Edited: I am located in Australia

Hi all,
Wondering if you might be able to share some of your knowledge based on your own experiences. This seems like a super helpful and welcoming space.
About a year ago I (32 F) had my first flare up of TN pain confirmed by my Neurologist. I have bad TMJ issues, and significant structural jaw problems, so my doctors think that is most likely the cause. I got over that first flare up over a couple of weeks with physio and using Tylenol+low dose codeine to manage pain. I’ve had TMJ pain since but the TN pain has been infrequent.
I thought I was in the clear, but I had an even worse flare up this week, about a year later, which I’m struggling to get under control. Here are my symptoms and test results in case that’s relevant:

• right side only, all three branches of nerve involved (more the bottom two, but in this recent flare the top one as well)
• comes in waves of extreme pain (I’m sure you all know what this feels like - not fun)
• also have on and off numbness throughout the R side of my face
• seems to be affected by my position - if I’m in the middle of a wave, sometimes changing position (sitting up, walking around, lying on one side) helps briefly but the pain comes back
• OTC pain meds are barely touching it
• seems to get worse in my sleep, until it wakes me up. As a result I’m sleeping about 3 hours a night.
• I had brain MRI one year ago which showed a large retention cyst/polyp in my Right maxillary sinus and a T2 and FLAIR hyperintense focus in the right peritrigonal region - I was told neither was significant /related
• talking is a major trigger (which is unfortunate because my job requires talking most of the day), along with sleeping

What do you do if you’re in a flare up like this? The pain is completely unmanaged and beyond my ability to cope with. I’m in Canada, I could go to the emergency room but I don’t feel like I’ll be taken seriously there (plus it would be a 8-10 hour wait…not good when you’re in pain). A walk in clinic? I have a neurologist but it’s a long weekend here, and it’s never easy to get an appointment.
Any other tips to manage this condition based on your experience is welcome. I’m also desperate to confirm the reason for the TN pain - it definitely could be my jaw, but I also have nerve issues in my pelvis and lower limbs, so I do wonder if another MRI is warranted?
Thanks so much for getting through this long read - I’m exhausted and rambling, but I really appreciate it.
Edit: Update! thanks for the advice!! Updating this in case it’s helpful for someone else in the future. I managed to hold out on going to the ER (two rough nights…flipping awful) and got into see a GP at my clinic. She was great and prescribed a high starting dose of gabapentin (I.e., we skipped the “taper up” phase and just went for the full dose). I’ve been taking it for one day and already feel like 70% better. I was even able to teach a lecture this morning which feels like a miracle, because talking is my main trigger. A bit flared up after but like 5/10 max - not near 10/10 pain like before. I was skeptical but I’m so relieved that it worked!
Side effects are actually pretty minimal - some weakness in my arms, some dizziness, and lost my appetite a bit, but that’s it! Was expecting worse. Plan is to stay on until pain is very minimal or absent, and then taper down.
Thanks again!

I have had fibromyalgia for years, co-morbid with CFS, Migraines, Endometriosis, Degenerative Disc Disease and others. I manage a lot of days on just Paracetamol, magnesium, hot baths etc. Several years ago I had to stop taking all forms of NSAIDs due to chronic gastritis. I took tramadol when really needed only. GP switched me onto codeine instead a few years ago. I had my gallbladder out a year ago and I have noticed when I take codeine now it's causing me a rare condition post gallbladder removal called Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Its incredibly painful and means I can no longer tolerate opiates as they cause the sphincter to spasm.
Where on earth do I go from here? I'm in so much pain today and incredibly frustrated. I'm already on amitriptyline. I can't tolerate Duloxetine (severe insomnia) or Gabapentin (terrible brain fog).
I honestly don't know what to do now. Im seeing my GP soon and he isn't very clued up about fibromyalgia at all. I'm in the UK. Does anyone have any suggestions of things I can try drug wise?
EDIT I finally figured out how to edit a post (yay brain fog). I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has replied with advice and their experiences. I'm reading up on suggestions and taking it all on board. Thank you everyone for being so helpful it's made me a bit less hopeless today.

Spayed female French bulldog, 6 years old.
Diagnosis of IVDD July 2023 with ventral slot surgery for a herniation at C3/4 in August 2023.
PLDA preventative procedure for thoracic/lumbar spine December 2023.
Dixie is currently having a flare up of pain in her neck again. She had an MRI Monday 5/13 that showed basically the same findings as her last MRI at C2/3 with a lateral herniation, albeit not as severe as the one she had surgery on in August. However, her MRI also shows a malformed/odd blood vessel at the same area. Per the neurologist, the vessel could be putting pressure on the nerve root and causing her symptoms as well. So right now the MRI is sent to the outside radiologist who read her last one to see if anything has changed or gotten worse.
Neuro says this surgery would be more risky than the last one, due to the potential for bleeding with the wonky vessel right now. But surgery IS an option. We are currently doing conservative treatment with Gabapentin and Prednisone along with strict rest (she’s been on these for about 7 days now I think). But just a little bit ago she seemed to have a really bad neck spasm that we ended up giving her some codeine for. We haven’t had to give her Codeine in awhile.
So it boils down to this: does anyone out there have experience with surgery for a lateral disc herniation? Is it worth the risk? I hate seeing my dog like this. Are there other options like laser therapy and/or acupuncture that could also help?

