Pain management

Louise94

Hi I'm new to this but I'm really at loss with my pain i have psoratic arthritis in my feet and osteoarthritis in both knees and spine and a bakers cyst behind my knee. I'm struggling with pain relief as I have health anxiety and emetophobia so I can't take new medications cos I worry about the side effects. I take cocodomol atm and have been for years but nothing helps and I'm constantly in pain when I walk or stand it's just getting too much for me and I'm only 30, feels like I can't catch a break

Poppyjane

Welcome @Louise94 to the online community,

We are glad you found us and hope that the friendship and support you find here will help you with your struggles.

Living with constant pain is something that many of us are very familiar with and we each try to work out our own methods of coping. It is so helpful to read on this forum other people's personal experience and tips because sometimes they can be really helpful.

I attach some links which you may find helpful

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2020/march/complementary-therapies-which-ones-are-right-for-you/

We are all being encouraged to try to stay as mobile as possible and there are some exercise videos that can be followed seated until you feel able to do them standing. These all help with flexibility and mobility and help as well with our sense of wellbeing.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2023/september/exercises-you-can-do-sitting-down/

There are numbers of young people your age who are members and whom you might fell able to chat with in the future , so do keep in touch , we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best wishes
Poppyjane

kirstyeb

Hi Louise,

I’m also in my early 30’s and have found pain relief to be a real challenge! I’ve experimented with quite a few different analgesic drugs and opioids, I found that none of them really work since the inflammation is what’s causing the pain.

I find steroids my most effective pain relief. They don’t get rid of my pain but they do make it slightly more bearable to mobilise. I use a walking stick to help support my more painful foot which helps too.

Introducing a new medication can be extremely worrying, especially when your health is complex, I feel you on that. Have you looked into other more holistic approaches?

frogmorton

Just sending you some ((())) @Louise94 horrible if you have emetophobia as you really need to be taking DMARDs don't you for your PsA and that would be very scary.

I hope this doesn't annoy you but have you considered hypnotherapy? My daughter had leukaemia at 16 and was needle phobic. She couldn't even let the nurses take a plaster off (the ones they put round your cannula?). Our local hospital here had put two in for her but the specialist hospital in Birmingham wanted them out due to 'infection risk'.

As she was facing 2 and a half years of chemo we thought we'd give it a try and for her it worked. She is fine completed her treatment and can now even watch blood being taken.

Apologies if this offended you I did not wish to minimise your condition, but know DMARDs would so help you.

Take care

Toni x

Louise94

Thankyou for your reply toni, yeah taking new medication is just not possible atm and I feel the doctors just don't know what else to do with me I've been referred for cbt therapy but I'm still on a waiting list have been since June/July. Although I have thought about hypnotherapy but i wouldn't know how to look into one that is actually the real deal if that makes sense and i would need to take prices into consideration. I'm so glad your daughter is doing well and it helped her maybe that is the option I'll have to do some research thankyou. X

Louise94

Hi kirsty new medication is just not a solution atm and it's so frustrating I haven't looked into any holistic things is there anything you could recommend to look into