How many painkillers have you all taken ?!
Posted , 14 users are following.
Since my back pain journey started 6 months ago I ve lost count of the amount of tablets Ive put into my previously fit body !
Initially when the pain was horrendous I had codeine,,naproxen and Gabapentin which I didnt give a fig about taking as the alternative was worse, but as time went by I self medicated with OTC paracetamol and ibuprofen.
I would love to go a full day without having to take anything - a dream for most of you I know.
When Ive asked the GP about whether its ok to keep taking OTC stuff she wasnt concerned.
If you read the back of most packs of ibuprofen it advises not to !
Apart from these painkillers I take no other medication.
Just wondered if it bothered anyone else ,or maybe I analyse too much,as I know most of you dont have a choice. 😕
0 likes, 45 replies
mjcg alison96523
Posted
Alison, thank you for this question! I have never handled any type of drug well. I was given Gabapentin for my back pain and it made me so loopy and "dumb" that I stopped despite the back pain and leg numbness. I was ready to go back on it when the epidural injection I had a week ago seemed to kick in (keeping my fingers crossed because I don't believe it's really going to work). I still take Tylenol and Advil but if I take too much, my ears start buzzing. I would love to just be HEALTHY and pain free again. Last year at this time I was recovering from surgery for a detached retina - that was a nightmare, but it didn't involve pain. A year later - BAM! - my back goes out on me and the pain is mind boggling. I'm so grateful and thankful for these forums because it helps to talk to people who understand and listen to other stories of struggle and success.
alison96523 mjcg
Posted
Hi,
Its amazing isnt it the amount of painkillers /medication we ve all taken to combat the monster that is back pain . But after reading all the responses to my original question it shows Im not alone and in a way thats a comfort.
Id still love a day without having to take anything .
Good luck to us all 👍
amkoffee alison96523
Posted
there are a multitude of Alternatives you could consider trying. I will list them below but please make sure that you talk with the doctor before trying any of them . you also might consider Googling some of these if you don't recognize the term so that you can get an idea if it's something you even want to try. me personally I think that the doctor who coined the phrase pain acceptance should be hung! she does not get what it's like to live with pain 24/7/365. I do not intend to ever accept my pain. But those are just my opinions. Good luck, I hope you find something that works. One other thing to keep in mind is that often we have to utilize several different techniques to deal with our pain. So don't try to find that one solution to rid you of pain because it is not out there.
TENS unit
Steroid injection in your back
Muscle relaxers
Physical therapy
Chiropractor
acupuncture
Mindfulness
Pain acceptance
Diversion
Ice
Heat
Jack0331 alison96523
Posted
Junkies and illegally bought pain medicines are hurting the people that really need them through their Doctors advice. All this latest hullabaloo about cracking down on opioids is because of illegal drugs not prescribed drugs. I have severe arthritis in my lower back and neck, I take the prescribed amount my Dr gives me, no more no less. My quality of life would suck without them, I just don't feel we should suffer because of illegal drugs on the street and the junkies that use them. I'm 72 years old, if you want to say I'm hooked on pain killers, I don't give a damn, it keeps me active and no I don't get high from them. To the lady who's worried about them, don't be, just take what your Dr prescribes and live life. Of course if you can skip a dose here and there, there's nothing wrong with that either. Good luck, and be well.
JohnAk alison96523
Posted
SORRY TO HEAR YOU HAVE BACK PROBLEM. I FIND COCODAMOL AND GABAPENTIN ARE THE BEST FOR BACK PAIN , THERE IS A FEW SIDE EFFECTS TO THESE TABLETS WHICH YOU MAY NEED TO ADJUST YOURSELF TO WHICH CAN GIVE YOU A FEW PROBLEMS BUT CAN WARE OFF AFTER A FEW WEEKS. MAKE SURE YOU SPEAK WITH YOUR DOCTOR AND EXPLAIN HOW YOU ARE FEEL.