Age: 5, Sex/Neuter status: Male/neutered Breed: Boston TerrieFrench Bulldog mix, Body weight: 28lbs Clinical signs: Very healthy dog until 3/17/24 when he had a grand mal seizure for nearly 3 minutes. Took him to urgent care and all of his blood tests were normal. The vet thought it perhaps was just a random seizure- no medication was given. 2 days after first seizure, he had a complete personality change, forgot learned tricks and where he lived, started poor coordination (difficulty walking and falling down), heavy breathing with a lot of reverse sneezing, panting, trembling, pacing, and extreme lethargy.
2 days after his first grand mal seizure, I took him to the ER again since he sounded like he had difficulty breathing- along with all his other troubling symptoms listed above. He was prescribed 15mg Codeine every 8 hours for 7 days along with 100mg Gabapentin every 8 hours. 3/21 to 4/6 he continued trembling, shaking, randomly yelping, began circling to the left for 10 minutes at a time, staring at walls, and I would find him in very strange places in the house. After days of continued reverse sneezing, on 4/7 he vomited two large masses of thick mucus. I took him back to the ER. His chest x-ray and all his blood tests were normal. I was told he could be suffering from breed-related Interverbral Disc Disease and he was continued on 100 mg Gabapentin every 8 hours and 15 mg Codeine. None of his symptoms improved- he was very withdrawn, lethargic, and I basically had to put food in his mouth so he would eat. 4/18 in the early morning he had a small seizure, followed by 2 others shortly after. I rushed him to the ER again. The vet said he needs an MRI, but I do not have the money to pay for that and asked if there were any other options. The vet put him on 20mg prednisone every 12 hours and 500mg Levetiracetam every 12 hours. The vet said if my dog didn't respond to the medicine within 3 to 4 days, I would probably need to put him down. After around 4 days, my dog did a complete 180 and began eating and returning to his old self- even remembering some of his old tricks. It was a miracle. However, now, after around 2 weeks on this very heavy dose of prednisone, my vet wanted to start to taper the dose, but when I tried to reduce the prednisone to 30mg a day, he had another seizure after just 1 day doing that. So, I have returned to the 40mg of prednisone a day as advised by the vet to keep all of his symptoms under control. Is this sustainable to do such a high dose of steriods? Obviously my dog has something very wrong with him and I wish I could pay the money to find out what it is through an MRI, but I am already way out of my budget as a teacher and struggling to pay out of pocket for all of the ER visits and meds he has required. Have any of you ever experienced similar symptoms with your Bostons? I am desperate. He is the only thing I love in this world, and it kills me I cannot do more for him.

Species: Dog Age: 5 Sex/Neuter status: Male/neutered Breed: Boston TerrieFrench Bulldog mix Body weight: 28lbs Clinical signs: Very healthy dog until 3/17/24 when he had a grand mal seizure for nearly 3 minutes. Took him to urgent care and all of his blood tests were normal. The vet thought it perhaps was just a random seizure- no medication was given. 2 days after first seizure, he had a complete personality change, forgot learned tricks and where he lived, started poor coordination (difficulty walking and falling down), heavy breathing with a lot of reverse sneezing, panting, trembling, pacing, and extreme lethargy. Your general location: New England
2 days after his first grand mal seizure, I took him to the ER again since he sounded like he had difficulty breathing- along with all his other troubling symptoms listed above. He was prescribed 15mg Codeine every 8 hours for 7 days along with 100mg Gabapentin every 8 hours. 3/21 to 4/6 he continued trembling, shaking, randomly yelping, began circling to the left for 10 minutes at a time, staring at walls, and I would find him in very strange places in the house. After days of continued reverse sneezing, on 4/7 he vomited two large masses of thick mucus. I took him back to the ER. His chest x-ray and all his blood tests were normal. I was told he could be suffering from breed-related Interverbral Disc Disease and he was continued on 100 mg Gabapentin every 8 hours and 15 mg Codeine. None of his symptoms improved- he was very withdrawn, lethargic, and I basically had to put food in his mouth so he would eat. 4/18 in the early morning he had a small seizure, followed by 2 others shortly after. I rushed him to the ER again. The vet said he needs an MRI, but I do not have the money to pay for that and asked if there were any other options. The vet put him on 20mg prednisone every 12 hours and 500mg Levetiracetam every 12 hours. The vet said if my dog didn't respond to the medicine within 3 to 4 days, I would probably need to put him down. After around 4 days, my dog did a complete 180 and began eating and returning to his old self- even remembering some of his old tricks. It was a miracle. However, now, after around 2 weeks on this very heavy dose of prednisone, my vet wanted to start to taper the dose, but when I tried to reduce the prednisone to 30mg a day, he had another seizure after just 1 day doing that. So, I have returned to the 40mg of prednisone a day as advised by the vet to keep all of his symptoms under control. Is this sustainable to do such a high dose of steriods? Obviously my dog has something very wrong with him and I wish I could pay the money to find out what it is through an MRI, but I am already way out of my budget as a teacher and struggling to pay out of pocket for all of the ER visits and meds he has required. Please adivise what I should do? He is the only thinig I love in this world and I wish I could help him more.

Posting on behalf of my partner (25F), who has had escalating back problems for about two years, and prior to that hip pain that has got progressively worse since she was about 16/17. I’m writing this as I feel quite desperate and we’re not getting answers from medical professionals. We don’t know what could be causing this or what to be asking about with consultants, or what the treatment plan could look like beyond pain injections. Worried pain is being treated without intervention.
I’m sorry if this isn’t the right place but I have been reading up on ankylosing spondylitis as prior to it getting this bad, she usually experienced the worst symptoms upon resting or in the mornings and it got better with gentle exercise. Now they’re bad all of the time and her mobility is really preventing her doing much, she is doing physio exercises and yoga regularly but it only gives short term minor relief. She also has a spotty history as a child due to parents not taking her to doctors. She hasn’t had a full back MRI, just lumbar and hip.
She had her lumbar and hip MRI back and it indicates: - Mild lumbar scoliosis to the left - Loss of curvature in spine - 3 nerve root compressions (L5, S1 and S3) - Disc bulge at L4-L5 indenting the thecal sac - Disc protrusion at L5-S1 compressing the thecal sac - Facet joint degeneration at L4-L5 to L5-S1 - Moderate to severe spinal canal stenosis - Hip bursitis in both hips.
She’s only 25 and a healthy weight, she has been seen by pain management as an urgent case (on gabapentin, codeine & waiting for nerve root injections) but GP still haven’t referred to neurology or rheumatology and there seems to be no urgency in understanding the cause. She pushed for some blood tests and is pushing for the referral. Pain management consultant has consistently warned of red flags for Cauda equina.
This seems really quite a lot for a 25 year old. Prior to all this she was active, swimming, cycling and dog walking so nothing too high impact at all. She has lost a huge amount of her mobility. There was no injury or trauma which took place, other than the dog pulling on the lead suddenly about 6 months ago but this was already an issue she had seen her GP about multiple times and it just made it worse.
I appreciate many might not know and it may not be the right place, but I am worried for her. The MRI results were months ago and only now has she seen it after having to make two formal requests to the GP, when informed of the results a few months ago she was only told she has spinal stenosis and a disc bulge which is obviously an understatement so this is all quite a shock.
Some of her symptoms include: - Severe lower back pain - Severe sciatica on right - Foot and leg numbness and weakness - Stooped posture - Foot drop - Severe fatigue - Ongoing and fluctuating hip pain - Knee pain at the front and bottom of the knee - Inflammation and swelling at various sites on the back - Shoulder pain, raised shoulder blade on left - Loss of mobility due to weakness, pain and stiffness. Using crutches and walking stick - Sudden rapid weight loss in the last two months (dropped at least a dress size when lifestyle is increasingly sedentary and no change to eating habits)
If anyone has had similar or went through similar, please do share.
If this isn’t the right place I apologise.

