Pain management

nottodaysatan

Doctor put me on co-codamol for arthritis pain. Saw another Dr today as pain worsened & I need to put the TENS on just to walk from work to the bus stop that takes me 20mins & anyone else 5mins . She looked shocked but basically said that I'm on top dose of co-codamol, didn't want to start me on the slippery slope of oramorph & could do nothing else for me except to take 3 amitriptyline at night instead of 2 in the hope itll numb the pain for longer into the day but if it makes me too drowsy in the day to go back to 2. Injections didn't work & she said that I'm doing all I can by using pain patches, TENS & compression socks( can't take diuretics as they caused my kidneys to stop functioning), plus knee supports. She said all i can do is wait for the orthopaedic dept to contact me as i was referred oct 2024 but that itll prob be another 18 mths. Both doctors ignored the fact I've told them I'm depressed, today's Dr gave me some tissues when I cried but that was the only acknowledgement she showed. Also told me to self refer for physiotherapy but as I'm at the severe end of grade 4 arthritis in my right knee the only option now is replacement. I can't cope with the pain & immobility& I know they say you have to mourn the old you/old life & accept the way you are now but I'm 56 & now the kids have gone i wanted a life for me to enjoy. Instead I get up go to work & home again. No idea how to deal with the pain until I eventually get an appointment.

mucho_pain33

I find cocodamol makes my pain worse and my body acidic. I'm making cannabutter and eating this now and cbd oil under my tongue. Since coming off pharma meds I'm living my life after 20 years of pain.

Bryony

Don't dismiss physiotherapy. It is important to maintain range of motion with stretching exercises. It is also important to retain muscle strength - there are strengthening exercises you can do which aren't load-bearing on the knee, and stretching ones don't need to be load-bearing. I found that physiotherapy exercises for torn meniscus to be much more suitable for me than many suggested for knee arthritis, many of which were too aggressive for end-stage arthritis. They won't cure arthritis but they can help reduce pain, and help a quicker recovery after surgery.

Also be aware that if you haven't been actively doing physiotherapy that despite x-rays and severe mobility issues, the consultant's team may use this to prescribe physiotherapy as your treatment rather than joint replacement, so knocking you off the waiting list statistics, and back at the beginning. Despite having done physio for 3 years, X-rays showing bone on bone for 2 years in both knees, this was the dirty trick they played on me, to manipulate waiting list statistics. Looks like I'll finally get my first knee done in September - 5 years after the OA became severe.

I do understand why you are depressed. I've been fighting severe depression due to my knees too. The GPs just shrug their shoulders as they can't do anything to speed up the process, once you've been referred. They're pulling their hair out with frustration too, as they have so many who are needing replacements but are being stalled by the hospitals. The NHS hospitals seem to be the worst for long waits and repeat cancellations, and may be hit by strikes again.

If you are in England, maybe consider going private for the first referral at one of the private hospitals that are contracted by the NHS, get your diagnosis and ask to be transferred onto their NHS list there. It may speed things up. It is not that expensive (a fraction of the cost of private surgery.) It also means you'll be seen by a consultant, and not palmed off with a rookie registrar, and also will be not be affected by strikes, which may start up again. That is what I ended up doing, having been messed around by an NHS hospital for 2 years. It also meant I could choose my consultant - lots of info on the National Joint Registry about the consultants' experience and hospitals they work at.

If you are in Wales then I'm not sure whether that helps.

Elthuin

I am trying aspirin for pain relief.I think my body is saying..ohh what is this, it seems to take the edge off.Co-codamol made me so constipated and actually barely touched the pain.