i am in agony especially at the areas with athritis i am on morphine patches,pregablin and paracetamol. the pain is horrendous i just want to cry the drs cannot give me anything else but i cannot go on like this anymore.steroids help but only for about a week but get side affects with it also. any suggestions please
My hands are a mess from Arthritis..had Fibro and Sjorens for 23 yrs now but it's that rotten arthritis that's seems the worst ,now anyway...I'm on Amitriptilyne 25 mg a night.p-( most if us are) ,apart from sleeping all night like a baby and pain free...it realy helps me to handle whatever comes the next day...hit water bottles are great too..my only suggestions Liz..hooe you find some help in here..be blessed and have a lovely day..:-) xx
Hi Liz: I'm imagining that your pain is from both (the Osteo and the Fibro), which I have, plus CFS.....my treatments are, and do help me....oxycontin (same as morphine); Osteopanadol, Gabapentin (over the Pregabalin/Lyrica, which did nothing for me), Amitriptylline 35mgs (taken at night), valium 7.5mgs for muscle spasms (taken at night), and very important for the Osteo, is Voltaren (+ Pariet to protect my gut form the Voltaren). For natural therapy/treatment, I, too use hotpacks, a special form of Dencorub, which has an added "asprin-like additive", and really rely on my Physio, which I have fortnightly, to keep my muscles lax and release the "knots" which develope in our ligaments...other things like Epsom Salts Baths, and in winter, I have my Electric Blanket on low to keep the heat flowing through my joints/muscles...and it's the winter months that I find my Osteo plays up more, so have also invested in a pair of "Osteo Gloves" sold by Aldi (they are gloves with the tips cut off, and they really Do help, especially when we have those days when our computers are our way of communicating/not thinking of ourselves and our misery)....Hoping that these have given you something to think about/help....most importantly, keep up your Rhuemy contact, and I also found that when my Emotions got too much of a hold on me, I had some sessions with a Psychologist.....however, I would imagine that the Pain Clinics of today would include these necessary sessions??? Will be thinking of you, and awaiting to hear how you get on...........Bron
My GP has referred me to the pain clinic at my local hospital. Maybe you could ask for the same thing? I am in constant agony too. I hope you get some relief soon.x
I am new to all this so cannot offer any advice im sorry but popped by to send a hug and hope you get sorted xx❤
Really feel for you Liz. I too have fibro and osteoarthritis but fortunately my pain is reasonably controlled. I take 300mg Pregabalin daily, with either Tramadol or Co-codamol as backup. Also had my Vit D level checked and was found to be low, and did feel pain improved after starting supplements. As others have said: hot water bottles, Epsom salts baths. Oh just thought of something else: Zacin cream for osteoarthritis. It's made from capsicum and helps some people. Hope you get some help from our answers, and if not, at least know that we understand and are thinking of you. Gentle hugs. Jeanne xx
O, wow bron, thanks for that tip...what an amazing blog this is..Those Osteo gloves sound awesome, I gave a little Osiris with magnets all over them...I have to wear ordinary ones in too bith with their too cut if..but buying a oarespecially for OA...is just toooo puuuurfect,.thanks..we don't have Aldi In this state-Tasnania 0z, but I will google and try find some in Tas....thanks heaps....I learn something new everyday on here, be blessed..have a lovely day..:-) xxx
I do feel for you really, my meds have been changed so many time, your gabapentin can go up to max 900mg three times a day, and maybe ask about amatriptlyn I take that twenty during day and fifty at night, along with max dose gabapentin morphene melt paracetamol ibufroen, and most important laxative x ask worth a shot xx
hi christine...surely Melbourne would have an Aldi, if not one in Hobart?? I do know that aldi do have some on-line selling...I Think they are a German company, but not too sure on that???? xxBron
Hi i too suffer from fibromylgia and oesteoporosis the pain got that bad im taking morphine gabapentin amongst other tablets going back to docs to up the gabapentin cos its not high enough ask tour doc if you can take morphine by tab not patch mite help hope u r able to get some proper help
There are Aldi's all over Australia..but none here in Tasmania, we are only a small island-only 500 thousand people live here so I guess it's not worth them being here, but I am contacting the Arthritis Foundation here today to see if they can get me some...have a lovely day Bronwyn...be blessed..:-) xxx. And thanks again..xx