A little backstory, crushed by a 14t tracket vehicle over 3 years ago as one might expect suffered quite severe pain since becoming chronic. Recovery peaked around 18 months ago and have since severely regressed, worsening further when I had to stop taking anti-inflammatory (Naproxin) drugs as a result of them causing lesion and ulcers through my system. Previously been on Gabapentine from day of injury with little noted benefit just worsening symptoms from withdraw when I didn't take it, giving the appearance of doing something beneficial. Tried amitriptyline but just made me groggy, been on Codeine throughout, hardly takes the edge off now days. At this point I am the worst I have been in regards to pain and energy since being able to weight bear following "recovery" from the initial crush injuries.
After all this time I have finally got to see the pain management team (in UK), suggested putting me on Duloxetine. Suggested some injections in my major pain sites further down the line which I greatly welcome.
Have any of you had any experience with Duloxetine ? What can I expect ? Has it been of any benefit or hindrance to any of you ?

Hey everyone,
I had my lower wisdom tooth removed on March 5th, which was nearly two months ago, and it seems like the inferior alveolar nerve was damaged during the procedure. Since then, part of my chin and lower lip have been numb. What's worse, I've been experiencing constant jaw and gum pain—intense burning, tingling, and extreme sensitivity, especially in the front teeth. The nerve itself is super sensitive and reacts to any movement, making it painful to speak, chew, turn my head, or even walk (I spend most of the day now in bed or carefully walking around the house).
I know that nerves can take months to heal, but there's also a chance it might never fully recover. My surgeon has suggested nerve repair surgery, saying it's very time-sensitive, ideally performed within the first three months after the nerve injury. As time passes, the chances of successful surgery decrease.
I'm torn because I thought I could manage the pain with medications like gabapentin and codeine pain killers for at least six months to see if there would be any improvement. But now, I'm worried about missing the optimal window for surgery.
Has anyone here undergone nerve repair surgery? How long after the nerve injury did you have the surgery, and what was the outcome? I'd really appreciate any information or personal experiences you could share!

