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Conditions and Diseases > Neurological Disorders Forum > Chronic Pain, Neurological Disorders, and possible Drug Addi
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Q: Chronic Pain, Neurological Disorders, and possible Drug Addi
asked by: DoctorQuestion on January 14th, 2006
My wife and I were in a car accident in 98. She suffered a compound fracture of the rt tib, fib and femar. As a result she has a neuropathy and rsd in her right leg which has spread over to her left leg. She has broken both ankles from falls since the accident. She was hospitalized 2 years ago on christmas day, her oxygen levels were low enough to make her unconcious. She spent 3 days in ICU and 3 more in recovery. The CT scan showed changes in the white matter but on the Mri there was nothing. Approxamitly a year later she began have myoclonis jerks/seizers that would happen just occasionally. She would not lose consiousnes but she would lose memory around that period. She then had another episode of myoclonic seizures this Christmas and has been experiencing them on a daily basis since. We went to the hospital last Wed. and they did a CT of the head and blood work and everything was ok they said.
She has a pain management doctor who prescribes 100mg of mscontin 2x daily and 30mg msir up to 8 a day as needed. This is for her daily cronic pain from the accident. (She experiences pain in her feet, knees, hips, back) She says daily she is between a 6 and a 9 on the pain scale.
She sees a neurologist who prescribes 2mg zanax 3x daily (which she has taken since 95) and klonopin 2mg 3x daily. She also gets firocet for migraines and occasionally imitrex injections. Also takes 600mg of seroquel 2x daily. (I believe this is for her bipolar)
She also takes previcid for daily heartburn and singular for asthma. She just started reguip for her restless leg syn. and takes lunesta to sleep.
This seems like a lot of medicine but she still cannot sleep at night. Maybe a few hours then up all night. She then can sleep some during the day.
With her recent myoclonic episodes she has had a tingling sensation on here head and sore spots. Here balance is way off and has been very dizzy.
I am extremely worried about my wife, as she seems to get worse each year and not better. No one seems to be able to figure out a specific problem and i feel like no one cares. Her neurologist just fired her saying he can’t help anymore, so now i am trying to get a new neurologist.
She stays at home everyday and goes out only for doctor’s appointments and this is worrying me now because it seems to be getting worse.
Her bipolar seems to be mostly in mania.

I have never posted on sites before but i feel extremely desperate, it seems that no one is really helping her and I am beginning to have daily anxiety worrying about her. I took this entire week off because i did not want her to be alone.


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Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD
replied on January 23rd, 2006
Neurological Disorders Answer A169
I’m sorry for your wife because her life is really difficult. I’m sorry for you, too, because you are also suffering with her. Unfortunately, she is suffering from many diseases: bipolar disorder, partial epilepsy, neuropathy of the leg, migraine, gastro-esophageal reflux, asthma… Insomnia is probably the result of manic episodes due to bipolar disorder. There is another great problem: many of the medicines she take can cause an increase in physical tolerance and eventual dependency if they are used for long periods (especially the opiate analgesics and sedatives). Tolerance means that in time the medicine will no longer be efficient, so its doses have to be increased to achieve the same original effects. Dependency means that a person cannot function without the medicine any longer. Coming off these types of drugs can cause "abstinention syndrome", which may be life-threatening. Your wife need expert help from a neurologist, mental health professionals, and addiction therapists to break a cycle of dependence.


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