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Hi all I've just found this site and would like to get involved

Posted , 9 users are following.

paul020458
paul020458

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.

2 likes, 29 replies

29 Replies

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  • Rattler7
    Rattler7 paul020458

    Posted

    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
    • paul020458
      paul020458 Rattler7

      Posted

      Hi and thanks for your reply. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone on this site.
  • joan152
    joan152 paul020458

    Posted

    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

    • paul020458
      paul020458 joan152

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply it will be interesting to exchange views and talk to those who understand how I feel! Thanks.
  • jan55189
    jan55189 paul020458

    Posted

    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 !!!!

     

    • paul020458
      paul020458 jan55189

      Posted

      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.
  • shelagh6
    shelagh6 paul020458

    Posted

    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.

    • paul020458
      paul020458 shelagh6

      Posted

      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.
  • vjl56
    vjl56 paul020458

    Posted

    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.

    • paul020458
      paul020458 vjl56

      Posted

      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.
  • terig
    terig paul020458

    Posted

    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!
    • paul020458
      paul020458 terig

      Posted

      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?

    • terig
      terig paul020458

      Posted

      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 !
    • paul020458
      paul020458 terig

      Posted

      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.

    • Xxxxxtttttttttt
      Xxxxxtttttttttt paul020458

      Posted

      i had spinal injections a few years ago. It worked for three weeks, then the pain was worse than ever! It was as though it had been building up all that time and then released in one go at first. Also it made me put on almost 2 stone and a lot of my hair fell out, so I certainly wouldn't go down that road again, although I have had localised injections in my hip and shoulder, the first hip one I had worked again for 3 weeks, the second I had about 3 weeks ago and the pain isn't as bad at the moment, but you can only have 3 of these injections. It is very hit and miss, unfortunately!
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