29M
Below is my journey of events over the past 8-10 years.
Symptoms
Fatigue, Seems to be better now that I am getting good rest at night.
Daytime Drowsiness
Upper back pain (been to several chiropractors it will get better short term maybe hours to 2 days but never fixed)
Lower back pain
Buttock pain. Inner and outer muscle pain. (I’ve had several rounds of dry needling to fix this. Works for a few days then it comes back.)
Tailbone pain. Related to buttock muscular pain. Again dry needling helps for a few days. But always returns.
Neck pain. Usually worse when stressed or over worked.
Mid back pain same as upper back.
Recently I have began to have pain in my hands. Starting with my right thumb then left thumb then every finger. Just like a feeling of pressure in the joint.
Meds
Currently taking
Morning ---- Tylenol 3 w/ Codeine, Methocarbamol 750mg, Phentermine 37.5, indomethacin 25mg
Mid day ---- another indomethacin 25mg, possibly another pain pill if its very bad but most of the time not
Late evening --- Indomethacin 25mg, Gabapentin 300mg, and two Tylenol Pm’s to sleep.
Imaging reports
Lumbar spine lumbar 3 view report impression shows no acute bony abnormalities, L5 spondylolysis with grade 1 anterolisthesis and mild disc space narrowing at l5-S1
XR Spine cervical 3 view, impression shows no acute bony abnormalities or significant degenerative changes, facet and uncovertebral joints are unremarkable.
Mri sacroiliac joints, peMs/sacrum without contrast
no sacrococcygeal fracture, mass or soft tissue udemas identified, piriformis muscles are symmetric and unremarkable. Sciatic nerves are unremarkable. The lowest coccygeal segment is subluxed 2mm anterior to the 2nd lowest coccygeal segment. No sacreal foraminal narrowing seen. Piriformis muscles are symmetric and unremarkable.
My issues with this all started in 2017 I was seeing a pa in my hometown I went to her to as my primary doctor. I began having fatigue while under her care and began to run blood work for a few things such as testosterone, and all the normal areas to look. At that time I had a lower than usual cortisol (am cortisol I believe which I later found out was due to being on oral steroids at the time. She began giving me a skinny pill which to my knowledge was a compounded weight loss pill similar to phentermine. After a while on this and still having constant daily fatigue along with back pain and general pain.
She sent me to an endocrinologist. He ran most of the same tests and said I didn’t have any endocrine issues. Julie moved back to her home town sometime around 2019.
Then I began seeing another PCP in my hometown. Carrying along the same symptoms. We did all of the same blood work as before and came up with the same result that there’s no issues that blood work shows. Other than a slightly low vitamin D which I was advised to take a supplement for.
At one point I began seeing a hormone doctor that my mother recommended going to in a neighboring city. She had a different approach at looking at labs and such. She was convinced that i had a thyroid problem and put me on thyroid medicine.
While seeing her I decided to go to another endocrinologist in Houston. Which listened to all of my complaints and looked at bloodwork and quickly told me he couldn’t help me but to immediately stop taking the thyroid medication because I didn’t need it. So I stopped that as I was instructed then I was back to square one again.
At this point I began getting frustrated with the medical system and not finding the answers I so desperately seek. So I put up with it. Then my mother wondered if it could be heart related. I have these flutters or palpitations that occur every once in a while that my grandfather had as well. More than likely it is anxiety however I made an appointment with a cardiologist that our family uses. He didn’t see any issues blood pressure was good but wanted to do a costly echocardiogram to rule anything out. Everything was fine there as well.
Recently I had a viral virus of some sort and was given an antibiotic and a dose of steroids. I got the steroids later in the evening and immediately took two. I woke up the next morning feel refreshed and ready to go which I haven’t experienced since I can remember. Suddenly all of my issues were minor. I had plenty of energy and no pain to speak of. My pain threshold is very high and when I say I’m hurting I’m hurting. I did have some of the emotional or mental side effects while using the steroid but it was a small price to pay for feeling so Alive and well. Hopefully this gives you some insight into what the last 7 years have been like.
After taking all of this into my pcp’s office and pleading for help. She decided to put me on Cymbalta for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. She said that I had went to all of the doctors I should have went to without any answers. I started taking this and immediately made a appt with another rheumatologist. I was able to get a rheumatologist the next week. He put me back on prednisone 20mg a day to get me through the Houston rodeo Cookoff while he ran other blood work. After rodeo I went back in for a follow up where he said my blood work was all normal and prescribed me sulfasalazine as a medical trial to see if I had any relief. After 3 days of being on it my fatigue level went through the roof after 15 days the fatigue is horrible even taking 15 mg of prednisone with it. My pain medicine also seems to not be effective any longer. This leads me to believe that either it’s just not a fit for me or it’s something totally different. I would say the fatigue is probably 40-50% worse. I have slept roughly 18 hrs out of the last 24 hrs. His office basically just tells me it takes time to work and to be patient. But the quality of life is horrible at this point in time. I just can’t help but think that something has been missed along the way. Fatigue has always been my #1 complaint.
I stuck with sulfasalazine for the whole 5 weeks even with symptoms getting worse at 3 weeks. I had upper abdominal pain after a meal to the point I would have to make myself throw up. And the fatigue was still horrible. I accidentally missed a dose one evening and I immediately woke up feeling better. In my mind I knew it had to be this medicine. So I decided to not take it that morning either just to see. I felt a lot better. I called the doctors office where I left a message with what I described above. The PA sent a message through the front desk staff that she agreed and to stop the medicine until I see him which was 3 days away. My last visit with this rheumatologist basically consisted of him accusing me of changing my medicine without talking to him which every time I called I asked to speak to him which resulted in talking to a pa each time. He also thought I was afraid of medicine etc. Very confrontational. At this time he put me on hydroxychloroquine 300mg. I knew that I needed to seek a second opinion.
I made a appt with another rheumatologist that a family friend had seen and loved. After looking at my labs and talking with me she didn’t think I had Ankylosing Spondylitis. She recommended seeking treatment from a pain clinic.
Fast forward to recently. Pain has been manageable and I am not taking hydroxy chloroquine. And continue to take my normal medicine (Tylenol 3, methocarbamol, Wellbutrin, and phentermine daily) a friend that has gout asked me if I had ever been tested for gout and I said that I had my Uric acid levels tested many times but it’s been normal each time. But then I started to research it and it seems plausible. They let me try some of their indomethacin and it has helped tremendously. Now the question is what is the indomethacin treating. I know that it reduces inflammation. But what’s causing the inflammation?
I know that some of this is hard to follow but this is my medical diary of sorts that I add to and then go back and reflect on during my research for answers since its hard to keep it straight as far what has been done or tried.

Age: 25, Gender: transgender FTM (he/him pronouns please but aware sex may be relevant), Smoker: yes, tobacco, Drugs: cannabis only, Medication: Duloxetine 60mg once daily, Fexofenadine 120mg once daily, Amitriptyline 10mg 1-2 before sleep, Omeprazole 20mg once daily, Gabapentin 300mg 3 times daily, paracetamol 2x500mg 4 times daily, testosterone 2% gel once daily applied to legs/abdomen on alternate days, codeine 15mg when required. Medical conditions: Transgender (previous double mastectomy 6 years ago), Fibromyalgia, IBS, gastritis, hayfever, anxiety, depression. Other possibly relevant info: I work as a carer for elderly; I look after 2 fish tanks and have a cat.
So for the last 2 years I’ve been getting these rashes/spots on my left forearm and hand, it seems to come and go but I haven’t seen any pattern other than I don’t wake up with it and it’s always on my left. The rashes/spots fade within 2 hours usually so I’ve never been able to get much opinion from my doctor. If I apply hydrocortisone cream it soothes the area but it can happen multiple times a day and the spots are always in different places on my arm/hand. They’re very itchy when they happen.
I’ve treated my flat for fleas (the cat is given regular flea medication and uses a flea/tick collar which is replaced as it directs, she also has worming treatment and sees a vet yearly). When looking at flea bites mine don’t look the same but I cannot find anything else similar where the rash forms in a vague line. I will attach photos below-TW I have self harm scars.

Just curious if anyone else takes this and what their experiences with getting it prescribed were.
I’ve been struggling with worsening migraines for a while and went to the ER the first time I lost vision and had confusion and some other scary symptoms and the doctor there was amazing and was basically like I’m gonna do you a solid, this stuff is great. Even the nurse was like that’s amazing for migraines I think it’ll help.
It was like night and day in terms of symptoms and although I tried to stretch my script as long as I could, they obviously only last for so long. Since then my normal doctor has prescribed sumatriptan, amytriptyline, I’m on gabapentin (for pain), and now my NP (I switched from my doctor to her, same practice) gave me Ubrevly to try. Why does everyone seem so hesitant to prescribe Fioricet? I don’t even want the codeine one, I just want something that works for the days I really need it and I don’t understand why if it works it’s seemingly so hard to get? When I bring it up the doctor and NP I’ve had since then nod like they hear me, but then just move on.
My issue is my migraines are so inconsistent so I don’t necessarily feel like I need an everyday pill (although I’m not a doctor so what do I know, maybe that’s better), just something for when they’re really bad. When they do hit I’m down for days sometimes. She said lyrica would be the next step if the Ubrevly doesn’t work so maybe if things don’t get better that would be better than the Fioricet? I’ve never tried lyrica so I’m not sure.
ETA - thank you for all the helpful comments, guys! (And for being so kind) I really appreciate all of the info and input. I’m hopeful maybe something else will work or maybe eventually I could get what I’ve seen quite a few of you mention - just a small quantity per month because I definitely don’t need it everyday, but when my migraines do hit sometimes they last for 2-3 days and that’s when it’s like okay this is enough, I unfortunately can’t just lay in a dark room for days. (Sometimes I have no choice but I’m sure y’all understand what I mean in the sense that we’re adults and have responsibilities and kids and jobs and all that). Who knows, maybe Ubrevly will be the one.

