Pain Med. Recommendations

[Debjimmay]

I’m am 73 and have PAF. I have severe degenerative disc disease and my back pain is unbearable some days. I’m limited to what pain meds I can take due to being on Eliquis. Tylenol does nothing. Can anyone recommend a pain med. that will help?

[jeanjeannie50]

A friend who still has terrible pain in an area, on her back, where she had shingles has morphine patches prescribed which really help. She has AF and takes an anticoagulant.

Jean

[Debjimmay in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thank you so much! I’m going check with my Dr. to see if that’s something that will work for me.

[wilsond]

I am told I can take co codamol when my degenerative back pain gets too much.

I am on Apixaban ,flecanide, Losartan and a statin.

I find heat pads very useful if I know I'm going to be pushing it a bit. You can buy them in chemists.

Hot water bottles at home.

I have been given a set of exercises to strengthen the paraspinal muscles which surround the vertebra ,which go into spasm at times.

One I find very useful is to lie on a bed or mat,flat. Lift one leg up,grasp the knee and draw up towards your chest. Hold for 5 seconds.

Repeat on other side. Repeat 5 times total. It eases it.

Try googling the term or contact a physiotherapist.

You have my sympathy. I was so looking forward yo getting my life back after my successful ablation, when half a year later wham ....back kicked in! Xx

[Debjimmay in reply to wilsond]

Thank you for all the great information. I appreciate your kindness.

[Leaney]

Physiotherapists can help a lot. They can give you exercises specific to your condition and also , if they have studied it, acupuncture for pain relief.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

I was given post op Codein and paracetamol (dose 2 x 4 times a 24 hours) / or tramadol (dose 3 only in 24 hours)for moderate pain/ oxy-norm 3 only in 24 hours for worst pain. You need to watch that you don't get hooked. Perhapschange around.

Before PRADAXA 110 x twice . I took 100mg Ibruprofen which took away any pain but now I can't.

I can sympathise with you. I'm 76.

cheri Joy 76 (NZ)

[SuziElley]

see your doctor. I have cocodamol 30/500 and morphine when needed

[Slidingdoors99]

Hi! I have AFib and HCM and am in many meds including Apixaban. It’s frowned upon by my consultant has said that due to the pain of spinal stenosis I can take 250mg twice a day of Naxproxen. I also take omeprazole to protect my stomach.

[Qualipop in reply to Slidingdoors99]

I was just given naproxen for the first time but taken off it when I got viso problems and the headache from hell. Stupid nurse at GP surgery decided over the phone that I must be having a stroke. I obviously wasn't. So disappointed because it did feel to have helped slightly. Even the GP I spoke to gave me all sorts of warnings about it, especially with heart problems but she couldn't suggest anything else.

[Slidingdoors99 in reply to Qualipop]

Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.

[Qualipop]

All I can do is give you my d eepest sympathy. I too have DDD, scoliosis, fibromyalgia, T 12 syndrome and spondilo lysthesis. I've been on oxycodone for 20 y ears but it no longer works. I was just given naproxen when a nerve trapped so I can't even stand up. I took one tablet which did feel as if it wold help but then developed teh headache from hell. In the past I've had gabapentin which did nothing at all. My pain consultant says CBD is now the only option but doesn't advise it with heart problems. I haven't been able to leave the house since before Christmas. Pain treatment is sadly appalling. There's been no proper research into treatment for decades. Have you tried a TENS machine. They do help for some types of pain but for me they make nerve pain worse.

[Miamigrammy305 in reply to Qualipop]

If you have a pacemaker the TENS device is not allowed according to my heart EP doctor since it can interfere with the PM. So sorry you are experiencing pain. My physical therapist has helped with the pain.

[Qualipop in reply to Miamigrammy305]

Sorry I didn't realise you had a pacemaker.

Thanks but I've been living with this pain for over 20 years. It took 10 years to get a diagnosis. I've done physio, osteopath, every alternative therapy under the sun, neuro surgeons, rheumaologists orthopaedics, pain consultants. If you can think of it, I've tried it. As well as curvature, dried out discs , herniated discs and fibro, part of my spine has now slipped out of line. I live with pain 24/7 but when something moves again and traps this nerve, absolutely nothing helps. I'm on the highest safe dose of painkiller but the heart problems now even make anti inflammatory tablets very risky so the nurse got in a panic about a non existent stroke and insisted I stop it. Surgery would help but they say the risk of paralysis is too great unless I get much worse and the wait time for nerve ablation is 2 years. My pain consultant is only now doing referrals from 2023.

[Miamigrammy305 in reply to Qualipop]

You will be in my prayers tonight. You have went through so much for so long.

