Pain management

I'm 43. I have osteoarthritis in multiple joints. I take co-codamol 30 500. To be honest it doesn't give much pain relief. My doctor is reluctant to give me stronger pain medication such as tramadol. Does anyone have any advice on how to manage osteoarthritis Pain? Thanx

Comments

  • 0789blackie
    0789blackie Member Posts: 13
    Hi i have the same problem as you I’ve severe oesteoarthritis of the ankle I’m just waiting on surgery for a fusion from a rugby break 20 years ago I get prescribed the same as you but it only dulls they pain I manage to do daily exercises short walks weights indoor/cycling which is great for mental wellbeing but once I relax it inflames and is real painful especially when I try to put weight on it I also use hot/cold gel pack that I can strap around my ankle which is quite effective I was getting a yearly steroid injection which for the first couple of years worked well and no pain and could work but they start wearing off year after year then it’s surgery which hopefully will hopefully stop the pain but the recovery time is quite long maybe see your GP to refer you to pain management I’ve never found any pain relief that kills all pain just dulls it and the anti inflammatory tablets don’t do much for me I totally sympathise with you with the pain you have to put up with hope you can get something that eases the pain

    Regards

    Darren
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  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Having been through most of the drugs available over the years I am now stuck on Morphine and can honestly say, as many on here will attest, that NO pain medication totally negates the pain, merely knocks the edge off. I have also had steroid & anaesthetic injections into my spine, they were supposed to be effective for up to 3 months and only lasted me about 10 days so the Pain Clinic stopped giving them to me before discharging me about 10 years ago with the words "you have Morphine, there is nothing else we can do for you", since then I have gone down hill and now have OA throughout and am crippled.

  • DODGYKNEES
    DODGYKNEES Member Posts: 90
    Thanx for replying guys. I appreciate it. I have also had steroid injections in both knees but they haven't worked.
  • MarzMac
    MarzMac Member Posts: 47

    Hi everyone

    Just posting this link here about managing pain https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/.

    You may already use some of these methods with varying degrees of success. Ultimately, everyone is different and not all methods are necessarily good or bad, but might work for some people better than others.

    Best wishes to all

    MarzMac