Briefly I'm male 56 and I've had upper spinal problems for 30 yrs and although I have worked full time up until 6 years ago I have now been struck down with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome closely followed by Fibromyalgia.
None of the above are nice and together they often prove to be the perfect storm, so to speak. I'm on lots of meds and cannot work now sadly. Perhaps some others on this site may have experience with multiple health problems similar to mine.
Just been advised that I need to have spinal epidural and possibly cortisone injections to stem the terrible spinal pain. I'm already on morphine and other meds like Gabapentin, Amytriptaline Tramadol etc.
If I can be of help in answering any questions or if others can help me I would really appreciate any help given to me.
Thanks now from Paul.
Hi Paul theses forums are great everyone helps one another you probably have lots of great advice by the sound of things . I have fibromyalgia and other things going on too , I take morphine and amytriptiline amongst my other concoctions . It's a very painfull illness isn't it , it's good we can all support each other x x
Hi Paul,
welcome to the forum and hope you find some help and comfort on here as well as perhaps offering some.Sorry to hear of all your ailments lots of us have several physically and mentally. It really is tough life sometimes but when you know you are not alone by coming on here hopefully it will help.We are a friendly bunch on here and somebody will always answer you. If you feel like having a rant about something feel free we all do.
my niece had has a very bad back and had epidural injection did help her.
keep posting let us know how you are doing.
joan
Hi Paul, Sorry to hear about your problem back pain, I had a spinal epidural about 3yrs ago & it worked brillant. I was told 4yrs ago that I had Fybro & last year was told I had Polymyalgia. I worked 24/7 for over 30yrs as a director of a communicatoins company, have been off sick for 4yrs. I'm also on Gabapentin, Amytriptaline, Tramadol ,Dihydrocodeine,Prednisolone. Sorry to say , my life is not what it used to be, but I have just accepted these are the illnesses I have & started to alter my life style. Been told l'll never work again of which l have only just acceped & found very difficult as I've worked since I was 15ys old now l'm 60 this year. So Good Luck & hope your back gets sorted !!!!
Hi Paul,
I have other health problems like you, I managed to work until a few weeks ago, then I decided it wasn't worth the stress and pain so I retired. I have morphine patches which are great although still in pain I know if I forget to replace my patch after a week I know how much it does help. I had an injection into my neck a few years ago which did help for a few months so it is worth doing. I tried gabapentin it was great for a few weeks but then I became really ill, my blood pressure dropped like a stone I felt terrible. Apparently it can be a side effect of gabapentin. I take amytriptoline and dyhidrocodeine with paracetamol to boost the rest, I've settled into a routine now and keep things ticking over nicely.
I hope the injection helps.
Hi Paul welcome to the fibro family, not the best one to be a member of, but we are generally a great bunch of people! I have FM and polyarthritis which waxes and wanes, sometimes directly related to me overdoing it, sometimes for no apparent reason. I take Pregabilin which is supposedly quite a "clean" drug, I dont have side effects with it but can only take smallish doses as it does make me a bit dopey. I took amitriptyline for a long time but couldnt cope with still feeling sleepy in the morning which seemed to have a build up effect.
I used to take large doses of ibuprofen but found it really began to irritate my lower stomach so at present I take small doses of codeine when required, usually to help me sleep, specially when Ive had a busy day.
I do manage to work but I am lucky in that Ive chosen a job where I am my own boss and work from home so I can temper it with my condition.
I hope you find the support and help you are looking for.
Hi and thanks for your reply. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone on this site.
Thanks for your reply it will be interesting to exchange views and talk to those who understand how I feel! Thanks.
Hi and thanks for your reply. Looks like we are both in a similar situation,both worked all our lives and now I can't. I'm learning to accept this and trying to change the way I think, just another challenge. Thanks again.
Thanks for replying, I've not been too bad with the Gabapentin but did have to reduce the doses! I've found it really difficult to accept my health limitations and have good and bad times, more often bad I'm afraid.thank again.