GOOD LUCK
lis10127 JohnAk
Posted
John, what side effects do you have from gabapentin? I take nortiptyline but i am not sure its that effective. i still get a lot of tingling from nerve entrapment. I tried Gabapentin on a very low dose and it made me depressed but i wonder if i shoupd persevere with it. My brother was on it and had to keep upping the doses to get the same effect and he gained a lot of weight. Just interested to hear your experience
mjcg alison96523
Posted
Although you first posted about four months ago, allow me to add my complaint as well. I've been dealing with low back pain for nine months now. I was told that it would "eventually get better." But instead, it's progressively gotten more painful. I've taken Gabapentin (which makes me tired and loopy and doesn't help the nerve pain) and tons of ibuprofen. I don't like taking this stuff either - but the pain is so severe I'd do anything to get rid of it. I sometimes think about taking a knife and cutting the pain out (that would be dumb though, right?). I can't believe this can't be fixed somehow!
JohnAk mjcg
Posted
HI mjcg
You could try taking cocodamol along side with your gabapentin that is what my doctor perscribed for me .
I Take 3x300 mg of gabs 3xa day 2,700 mg and 2 cocodamol with them .As you will know there is some side effects,but i preffer the side effects than putting up with the continuous pains as you are probably aware.
lis10127 mjcg
Posted
Hi, i was told amitryptyline is best for nerve pain. I didnt tolerate it well as it made me really dizzy so my doctor put me on nortriptyline instead which has less side effects. Maybe amitryptyline would work better for you, I know two friends who take it anx they tolerate it well and it really helps. The pain does get better eventually, it took me a year the first time to heal. i then unfortunately rushed too soon to get back to the gym and hurt it again. I know how frustrating it is and it seems endless and soul destroying. Being in ain all the time and having to think how you move all the time without causing further pain can be psychologically exhausting. It really brought me to despair at times but trust me it will get better. You'll get there - all the best
mjcg JohnAk
Posted
JohnAk - I so appreciate your suggestion. I have another appointment with my spine specialist in November and I'll talk to him about it. The pain is terrible - especially when trying to sleep and when I first stand up in the morning. Ugh. Do you wonder why the medical community can't fix this pain surgically, without drugs?
mjcg lis10127
Posted
list10127 - I'm also so grateful to you for taking time to offer support. I'll also talk to my spine specialist about nortriptyline. I'd like to NOT take anything, but I can't stand this pain. It's on my mind every minute of the day. It's good to know that you eventually found relief. My doctor keeps telling me that it will get better, but after 9 months of this I have become skeptical. Knowing you found relief a year later makes me hopeful.
There is another community forum for spine pain, but there are so many rules I've given up posting there. I appreciate Patient allowing us to discuss our medical conditions and reach out to others who can offer help and support.
Thank you all!!
lis10127 mjcg
Posted
I also bought various books and one which i found helpful was 'the back mechanic' by Stuartc McGILL. I did his exercises and I found them helpful. You seem to get very mixed advice on exercises to do so i sourced out a lot of my own information. The good thing about amitrypryline or nortiptyline is they can help you to sleep too which is good. I was tempted along the lines of surgery but i have friends whio have had very mixed results. My brother had a disectomy and a spinal fusion and it only lasted a year before he had further problems. I guess it works for some but i think it should be a last resort. If you're still in a lot of pain though i can comletely understand your feeling, back pain is truly horrible. All the best
lis10127
Posted
Maybe i missed where you said but do you know what you have done to your back? Have you had an mri?
lis10127 alison96523
Posted
It's the persistence of pain that gets inside your head and makes it relentless and difficult to take. The first time i suffered backpain it lasted a year. i've hurt it again recently and it has made me feel very down as i cant stand the thought of another year of pain. It has so far been 7 weeks. I've tried gabapentin and it makes me feel tearful and very depressed. I have gone up in doses as quickly as i can on nortiptyline as i took it last time and it seemed to help a bit. Two years ago i barely took an aspirin, now i will take anything . Good luck to all of you and i hope your pain ends soon. One thing i am trying is hanging by my arms from a bar. Anyone else who has trapped nerves due to disc pressure from compression, its worth a try as it does help.
mjcg lis10127
Posted
Yes, gabapentin makes me loopy and groggy. And I start crying at the drop of a hat. I've been doing PT (mostly assigned stretches) and one in particular that stretches the spine out (like you hang from a pole). Sometimes I think the PT has made my condition worse. When I started I could bend over and touch my toes with no pain, but now doing so is painful. Argh!