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how to manage pain

Posted , 10 users are following.

chloe77693
chloe77693

I've recently been diagnosed with RA. I'm wondering not great with taking medication, so I was wondering if there were other methods to managing pain without popping pills? 

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • kathie37110
    kathie37110 chloe77693

    Posted

    Hey Chloe - I took Methotrexate and Lyrica for about three years and they made me weak to the point where I am still trying to rebound.  I almost had to go to a wheelchair I was so weak.  I weaned off of both of them and now use acupuncture and a chiropractor for pain management.  Good luck!  Oh yeah, I gave up dairy and that helped a good bit.  Dairy causes inflammation, which is no good for RA.
  • EileenH
    EileenH chloe77693

    Posted

    It is less the pain management in RA than preventing the damage to the joints that is pretty much inevitable long term without treatment. That is what led to disability and twisted joints in the past but which the advent of DMARDs (Disease Modifying AntiRheumatic Drugs) has changed so much so that you rarely see such sights these days. 

    Others who know far more than me will be along to respond to you - but that is the bottom line. So pill popping or not - do think hard before rejecting them. And some medications come as injections these days.

  • Jayne7831
    Jayne7831 chloe77693

    Posted

    After diagnosis I was in pain to the point of gobbling pain pills, muscle relaxers....anything to dull the pain.  Now that my rheumatoid med is weekly injectible and finally the correct dose I seldom take anything else.  Agree with EileenH....take the meds to prevent further joint damage.  Good Luck
  • tony09890
    tony09890 chloe77693

    Posted

    Preventing deterioration is the best plan and for that you will need meds.   If you can manage the pain some other way go for it.
  • lyn1951
    lyn1951 chloe77693

    Posted

    Fish Oil, it does help with immflamtion, as instucted by Rheumo specialist.

    I use Odourless Fish Oil, 6000mg a day, or 6 x 1000mg capsules, 2 for breakfast, 2 for lunch, and 2 for dinner with food.

    Bonus of fish oil is it makes my dry skin especially lower legs, reptile skin, really nice, and also the micro lines around your eyes disappear, and your hair gets really healthy, I didn't take my fish oil with me when I went on holiday last xmas, noticed the difference, got back on it when I got back home.

    Disadavantge, your hair gets really greasy, washing hair every day essential, and if you are taking blood pressure medication your regular GP needs to monitor where you are going with it, can drop your blood pressure.

    Massage, again recommended by rheumo specialist.

    Swimming, and non weight bearing exercise, recommened by Rheumo, I go swimming 3 times a week, as I don't swim as such, I tread water, stretch, and just spend an hour at a time moving gently in a heated pool, love it, and I'm sure it does help. I use a noodle or water log to support me in the water and help stretch me out.

    Physio tells me she is going to recommend to other artiritis patients after seeing my really good result post hip replacement surgery after being in a wheelchair previous, swimming seems to have made me nice and strong, physios words.

    Lose weight, again Rheumo's words, she has been very pleased with me, finally found a dietitan that makes it all work for me, after having a real battle with losing weight previous, and I belive she is right, less painful joints since losing some weight.

  • tony09890
    tony09890 chloe77693

    Posted

    I've noticed fish oil makes your skin really oily, so much so my pillow is now two tone.   The other thing I've also noticed is the nausea, was taking 6 per day now down to 3 and still get terrible nausea.   Now freezing them, I'll see if that improves things.
    • lyn1951
      lyn1951 tony09890

      Posted

      Tony - ughhhh, do you take them with your meals, I set them out, so as soon as I start to eat, I take them, by the time you have finished meal they I hope have melted and are mixed up with the food in stomach. I get less reflux that way, not that it really worries me.

      Also are your capsules the odourless ones, they seem to be better for me.

      The one thing I have found is I cannot take Krill oil, they make me really unwell and give me terrible indigestion and pressing pain under my sternum Dr gave me nexium but when I thought about it I worked out the pain and indigestion had started with the change to Krill oil, gave it away and no more indigestion.

      Don't know why, but came across someone else who had the same problems with them.

  • Light
    Light chloe77693

    Posted

    I tried for 6 momths to avoid popping the pills and experimented with every variation of alternative healing, including acupuncture and non dairy diets.

    Nothing touched it and in the end, for all the reasons Eileen says, I took the pills.

    A healthy diet and weight loss and the right kinds of exercise (swimming especailly) will always support your pain and joint-damage management, but in the end, unfortunately we are all slaves to our pills.

  • estelle81989
    estelle81989 chloe77693

    Posted

    Hi Chloe, I was diagnosed about 7 months ago and the medication you will be given initially will be to stop the spread of the illness to other joints and to try and put you into remission. True its not nice but I have recently changed to injection or Methotrexate and the side affects are less. It will be trial and error for a while but the aim is to stop the progress of the illness so do think about what is offered. PS I am also rubbish with meds J
  • loulou282
    loulou282 chloe77693

    Posted

    hello

    sorry to get to the point but can i ask why you dont want pills??? my RA has been so severe i cannot live without them( although the last 3 days havent need them by some miricle, first time in 6 years or more) they are perfectly safe but what i have found it that when i have had flare ups having taking co codamol, tramadol, and morphine it still hasnt worked but i couldnt have go by with them.. it may be you change your mind further along the way.  hope you can manage without them 

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