Hi and thanks for your reply. I haven't got on too well with Amytriptaline and I'm currently on a very low dose. Tried to get Pregabalin from the GP but will only give me Gabapentin. It's the cost thing but I would like to try the drug.its all about getting the right balance & mixture of drugs as we are all so different! Thanks again.
hello again...spinal injections sounds wonderful to me....i tried gabapentin and amytripaline and didn't like the after effects. i am actually seeing a neurologist as all this started with foot drag in winter of 2012....i would kill for morphine! are you in the US or in Canada....? i have dual citizenship but now live in canada. years ago in the US a family dr. gave me a cortisone shot in my hip and it was terrific now up here you have to see a specialist to get these kinds of meds. and then only if you have a fatal disease...thus...it leaves us with tylenol...which is not much to say the least!
Hi it is interesting to see how you got on with Gabapentin and Amytriptaline we are so different in our reactions. I didn't realise this site was worldwide, don't ask me why duh!
I live in the UK and it's taken a long time to get the Morphine here but the pain relief for my spine is out of this world. It's not about getting a high or anything like that but after years or excruciating pain it was wonderful to get relief.
i didn't realise it was so difficult in America but can you buy them on line?
hi pauline...maybe in the US you can buy these meds on line i don't know, but here in canada you can't...how are you doing on gabapentin and amytriptaline? i mostly use ice packs and heat and rest. i do one main activity a day like aqua fit or walking at a mall and sometimes do errands with my husband and then its rest rest rest !
Hi Paul thanks for your post
just wanted to ask what painkillers help you the most ? I have been on Codeine phosphate but after taking sometimes up to 8-10 a day my GP stopped them an put me on 2 anight of Nortripyline which are absolutely rubbish.My GP is not very understanding of Fibro !Did your GP diagnose Fibro for you ? Thanks in advance for your reply an take care !
hi everyone....just wondering is anyone goes to a support group?
Hi sorry I got mixed up with your location,partly brain fog and partly old age! By the way I'm a Paul and not a Pauline lol.
just come off the Amytriptaline as it's not agreeing with me and I'm persevering with the Gabapentin ATM. Sadly I can only walk very short distances so exercise is difficult.
hope you have a good day,take care
Paul.
Hi at the moment I'm on Tramadol/Gabapentin/Amytriptaline/Naproxen and Morphine slow release. I'm just coming off the Amytriptaline as for me it is rubbish and causes me more problems.
bear in mind that I have a severe spinal problem as well as FMS so the Morphine was initially given me for that.
my GP has had CFS so he is very understanding.he initiated all the standard tests but crucially he sent me to a rhuematoligist who verified the FMS.
Half your battle will be to get a GP on your side, I know some have had to change GP because of the misunderstanding of this illness that is still within the medical society.
Take care. And have a good day.
Hi again
I'm in a chronic pain support group and just started a special Tai Chi form for chronic pain sufferers if that's any help.
hi Paul, this is my first time on this site. I have never really bothered with forums but thout it may help. I am in UK too and have just started taking caprylic acid. My colleague told me it was recommended to her, or rather looking into yeast overgrowth, so I started checking up on it too. I am 46 and have suffered since a spine and pelvis injury 22 years ago. At first I was off sick and practically housebound for 4 years, but pushed myself back into work gradually. I have had periods off but managed quite well until the last episode which had me off for 7 months. I only went back last week so I am hoping I can stay back as it has been crippling me financially being off, defaulted on my mortgage for the first time in my life, which of course adds to the stress, which then majorly contributes to the pain! I find it so difficult at times I just want to take all of my painkillers and be done with it, but I quickly think about the impact it would have on my children. When you are crying so bad with pain though it is difficult to think clearly. I don't even know for sure it is fibro though. I think it may be a cop out for doctors as they seem to diagnose it to anyone they cannot determine what the pain is easily! It is very frustrating so I am pinning all my hopes on this caprylic acid now! I hope you get some relief
sharon x