Just curious if anyone else takes this and what their experiences with getting it prescribed were.
I’ve been struggling with worsening migraines for a while and went to the ER the first time I lost vision and had confusion and some other scary symptoms and the doctor there was amazing and was basically like I’m gonna do you a solid, this stuff is great. Even the nurse was like that’s amazing for migraines I think it’ll help.
It was like night and day in terms of symptoms and although I tried to stretch my script as long as I could, they obviously only last for so long. Since then my normal doctor has prescribed sumatriptan, amytriptyline, I’m on gabapentin (for pain), and now my NP (I switched from my doctor to her, same practice) gave me Ubrevly to try. Why does everyone seem so hesitant to prescribe Fioricet? I don’t even want the codeine one, I just want something that works for the days I really need it and I don’t understand why if it works it’s seemingly so hard to get? When I bring it up the doctor and NP I’ve had since then nod like they hear me, but then just move on.
My issue is my migraines are so inconsistent so I don’t necessarily feel like I need an everyday pill (although I’m not a doctor so what do I know, maybe that’s better), just something for when they’re really bad. When they do hit I’m down for days sometimes. She said lyrica would be the next step if the Ubrevly doesn’t work so maybe if things don’t get better that would be better than the Fioricet? I’ve never tried lyrica so I’m not sure.

As soon as I do anything out of the ordinary (normal day is wake up, work, go to bed) like clean the bathrooms or paint or go workout etc, my body is thrown into fire. I literally had one of the worst days I’ve had in a long time yesterday and it was the first time I’ve felt bad about myself not being able to do any hobbies.
Doctors say, workout! It will cure your fibromyalgia. I workout, even 10 minutes, completely in pain and fatigue so bad I’m out for a couple of days. How am I supposed to workout exactly?
Then I’m put on an ever changing list of medicines to figure out which one gives me the least amount of side effects. Lyrica worked the best, but I can’t go poop. I’m on gaba now and I feel manic every day and I still have horrible breakthrough pain. I take codeine, works like a charm. Also… can’t poop. Cymbalta, literally can’t keep my eyes open or get out of bed. Amitriptyline made me aggressive, I couldn’t swallow food properly and I couldn’t pee. The list goes on! Noritryptine made me faint and have pots symptoms on 20mg so now I’m on 10mg and I have issues still with pots symptoms but at least I’m not fainting… When will I find something that works? I’m so frustrated.
This gabapentin I’m on now works a little but I can’t really do anything I could a year or two ago. I’m having such a hard time coming to an understanding that this isn’t temporary. I’m literally a different person than even a year ago. I don’t understand why this is happening to me. I got a bad case of Covid/flu 2022 October and my life has been miserable since. I was an active person, someone who kept my house clean, who took my son to go do fun things, someone who could go backpacking and camping during the summer. Now I can’t even consider those things without having to set aside a few days after to recover.

29F and since having my baby 8 months ago I have suffered agonising lower back and right leg pain. I have no feeling in my bladder (cant tell when I need a wee so have to set alarms on my phone to go) and my right foot is totally numb. I initially thought the back pain was caused by my c section but it has just worsened over time and now I'm at the point where I have no quality of life.
In January I ended up in A&E with suspected cauda equina syndrome as I lost control of my bladder. I had an MRI which showed that I have a large L4/L5 disc herniation and an L5/S1 herniation also. The pain started about a week after my c section but the specialist doesn't think they're related and says I most likely injured my back picking my tiny newborn up out of her cot.
In February I had a nerve root block injection which didn't work so I've been referred for surgery. I have no idea how long the waiting list is and I'm struggling to get through the days until then.
The pain has got so bad the last few weeks that I can barely do anything for myself, can't pick up my baby or care for her on my own. My husband has to help me shower. We're sleeping in separate beds as I cant get comfortable and just lie awake most nights crying. I haven't left the house in weeks and all I do is lie down. The pain is constant and nothing helps. I've tried gentle exercises, forcing myself to walk and raising my legs but the pain worsens.
I've just completely lost myself and I'm miserable. I look nothing like I used to as I can't take care of myself. Its so bad that last week my sister had to cut big matted knots out of my hair because i can't get out of bed to brush it.
I'm on gabapentin and amitriptyline, have been prescribed diazepam, codeine, naproxen and oramorph at various points over the past 8 months. The GP is saying they can't prescribe anything else and won't give me more oramorph in case i become addicted.
I'm only 29 and it feels like my life is over. I'm a shit mum who can't do anything for my little girl. If I didn't have my husband and baby I really don't think I would be here anymore and some days I think they'd be better of without me because I'm nothing but a burden.
I'm not sure if I'm looking for advice or just need to rant to someone who isn't my poor husband who has to watch me sob in pain all day every day.

