Paracetamol not helping

Trayce

Paracetamol not helping at all i am on

Lamotrigine 50mg morn
Lamotrigine 25mg night
Citalopram 10 mg morn
Seroquel 25 mg night

Gp says can only have paracetamol can not deal with this pain can hardly walk at moment

kathe

Thats now good.
I can`t help you because I don`t know this meds. But thinking of you and hopes it get better in time !! I know what pain you going true and hope you get something that helps. Maybe you call you gp again??
Best wiches:)
kathe

elnafinn

Hi Trayce

It looks like you are taking a drug for epilepsy twice a day, a med for insomnia at night and citalopram for depression.
I appreciate that paracetamol on its own will not help arthritic pain much but as I am not a medic I have no idea what other drugs can be prescribed when already taking the other ones. You really must discuss this with your GP.

Elna x

valval

hi which type of arthritis have you got??? paracetamol not great for the type of pain you are on can you ask for referral to pain clinic they might be able to advise a better form of pain relief good luck val

hileena111

Hi Trayce
Be very careful of the anti convulsant drugs and what they get mixed with.....
Over the years docs have prescribed meds for me and I've had to go back and say that they are contra-indicated because of my anti convulsants {not the same ones as yours but still!!} for instance I cant take amotriptiline {spelling??} and they prescribed that for me once.
I just take paracetamol, and naproxen as well as the anti convulsants. See if you can get a referral to a pain clinic
Love
Hileena

Trayce

Thanks seeing gp tomorrow

The seroquel is to stop me seeing and hearing things and anxiety the seroquel is an anti psychotic med I used to take it three times a day but made me so sleepy so gp said to take one at night need to be alert in day as of me being a carer for my husband taking it at night does not help I am on epilepsy meds for epilepsy and antidepressants

elnafinn

Dear Trayce

It is a positive move to see the gp tomorrow. Perhaps it may be a good idea to write a few things down that you wish to discuss with him/her. You do if possible need something stronger than paracetamol to dull the aches and pains of the arthritis. It is only your gp that will be able to come up with something that will not interfere with the cocktail of drugs you are already taking for other problems.

Please try to emphasise as you do to us on here, how you are feeling.

I very much hope that you will benefit from your gp appointment.
Elna x

hileena111

Hi again
Yes, Like Elna says make a note of all the questions you have before you go.
Most of us do that before going to see a consultant but you have so many questions do it for the GP as well..
If the meds are controlling your epilepsy you dont want anything messed up do you? I know i dont.
Love

Hileena

Trayce

Will stress to gp how I feel

elnafinn

Good girl, Trayce, I hope that is a promise. Hold your head high, imagine me standing next to you, giving you courage. Please do not let him be dismissive, your gp must give you time to explain how you feel and listen too. You are important, do not forget that. It is the gp's job to hear you out and help you as much as he/she is able to do.

I shall be thinking of you from tomorrow morning as I do not know the time of your appointment.

Please do let us know how you go on.

Gentle hugs,
Elna x

Trayce

I have a god relationship with gp my appointment is 9.30 am

elnafinn

That's very reassuring Trayce. I hope you sleep well tonight and you shall definitely be in my thoughts tomorrow morning.

You look after yourself and I hope you will chat to us tomorrow about the outcome of your appointment.

Gentle hugs
Elna x

Trayce

gp appointment was a waste of time told him feel no better mentally and how hubby rang social services and they said as I have mh worker she can refer me for relevant support told him about pain and how can do very little but try to do things he said as I know due to meds can only take paracetamol I said You like seeing me in pain and he said he does not he knows I care for hubby and hubby does what he can but he is disabled and how hubby helps me mentally gp said we will monitor things i left gp in tears
gp said he will tell hubby that can not have not else due to meds I said he knows and he says its wrong so ment to be seeing gp with hubby next week I do not think so some how

Plan

Cleaner every two week
Old support worker taking me on she set her own care company up
Will pay private for that
Coming off meds

dreamdaisy

No doctor likes seeing their patients in pain, but sometimes there is not much they can do to help. You are on some very serious medication for your health, are they the meds you plan to stop? Are you sure you should do that? Does your GP realise that you might be doing this? Please be very careful. DD

Trayce

gp has an idea as said would stop meds lost all faith in him and trust he could refer me to pain clinic or physio he could find out what meds I can take along side meds I am on he not thinking of caring role at all

dreamdaisy

So this is the GP's idea then, is he planning to change the epilepsy meds etc so that he can give you better pain relief? Don't expect too much from pain relief Trayce, it only blunts the sharper edges, nothing takes it fully away and it always comes back, that is what arthritis does. DD

Trayce

I said I would come off meds nothing to do with gp idea I know it will not go just want some relief

elnafinn

Hi Trayce

So the good relationship you had with your gp has broken down then? That was quick! He does sound caring but his hands are tied and you know that. He says he cannot prescribe anything stronger for the arthritis because of the other meds you are taking for epilepsy, depression and insomnia. He has suggested physio and the pain clinic. I would go for that if I were you - I am not sure if you agreed with your gp this would be a good idea or if this is in hand and you will hear shortly. At the pain clinic they may suggeswt steroid injections which can help for a time, if that is ok to do with your other ailments.

