Gabapentin, Methadone, and Oxycodone With or Without Venlafaxine Hydrochloride in Managing Pain in Participants With Stage II-IV Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiation Therapy

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients who are eligible for chemoradiation therapy of the head and neck. * Patients must have adequate renal function to undergo platinum based chemotherapy. This will mean a baseline creatinine level (Cr) no greater than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal. * Have a pathologic diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region * Have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of =\< 2. * Ability to swallow and/or retain oral or per tube medication. * Patients of child-bearing potential must agree to use adequate contraceptive methods (e.g., hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she or her partner is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately. * Patient or legal representative must understand the investigational nature of this study and sign an Independent Ethics Committee/Institutional Review Board approved written informed consent form prior to receiving any study related procedure. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have previously been treated with surgery or radiation for head and neck cancer and/or are being treated for recurrent head and neck cancer. * Patients with known brain metastases will be excluded from this clinical trial because of their poor prognosis and because they often develop progressive neurologic dysfunction that would confound the evaluation of neu…