Hi, I have had RA for about 12 years now. Started on Sulphasalazine - made me sickly. Then onto MTX tablets which made me sickly for 5-6 days a week unfortunately, I had an old Dr who said I had to put up with it so I did for about 7 years. I was at the point, where I couldn't do it anymore when I was given a new Dr. He said it was totally unacceptable because yes there were side effects to the medication however, it was about getting the right balance to enable a decent quality of life. He cut down the dose and added Hydroxychloroquine - which worked for a while. Since then I've been on MTX injection - worked for a while, and then Leflunomide - which made me lose weight (I saw this as a bonus lol) but put my blood pressure through the roof. So now I am about to be put on Benepali however, in the meantime I am on Prednisone, Gabapentin, Tramadol, Amitryptaline, Adcal-D3, Naproxen, Paracetamol & Omeprazole.
One day last week, I was watching my Adult children interact laughingly with my grandchildren, when I suddenly thought 'I used to laugh like that'! In all honestly I can't remember the last time my life was pain free enough to just be carefree enough to laugh wholeheartedly, or interact fully with my family - I always seem stressed or in too much pain.
I am sure many on here are on much more medication and even worse than I am, but I want to be around to watch my Grandchildren grow up, and with all the medication we take whilst it helps one condition, it appears to promote others!
My Son has done lots of research on my behalf, and my family keep asking me to try it, but I am too scared in case it interacts with anything, but I would happily stop a lot of medication if I knew it wouldn't interact or might work especially if it doesn't have the debilitating side effects.
Any thoughts?
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annie0261
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I no what your saying I tend to spend more times crying than laughing.but i also feel like I’m missing out on a lot.I don’t want my granddaughters to remember me for sitting watching them.I want them to be able to tell story’s of what we did together.But I need that magic pill first lol. So if anyone can find it pls let me no 😳 x
I know it can be hard but some of those listed meds are really just ordinary stuff. Paracetamol and Omeprazole I don't think about. The question is why are you still in pain is it because the new medication has'nt yet been started ? if you want to give that a fair go then the CBD oil will or might mask its effects.
I'd suggest giving the Benipali a few months then if it does'nt work think again. Personally I would not use anything not prescribed as interactions do occur and if you blood pressure could be an issue is it worth the risk of a stroke or heart attack. Mind you I don't know much about CBD oil but who knows whats really in the stuff if its obtained offf the internet. It to me seems a bit risky but I wish you luck whatever you do.
There are two issues you put forward here. One is the control of pain, the other control of the auto-immune disease (Rheumatoid Disease, RD) attacking your joints and other body systems.
You need to get control of the auto-immune disease. Otherwise you have serious future damage to look forward to. So you need to continue with the benapali, or some other similar treatment.
The other aspect is the pain control. This is difficult - the pain will improve with improvement of the control of the RD, but meantime you need something to help you improve your quality of life.
When you are stressed, it is more difficult to deal with the pain. You might like to look at ways of reducing that part - cognitive behavioural therapy? counselling? - and life style improvements, e.g. are you trying to do more than your body will allow? And I'm presuming that you have already tackled diet, exercise and avoiding smoking?
And perhaps seek specialist help with your pain management. That might include thinking about substituting CBD oil for some of the medications that you are already taking, presumably without much success - the gabapentin, amitriptyline and tramadol? And taking both naproxen and prednisolone isn't terribly sensible. If you stopped the naproxen, you might be able to stop the omeprazole too? It might be worth booking an appointment with a pharmacist and going through all the medications, why you take them and if they can be improved?
Overall, it sounds as if you have a more flexible rheumatologist, so worth seeing if you can sort out some of the other things while he/she tackles the RD. There isn't a magic bullet, however much our well-meaning relatives would like to find one for us. It IS hard work sorting out the best management, and, usually, it is up to us to find out what is best for us as an individual - no-one else has the time or the dedication to do it!!
My Rheumy Dr suggested my Dr upped the quantities of gabapentin and Tramadol for the pain. The Amitryptaline is to help with sleep.
