How do you handle the constant pain?

scozzie

Hi, I'm yet to be properly diagnosed, I think I have OA; everything seems to point in that direction. After five weeks I'm still waiting to hear back from the hospital about my referral to the rheumy.
But over the weekends I have a tendency to forget to take my ibuprofen as I'm out of my usual routine from work - which doesn't usually bother me til later in the day, as I don't feel any soreness in the morning - at work I take the ibuprofen as a preventative first thing in morning and at lunchtime, which seems to mask the worst of any soreness.
Now, although the stiffness and soreness I experience aren't that bad (I've suffered from appendicitis and a kidney stone, which are far, far worse) and I'm sure most of you have symptoms which are far worse than mine, I'm left surprised at just how quickly it all wears me out once my symptoms begin and how quickly I become tired.
Is this normal and how do you guys handle all the stiffness and pain? Or do I really have to wait for the proper diagnosis?
I usually try to wait til bedtime before I take any co-codomol, so as not to exceed the recommended dosage of either of pain killers (well pain numbing tabs ... Lol).
Scozzie

rugbygirl

I have recently been diagnosed with OA and I find that if I dont take medication I really hurt by mid day. I have found that the easiest thing for me is to take medication regularly. I dont take Ibruprofen as I have something stronger but I take co-codomal on very bad days.

My way of managing it until it was diagnosed was to take the tablets regularly every day. I set a reminder to go off on my mobile phone to take the tablets and then it got me into the routine. Even now I have my reminder for them just to make sure.

It might be worth speaking to your doctor about the referral or phoning the hospital and asking to be put through although it is not unusual to be waiting a while. I started my pain in August last year and I was finally diagnosed in February/March. Tomorrow I go for my first physio appointment!!

Hot water bottles and warm baths are also a good idea or a tens machine .

Do what you feel comfortable with, dont try to do everything like you used to and rest!

Join in with the chit chat forum - you will find lots of things going on and it will take your mind off the pain. There are lots of people on here who will soon become friends

Hope things improve for you soon

Jaki

km89

Hi Scozzie,
I haven't got OA, just RA. How much of the co-codamol are you taking at the moment? Is it just the one dose at bedtime? If so, you could increase the dose of co-codamol that you're taking, just to relieve the pain a bit more as it will probably help with the type of pain you've got. Max number of tablets is 8 a day I recall. Ibuprofen is for more inflammatory pain I think.

Hope you get an appointment at the hospital soon. Waiting lists are a nightmare!

Katie

dreamdaisy

I have just started my fifteenth year of this dross and I reckon one adjusts over time. The pain is always there, twanging and pinging away, and you do get used to it - or rather perhaps it is better to get used to it otherwise sanity becomes a scarce commodity.

I started with an inflammatory arthritis back in 97 and found out in April that I now have a healthy dose of OA in my knees. They hurt quite differently now to the other affected joints (which is what triggered my request for Xrays) so I guess that is why. My joints hurt when I do take what is laughingly called 'pain relief' and they do when I don't. The pain dullers do exactly that - they take off the edge, they dull it. If you are forgetting to take yours at the week-end as your routine is different then that is no bad thing.

Everyone is different at the rate in which their arthritis spreads or worsens, everyone is different in their reactions to pain relief. You will find as things deteriorate you will be more mindful about trying to keep ahead of the pain, and in taking the tablets to relieve it. Enjoy these 'forgetful' days for as long as they last. I wish you well. DD

scozzie

Thank you ladies, I think I'm gonna stop trying to be macho and trying not to take any tabs. I take the Ibuprofen during the day at work as I can only take three a day, and I try to save the co-codomol for night time – I have a supply of 30/500 of which I usually take one at night before bed and others as I need them in the evening.
At the moment with the cold damp weather here in Scotland my hands are in agony ... so I might need to take regular co-codomol.
Thanks again – Scozzie

dreamdaisy

If you do (and they do help) then be aware that constipation is a common side effect - I struggle with that but I am currently on about 6 -8 tablets per day. Your GP can help with that, don't buy over-the-counter stuff, it'll cost you a fortune! DD

julie47

Morning scozzie

I have RA and have had it for 23 yrs and I think as dd says you eventually get used to the constant drag of the pain. I think your pain threshold must get stronger. (not a fact , just my theory)
Also as has been said before you must always keep on top of the pain by taking regular pain dullers.

Hope your hosp app comes soon
Juliepf x

fudge

Hello scozzie I think you learn to accept that pain is always going to be there, sometimes worse than others, and there are times when you just want to do normal everyday things - then bang - the pain for whatever reason stops you from doing it.

I was told keep ahead of the pain with the pain killers ( ahem) and give them time to get into your system.

Nothing will take it away, there will be days when you just get on with it and days when frustration reduces you to a crying or furious wreck. Which ever it is - or however it takes you, don't bottle it up, let it go, stress will always make pain worse.

Look after yourself.

fudge

scozzie

Hi ladies and thank you for your advice. Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday were good days, but Sunday evening and today have been tough - didn't feel the tablets did any good (ibuprofen and 8/500 co-codomol). The stronger co-codomols are actually my mother-in-law's that she doesn't need so I only use them when I really need to. The doctor hasn't prescribed me anything, just told me to keep taking over the counter pain relievers - that was five weeks ago.
Just a thought - could the really bad weather we're having in Scotland at the moment be a factor?
Cheers
Scozzie

dreamdaisy

Apparently weather can affect OAers. The cold and the damp does make things worse for some.