[Debjimmay in reply to Miamigrammy305]

Thank you so much ❤️

[Qualipop in reply to Miamigrammy305]

Thank you so much

[Debjimmay in reply to Qualipop]

Hi! We sound so much alike! Thank you for your response to my post. Yes, I have tried the TENS machine and it does seem to help while you’re using it but then it comes back shortly after you’re done. I tried CBD and my arrhythmia seem to get worse so my cardiologist told me not to take it anymore. I need to find something for this pain though as it having a huge affect on my quality of life.

[Qualipop in reply to Debjimmay]

Mine started 3 weeks after a hysterectomy. The surgeon said he'd fastened my bladder to my spinal ligaments so I wouldn't get a prolapse. I was told for years it was adhesions but came to think it could be mesh although 1989 was a bit early for that. Over time the pulling from whatever it is has pulled my spine out of line and lack of hormones have destroyed discs. I've lost 4 inches in height. Quality of life is nil. Misdiagnosis left nerves permanently damaged and now heart disease makes pain relief terribly difficult. Husband has never believed how much pain I have and won't help at all except to make food. He couldn't do without his food on time. I don't think even doctors understand how bad it is so anyone who suffers this really does have my deepest sympathy.

[Debjimmay in reply to Qualipop]

Hi Qualipop. I can sympathize with you completely, even with the husband thing. Mine is not sympathetic at all. He told me one time just don’t think about the pain or my arrhythmias. Really? I had a hysterectomy in the late 70s. Now you have me wondering if that could be causing any of my problems. My back pain is unbearable some days. The only way to ease up the pain is to sit down, but I hate sitting all the time. I tried physical therapy for my back, but it was throwing me into Afib. I can’t go shopping because I can’t stand for long periods. I used to take Excedrin all the time and the aspirin did help but now that I have Afib and I’m on blood thinner I can’t take the Excedrin anymore. It seems there has to be some kind of medication or something I can do to help this pain. Only people who are suffering with this pain can understand what it’s like to live this way.

[Qualipop in reply to Debjimmay]

Oh I got told 2 days ago"You just need to get more exercise. I could have hit him. I've had to use a wheelchair for 10 years until my shoulders got such bad arthritis I had to get an electric scooter because I couldn't propel the chair. In December I had to get a bath lift when I hadn't been able to get out of the bath and had 3 bad falls. Get more exercise????? Pain consultants in 2012 put me on oxycodone; the only thing that helped at all. Everything else had either made me sick or caused stomach ulcers but instead of looking for a c ure, GPs have simply increased the dose slowly each time my body got used to it and now they say it can't be increased any more but there's simply nothing else. When I only had fibromyalgia exercise certainly did help and I was its biggest advocate but now, around 3 minutes is the most I can stand up with pressure on the damaged nerves. I've begged to go back on HRT to slow down the worsening pain ( I got the standard 15 years) but because of my heart attack they refuse point blank. CBD is o ut because of heart. I'd accept the risk because my quality of life is zero. I've left the house once since CHristmas. I can't go anywhere without help and he won't help. Everything is done so grudgingly as if it's all my fault and I'm doing it on purpose or making it up. I can normally potter about but this time my spine's shifted and the nerve isn't releasing. It was Bowen therapy that got me on my feet when it first started but my practitioner has moved to France.

[Debjimmay in reply to Qualipop]

I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. Just when I think I’m at my lowest low, I read a story like yours and I feel guilty for complaining and thinking I have it so bad. When I’m in pain, I sometimes feel like I’m being punished. I always try to tell myself, things could always be worse, and they can. Again, I’m so sorry that you don’t get the help and sympathy that you so deserve.

[Qualipop in reply to Debjimmay]

Worrying or feeling guilty gets you nowhere. I usually cope unless the nerve traps like now. It's always painful because it's damaged but not as bad as when it traps. I wish I had an osteopath I could trust. I did have one but he became obsessed by weird and wonderful supplements i refused to take.

[Vrouse]

Try doing Pilates. I go to a back and joint care class which helps tremendously and reduces the need for pain relief.

[Debjimmay in reply to Vrouse]

unfortunately I have exercise induced Afib so I have to be very careful when doing exercises

[DiyChas]

Ask your medical support about Pregabalin/Lyrica.I have nerve pain in legs and lower back and can't take NSAIDs due to Eliquis/Apixaban.

[Meg24rd]

I have spinal problems and take zomorph 10mg twice a day for my pain, not sure how USA is being about morphine prescriptions, I take bisoprolol and edoxaban and pharmacy say its ok

[N400033]

I hear that there is a new pain killer that is as rffective as opioids but is not addictive. I'm sorry i don't know the name of it yet. But I'm sure you will be hearing more about it. You may want to inquire about it with your Dr.Good luck!!

[Debjimmay in reply to N400033]

Yes, I did hear of that medication but I can’t remember the name of it either. I’m going to look into that.