To say that my medicine box is full would be an understatement. Over the last 18 months I have explored every form of pain relief available.
I went nuts on tramadol, sick on fentanyl, tried the uploaders (Gabapentin) and all the downloaders, steroid injections, wheat bags, tens machine and Flexiseq.
Each GP I saw had a new take on my pain and I attended the pain clinic who told me I probably had something wrong with my hips! I had six sessions at hydrotherapy (nice) and had some physio which aggravated everything.
I have probabIy spent a fortune on trying to find something that worked along with many hours looking up new ideas on the net (oils, creams and the latest miracles!) eventually worked out my own regime and take strong co-codamol every four hours which just manages to keep me upright.
I wondered what other people are using. How are you coping with your pain and discomfort? What eases and what irritates?
In my experience nothing really works completely, bone on bone is beyond pain relief.
Im currently on tramadol after finially been given some pain meds after wilhinning for like 4 years. But my head goes fuzzy if i dont enough enough before i take them and im kind of just floating around in my own little bubble 😂 but atleat they are kind of working
Have you had xray on hips. Do you need to see a orthopedic surgeon.
Sorry Holly, I should have written that I've had RTHR in June and having LTHR in Feb. The Doc at the pain clinic was just another reason that I got fed up with the whole system!
I like you am fed up with the system now if we have hip pain we get sent to physio 12 weeks waiting or pain clinic.... then if we need hip surgery perhaps another 2 weeks.
I went to see private physio and was told I need to see orthopaedic surgeon but that's no good not accepted I still go to nhs physio first.
I've always found that a combination of different painkillers works better than any one remedy. Even paracaetamol which I normally find useless when taken on its own works quite well as a top up to other pain killers.
i find that for me the best combination is tramadol taken two or three times a day, ibuprofen also two or three times a day and then if I still get breakthrough pain I would add paracaetamol. Taking any one of those on their own would not have worked for me, together they did. Personally I can't take co-codamol as it makes me sick.
I take fish oil 9 grams a day, codeine with panadol 3 times a day and 2 neurophen tablets a day. I'm really trying to take less but then I have a bad body day and get depressed. I managed on half my usual codeine yesterday but by the evening was just uncomfortable.
Oh Kate,
when my other hip was bad , just with the first one, nothing really helped anymore - The pain meds I took (Celebrex plus Paracetamol) took the edge of the operated hip, but not the other one ...
I am so sorry that you have to go through this,darling - I really am -
Angel blessing
big warm hug - my thoughts are with you
renee
My family were highly entertained when I was on tramadol. I do agree, they sort of worked but I was 'not at home' most of the time. I had a tough couple of days coming off them again and would advise a slow withdraw from them rather than the cold turkey I decided on!
It was on here, Thursday N, that I learned the art of combos and finding the right one for you. Everyone is different, co-codamol suit me with iboprofen chasers! The pharmacist was really helpful in finding what I could take together. It makes me laugh though. I get co-codamol 30/500's on prescription but in trying to get 2 packs of the lower strength for my partner the other day the nice Boots Pharmacy lady siad in a theatrical whisper that I could only have one pack because 'they are highly addictive you know" - hah.
Before my hips started to dissolve, Kikeena, I hardly ever took a painkiller, now I seem to be a world expert!
I have also tried to cut down but I was advised by a very good pharmacist that it is the constant stream of the painkiller that tricks the brain into not seeing the pain.
Breakfast now consists of a little pile of painkillers, a blood pressure tablet and a fish oil capsule that looks as if it was made for a horse!
Renee, you are so generous with your warm thoughts and encouragement for others but please don't be sorry for me. The pain and the immobility drags me down sometimes but I am so lucky in many other ways. I have had a brilliant life so far, I am loved by my dear family and in being retired off from my previous work with children I have found a new path and my own little business.
I try to see the positive in everything and everything happens for a reason so I refuse to see this period of my life in negative terms.
Blessings to you, dear lady
Yes thats exactly what im like. But im very careful about how i take them. I take a full 8 if i know im going to be going out somewhere as i do struggle a lot but if im just in the house and the pain sets in i usually only take the 2. And i dont take them everyday as i was worried about becoming addicted and i seem to be doing ok atm
When I was pre op I, like others too took a cocktail of painkillers etc.
As I was on Neproxen (anti inflammatory) I couldn't 'super charge' the co-codamol or Tramadol with ibuprofen so instead used 2 x 500 mg of paracetamol. I was also prescribed Amitriptyline to help with the pain which works in a different way from co-codamol or tramadol.
It goes without saying to ask your pharmacist what you can take with what.
The important thing (in my humble opinion) is to take the pain relief regularly. I must admit I hated having to take them but I hated how the pain could incapacatate me more.
I was never totally free of pain when pre op but it certainly took the edge off.
Really good luck and I hope you find some kind of regime that helps you soon.
Regular is the key, Deja, I no longer try and be brave!
I think before I had the first (right) hip done a the end of June the pain was coupled with a kind of sense of hopelessness. My mobility had gone and dreary pain had taken over. As my left has deteriorated and become crippling I am coping much better this time. The pain is there but I know there is an answer waiting for me next month.
Kate53222 - Those Fish Oils, you can get them a a liquid, even with fruit flavours, doesn't appeal to me very much, ughhhh.
Other than that you can break them open, with a sharp knife, on a saucer, then lick it up, actually doesn't taste as bad as you might think, but very fishy, do you like sardine sandwiches. about the same.
I take the odourless fish oil capusules, and have been known to take them that way, when I get to the point of just being unable to swallow those damned horse tablets.
Kate - I'm on 6 of those huge fishoil capsules a day, 2 for breakfast, 2 for lunch, and 2 for dinner, prescribed by my rhemotologist for my background systemic arthritis.
To be honest, Lyn, I am not convinced by them. I have arthritis in lots of places and it hasn't eased any of it. I incresed my doses for a while but my family just make seal noises and beg me not to burp!!!!
The only thing I have found good is Flexiseq which works on my thumb joints - it is a cream which sinks into the skin and down to the joint - my hips are too fat for it to work!