You should not really be taking someone else's meds. That's norty. In my vast experience of pain relief (hah! what relief?) 8/500 cocos are pointless. If you find the 30/500 make the difference then your GP should prescribe them for you. Sit on him until he does. DD

scozzie

Thanks DD, yes I know it's naughty – but what can one do ... lol.

Scozzie

dreamdaisy

Not that. Get your own! I honestly cannot see why your GP isn't being more helpful, unless his judgement is that you are in the early stages so giving you the stronger stuff is actually not helpful - and that could be a valid point. I've been thinking. Ready? Here goes.

I have a range of pain meds (none of which take it away, they just remove me in larger stages from it) and I deliberately hold off on the really big ones for the simple reason that if I use them now what the hell will I turn to when things get really bad? That is always at the back of my mind now, because I have realised, after fifteen years and the steady addition of more and more affected joints, that I will need an option. I have joints that twang 24/7. I am used to it now, so I keep the really bad boys of pain relief for when I flare and other joints that do not usually hurt join in. I have PA, an inflammatory version of this dross, and I have learned that my knees are badly affected by OA (now that IS horrible).

With regard to the 8/500 perhaps the approach should be to take them more regularly - they do have a cumulative effect, they will build in your system, and help more. It is a steep learning curve, I realise that, finding out how to use the meds and discovering just how much they don't relieve - but they relieve more if used consistently. It is not a defeat, it is not giving in, it is about managing life more effectively.

Lecture over. DD

skezier

Hi Scozzie

That's the trouble when you first begin this shift gp's don't help you till they have a diagnosis and even then they are woefully bad at understanding pain and what it does to you. Most don't understand oa at all either actually.

Its getting better but so behind and so slow.

I think the original question on how do you stand the pain in my case is I have had it since I was 15, I don't remember not having it. Over the years my nerves both in the spinal column and peripherally have been damages and another condition as well have meant I don't register pain like a normal person. Guess I am lucky.

Its always there though grinding away in the back ground but I kinda just either wont have it or ignore it and i am not sue which.

I think its cus I have had since being young and i wasn't willing to let it take a life off me. I don't know.

Saying that I do have some hefty pain killers and they work for me well. They used to work really well but been on them 3 years so the effects aren't as good.

Keeping the muscles good helps limit pain as well so thats something you can do help. I 'might' have something going after my muscles now but am fighting that one back when I have the energy.......

Flower thats hard to put up with this constant tiredness. You find you don't sleep well cus of pain and you are in pain and thats wearing all the time. I became a zombie a while ago I think

A lot of folks have sleeping tablets to help them get to sleep so they might try that for you as well at some point.

It all hinges on the diagnosis.... once you have it you can start asking for things to help you much easier.

Hang in there and hope they sort you out soon. Cris x

margareth64

Hi Scozzie,
Hope your feeling bit better today ? You asked about the wet weather affecting your joints Yes it does!! Im in VERY wet and damp Northern Ireland and when its rainy im in agony ,once a year we go to Turkey and the weather is very dry my joints behave themselves!!!! Get to your doc and see about getting some stronger co codamol if they help you .
Take care

hileena111

Hi,
Yes the weather def does make a difference to people with OA....I have OA in hips, lower spine, ankle and neck and am I glad that I dont still live in Northern ireland....Sorry not being offensive I was born there and lived there for the first 21 years of my life so i know how wet and damp it can be.....I'm in the North East now.....not as wet but much colder....which is the worse....I think I can stand the cold more than the wet.
I've always been told.....keep on top of the pain dont play catch up {with your meds}
Distraction can help.....If you are doing something you enjoy it can take your mind of the pain a little bit.
At night if you dont sleep well its much worse because you dont have the same distractions......{my opinion}
It wasnt that I couldnt get to sleep.....after my THR I kept waking up with pain.....so was put on diclofenic slow release which seems to help.
Love
Hileena

Airwave!

I haven't found any pills that counter OA, most of the time I find that using alternative methods of pain control are better, anything to take my mind off of arther. I think you do get better at putting up with him.

Stiffness in the early morning and after sitting for a while are common. But then I get sore after doing things, as well. Weather, tiredness and mental state all affect us.

There was a brief report in the papers last week saying that reliance on paracetamol twice a day could make you more susceptible to blood cancers, no more info at present.

scozzie

Thanks a lot all, I'll keep all your advice in mind.
Btw I should've said at the start my problems are with my hands and possibly my feet. In the past I've had painful hands from time to time and put it down to over use, as the pain usually went away after a few days. But that hasn't been the case over the past three months, they got sore from things we were doing at work and have stayed sore (although the soreness varies from day to day – Monday was a bad one ... lol).
And my feet, well, I was involved in athletics for many many years, not very good, but still involved (middle distance and distance running) and I have the ability at times to blank out pain in my feet after years of training with blisters on my blisters ... lol. So I'm not sure about my feet and arthritis ... lol.
Cheers
Scozzie

dreamdaisy

How do I handle it? The answer for today is 'badly'. I am not coping with it at all well. DD

hileena111

Yep.....I agree DD.......not coping at all well at the minute


Love
Hileena

scozzie

Sorry to hear that DD and Hileena, I hope it passes quickly for both of you. I, myself have had a better day, possibly due to the advice I've received from this site and took my pain dullers regardless.
My hands are a bit stiff, certainly not feeling the way they used to ... Lol! But I suppose that's normal my new life ... lol!
Take care
Scozzie