Well I didn't see that coming..

flowerpot

I saw my GP today as I needed some more drugs. I hadn't seen her before so she went over my past 2 years. I work all week, and spend the weekend sleeping, resting or just feeling plain rotten. She went over everything I had "given up" over the past 18 months, everything I would like ot be able to do, everything I had done ot help myself and while rattling all this out I burst in to tears, I don't think I have ever dared list everything it has impacted. She whisks out her depression score sheet and I got a rather high score!

She has decided that my pain relief isn't working because I have depression. I told her I can't tell her where the fatigue from fighting to do things ends and the fatigue from being weiry with life begins. Anyway she has decided I need to come off the codine, a very scary thought as that's all I have to get me through my worse days, shoved me on some nice antidepressants, signed me off work for a week to see how I go.

On the plus side she has referred me to see a physio, something I have been after for months and months but always told there was no point without a firm diagnosis.

What a strange day, I feel a bit lost!

dreamdaisy

Ye gods. Lack of effective pain relief is not the cause of the depression, the fact that your life is changing is. Stupid doc.

Arthritis is tiring in itself, especially when it is 'active'. Living with unrelenting pain is also tiring - doesn't your doc recognise even the basics of life with arthritis? You stick to the pain dullers you have, you are the one living with the pain (she isn't) and all of us on here know that anti-ds don't help on that front, they just help one to deal better with it. DD

flowerpot

It did seem strange but I had read articles about anti depresents being used as part of a pain management plan, so got to give it a go. If nothing else it might bump up my chances of being referred to a pain clinic if they don't think opiates are the right way for me to go, I have a history of depression so I guess its possible the ups of codine are messing with my brain chemistry.

Who knows it all feels like a bit of guess work to me, but I am so fed up I am willing to give anything a go, how long I last is yet to be seen!

weejean

Hi Flowerpot

I am a bit at odds as to why your GP would take you off the pain meds. Surely you can take both, then your pain would be controlled and your depression helped at the same time. Oh well I guess thats why I am not a doctor. On the plus side at least you will now get to physio and that is a step in the right direction. I really hope the anti depressants help you to feel better xx

flowerpot

I am still allowed to take paracetamol and my naproxen so not quite cold turkey but the difference between paracetamol and co-codamol is enormous. Already wondering how I am going to sleep tonight, might make a compromise and only take them at bed time.

weejean

Hope you have a good nights sleep. Sweet dreams xx

dreamdaisy

Paracetamol has nowhere near the clout we need. I had a thought about your post yesterday - I think the anti-d that helps with pain relief is amitryptiline, at a higher dose it' works as an anti-d, at the lower doses it helps sleep etc by relaxing muscles. I wonder if that is the one you are thinking of? DD

bubbadog

I'm surprised the doc didn't discuss you pain meds when she put you on anti-depressants. Maybe it's worth seeing another doc before the next appointment if your pain is interfering with your sleep. I'm also on Amitriptyline 40mg at night to help me sleep. It is a big help for me. Hope you get a compremise with sleep and pain soon! Amanda/bubbadog. :shock:

flowerpot

She has put me on citalopram , with is similar to amitriptyline, I can't take amitriptyline as it gives me terrible migranes, although these ones are making me feel very nautious. I had to make a sharp exit out of tescos earlier. I didn't sleep any better or worse last night, I guess I am just lucky it wasn't a worse nights sleep. I see her again in two weeks so going to sit it out with a large bucket of peppermint tea

dreamdaisy

I am on 20mg citalopram and it has been good so far. I have not had any side effects (I was putting the weird dreams down to the trammies that I was taking after the fall and, having cut those out, the dreams have dwindled.) I still wake with pain every 120 minutes or so but hey-ho, that's life with the big A. I hope the side effects wear off soon. DD

flowerpot

Thanks DD, I am feeling a little better than earlier after a wee cat nap, the smell of dinner cooking though is turning my stomach. Maybe it will be the weight loss plan I was looking for.