Liz - have a think about meditation, particularly Mindfulness (which is used specifically in the U.S. for post operative pain reduction) or even hypnosis. It's the brain giving out the pain signals (which is why some thoughtless doctors refer to fibro being 'in the mind' - when they really mean brain). These techniques aim to focus the brain away from the pain and show very good results in some people. They don't require any physical exertion or techniques so anyone can do them. At the very least they help with relaxation. I do hope you find something that works soon for you, I feel so upset to hear you're in such agony. I'd hug you if I didnt think that would hurt too. xxxxx
hi bronwyn many thanks for your comprehensive reply it was really useful and has given me some amunition for the drs. i have been with the pain clinic twice now and was discharged a couple of years ago as my condition was not changing!!!! when i have been refferred to physio many times but have always had to stop as they do not work with you just send u away with a list of exerciseses. i have had a lot of stress as just moved 4 weeks ago into a much needed bungalow but in and amongst had an endoscopy and ct colon scan as i have bad anaemia and the pain in my knees and fibro is just unbearable agony. thank you again
many thanks jeanne for your input i have taken down the details to suggest to the dr. i have been taking the top wack of pregab for about 2 years i dont think it does anything.hugs back take care liz
hello loxie thank you for your reply yes i have tried hypnosis but it did give amethod to relax to but find it hard to get into a routine to make it work, i have always found relaxing a problem. have looked into mindfullness and i am awaiting to go on a course. went away last weekend for a break had a an indian head massage which made me really ill, i felt sick and generally unwell. have also tried reflexology which also made me feel absolutely rootten and gave me more pain. thank you again it helps that people understand whats happenig to our bodies.take care liz
Hi Liz, me back.....wanting to let you know that I, also, tried Pregabalin (Lyrica) and it did nothing for me, either....feel it is for Mild cases, only. Ask for the Gabapentin (Neurontin) and the Amitriptyline...as dosages mentioned above. As for the physio....once again, this, too, you need to be adamant with....example for me....a couple of sesssions ago, I took a new physio in the clinic that I have been attending since 1998, and yep, got the usual routine of "do you do this, do you do such and such..."...for awhile I didn't bother to reply, but eventually just said " I'm sorry, but I feel I know more re me than you do. If you want to know my history, please read my notes, or talk to ....(the physios who normally treat me)"...that shut her up....I gathered she has recently graduated, and as ALL newbies, they know EVERYTHING !!! or so they think.....find yourself an older physio...and stay with him/her..they get to know YOUR body, and as such, will ask "where's it hurting the most today?/where do want me to work on today?" I assure you this does help...as I have only recently decided that my physio works better than the Brace that I paid $1500+ for...the last time I went, my physio worked on my facial muscles, and was feeling sooo much better with my TMJ and thought "great, the brace is finally starting to work"...nope it was the physio, as now the facial muscles are back to hurting when I talk....so back to the physio I go next week......and have booked a Double Session, so that I can have more of my body worked on............
........Bron
Go Bron go
Every the fighter after my own heart, I still exercise but have found new things and different ways of doing them. Me and my husband have a half hour walk ever evening.
Are time together is great and even thou sometimes that walk can take depending on pain it is helping
1- relax
2-clear my mind, xx
Totally agree highest dose gabapentin is, 900 mg 3 times a day.
Try amatryptalin as well I take 20mg I'm the morning 50mg at night don't do both lots together you end up like a zombie. I also take morphine melt two twice daily as well as other things , but the patches have a tendency to live square red patches on the skin good luck at docs xx
Hi Liz. That's the big problem isn't it, trying to relax, I sympathise - I get so stressed at being in pain and trying to do things that it works against me and makes it all worse. I too find it so difficult to get into a routine of making time for relaxation. I now go to a meditation class one evening a week - double benefit, firstly the meditation helps, secondly it gets me out of the house for 'me' time and i can forget other stuff. I agree with you about reflexology, I found it made me feel so much worse not better. Just saw another doctor again today who finally agreed it 'might be' fibro and started talking about steroids again - i dont want to take them again they made me so ill and i gained so much weight on them - getting heavier just made it all more painful tokeep moving. round and round in circles we go eh.
Hi Loxie, I would definitely avoid steroids for the very reasons you mention and also because I don't believe they have a place in the treatment of fibro. They are usually prescribed to treat inflammation or infection, neither of which applies in fibro. Gentle hugs Jeanne xx