5-htp and nerve related pain

[fprefect]

hallo everyone.

i am trying to move off acetaminophen (ie. tylenol / paracetamol / panadol). i am considering testing 5-htp for nerve related pain, where a slight pressure on my skin seems unusually painful. i would appreciate your sharing your experience, whether 5-htp helped with that, didn't do anything, or made something worse.

some context. i depend on acetaminophen to help me sleep. i am fairly sure it is messing with my methylation and liver function. the pain seems to be allodynia, which is pronounced enough that i can only wear my ratty 15 year old t-shirts. also, it is quite uncomfortable when my hair touches my neck.

i already take 75mg lyrica (pregabalin). i don't take more as Dr Teitelbaum doesnt recommend more than 50mg when taking his other recommended cns depressants. i like sleep, but i prefer breathing. i am also wary of related meds (eg. neurontin, gabapentin) for the same reason.

the pain does respond to b12, other b vitamins and magnesium, but i cannot currently tolerate more than what i already take.

so far, for neuropathic pain, i have only read that 5-htp, lidocaine or subutex might help. i am trying to find out more about natural substances and/or possible causes before i move on to medications.

so, what did 5-htp do for you?

Ford

ps. i dont know if inflammation is involved. Moderators, please move this post to a more relevant forum if this is the wrong place.

 

[voner]

Fprefect,

Your symptoms definitely sounds like Allodynia. I've tried 5HTP and about all the pharmaceutical drugs related to nerve pain and have had absolutely no success with them. A few people get some relief from Neurontin/gabapentin or Lyrica.

The only thing I found that knocks edge off of the allodynia is sitting in a warm water therapy pool a couple/three times a week... I wrote a post on warm water therapy at Cort Johnson's site (the founder of this website), health rising:

http://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/201...way-decades-trying-help-allodynia-nerve-pain/

Most information on allodynia comes from the realm of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS/RSD). Some people get relief from desensitization processes. I find the website "NeuroTalk" to have some forums with some good information on allodynia.

My allodynia is directly related to myofascial pain/triggerpoints. Do you have those?

 

[fprefect]

hi @Voner.

thank you very much for your reply. you may have saved me months of frustration. i am sorry for the delay in response. i am trying to deal with added (different) pain and low energy and mental clarity after following doctor's advice.

i will reply properly when i can manage it. i hope you are managing ok.

Ford

 

[roge]

I react to 5htp and it has too short a half life for me
L- tryptophan though converts to 5htp and that did help my pain some
anything that can raise serotonin will usually help lessen pain more so for those with FM
as serotonin has been found in some studies to be high in those with me/cfs

 

[fprefect]

hi @roge.

thank you for your response. sorry about the late reply. i am still struggling to deal with a dr's bad advice from months ago.

good to know that l-tryptophan helps you even if 5htp doesn't. i had forgotten about the serotonin and pain connection. i am low on serotonin. i might try 5htp or tryptophan once i get some other issues sorted out.

Ford

 

[fprefect]

hello again @voner. my apologies for the delay. it has been a rough couple of months.

i also take a small dose of lyrica. it helps a bit with the pain, but makes the mental clarity worse.

i will keep the warm water therapy in mind and check out the forums you mentioned when the allodynia is my highest priority again. i am currently dealing with another new different kind of pain. your article was very informative.

if you havent already tried it, methyl b12 or hydroxo b12 might help with your allodynia. it helps me, but i havent been able to tolerate my sleep being interrupted and the added potassium demand.

you may also be interested in Rich Van K's Simplified Methylation Protocol, if you havent already tried it. some patients who took part in the study indicated their allodynia decreased, iirc. my allodynia decreased when i accidentally took brown rice, which i suspect is a potent source of methionine and increases methylation. it is a pity i couldn't handle it due to the resulting low mental clarity.

i dont recall what myofascial pain is. however, my previous physical therapist said i have trigger points. they might be related to the allodynia as i get some referred sensation near my hands when i touch my trigger points on my neck.

Ford

 

[voner]

.......

i dont recall what myofascial pain is. however, my previous physical therapist said i have trigger points. they might be related to the allodynia as i get some referred sensation near my hands when i touch my trigger points on my neck.

Ford

Ford,

If you have trigger points and referred sensations, you have myofascial pain.

 

[CantThink]

Have you looked at Alpha Lipoic Acid? I have successfully used it for Trigeminal Neuralgia (which I was on Tegretol for and as a result was a complete zombie for a long time!).

 

[fprefect]

thanks, Voner.

that is good to know. i will keep that in mind for when i am thinking clearly enough to do something about it.

Ford

 

[fprefect]

Hi @CantThink. (i know the feeling!)

thanks for the idea. i take 600mg alpha lipoic acid. it didn't improve allodynia when i started it.

ugh. i am sorry you had such a crappy experience. Trigeminal Neuralgia sounds horrid.

Ford

 

[CantThink]

Hi @CantThink. (i know the feeling!)

thanks for the idea. i take 600mg alpha lipoic acid. it didn't improve allodynia when i started it.

ugh. i am sorry you had such a crappy experience. Trigeminal Neuralgia sounds horrid.

Ford

It's a shame it didn't help you. Nerve pain is truly terrible. I hope you can find something that does help.

 

[fprefect]

Cantthink,

yeah, it is pretty crappy. thank you. i hope so too.

i hope you don't have to deal with any more nerve pain.

Ford