Pain management
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi all, my first post. 
Like most of you on here I have was diagnosed with OA a couple of years ago. The problem I have is that it is now getting progressively worse. I have it in my hips, lower back, knees and shoulders. I am in constant pain now, particularly in the lower back and hips, and I wondered if any of you could recommend any pain meds I might ask my GP about. Currently I am only on Paracetamol, and I occasionally use Voltarol Gel. Needless to say, these don't really help.
I also wondered if yousing a walking stick would be any help as I get severe pain when walking too.
0 likes, 17 replies
loxie mel49703
Posted
Hi mel, so sorry to hear of your progressive problems and pain. I too find my OA is getting worse as time goes on. I have avoided increasing pain meds, partly because I have adverse reactions to all opiates and partly because I just dont want to get to the point where i'm taking stronger and stronger doses just to maintain pain relief. I've tried to find non pharmaceutical ways of relieving the inflammation of my arthritis. There are a whole range of foodstuffs that are good anti-inflammatories - eg ginger, curcumin and many more. Ginger (fresh not powdered) I find works really well. Research foods to avoid - many 'healthy' foods can have a bit impact on inflammatory pain. A walking aid would definitely help ease the pressure on any joints affected by walking - I have bad arthritis in my thumb joints and neck and find a walking stick a bit painful to use but a good well balanced stick of the right height etc is a very good idea. There are lots of excellent exercises for easing joint pain - you can find physiotherapist recommended exercises listed online. Chair based yoga can be good too, just make sure you find movements specifically for those with back and hip issues. I have resorted to naproxen sometimes when the pain is at its worst - its very effective if taken before the pain gets to unbearable level rather than leaving it to the last minute. I dont take it often because it does cause stomach issues but of all the anti inflamms available I find that one works the best.
mel49703
Posted
loxie mel49703
Posted
I fully understand not being able to cope with meds, I have very similar issues which is why I'm trying to find non pharmaceutical methods. I too am in the UK.
amkoffee mel49703
Posted
There's a drug called methotrexate that I think they use to treat OA when it's really bad. However I strongly recommend against it. It's a terrible drug. It is actually a chemotherapy drug but it's used in small dosages to treat many different ailments. But it can cause kidney problems. I was on it for a very short time for a disease I have and after a month I got off of it. I did not like the side effects at all. And my liver enzymes went up. Otherwise the only other thing that I can add that hasn't been added before by other commenters is turmeric. I have tried using turmeric but it upset my stomach. It is a well-known anti-inflammatory. Oh and I get better results from a different cream that I heard of on another OA group and the name of that cream is Flexiseq. I purchased it on Amazon. It was really very economical. And it works far better than Voltaren gel for me. And of course it doesn't involve a perscription either. Good luck to you
mel49703
Posted
loxie mel49703
Posted
I hope you have better luck with flexiseq than others on here - I didnt bother buying it after reading so many reviews that its useless. I asked my doctor about it. She said the pseudo-science used to describe how it works sounds wonderful but actually makes no medical scientific sense - in other words, its all marketing hype. If it works for some, that's wonderful but its very expensive and I took my doc's advice that it couldnt do what it said it would.
loxie mel49703
Posted
By the way - curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric - turmeric only has about a 5% concentration of it however, so it's much better to buy curcumin capsules from a health food store as turmeric can, as mentioned by amkoffee, cause stomach issues and you'd have to eat an awful lot of it to get sufficient of the active ingredient.
Please do research other foodstuffs that have natural anti inflammatory properties - there are many and thus it's easy to find ones that you can incorporate into your diet.
amkoffee loxie
Posted
I'm interested, are you saying that this curcumin does not cause stomach upset. Because I really need to take something from inflammation and would love to take this if it does not cause stomach upset.
loxie amkoffee
Posted
Actually turmeric can be used to help with certain stomach disorders, Turmeric has shown therapeutic benefits in treating such gastrointestinal disorders as indigestion, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease but it can cause problems with those with gall bladder issues etc. Curcumin stimulates the production of bile from the gall bladder, and bile aids in digestion, thus it's more probable that curcumin will solve problems rather than cause them.
amkoffee loxie
Posted
Well all I can say is that I have acid reflux and have to take Nexium every day or I'm miserable. I also have an inflammatory disease so I wanted to take turmeric to help with the inflammation and I immediately started having stomach problems. In fact I took it for several days before it occurred to me that it was the turmeric that was causing it. So how in the world can it help the stomach? I've even heard that this is a common side effect.
loxie amkoffee
Posted
I guess it helps certain stomach disorders but not others amkoffee - it's used as a form of sterilising agent/disinfectant in the east, I was taught by my indian partner's family to use it to prevent bacteria on garden stuff for example, so it may be too potent for some people particularly as you have an inflammatory disease.
bluetechseeker mel49703
Posted
Hi, mel. I just posted my first post as well
I'm on suboxone, it's the med they provide to heroine addicts to help them throught withdrawal. I have severe allergies to the codeine group so this was a great option for me. I've been able to take it with no allergic reaction and it does help. I take 1mg every 24 hours, you dissolve the tablet under your tongue. Way better than dosing throughout the day, too. They also have patches available.
I had both knees repaced in Jan 2014, still had my cane from that. When I started having severe pain walking I started using it again. My doctors said I needed to prevent a fall as much as possible and it has done that! When my back starts really hurting while I'm walking, it's almost like my legs seize up - I just cannot control them. The cane helps to give me something to at least lean on until I can sit for a few moments and recollect myself.
Good luck to you!
Sammie
amkoffee bluetechseeker
Posted
I have heard of people using Suboxone for pain relief and I'm glad it's working for you especially at such a low dose. But I had no idea that it also came in a patch too. Thanks for the info.
jacqueline83306 mel49703
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loxie jacqueline83306
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I despair when I hear of doctors telling people in such awful and disabling pain that they are 'too young' for replacement joints. Modern technology advances in the development of these devices has meant that they last much longer than previous versions. Arthritis UK states that in around 90% of people, they can expect the replacement to last 20 years, or more in some cases. Surely quality of life now, going into your 50's, with increased mobility and therefore better health, is much much more important than being slightly more active in your 70's or older! 'middle age' is the time when lack of activity can have an effect on total body health - common sense says if you have new knees now you will have a better quality of life way into your old age and now is just when you need it. Hopeless situation. So sorry you are in so much pain.
amkoffee loxie
Posted
You make a good point. You should run for Congress in the US. I'll vote for you. LOL
loxie amkoffee
Posted
hey if Trump can become president, there's no reason a grumpy old lady like me couldnt become a senator.....wait, I dont have any money - oh shucks. plan B.......