It would be most unwise of you to stop taking your medication without your gp's knowledge. That would not do you any good at all. That would mean you would only be taking paracetamol. You would soon feel more unwell than you do now. There is nothing that can be bought over the counter that really helps arthritis symptoms and the stronger drugs have to be prescribed by a medic and they only do so much. It may be that the pain clinic may know of some combination of meds you could take that you gp is not aware of. Stopping the prescribed drugs you are on at present would be of no benefit to you or your husband.

Paying someone to help you every two weeks is a good idea.

I do not know what age you are but are you eligible to contact Age UK in Manchester? They can be of help in certain areas. They also have a befriending service which you may enjoy. A volunteer visits on a regular basis and you can talk over a cup of tea. Age UK also have activities laid on with a lunch provided on certain days. Perhaps you could both attend if you think you may enjoy it.

I would go with your husband to see your gp next week. He has offered to see you so is concerned about your both.

Elna x

dreamdaisy

Tracye, pain relief does not exist in the way you might wish. It is important that your epilepsy remains controlled, both for you and your husband. One of the hardest things we have to do is learning to live with the pain as it is always there, in varying degrees. The one thing you MUST NOT do is stop your current meds, that is too dangerous for you. You are taking some sensible steps to help yourself - don't take a silly one. Please don't. DD

valval

as others have said you need your meds can you see a different gp you need help and you are not getting it good luck val

elnafinn

Trayce wrote:

gp has an idea as said would stop meds lost all faith in him and trust he could refer me to pain clinic or physio he could find out what meds I can take along side meds I am on he not thinking of caring role at all

Hi Trayce

I am at a bit of a loss how you can say yesterday that you have a good relationship with your gp and after today's appointment you have now lost all faith and trust in him. Believe me he is looking after you the best he can. He may not be thinking about the caring role so much if you mean help in the home but that is not really what the gp is there for. There are other services that deal with that kind of thing that a gp can suggest and I am sure you and your husband are known to those services already.

I do not think you have actually told us what kind of arthritis you have or where you have the arthritis. Tens machines can help, wheatbags, icing swollen joints, splints for day and night, inserts for shoes. We may have some tips and ideas other than medication, if you gave us a little clue.

Elna x

Trayce

For support in home gp has to do a referal to social services so it is his job to do that and me and hubby are not known to services I am on the carers register with the go and also my care centre but rather than fight for help we decided to have old worker back and get a cleaner just a case of coping with pain yes me and gp do normally have a good relationship he been my gp since I was 15 and now 32 could always talk to him but today feel fobbed off and let down even if he offered pain clinic or physio would be fine with that but he not even offered that

My X-ray results

There are some degenerative changes in the disc margins throughout with slightly more pronounced anterior osteophyte formation with slight disc space narrowing

hileena111

Hi Trayce
Please dont consider coming of your epilepsy meds without your docs say so. If you are controlled it could make such a difference to your life.
I'm speaking as one who has had it since I was 18 months old...it is controlled now but I still have to take my meds.
Painkillers as some say on here are paindullers not pain killers....just take the edge of the pain so please dont think of coming of epilepsy meds for that

Love
Hileena

elnafinn

Hi Trayce

From looking at your xray result, I presume that means your spine is the problem. If you would like your gp or any gp to refer you to the social servies ask them to do so and if they refuse ask them why they are refusing this very basic request. If you wish to attend physio or a pain clinic ask your gp to refer you (I understood from your prevous posting that he mentioned these options to you) and similarly if he refuses ask why. You are entitled to a reason and if you do not accept it, politely discuss it with him or go see another gp. I have found over the years that the patient who shouts the loudest gets heard and usually gets results faster. We should not have to do this but it seems in some cases, needs must. You are as important as his next patient and we as patients keep the gps in a job so expect them to help us as much as they can. If you have had the same gp for so many years and you feel he is not trying his best, change or see another gp. Coming off your meds without a gps guidance would be a most unwise move and would not help you at all.

Elna x

Trayce

He has not mentioned pain clinics or physio if he did I would be more than happy to give it a go i prob will go see him with hubby next week for a chat and I will take my meds hard to believe but back not to bad it mainly my hip that is causing the problem

elnafinn

Pleased to hear that you will go back to the gp with hubby next week, Trayce. Ask him about the pain clinic and physio and see what he says. It is good that your back is not so bad today, back problems can affect hips and knees and so on. Hope your day goes ok. I am looking after my little grandaughter all day today. She is here now and I will call into the forum tonight.

Gentle hugs
Elna x