Hey crew- pardon my extremely unmedicated at the moment, exhausted, frustrated, ADD brain.
After a decade going unmedicated (and suffering), I finally got my psych to agree to put me on Vyvanse. Finally! We started me at 20mg 5 weeks ago, then added a 10 mg booster 3 weeks ago; now I’m at 30mg in the mornings w an optional 10mg booster that basically lessens the crash but does nothing for the brain fog that comes on (5 weeks in on the med)
When it’s good, it’s good. I just feel normal. To the point that I didn’t realize how not normal Ive felt. But, I putter out real quick at about 4/5 hours regardless of dose. Literally just go brain dead, like I’d had zero coffee and no sleep, tho not the case.
I work 12 hour shifts, so I’m trying to get at least 10 hours out of my medication, and the most I’ve been able is 6-7; 8 max with the booster. The first 4-5 days I hit maybe 7-8 without booster, but that’s it. The crash is unbelievable, and usually right in the middle of my afternoon. It’s like nothing else can happen at work or even at home after 3 PM.
I eat well, hydrate like crazy, take magnesium & vitamins at bed, l-theanine, all the things. I’ve gone from 6-8 espressos a day to just one in the AM (I was self medicating with coffee- get sleepy after four shots of espresso, easily) & I’ve really been working to up my protein and healthy snack at least every hour, & no vitamin C.
———
I’m still trying to figure it out the right timing and order of meds/coffee/etc..
Diagnosed: ADD/CPTSD/MDD/anxiety/neuropathy & spinal issues from an accident years ago
Meds im RX’d that I think may be affecting things:
*Gabapentin 300mg x 3 a day (we just bumped me down from 400mg a few days ago)
*Wellbutrin 75mg around noon (we also just bumped me down from 150mg last week)
*Klonopin as needed (.25-1mg dose- rarely used but sometimes seems to make Vyvanse more effective?)
*Tylenol #3 (acetaminophen with codeine) - very rare- 1/4 pill once a day at most (leftover from spinal issues for years- weaned way down!)
*melatonin & THC gummy- legal where I am- to sleep (sleep has been great unless I booster after 4pm)
———
Currently, depending on last dose of varying meds, I either take gabapentin first thing in the morning around 6am, and then wait at least an hour before taking Vyvanse, or I take Vyvanse first thing, and other meds later in the morning. I have my one shot of espresso (and savor it bc it’s my only one lol) after taking the Vyvanse & before it kicks in. Wellbutrin usually middle of the day.
Has anyone experienced this/dealt with any of these meds interacting?
Thanks all!
Edit to add: not interested in switching to another med & hesitant to mess with doses too quick- my doc is letting me try this, but she’s literally made me wait five years to do so. She knows I went thru a phase of life where I was Rx over 100 mg of Adderall, different doctor, years ago. Never want to take that stuff again, because who knows where it could lead.

So the fun started this week with a thrombosed hemorrhoid which "popped" on Monday. It was possibly a blister on it as it was mostly plasma. Scared the crap out of me as it made a mess that made me think something was infected down there. So 6 hours in the ER and back to the lodge with an angry cherry tomato in my arse. Still there and causing all manner of unpleasantness and pain. But they will do nothing for it other than giving me pain meds (which I am happy for) but it makes me very nervous as to how bad the pain will get going forward.
The chemo is causing heartburn like I have never had before. And the nausea.... But it turns out the nausea meds I was given interact badly with my gabapentin duloxetine and codeine so it's likely that I wasn't getting the relief from them I should have been, so tomorrow I get a new stronger anti nausea that will hopefully make a difference.
The fatigue is no joke. I was asleep by 6 pm last night. But the heartburn has had me awake since 4am this morning.
If it wasn't for this fucking hemorrhoid (if you can get any hemorrhoids you have dealt with before treatment I would highly recommend) the pain from the radiation wouldn't be very bad at this point. I have only experienced mild burning with peeing and almost no pain in the rest of that area, except the hemorrhoid. Omg that is fucking awful.
Had my first bout of radiation induce diarrhea yesterday, I've been actually having the opposite issue up until then and have been taking softeners to try and keep regular.
I'm finding the chemo way worse at this point for side effects than the radiation. But that will likely change. I haven't had hand and foot yet. My skin is breaking out, worse in my scalp I had an bout of baby acne on my head which was itchy and horrible but nothing a little cortisone ointment can't handle. I've got a lot of bone pain in my arthritis areas but that is manageable with pain meds.
Almost at the end of week 2 only 4 more to go (and the 2 week horror after treatment ends)
It's survivable at this point.
All the best to everyone. I hope your healing is going well and your spirits are high.

I'm making this post because I've been referred to, and have had a few appointments with my community pain management service and I'm pretty worried about my future right now.
For some background, I'm in the UK, mid 20s, and I have had four spinal fusion surgeries for kyphoscoliosis. I have the normal rods supporting my spine, two large screws anchored in my hips and what my surgeon refers to as a 'cage' supporting my lower spine. I've been physically disabled due to pain for 5 years while having ongoing surgery, and have to use a cain and wheelchair to get around.
My surgeon, quite frankly, seems to have given up on being able to fix me, as he can't see what is causing the pain. He referred me to the pain management service, and has said that he will do a CT scan to check for issues fusing, but if he can't find anything he's leaving me in their care. This in itself is concerning, and me and my partner are going to do everything we can to get ourselves referred and seen by a different doctor if this happens. I was wondering if anyone has experiences with professional pain management, because after talking to them I'm concerned about the advice they are giving me and their plan.
They can't help me with pain medication, and in-fact have advised that I slowly lower my doses of codeine and gabapentin with the aim of getting me completely off it. This one I understand the logic behind, with them claiming pain medication will make you more sensitive to pain overtime, although I'm pretty sceptical about it. I don't want to be on pain meds long-term, worried about the effect it's having on my body, but I have trouble doing basic tasks on my own without a lot of pain and feel that doing this will just put me in bedrest. That one I'll have to wait and see.
However, the second part of their plan for me is to have sessions on pain psychology, which after viewing the resources they sent me seem useless, if not damn-right harmful to someone like me. I can see how they might help certain types of chronic pain issues, but it feels like they're just applying a generalising approach without considering the needs of individual patients and it's left me worried. One of them is lessons on how my pain is connected to my mood, which just is not true for me at all. My pain is directly connected to usage, in fact when I'm depressed, a time they say I should be in more pain, I experience very little pain as I barely move from my bed. I've also been consistently trying to up my activity levels over several years (another recommendation) which had such a bad impact on my pain levels and long-term mobility that I finally conceded last year that it was only making things worse. There's also recommended massages and stretches, two things that are impossible for me to implement because the area affected (my spine) is completely rigid, supported by a vast amount of metal-work.
Sorry for the rant, I've been left feeling a bit helpless. It feels like my long-term outlook is having medical professionals tell me that I'm not doing enough to make my pain better.

