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In Reply to: Pain medication and school work posted by Judi on November 07, 2000 at 09:05:44:
: My 15 year old daughter developed tmj during the course of her orthodontia work. She is currently in severe pain from headaches. She cannot concentrate and she has missed several days of school. She does not get any relief from NSAIDS, codeine helps but makes her too sleepy to do her school work. The neurologist gave her Skelaxin yesterday. Does this medication work instantly or does it need to build up first. She said it didn't work. I am getting very concerned about the amount of school work she is missin. She has an appt. next week with a specialist. Any suggestions about pain relief w/o drowsiness?
I have a couple of suggestions. I too, tried Skelaxin, with no pain relief. Also, I got terrible stomach pains from it. Bad adverse reaction. I can suggest a few meds that have helped me, albeit temporarily.......
Relafen: a non-narcotic muscle relaxer. It is similar to ibuprofin type drugs, and can offer some relief.
Flexaril: a non-narcotic muscle relaxer, also. It CAN cause drowsiness, but she would have to start off at a low dose. (5 mg per day or so).
Motrin 600: prescription strength Motrin.
Darvocet: pain medicine. Can cause drowsiness, but it is not nearly as strong as codeine. One pill, broken in half, can offer relief.
You should ask your doctor if any of these meds suit her. She should try medicines on non-school days, to see if there are any side effects. Also, a gel pack, that is microwavable, can help a lot in loosening the jaw muscles. Do NOT use ice. It can aggravate the condition terribly. Any heating pad, hot water bottle, etc., can help her, at least the times she's home. I've had lots of experience with this, I've been a TMJ sufferer for years. Good luck to you!
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