Pain and eating: I am in a lot of pain... - Cure Parkinson's

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Pain and eating

cathi profile image
26 Replies

I am in a lot of pain (mostly joints, shoulder, etc.) which keeps me up at night. Have always been a restless sleeper, but this is beyond my threshold of tolerance. So far, no meds prescribed have taken the "edge" off enough to sleep. So I find myself constantly going to the fridge. I lay back down and try for sleep - nope - up again and more food. Have gained 30 lbs in three months. Help.

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cathi profile image
cathi
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26 Replies
Jenette profile image
Jenette

What pain meds you have? Have you seen a pain management specialist? Mine is a God!

jillannf6 profile image
jillannf6

i tend to use the computer when i cnanot sleep

not advise di iknwo but it doES HELP a little

play card games /check my emails etc

lol JILL

:-)

Sadiesadie profile image
Sadiesadie

I read and do anything to keep from eating! I also use my computer or iPad, anything to keep my mind off food!!! Sometimes it helps,,sometimes it doesn't. I keep salad stuff and veggies in frig.

Any one who can get any sense out of doctors regarding this are lucky. I told my Neurologist He says it is not the PD probably arthritis, see my GP. My GP says it is the PD, one gets to see the Neurologist every six months.

I have found pain can be controlled with Ibuprofen reasonably well.

but yes one tends to be up and down unsettled, walking to the kitchen picking at things

even the dog and cat follows me now..

in reply to

My story exactly and can't get an answer from any doctor!

Jocee profile image
Jocee

I take ibuprophen. It works for a while. Or you could ask your dr for a muscle relaxer. If you must eat, try hot broth to fill you up with not too many calories. Or hot milk with 1 teaspoon (not more!) of cocoa.

olpilot profile image
olpilot

My primary care and neurologist work well.together on this for me. I have as.a special mix restless leg and dystonia along with PD, not that unusual. My neurologist gives me the requip , my primary care gives me morphine cr 15 mg per night and tizanadine 4 mg ang ambien 10mg. It isn't perfect I'm hare after 5 hours sleep , before though it would have been more like an hour. I used to take 2 Aleve but it cause intestinal bleeding. But with all that I am finally getting some good sleep. Very tired of pills. Just added 2mg tizanadine in late afternoon for evening muscle pain

MagicMax profile image
MagicMax in reply toolpilot

Please be careful using Ambien. Side effects include early onset of dementia and/or short term memory loss. You may want to go through a sleep test. I just completed mine and discovered many things I never dreamed of (ha-ha). No, really, my Ambien was changed to klonazepan (Sorry about the spelling) that helps with sleep, lessens jumpy legs and arms, reduces pain, has few side effects, and allows me to enter REM sleep.

For pain, gabapentin works well (between 400 to 800 mg before going to bed). Be careful with tizanadine (my neurologist warns me every time she sees me).

cathi profile image
cathi

Thank you one and all - it is so amazing that so many of us have similar syptoms and challenges and thank God, understanding. Going to try thetizanadine (again) and the hotcoca! You scared me ino stopping the aleve.

Hikoi profile image
Hikoi in reply tocathi

Cathi

Can you tell us what meds are you on, especially what do you take for Parkinsons.?

Hikoi profile image
Hikoi in reply toHikoi

I ask because this pain can come when you need an adjustment or increase of Parkinson medication.

SAMOCT23 profile image
SAMOCT23

Since you are aware of this and know you must do something positive, seek a sleeping med to help you sleep, or switch to drinking warm tea or milk if you wake up, and get off the food so your weight won't keep escalating. I use melatonin to help me sleep, but I have pain too that keeps me awake. I would suggest getting a med for sleep and pain.

MGirardi profile image
MGirardi

Hi Cathi, I understand your situation completely. That's a story I could write about myself.