Depression hit me when I was about 14/15 and I didn’t really know what to do with it, right around the same time - don’t recall if it was incidental or a deliberate attempt at a “solution” - I got into drinking, it became the thing to do with friends and I’d always be the drunkest.
Then we added weed to the mix and I was obsessed, we all were to some degree, but I was the one who saw it as more than fun; the cure to ills I couldn’t really understand. I went to boarding school shortly after, what I think of as my hell years - worst years of my life - where I actively spiralled and depression gave way to bouts of hypomania and magical thinking - still don’t really know if all I was doing trigger bipolar or it was the other way around, either way I regret it.
I’d buy the largest bottle of vodka I could afford before I went to school, drink alone most nights, then it turned into me heading to school with a recreational pharmacy in my pockets; booze, edibles, mdma, codeine, gabapentin, cigarettes, vapes, nitrous oxide. I’d make it a habit to get fucked up at school, and even when I wasn’t I’d skip classes to walk around in town. Really says something when you’re 16 and thinking you gotta quit drinking.
Weed started making me anxious, like would mess me up for days kind of anxiety and paranoia, and I still took it because pure terror was better than facing reality.
I’m medicated now, don’t know if it’s helping, but I still crave any thing that promises to alter my mind state. Still take anything anyone offers me either to “cure” bouts of depression or heighten hypomania. I guess I crave that feeling too. This has crossed my mind today because I’ve woken up hungover, sleeping more than I have in the past few days, not quite sure if I regret the events of last night.
I guess the only silver lining is it gives me a reason to take medication, if I was doing all this shit recreationally, I can’t really have issues with something prescribed.
Has anyone experienced this? Figured out how to overcome it?

Sorry for posting this long post here but I don't know where else to go. I was diagnosed in December after having unexplained severe swelling in both lower legs and feet, shocks, pins and needles, tightness, burning, intense pain etc. I couldn't even wear socks until Xmas and now only have just put a pair of shoes on (not comfy but serves a purpose!).
I went into a coma during my hospital stay due to a severe carnatine deficiency from malnutrition and stayed in hospital for 6 weeks. I've been learning to walk again and overhaul my diet. I'm struggling also with seeing myself putting on the 2.5 stone I lost in hospital (I went down to 7.5 stone and was tube fed. I know I needed to put weight on but this is rubbish and I just feel horrendous.
I have support from community physio and dietician, I'm due to see neurologist in April and am soon due under care of adult liaison psychiatry for support.
While I know I've come so far, the pain isn't what it was in Sept-Nov (it's still agony but I have less swelling and am now on some meds (gabapentin, duloxetine, paracetamol and codeine) - I'm just really struggling physically and mentally to cope.
Physically I'm sleeping 2 hours a night due to the agony despite icing and doing breathing exercises. I'm working 4 days a week. Every step is sheer agony, I get no release from sitting or laying down, every day is relentless.
I'm doing all I can to keep busy, but I can't stop crying because I'm so exhausted with it all. I just cannot cope with getting up every day (even though I do - ive got up and dressed every day since discharge before 8.30am. The thought of this being life when im dreaming of having children (I'm 40 next year). I can't even sit at my desk to work, sitting or laying down aggravates and within minutes of standing I'm swollen.
My boyfriend is great but it's not the same as having someone who 1st hand experience and can relate. Also he is struggling with his own sleep due to my shouting out and apparently kicking out / doing constant bicycle pedalling in the air that i know norhkng about. My physio has said to use my elbow crutches to keep the weight off my feet but Im struggling to use crutches going upstairs or when I need to get something from another. I now have two huge lumps on the outer side of my ankle.
Any support would be welcome so I can be surrounded by those who understand this thing. My boyfriend is great but it's not the same.
Thanks and sorry again - hoping this is just a bad spell but not sure I can do this much more.
TLDR - just cannot cope with level of pain and relentlessness. Is there a thing that's made this life bearable?

TL;DR: After over a decade of battling with gastrointestinal issues and later severe gastritis linked to chronic stress, cannabis use, and possibly environmental factors, I have been healed for a year now, following through a combination of medication adjustments, lifestyle changes, and a short-term prescription of benzodiazepines to manage the cortisol awakening response.
I haven't visited this subreddit for quite some time, as it's been over a year since my gastritis resolved. I thought sharing my journey might benefit someone here. When I was grappling with gastritis, I poured through what felt like the entire internet in search of some advice or recommendation that would help me in my particular situation and found scant online discussion that mirrored my ordeal, though the few posts I encountered were invaluable. Here's my story:
I'm a 31-year-old woman who began experiencing significant gastrointestinal discomfort in my early 20s. For additional context, I was evaluated for ADHD and ASD a few months ago, revealing traits of both. My gastrointestinal issues commenced during university, particularly during my first degree. Mornings were especially challenging, often accompanied by gut pain and nausea, sometimes leading to vomiting. In my third year, I sought the advice of campus psychologists, suspecting anxiety was the root cause. They concurred, and I was prescribed Zoloft (Sertraline), an SSRI, which alleviated my symptoms for several years.
Fast forward to graduate school, post-2016, where my schedule was packed with high-pressure tasks, notably teaching university courses. During this period, I began using cannabis to manage stress and maintain focus. Eventually, morning stomach pains resurfaced, prompting a visit to my doctor. We speculated Zoloft might be contributing to the issue, leading me to discontinue it and start a Nexium (Esomeprazole) regimen. The pain was primarily morning-centric, affecting my appetite and making the idea of food feel repulsive until it subsided upon commencing work (usually lecturing or talking to students - again something I consider to be "high stress").
The ensuing years are somewhat hazy; my gut pains seemingly persisted, masked by cannabis use. I shifted my routine to minimize morning discomfort, which, coupled with chronic stress from work and grad school, led to a continuous struggle. Eventually, due to resurfacing anxiety, I switched to Effexor (Venlafaxine), an SNRI.
After graduation, I endured a poorly compensated non-profit job for a year while continuing to teach. Overwhelmed by burnout, I resigned, entering a phase of unemployment filled with cannabis and art, amidst less-than-ideal living conditions in a possibly mold-infested, mouse-ridden house.
The return of the fall semester saw me teaching again, albeit with diminished enthusiasm. Concurrently, my gastritis worsened, persisting throughout the day. I ceased cannabis and discontinued Venlafaxine, suspecting they were exacerbating my condition. However, my abdominal pain intensified, severely impacting my mental health and forcing me to resign mid-semester, a decision fraught with professional repercussions.
The situation deteriorated further, with pain commencing shortly after waking and persisting into the night. A myriad of medications followed, including Lexapro (an SSRI) and a low dose of Gabapentin for pain management, the latter of which seemed ineffective. A walk-in doctor put me on a small dose of pantoprazole, but I'm also not sure it ever really worked, even after a few weeks. An emergency room visit led to a prescription for Tylenol-Codeine #3, offering temporary relief. My pain levels fluctuated between 6 and 9 daily, severely affecting my diet and weight.
A move to a new home with my boyfriend offered some reprieve from previous environmental stressors. An epiphany regarding the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and its potential link to my symptoms prompted a discussion with my doctor, who prescribed a short-term regimen of Ativan (Lorazepam). This approach significantly reduced my symptoms within a month, although I attribute my recovery to multiple factors, including abstaining from cannabis and leaving stressful situations behind.
By January 2023, I was largely pain-free and ceased benzodiazepine use. My life has since improved remarkably—I've resumed cannabis with caution, now enjoy a full-time job, and have a supportive partner. My story underscores the complex interplay of stress, lifestyle, and health, and I hope it offers insights to those facing similar challenges. For clarity, throughout this ordeal, I underwent regular medical consultations and tests, which revealed no underlying causes, leading me to attribute my gastritis to a blend of chronic stress, burnout, cannabis use, and possibly environmental factors.
Happy to answer questions if anyone has any - I know that this is kind of a lot!

