So many symptoms...

bea

Hi
I was diagnosed with OA after a knee x-ray in July this year but I seem to have gone worse rather quickly. I have had pain in my knee mainly but for the last 2 weeks it's moved everywhere!
The pain started to shoot from my bad knee to my toes one day then up to my bum on another. One evening it was my left arm and hand that had shooting pain, probably nerve pain. Then nausea and headaches were added to the mix! Oh and I had pins and needles too at one point.
I have taken very little medication as Ibuprofen and Paracetamol haven't really worked.
I went back to the doctor last Friday and she gave me co-codamol. I've not tried it as I felt better on Sunday (I rested all day) and Monday but tonight the shooting pain in the arm has come back as well as the nausea and headache....
Is this the norm?
Many thanks
Bea

stickywicket

Hello bea. I hope we can help with a bit of support and by sharing our experiences.

OA can and does spread unfortunately. If yours is bad, did your doc suggest taking the meds regularly rather than just as needed? I don't like taking a lot of pain meds myself but there are times when we really need to get on top of it. After that, it's usually OK to just take them as needed. If you are still taking the ibuprofen that can upset the stomach and could possibly be causing the nausea. A stomach-protecting tablet can be prescribed to prevent this.

bea

thanks, I was better for 3 days so didn't take anything. I had to take a co-codamol tonight though, but the pain is not going away from my hands, only ever so slightly subsided. The doc said to take only co-codamol from now on as ibuprofen and paracetamol didn't seem to work. Like you, I don't want to drug myself up and I wait to take the meds, but it seems there's no choice....
Only seen the doc twice about it as it's a recent diagnosis.

stickywicket

Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen, are meant to reduce the inflammation. Paracetamol and cocodamol deal only with the pain. It's possible, at this stage, that you may achieve 'pain-free' but I think most of us regard that as not only unlikely but even undesirable because of the amount of pain relief needed to get there. However, one cocodamol, especially if it's of the lowest kind, is, to my mind, neither here nor there. We have to give the meds a chance to work rather than dipping our toes in the water and jumping (if only :roll: ) back out again.

hileena111

Hi
I don't like drugging myself either but I think you have to take meds regularly for them to work rather than play catch up with the pain.
Good Luck
Love
Hileena

frogmorton

Hi Bea

I am also a medication avoider :oops:

BUT there are times.....as Hileena was saying it can be very hard to 'get ahead' of pain once it has got ahead of you.

I hope things ease for you very soon and if they don't - don't be shy of going back to your doctor.

Love

Toni xx

dreamdaisy

At the moment I get through the day with four cocodamols, two in the morning and two in the evening. I could take more but choose not to because that leaves me nowhere to go for the rougher times. I take other stuff too, not because I want to but because I have to (I have two sorts of arthritis). Pain is a fact of life when one has arthritis, I get extra ones here and there every now and again (which are quite refreshing because they make a change from the usual) but ignore them because I already have enough going on.

For anti-inflammatories to have an effect they need to be taken on a regular basis - as and when won't help that much. To a certain extent it's the same with the pain meds. If they help then that is what matters. Pain-free is an ideal for me - personally I hope it never happens because it will only come back and, after seventeen years of this malarkey, I am used to it now. I wish you well. DD

bea

Thanks everyone. I'm now taking 3 cocodamols a day. The pain seems to become worse late afternoon / evening, so I start the cocodamol around lunchtime then late afternoon then with my evening meal.
I'm French and I have a trip planned this weekend which I'd booked over 2 months ago (before all the symptoms) so I'm seeing a doctor and will do full blood tests. I don't know how but my sister also managed to get me in for xrays on Monday morning too. I fly back on Tuesday so I hope I can have most results before I leave.
What I don't understand is all these different symptoms including headaches, itchy fingers, nausea as well as the usual joint pain, etc.
I'll report back but my French visit might help me when I see the English doctor again to renew my cocodamol.

dreamdaisy

Pain worsens in the evening thanks to life's daily challenges, that's why I usually have two cocos in the morning to help me through the day and two in the evening before bed so that I can get some sleep. I hope you enjoy your trip and come back feeling at least a little better in yourself. DD

stickywicket

Well done, so far Bea and I hope you have a lovely holiday.

As for the symptoms - they're not necessarily part and parcel of the arthritis. Some could be due to stress (It is stressful) and, as for the nausea, try taking the cocodamol with food always if you're not already doing so. It might help.

barbara12

Hello Bea
I have OA in quite a few joints,like you it spread quite quickly, I did try not to take my meds, but I have come to the conclusion that being in so much pain is no good to anyone....I dont take the amount i should but the antiinflam is my life saver..
I hope you have a lovely holiday, and please let us know how you get on x

hileena111

Hi Bea
Have a great trip

Love
Hileena