Pain relief.

[Kendavis359]

Hi everybody,

I sit here in on the sofa in stage 4 of copd along with asthma and the main thing that’s getting me down is a aching all over body from bottom of lungs to the muscles in my legs. I have been on codeine for nearly thirteen years now and tramodal when it gets to bad.

Is pain part of having a lung function working at 20 %.?

The pain is making me depressed as the years fast slip by and I was wondering does anybody else on this website need to take pain relief for this condition.?

Or what do I take next as I don’t drink, take drugs or smoke but I need to do something soon.

Any advice welcome please. Thank ken.

[Ergendl]

So sorry for you. Has your GP referred you to a pain clinic?

[Corin1950]

Hi Ken

My husband has low lung function like you ( very severe emphysema ) but he has no pain. He's either comfortable or uncomfortable but that relates to his breathing. He doesn't have any arthritis but often gets headaches for which he just takes paracetamol. You are on some heavy duty stuff if you're taking codeine and tramadol. Do you know what is causing the pain? Is it muscular or joints from inactivity?

Hope you get some answers

Best wishes

Corin

[Kendavis359 in reply to Corin1950]

Thanks for reply,

It’s no specific place bar bottom of lungs at times but it’s generally all over feeling that i ache, it must be muscular, I’m 65 and had this for thirty odd years, think I’m getting past my sell by date ha ha I still feel 25 in the head but the body tells me different and sitting down seems to make it worse or gives me time to think about the pain. I feel like I need to go for a work out to get fit which I have always enjoyed getting that second breath and that feeling of feel good factor. I should of died twice last summer from bad attack so I have got to be grateful for still being here but think pain pulls me down mentally, anyway I going to see doctor. Ps I know diet plays big part in my illness. Thanks ken.

[Corin1950 in reply to Kendavis359]

Have you ever done a Pulmonary rehab course? You could ask your doctor to refer you. They would do an assessment first. That would get you moving. You could also ask your doctor to refer you to see a physio or pay to see one yourself if you can afford it just to find out exactly what's causing the pain.

One surgery near me runs a pain clinic but not sure how common they are. Something else to ask about.

I can't help feeling a bit worried about about you taking tramadol long term.

It is one of the Opiates along with Fentanyl that is having a very bad press at the moment as being "dangerous" because they are very strong and oversubscribed. Please be careful.

Corin

[Kendavis359 in reply to Corin1950]

Thanks for reply,

I hardly touch the tramadol and only if pain gets to bad, my first attack is the codeine and maybe because I’m trying to cut that down it could be the withdrawals from it that’s making me so slow and stiff. Yes I did the gym exercises years ago and still do my stretches etc. I officially am down to 18% lungs working so I can’t expect to be the fittest bloke around. I will take one day at a time and see if cutting down this codeine gets any easier for me. Thanks ken