Suggest Treatment For Severe Neuropathic Pain Caused After A Stroke

Posted on Wed, 25 Jun 2014

Question: Hi, my name is xxxx A bit over two years ago I had a severe brain stem stroke, two months in hospital. I was really going well until a couple of months after hospital I started getting severe nerve tightening up, not seizures but often painful nerve end tingling and stiffening of the neck which brought on dizziness. So far the doctors have prescribed Tegratol, sodium valproate and now on Gabapentin and none of these seem to work. Most recent is Levodopia and Carbidopa which I have tried to take a couple of times but find it impossible to take. On top of all this I have just got home from having a stent fitted for a 90o/o blockage in one artery. Doctor has now said my heart is perfect and have to take Plavix for a year. Any suggestions please.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Pregabalin capsules could help.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for posting your query.

I have noted your symptoms and medicines used to treat them. It is unfortunate that you have not benefitted from a number of medications.

The most likely cause of your symptoms is neuropathic pain, which is common in patients with a past history of brain stroke.

You are likely to benefit from pregabalin (lyrica) capsules. I usually start a dose of 75 mg once daily at night, and depending on the response and tolerability of the drug, the dose may be increased to 300 mg per day.

I hope it helps.

Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant neurologist

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