Marilyn's Treatment

Recurrence of cancer

Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome

Tapering the dosage

Side effects

Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome

I stayed for vacation, got home a week later and went to see my oncologist. He began to reassure me that he really didn't find any evidence at all of spread of the cancer and, you know, said, "What do you know about post-mastectomy pain syndrome?" He suggested that he really thought that was what was going on and immediately started me on medication. The kind of medication used for nerve pain is not the non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and it's not the opiods, much as we like those for other pain. It's some of the other drugs which we refer to as adjuvant drugs that definitely work better on nerve pain. He started me on one called Desipramine, also known as Norpramin. It is related to Elavil. He said he thought that would be a good one to try. I was very fortunate. It worked. You have to be on it continuously for several days before you feel any effect, but it did work.

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