Need advice

[Helpforpain12]

Hi wondering if anyone is taking solpadol 30/500 , dicloflex for slipped disc worn discs locked back spasms and pelvic pain !!! And still be in so much pain can anyone recommend anything to help with this ! I do work but do not know how much longer can carry on with this and I do exercise see a chiropractor when can afford too which isn't a lot but when I really can. I do everything right regarding eating good exercise I am not over weight etc but still even with strong pain killers I am in so much pain all the time it never eases up at any point in the day. I have sciatica and I am on Amitriptyline and only when I can not take it anymore it is only 10mg BUT I find if I do take this it doesn't really hit me for hours after and the next day I am struggling to do anything so tired so I try to avoid this. I am going to doctors this week as been on solpadol near 3 years and I can't believe how much pain I am still in ?? So thought I would ask if anyone else has any advice if they have the same thing happening. Thanks in advance xxxx

[Hidden]

Hi - yes, know something of how you feel along with a few other painful conditions (you probably have others too - I suspect most people only mention the top worst ones that they are struggling with at that point in time otherwise the list would be horribly long). I've been told, and had to accept, that pain is something I have to live with and each time I get something else go wrong with me it's usually the same thing. It's not easy and there are days when I feel like giving up and am a crying, soggy mess. Normally it's my lower back that causes most of the back problems but currently I have a trapped nerve in my upper back as well and can barely move my head and arms without sharp, stabbing and shooting pain. I do know that I'm not alone. Regarding the Amitriptyline, unless you've been told differently, you aren't really supposed to take it in an ad hoc way. The idea is that it lowers the overall level of pain but to do this you need to take it regularly. Taking it randomly will probably cause those side effects to flare up each time as your body doesn't get a chance to settle down and get used to it. As I understand it these type of drugs cause side effects that wear off over a few weeks (been taking them for a long time and it's easy to forget!). I never found chiropractors or osteopaths ever made any difference unfortunately. Perhaps they work well for some types of problems but I didn't find it to be the case for me and I saw 9 different practitioners over many years, with some for several years so I did give it a good try! Tried acupuncture as well and various other things - all I ever did was end up poorer unfortunately! Mindfulness can help for some people and I suppose all I can say is that it doesn't make me feel worse as it is relaxing.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[Helpforpain12 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah get u about the nerve mess xx

[Helpforpain12]

Everything u have said makes sense to me yeah I damaged my back thro care u are meant to let the person fall if they are going to fall but I don't believe this and human reaction came into it when this happened I actually heard a massive pop thought oh carried on rest of shift no pain just numb next day very stiff the next ended up in hospital back had all locked. I am in so much pain I am to a crying soggy mess I need my man to help me slide out of bed some movies and feel stupid for it as I am so active work hard and this been going on 3 years now and I have been getting worse and worse I am in agony and actually thinking what do I do ? Do I finally give up on working when I barely hanging on or push through and keep going so many issues I can't say I wish this didn't happen to me as someone would have been hurt instead of me so it won't be as bad as could have but god wish could find something to end this pain. I have tried all you said too and made me worse people said how can u be worse and thought am I imagining I am worse is it in my head so thank you so very much as thought I was nuts so ur saying u ended up worse for it so did I thank god I am not the only one xx thank you so much for ur message xx

[Fabbird]

Hi, that's the lowest possible dose of amitriptyline. Also, as someone else has commented, it's not a painkiller so you have to take it regularly for it to have any effect.

My understanding is that it doesn't work for everyone. Here is a Cochran review

cochrane.org/CD008242/SYMPT...

To find out if it works for you or not, I think you'd need to take every day for several weeks and probably increase the dose. Best to discuss with your doctor exactly how to do it.

My currently on a trial of gabapentin. I've got the dose up to the therapeutic level and I'm in my second week. I'm starting to think it's making a difference but my GP wants me to stick to it for a month before deciding if it works or not.

Good luck!

[Hidden]

Very hard to ignore someone falling if you can stop it - even if it does mean hurting yourself. Don't blame you for doing it.

Yes, a lot of osteos/chiros/physios either did nothing for me or made it worse. Some problems simply aren't treatable in those ways. My husband found that when the same problem occurred in his back on several occasions whether he saw on osteo or not - the recovery period was the same. I think a lot of people are being treated unnecessarily - but how do you know? It's extremely hard to work out what is best.

I was always very active - lots of aerobics and keep fit type things and so now have some worn out joints. Can't win really, can you?! I too have had to rely on my husband to get me in or out of bed - I have a bed rail but that's not much help if your arms and upper back are in a mess.

I work part time as support for my husband in his business - so not really a 'proper' job as I can easily just so 'sorry, can't do it today'. I do get Personal Independence Payments so that helps to manage the extra things I need. Perhaps discuss work with your husband and see if you can manage without your income. CAB could help to see what benefits you could get if you felt work was just far too much these days. Perhaps there is something part time or from home you could do? I know I have been lucky on the work front - I commuted in and out of London for years but then it became too much so I worked from home full time and then stopped altogether as I didn't think it was fair to the company as I was off sick with pain so often - stopped me being reliable.

I have found all that painkillers do is sometimes take it from unbearable to just about bearable. It's better than nothing I suppose.

Good luck with your doctor.

[Helpforpain12 in reply to Hidden]

Hi thank you yeah man is in college trying to get a better life for us all we have 3 kids and basically going on the sick is very hard here they are very hard I am in a catch 22 with it all but will get there just want to not be in so much pain but I don't have a bad life could be worse so just have to get on with it xx thank you xxx

[Helpforpain12 in reply to Helpforpain12]

I know the dose is low but did try 25mg one night and my god could have without any issues got a part in the walking dead was like an zombie couldn't even speak right not right lol. But I'll take what u are saying about being on it long term as I honestly didn't know this so will think about saying to doctor either something else that won't make me groggy or do this xx