Being nosey!

Seraphinite

Hello again!

I'm allergic to codiene and my GP prescribes me Tramadol to cope with the pain of my PRA.

If I take 1 Tramadol it relieves the pain enough to function but doesn't really take the pain away, but if I take 2 Tramadol I become quite spaced out and unable to drive, which leaves me unable to do my job. :shock:

Being capsules I can't just lob 'em in half so I was wondering, could I please be really nosey and ask what different types of painkillers people use and with what success...???

Thanks,
Sera

tjt6768

Hi again Sera, just posted on your other thread.. Bit bored tonight and can't sleep if you couldn't guess, lol..
I had many years controlling pain with Dihydrocodiene, obviously it's not one you could take due to your allergy, have tried so many over the yrs and not many others worked for me.
Now on 8 paracetamol, 2 diclofenac, 8 tramadol and 1 hydroxycloroquine.. Not the greatest of pain relief, but the Dihydrocodiene had stopped working all together, was taking them 8 at a time in the end..

Tony

skezier

hi Sera,

i used to take two s/r diclos in the morning and in addition 300 pregabalin twice a day and tramadol up to 8 a day if needed. the pregabalin had a bit of a reaction with the drip i have but i am now back on 300 in the morning and 200 at night.... and not floating half as much.

they say i have another ulcer so just now they put me on the 50 diclos to take as and hen i really need to... they hurt more and i have a lot of inflammation jut now so am sort of taking the s/r diclos again but only 3 x a week....

its all down to what suits and other tablets and your reactions but maybe if you could persevere with the tramadol it would stop having that effect on you? i hope you can find a routine that helps and suits you and nice to meet you. Cris x

speedalong

Hi Sera, it is worth going back to your GP. When I took co-codomols 2 x8/500s were no better than smarties. Was then put on 2 x 30/500s and the jump was too high. For awhile 1x 30/500 helped but then my body adapted. Discussed with my Gp and by using a combo of tablets was able to take the equivelent of one and a half 30/500. So is worth persuing. Or else slow release might help.

Speedy

frogmorton

Hi Sera

I have taken co-codamol and tramadol (I got used to them in the end and could drive on max dose! I am now taking butrans patches for pain which is way better as I dont get that wave of painkiller which can knock you sick Tramadol also comes as a slow release and that might be better?

I also used to take brufen as an anti-inflam (both are also painkillers) Then i tried them and diclofenac - both now give me the two-bob-bits so I have arcoxia which is a cox2 and is gentler on the stomach.

Back to the docs I think for a chat?

LOve

toni xx

nanarose

Hi Sera.
I would advise you to go back to your docs as well, and explain your situation to him/her

I take Tramadol with 2 paracetamol, when I'm really sore, as apparently it makes the Tramadol work more effectively.
I have co-codamol but to be honest, I don't find they help much at all.

Are you on Anti-inflammatories? I am on Diclofenac 3X50g a day, and it makes a huge difference to my pain.

I hope you and your doc can find suitable painkillers for you; there are other solutions, so don't get too downhearted.

dreamdaisy

My pain 'relief' (what a mis-nomer) all depends on what else is happening. When I am on a real dose of steroids then I can manage with nothing (but the pain is still there, I just cope better.) When I am on a half-decent dose of steroids then I can manage on 2 or 4 cocos a day. When I am not, then the number of cocos goes up and the tramadol 50mg are used at night. When they fail to do anything then I up to slow-release tramadol 100mg, topped up with cocos every four hours or so (or when I wake with pain). When that fails then slow-release topped up after six hours with a 50mg trammy. When that fails then it's the liquid morphine. Pain killers don't kill pain: they dull it to acceptable levels, that's all. One adjusts, over time. I wish you well. DD

hileena111

Hi Sera,
I think you shold go back to your GP and discuss painkillers with hime...or wht about referral to a pain clinic.
I have OA and the only time I was on tramadol was after a THR and was on full dose ......I wasnt allowed to drive for 6 to 7 weeks anyway but I think I would have been a bit spaced out.
As for dihydrocodeine......tried that for a while and that was dreadful.....was really like a zombie.
I'm on 8 paracetamol a day and 2 diclofenic 75mg modifed release...I take one about 9am and one about 9pm......it takes the edge of the pain.
As you can see we all take different things and react different waysto tablets so its a matter oftrial and error with your docs help
Love
Hileena

Seraphinite

Thank you so much for your replies, I've certainly got a lot to think of and discuss with my GP.

Up until a few weeks ago I was on 20mg injections of Methotrexate, Diclofenac and Tramadol (with paracetamol boosters). Then I got a call from my reumatology nurses telling me I had to stop injecting my Methotrexate because of something to do with my liver enzymes shooting up.

Few weeks / few blood tests later they call again and tell me that I'm now to stop taking the Diclofenac too, but can try a different anti-inflam so GP put me on Etodolac 1 x 300mg capsule twice a day.

Nurses told me in some cases both Methotrexate and Diclofenac can cause problems with the liver and that I can't go back on the Methotrexate til my blood tests show that my liver is behaving normally. Don't really understand it and was hoping to ask on here about it because the nurses didn't do a great job of explaining things to me.

Last week I was told I could start injecting again, but at half dose, and I had my first 10mg shot on Friday.

Still taking Tramadol and Paracetamol, but as you say DD;
"Pain killers don't kill pain: they dull it to acceptable levels, that's all. One adjusts, over time..."

This isn't the only painful condition I have, but the other I've had for 15 years, and have "owned" for the last few of them. I have adapted and now don't think of it as something I fight against, as it is a part of me and we cohabit well now I know how to live with it. I want to be in a similar place with my Palindromic RA but know its early days yet. :?

Which is another reason why I am glad to have found this place, and have such experienced people to ask advice from, as I'm sure it will help me get to a similar place.

Once again, many thanks for all the replies...

Sera

dreamdaisy

Many arthritis drugs affect the liver, as the liver is the organ that processes them and clears them from the body - hence the 'old' thinking that one should not imbibe alcohol as that would over-stress the liver. (That varies from person to person, as does each version of arthritis.) Some drugs can also affect the kidneys (also clearing organs!) hence the need for regular blood tests to test both lliver and kidney functions. This is why one should have regular blood tests, to show any potential problems before they become real problems. I wish you well - there are many alternatives to the pain dullers etc, your doc is the best-placed person to advise. DD