I am 28F, Caucasion, 175cm tall and 100kg. I want to preface this with I have a condition known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). If you are unfamiliar with the disorder it is the most complex and extreme trauma disorder that exists. If PTSD was a level 1 and CPTSD is a level 2, then DID is a level 5 on the trauma disorder scale.
One of the key features of this condition is that it can only develop during early childhood, while neural networks in the brain are still connecting. As a result many neural networks are left disconnected. This is a very simple explanation but can be referred to as structural dissociation.
Like with PTSD, a trigger can activate flashbacks, and these memories will be contained within the certain disconnected neural networks. This effectively means that neural networks can switch on and off and all of the associatied functions with it.
For example- I have a neural network that is mostly cognitively akin to a 3yo. When it is switched on I have the motor skills, impulse control and delayed gratification of a 3yo as well as childlike interests and perceptions.
Here is the problem with medications- it is not very well understood of researched but many medications are completely ineffective or have very little effect compared to a typical patient.
I know that all opioid medications are ineffective, because dissociation produces endogenous opioids, and I believe to the extent that I have experienced this has made my opioid receptors extremely downregulated. I now take naltrexone that assists to lower my dissociation and up regulate my receptors. (But yet opioid meds still dont work at all whether i am taking naltrexone or not).
I have also discovered that meds like benzos have no effect. From my research I have found that this probably means my Gaba receptors are down regulated as well. I have previously tried gabapentin for other symptoms and this was ineffective too.
I even had a lung operation and every single med they put me on felt 90% ineffective. I had a paravertable block, a PCA with morpheine, oral tramadol and other pain killers and still I would find myself viscerally screaming seemingly out of my control from how painful the procedure was.
I have recreationally taken drugs and things like cocaine have no effect.
I have felt the effects of MDMA once (and taken many times). Unsure if that pertains to quality or other factors.
I have had psilocybin- this has had profound healing effects for me- however sometimes I can take 10g dried with no effects, other times I am tripping akin to a heroic dose. Yes i have considered factors such as what I ate that day etc- there is no indetifiable pattern.
Cannabis i have been prescribed has similar effects, and some days It has effect and other days none (and vice versa- no patterns with tolerance. I could have 3g one day and feel nothing, the next day one puff of the same strain and I am baked).
My theory is that certain parts of my brain have extremely down regulated receptors, others not so much. So with the neural networks switching on and off seemingly at random changes the effects of how I feel the meds if at all.
I am wondering if anyone here has any ideas, similar experiences or suggestions? Does anyone have any insight into what may be haopening beyond my basic understanding, and if there are any treatments, specialists, supplements etc you could recommend?
I have been doing research to find things that could help upregulate these receptors and honestly I have already tried most of these (for 3+ months minimum each, up to a year or more).
I have tried these supplements/ meds. I am listing everything even if it ties to other conditions as I feel maybe thats important to consider (and probably forgetting a few).
My other conditions are PCOS, chronic fatigue, iron deficiency, suspected fibromyalgia and hypermobility ehlers danlos syndrome (awaiting screening), possible POTS (however when i went on prorpanolol for anxiety it cleared every POTS symptom I had), ASD level 2, ADHD (though i question if this is just trauma), CPTSD. I also likely have FND and am awaiting screening. I currently struggle with extreme chronic pain and fatigue. I am going crazy thay no pain meds work.
Supplements (hard to say whats effective) - various medicinal mushrooms - maca powder (feel effects) - ashwaganda - Bioceuticals brand "adrenoplex" ( mix of adaptogenics) (was once very effective, now not) - saw palmetto - spearmint - damiana - so many types of magnesium - b12 - iron - iodine - zinc - d3 - b12 - inositol (very effective)
Medications (ineffective) - diazepam - lorazepam - alprazolam - codeine - oxycodone - tramadol (slow and fast release) - morphine - local anesthetic (need huge doses) - dexamphetamine - modafinil - atomoxetine (slight effect possibly)
Medications (unsure if effective or not, if so very mild) - pregablin - gabapentin - paracetamol - aspirin - melatonin - cbd oil - spironolactone - several anti biotics (cannot remember, but every time I need anti biotics I nees more rounds than expected or they change to something stronger)
Medications (effective) - propranolol - orphenadrine - clonidine - metformin - meloxicam - naproxen - ibuprofen - cannabis (higher thc strains)