I have over the past 7 years (since dx) gained 40 lbs. I reach for food more for "comfort"

than pain. But food has always been on auto reach until I got to understand that some meds can help. Neurontin/Gabapentin is wonderful for neuro related pain, sciatica, back, pain, arthritis, and other body pains associated with PD. It. Temazepam is the generic. I just take one no side effects in ten years. I also have to use as needed, xanax, for burst of tremors. Xanax is great because it works in 15 minutes and is out of your system in three hours. People talk about habits forming/addiction and xanax and I have never had that. I'm under the constant care of my GP and Neuro Doc and they both know about all rx's and are ok. You're not groggy or unable to drive after three hours with xanax. I've known others that take it and function perfectly, drive, etc. But it's important to consult your Dr. and read all rx papers. I don't know where you live, but I am in Colorado, and we have liberal cannabis laws and with my red card I can legally purchase an indica form of cannabis that

knocks out my tremor within ten minutes. But I only use it at night because it makes me sleepy too. But I don't go out much. I am total disability and can't work anymore. I seem to function at home with my PD better and the outside world is a danger zone. Best of luck with your courageous walk with PD. A talk with your Dr. may get some helpful Rx's for you.

annh profile image
annh

You need to look up LDN (Low dose naltrexone) get a prescription from your GP, it can take 3 months or a bit longer to work, sometimes its quicker..but it is truly wonderful for PD..relieves pain, builds immunity eases tremor it is FDA approved for 23 years, but for opiate users in a 50mg dose..you would take a low dose..4.5mg it is cheap no side effects..and it is worth looking into...lots of PDP are beginning to use it. Google it..also 5mg melatonin is a must for PD..helps with sleep but also is beneficial for PD

Hikoi profile image
Hikoi in reply toannh

Hi Annh,

I was just reading the thread you posted in last November on LDN and i wondered then how you were getting on. Good to know you are still around. I don't mean to hijack this thread but are you able to give an update on how things are going for you?

bmakla54 profile image
bmakla54

I have been taking LDN for almost a year.....my pain decreased 75% and I have tritrated off half my meds.....it is a miracle and I have read it does halt the progression. IT is an anti-inflamatory and super anti-depressant! A fellow PWP told me after 4yrs. of taking LDN it not only halts the progression but starts reversing symptoms!

in reply tobmakla54

Hi! Where do you get your LDN? Are you taking it with the Mucuna?

bmakla54 profile image
bmakla54 in reply to

I went to my family doctor and she prescribed it for me......

in reply tobmakla54

thanks. My doctor knows nothing about it. I am taking MP and recently added magnesium chloride for RLS - but sometimes I still wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. That's when I start thinking of what I can do to make life easier. The LDN sounds so good and I sometimes feel tired of fighting......it's been 11 years. Symptoms are alleviated with the MP for abpiy 3.5 hrs, but I just never FEEL good - hard to describe ...........

bmakla54 profile image
bmakla54 in reply to

Naltrexone is FDA approved at 50mg and used to treat opiate addicts. At a Low dose 4.5mg it tricks your immune system into overdrive. You have to go to a compounding pharmacy so they can take the 50 mg dose and compound it into a 4.5mg dose....your Dr. should know about the 50mg dose.

in reply tobmakla54

Thanks, bmakla54, I live in Colombia, SA now but I will try to find a compounding pharmacy here - shouldn't be too hard. I have 2 bottles of 4.5 that I got a while back and haven't had the nerve to try it yet. Don't even remember where on the internet i bought it and was busy moving from Panama to Colombia. Now that we've settled down some and I know a bit more Spanish, I will again look into this.

annh profile image
annh

Hi Guys..LDN is the best kept secret . We need to spread the word...I am off all PD drugs since last August, am reversing my symptoms every month..have had research neurologists validate this..Have just come back from a PD Recovery symposium in Santa Fe a few weeks ago...lots of talk about LDN. Also if anyone is near Durham, Raleigh in N Carolina I will be there for the 13th PD Symposium hosted by Duke. It will take the format of round table discussions, with an expert on each table, I will be a "speaker" at one of the tables. June 8th..mark the date.

Hikoi profile image
Hikoi in reply toannh

Thanks, you going to make a video? :)

bmakla54 profile image
bmakla54 in reply toannh

I do believe LDN can do all you say......and yes I take it with mucuna

alexandria12 profile image
alexandria12 in reply toannh

Hello everyone

I'm new to the site. Would like more info about the Symposium. I live in Phoenix and would love to have gone to Santa Fe. I was diagnosed with PD in 2009 and started to experience pain in my weight bearing joints aboout 6 months. Now, it has moved to my lower back, but I never know where the pain is going to hit. I'm taking sinamet 25/100 three times a day and 50/200 half tab at bedtime, azilect, ibuprofen, an anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, hormonal replacement and anti-hypertensive medication. I would like to know how LDN and medical marijana? Something that can help with two or more of the problems and medicaations I'm taking.

Thanks for the valuable info!

salon profile image
salon

i sometimes feel i would do anything for a small amount of relief

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