Pain !

Posted , 5 users are following.

Hi there fellow sufferers I am new to this forum but was wondering if anyone had any different ideas for the relief of the horrendous costo pain I am fed up taking painkillers but don't really help anyway. Any ideas or suggestions would be grateful. I've had this since April after a bout of bronchitis. Is there any hope ? Will it ever get better ? 

Thanks 

Carolann x 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Carolyn,

    I'm sorry you're suffering. I have had it since August last year so I know how frustrating it is. I haven't found anything that has been of much help so far. I take Pregabelin which makes me unsteady on my feet, but doesn't do much for the costo ( I take it for another condition.)

    My cardiologist has referred me on to a specialist pain clinic. The consultant there is very patient explaining things but nothing he has done has worked yet. He put me on a tens machine which wasn't any use, he has injected steroids into the joints ( worked for a day, but that was just the local anaesthetic) and most recently he put me on Tramadol, which didn't touch the pain but gave me palpitations and insomnia! I can't wait to see what he comes up with next Month!

    He has referred me to the physios in the pain clinic, and I am also supposed to be seeing a nurse for relaxation therapy, but I have been waiting for 4 months for these appointments. Apparently they start you off on the least invasive treatment and work up to the more risky ones. I have been told that I am unlikely to get rid of this completely because of my other conditions, but they have assured me that they can reduce it. At the moment I would be grateful for anything.

    Sorry to be so negative. I hope someone else will be more positive. I will let you know if I find anything that works. (Another consultant I see for peripheral neuropathy says he thinks that I will probably end up having a nerve block where they inject into your neck. Hoping something else will work before I get to that one.)

    Good luck!

    • Posted

      Thanks Susan for your reply. Unfortunately this seems to be the same story across the board that it doesn't really ever go away despite my doctor advising he doesn't understand why I still have it ! Mind you he did have to google what it was in the first place.   Hope you get further with your treatment although I fear with this condition it is going  To feel likbetter Groundhog Day for a very long time. 

      Take care 

      Carolann 

    • Posted

      Hi there, I had to reply as I too had insomnia induced by Tramadol! Most other people say that it causes drowsiness, but not me, I was the exact opposite, and my mind would not shut down and allow me to sleep while I was taking it. The doctor tried me on the slow release Tramadol to see if it made any difference. It didn't! I'm just curious to know, does codeine based painkillers also have this effect on you too? They have for me. I am fast running out of pain killing options and am down to just using Panadol Osteo, which do not touch the pain at all.

    • Posted

      Hi Liz,

      Yes I have the same reaction to codeine, and I can't take Oromorph or Fentanyl either. They're all the same family of drugs apparently. I am going back to the pain clinic in just over two weeks so will let you know if they come up with anything else. It is really difficult to deal with. I have been on the waiting list for physio and relaxation therapy from the pain clinic for 5 months now. It might help if I ever get an appointment.

    • Posted

      Thanks for replying Susan, and I'm relieved to speak to someone who reacts the same way that I do to this group of medications. They certainly help with the pain, but the insomnia is almost as bad as being in pain. I also have spondyloarthritis, which is worse at night, so finding a comfortable position that doesn't aggravate either condition is a challenge. Good luck with the physio etc. and I'd be very grateful if you would be kind enough to let me know if the pain clinic suggests something new to you. 

    • Posted

      I will certainly let you know if they come up with anything useful!

      It's interesting that you have another pain condition. I have Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN) in the trigeminal nerve in my face, and the pain consultant I see for that thinks that I may have a different reaction to pain that makes it more likely that this will happen. I wondered if he was saying that it is all in my mind, but he says not. He drew lots of diagrams that seemed to make sense at the time, but I don't remember now!

      Good luck finding a comfortable position.

    • Posted

      It is interesting isn't it? Thanks again, much appreciated! 

  • Posted

    Hi, I highly recommend you see a chiropractor, it takes a few sessions before you'll see any difference but I have seen a massive improvement, I actually have days now that are completely pain free.

    • Posted

      Thank you for the reply I am willing to try anything so will definitely look into a chiropractor.  Thanks 
  • Posted

    have you tried arnica gel? i also love using soft icepack. also epsom salt with lavender really helps relax muscles. do you own a tens unit? that helps as well.  good luck and hang in there. we are all here for each other

     

    • Posted

      Thanks grace for the reply  I haven't tried arnica gel have tried ibuprofen gel with not much result.  Haven't tried a tens machine might be worth a try anything to help reduce the pain ! Xx 

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