How is this possible!

Dazza4875

I'm taking 8x Tramadol, 8x Paracetamol, 3x Gabapentin, 2x Naproxen per day and I'm still in agony. This is crazy.

Mike1

I have widespread OA, over the years I have found that NO medication (and I have tried those that you are on) not even Morphine gets rid of the pain, they merely knock the edge off. If you have not done so already request a referral to your local Pain Clinic so that other treatments can be considered, also try to do things that distract you from the pain; i.e. something that you enjoy doing - and can actually do - it could be anything, I make models, read in the garden and watch TV. Hope things get improve soon.

Jona

Hi Dazza4875,

I agree with Mike ask for referral to pain clinic in the meantime check with your gp surgery if they have a pharmacist most do now and see if this medication can be changed unfortunately arthritis is painful some get it minor others it’s life changing try to stay strong i know it’s hard but there are people here who have a wealth of advice

take care

Jona 😊

Dazza4875

Hi both, thanks for replying, been on to docs again and they have said to persevere with medication especially the Gabapentin as this does take time to kick in, also I've asked for crutches to help me walk around house and garden, hoping to return to work as I can with from home or I'm office based so not much activity.

Lilymary

No shame in using walking aids, if that’s what it takes to enable you to move around. My stick certainly helps take the load off my hip, so I can keep going a bit longer. Sorry to hear the pain’s so bad atm, hope you can get a quick referral to pain clinic. Meanwhile, take it easy, don't keep pushing through the pain, rest up, but find things to distract yourself from it (Netflix and chips and dips come to mind). Try not to self medicate with alcohol, it won’t help.

Dazza4875

Hi Lilymary, you are right, no shame, to be honest it is a must, need support walking, resting up all of the time, my wife is a god send, doing everything at the minute and taking good care of me. With regards to alcohol, not really drunk much for a few years and can't drink anyway due to the concoction of medication. I'm also on a low carb diet (a few stone overweight) and so far lost 1 stone 10 pounds, fingers crossed I can keep it up.

Lilymary

Hey Dazza, well done losing that weight! I managed to lose a stone during the first lockdown without really trying (and with no exercise, for obvious reasons), but by massively cutting down on unnecessary calories like alcohol, crisps, cake and biscuits etc. And like you, it seemed wrong to be washing down industrial strength pain-killers with alcohol over my dinner, (stories of the death of too many rock-stars came to mind) and I now find I've rather lost my taste for it anyway, so I've become clinically dull! But then lock down ended, I started back at work, and I realise the reason I over-eat is stress, so all that weight came back on again 🙄😕. But keeping the weight off will certainly help your joints, so well worth doing.

And three cheers for supportive partners. Where would we be without them? x

Veemo

Hi Dazza

Sorry to hear the pain is so bad - I have both rheumatoid and osteo arthritis and sometimes you want to scream. I've just been referred to the hospital for surgery for the hip - though heaven knows when that will be! Had to comment about the crutches/sticks, though - get them!!! I was a regular fast walker until all this hit me about 18 months ago, but I found that with two sticks I can still manage up to two miles dog walking a day. True, it takes me as long to walk two miles as it did to walk three - but I'm doing it! I also find that by walking with two sticks I'm walking more upright and am not limping - take away a stick and I'm almost sideways. I need a cane rather than a trekking pole as i need support, but it makes such a difference. Drawbacks include how to hold a dog lead (difficult with energetic dog), what to do with them when you have to get a hanky out (spend a lot of time picking them off the floor - extra exercise!) and because I have folding ones that horrible moment when you find one has stuck in the mud and has come apart at the springs! Bonuses - you can switch a light on from the settee, hook shoes etc towards you and poke your partner to get attention. Also if you have to use a low toilet seat you can use them like ski poles to push yourself up! (Probably too much information, there). Hope you get on top of the pain and all the best.