Medication to ease the pain

calpe

My 80 year old father has just been told he will require a hip replacement. He is in a great deal of pain, he has been given Tramadol Hydrochloride 50mg capsules to take three times a day, but they are not helping to ease the pain.

He got up one morning about 4 weeks ago with terrible pain and we thought he had a trapped nerve, an xray confirmed he has arthritis. Can anyone suggest what we can do to help him as he cannot walk very far in the house and is feeling very down. We have a date to go and see a consultant but this is not until 3rd September. Is it worth going back to his doctor, he has been using the tablets for a week.

fowls48

Hi Calpe


It is worth going back to the doc to see if you can get an earlier appointment if not maybe he can give some stronger meds , sorry your dad is in so much pain .xx


regards
karen.

stickywicket

Hello calpe and welcome to the forum. I’m very sorry your poor father is in so much pain. None of us on here are doctors but we do have a fair bit of experience between us.

I think it’s definitely worth going back to your father’s GP as pain relief can be very much a matter of horses for courses and, if the tramadol isn’t working, it’s probably best to get him on something else that, hopefully, will. (Though, it’s not for nothing that many of us on here refer to paindullers rather than painkillers.) The doc would probably also be willing to have a chat with him about the x-ray report and how urgent a THR is. The doc might be able to hurry up the appointment but I’d get pain relief sorted because it’s not often that THRs happen so quickly. (Your father might need some anti-depressants, too, if it’s getting him down a lot.) I hope this will help him.

Folara

Sticky is so right with paindullers as opposed to painkillers. That said if the tramadol on its own isn't working he may well need an anti-inflam too such as ibuprofen. The idea of also prescribing anti-depressants is that they help with the chemical balance in the brain therefore not only making you feel better but helping you to cope with the pain much better.

Fols x

frogmorton

Hi there

I really feel for your poor Dad, but I am glad he has you trying to help.

I wonder if he is allowed to take things like anti-inflammatories as well? You can check with the pharmacist/GP incase other medication clashes first.(My Mum couldn't take them due to her other meds)

If he is allowed he can take the tramadol, then in between the doses, the anti-inflam??? I have done this in the past to 'get ahead' of the pain.

Have you tried other things too to help like heat (wheat bags/hot water bottles) or ice packs?

How is he sleeping? maybe he is not resting well due to the pain. Some of us sleep with a pillow between our knees on our sides to get comfy.

Obviously it woudl be fabulous to get an earlier apt...can you ring the consultants sec and offer to take a cancellation at short notice if that is possible?

Love

Toni xxx

pilsakadave

Hi.
So sorry to hear of your fathers pain.
Whilst i cant suggest medication as such, there is something i use for my own arthritic shoulders which i find virtually eliminates the bulk of my pains.
(Tramedol was prescribed for me but i never got on with them so i have Butrans patches now for constant pain relief, along with anti-inflamatories. And also Pregabalyn for the nerve/muscular pain on back and arms caused by the shoulder problem.)
I have a pair of Beurer HK55 heat pads which i use over and around my shoulders. The heat around the affected area works to relieve not just the shoulder joint itself but also the surrounding muscles etc. I find them especially useful in middle of night when the pain and discomfort of laying in bed keeps me awake. Half hour of these on me and the pain is virtually gone. Many is the time i fall asleep due to the effect of them, only to wake up a couple hours later as pain returns, but thats because the pads turn themselves off after an hour and half for safety.
They are about £35 each but worth every penny for me.
Ps... I did pick up a similar back pad, from Lidl which was only about £15 just before xmas last year. (not quite as good quality wise IMO, but does same job.) They only had them for a week or two unfortunately, down here anyway.
Hope this may be of some benefit. Regards Pils

calpe

Thanks to everyone for all your help and support. I shall make an appointment tomorrow and take my dad back to see his GP. He has been using a hot water bottle and this has helped a little. I can now go back to the doctors with a little more knowledge regarding the medication which may be available. I didnt realise how painful arthritis can be and i wish you all well with your pain control.

Colin1

Go back to GP but you can phone consultants Secretary and explain how bad he is and they may bring forward his appointment. Please give him our Regards
Colin

tjt6768

wanted to wish your dad all the best from me. I hope the GP gets his pain meds sorted sooner rather than later.
Please let us know how he goes on.