Hello and Painkillers

Options
RikHenson
RikHenson Member Posts: 3
edited 2. Aug 2017, 02:54 in Say Hello Archive
Hello all. I'd like to ask about painkillers for osteoarthritis and hope this is the correct forum.

I've been suffering from moderate but 24hr pain in my right hip for the last 6 months and an X-ray led my GP to suggest osteoarthritis. Physio was no help. However, because I'm only 46, and can function relatively well on painkillers, my GP thinks I should wait before considering an operation.

I'm lucky that paracetamol helps, but only for 4-6 hours, which doesn't get me a full night's sleep, but heard that ibuprofen is not good long-term. So I have settled into a 2-day routine of one day of 5 x 500mg parcetamol and the alternating day of 3 x 500mg paracetamol plus 1 x 200mg ibuprofen before bed (to get a good night's sleep).

I do realise that I'm lucky to be on such low-level painkillers, and that many others are suffering much worse than me, but my question is: should I be concerned about continuing this regime for many months/years? Would it be ok to increase ibuprofen to every night? Or should I drop ibuprofen completely and try to cope with higher doses of paracetamol instead? Are there long-term risks of paracetamol as well as ibuprofen?

Thanks for any advice
Rik

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Options
    Hello, I am sorry you have had to find us. I have psoriatic and osteo arthritis, now with around forty affected joints so as you might be able to imagine pain is a constant feature of my life and has been for some time. I can tick all the following boxes due to being in constant pain: disturbed sleep, tiredness, frustration, irritation, depression and increasing impatience with many aspects of life.

    Pain and its management are very individual things; one man's agony is another's mild ache. I can understand your concern about the long-term 'impact' of taking constant medication but I cannot relate to it because I've been on meds for the majority of my life: as far as I am concerned they are there to enhance the quality of life and enable me to achieve more. I keep my pain relief to the minimum as that means I have an escape route for the truly rough days (as opposed to the usual daily grind). For me this means four 30/500 cocodamol per day, I do not take ibuprophen or similar medication as it doesn't help. (That's another thing, one man's miracle drug is another's waste of time.)

    Being in constant pain does have a large impact on our lives and how we live them. Looking back to the good old days of one or two affected joints I think I struggled more with it than I do now because much more of me was untroubled. I know and understand that for me a pain-free life is no longer an option but the steady drip-drip of cocdamol dulls a sufficient edge to allow me to get on with things. Your GP is the one to advise about pain relief, in my view and experience a little and often is better than allowing things to build to such a crescendo that nothing seems to help. Joint replacements wont be offered until a certain level of damage has been reached which is one of the more annoying elements of OA. I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,414
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Options
    Hi Rik

    Nice to meet you :)

    Welcome to the forums from me too.

    I would also suggest a chat to the Dr as there are some anti-inflammatories which are slow release and would maybe last more of the night?

    I personally can't take Ibuprofen as it upsets my stomach too badly and take arcoxia instead it's a 24 hour tablet.

    Best of luck and do keep in touch with us.

    Toni x
  • RikHenson
    RikHenson Member Posts: 3
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Options
    Many thanks Toni, DD and Sharon. I'll consult my GP again about painkillers, but last time we spoke, I don't think he knew much about long-term use of paracetamol or ibuprofen either - hopefully someone somewhere is researching this (to be added to your helpful Arthritis Care guides in future)! Best wishes to all.
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,414
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Options
    :D

    Let us know how you get on Rik if you get time!

    Toni x
Back to top

Categories