O.A. lower lumbar

moobmeister

I have recently been diagnosed with O.A. on the lower lumbar and have been taking Tramadol for the pain 6 of these and 6 paracetamol. Which did not move the pain the doctors have now put me on ametripline. Does anyone know if this is better or worse , as the pain is now getting me down sorry to whinge. The doctors just put me straight on ametripline and told not to take Tramadol. Does anyone know if there are any side effects of going straight off Tramadol. Plus the downside of waiting for ametripline to kick in is the pain is insane. Can anyone shed any light to see if there is anything else to assist with the pain whilst waiting ametripline to kick in by the way I cant take Ibuprofen.

Mike1

I have widespread OA including the whole of my spine and neck and have been on both of the drugs that you mention with differing and concerning side effects. One thing to bear in mind is that everyone is different and people are affected differently by different drugs. It is just a case of working through the meds available until finding the one that works most effectively - no drug will totally get rid of the pain in my experience just knock the edge off. Having been through the lot under the guidance of the Pain Clinic I am now left on ever increasing doses of Morphine and discharged from the clinic years ago with the words "there is nothing more we can do for you" ringing in my ears. I would suggest that you ask your GP for a referral to your local Pain Clinic if you have not been already.

moobmeister

Many thanks for replying

I am on the waiting list for the pain clinic

I get where you are coming from

airwave

Painkillers were only ever meant for short term use, the body will soon get used to the drugs and have less effect on you, note the increasing amounts that addicts have to take. If you get to do the Pain Clinic course you will learn all about drugs and other ways to deal with the pain and thereafter it’s up to you once having been given the information how you use it.

Despit a lifetime of arther I haven’t taken drugs regularly for about five years now and just have a packet for occasional use less than a handful number of times a year.

Search and read the topics on here.

its a grin, honest!

Mike1

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/678282#Comment_678282

Thanks for referring to me as an "addict" without knowing my whole story. Just for the record a "course" was never offered and never available. Good for you not to have to rely on meds to get by but some of us are so riddled with OA and so poorly supported that we do not have a choice.

airwave

Oh dear, you are feeling sorry for yourself, I note I referred to addicts as an example, I cannot be responsible how people will take it. With widespread arther I suppose I am ‘riddled’ but I am not defined by arther it’s just an ongoing issue to deal with.

keep smiling

its a grin, honest!

sunnyside2

There are a few tricks you could try that are drug free.

massage is very soothing and if done by a professional therapy massage person can relieve it temporarily and give you a break. I was given it for my knee a few times and it would give me a couple of days of vastly reduced pain which was wonderful.

tens machine- I use one from time to time- it does help - its not a cure but it knocks the edge off.

hot/cold. well worth experimenting with - again not a cure but knocks the edge off.

Pain clinic I found very helpful- they went through all my drugs and gave me guidance to how and what I could take in a way that would not diminish the effectiveness of my pain killers. The path way they gave me was to make sure one or two days a week were no opioid - and yes those days can be pretty bad but it means the drugs work better on the days I do take.

physio- again I found very helpful- I learnt that I compensate for pain by being crooked which makes matters worse- they had me practice at home walking, sitting, standing in front of a mirror and learning to correct my posture - they gave me exercises to build muscle round the joint which acts as a supportive cradle . I still do the exercises I was given- they work.

I have bone on bone grade 3/4 arthritis in my knee and these tricks have kept me on the move for the past 7 or so years- I've had a bad spell lately and I suspect probably now am approaching needing surgery but I am down for a steroid injection next week which will hopefully calm it down dramatically- again ask about steroid injections- for me I have found in past they can be really really good .

good luck. I know its depressing and hard to think when pain is taking over your life but there are lots of things to try- some won't work - some will. we are all different so what works for one won't for another but keep trying as you will find something that helps.

moobmeister

Many thanks very informative

airwave

Excellent roundup of techniques there sunny side, on the massage side, my fair maiden seems to disappear regularly so I brought a massage gun which helps a lot. Unfortunately the steroid injections have never worked for me over the years, hey ho. Exercise does work, though being at home for a year doesn’t.

A warm bath certainly works for me as do the hot wheat bags. More than anything else it’s the cognisant skills that work for me, find something involving and you’ll be hard put to stop for a cuppa. I’ve just been making some indoor tents for the gc sleepovers, well it keeps me busy😂.

its a grin, honest!