My Rheumy nurse said to keep taking naproxen, and prescribed omeperazole because the Prednisole ( which is in place for 4 months until the Benepali kicks in) or Adcal cause stomach problems? I've just gone along with the Docs.
You are right I do need the Benepali to stop the damage, its all the rest for the pain. We seem to take a tablet, and then need another to counteract the damage the first can cause!
Some people on here have said that CBD oil has really helped them with pain from already damaged joints, and fibromyalgia. But it won't do anything to control your actual disease so you risk causing permanent damage if you reject conventional medicine. The only things you are taking now to tackle the inflammation are prednisone and Naproxen. You might find once you've started benepali that you will be able to cut down on these drugs, as well as some of the others.
I would discuss it with your doctor at your next appointment, as you might be surprised as some doctors are very open to trying things like CBD oil and will advise you on interactions. For example, they may well be happy for you to try CBD instead of tramadol.
Well you might still need the Adcal, but hopefully with Benepali you will be able to come offf others - do talk to your doc about the interaction. Good luck, I know the feeling of just having too many pills to take.
As someone with a very long list of drug allergies I can attest to the effectiveness of CBD but I also use a vape pen with cannabis oil.
I am allergic to Naproxen which is in all anti inflammatory drugs. I also respond poorly to Prednisone. The research conducted by the association verifies that people with rA have twice the about of receptor cells hence it is a very affective drug with no side effects.
I very much recommend this drug ( substance) as it is not a drug. It is also a very effective treatment for cancer. It reversed stage four Lymphoma when chemo did nothing for me.
My Son has really read up on CBD oil, I just thought if I could take the Benapali and it worked, then the CBD might be less damaging than all the other pain killers.
Just to mention Theroc.us Realm of Care is a link to possibly explore as a friend has been in contact with them re his cancer, and he got generally well informed , although of course we are not discussing cancer, worth an investigate or maybe they can refer on
...... It's quite incredible to hear from "going to pot' series Shown in U.K. recently the experiences, maybe google it, Pat from the soap Eastenders has taken the oil daily since the filming and pain relief, and the professor in USA who witnessed children's seizures stopping and brain tumours disappearing, also on This morning programme last week another amazing claim from a lady who reversed all her cancers when given a weeks prognosis although she may have had the whole of the plant, But amazing successes it seems with cancers anyway,
Well in the strict definition of a drug being a substance that has a physiological effect on the body, then if it's not a drug then it won't do anything!
Does the NHS agree your cancer was reversed because that is an astonishing claim. Of course if your not in the UK then who can verify this, as its truly something that the medical world must investigate.
Hi Damaged...what dosage of CBD oil do you take daily, please? I’m taking 10mg (I have a high (265) RF factor but no inflammation, yet, and with CBD oil, I am hoping to keep it that way) Thanks : ) Helen.
I use 20mg of CBD , for pain and lymphoma and Flyte oil with vape pen. I do not take opiates because I have a genetic mutation which makes it metabolize very quickly. The good news is despite fifteen years of opiates I have no tolerance or addictions.
I am going to wade in here, in a random and pharmacy capacity, Holland and Barrett sell the CBd oil, I have never taken any alternative or illegal drugs since or before me ra, the thc the addiction psychoactive ingredient has been removed, the could equally sell it under the name hemp oil!!, it tastes like hay or grass and I'm afraid I personally not convinced it worked for me, purchased a small bottle during a flare, whilst on no other prescribed drugs, but every one is different.
A medical canniboid drugs sativix is available on prescription with strict control for multiple sclerosis, saw it when working in hospital pharmacy
The truth is that CBD won't do anything if you are still living a lifestyle that creates inflammation in the body.
The goal should be to reduce your inflammation and immune response.
Fix the underlying causes of inflammation like stress, diet etc and CBD can have a profound effect on the way you feel. If you don't treat the underlying causes of inflammation, the benefits of CBD will be negligible. It's like trying to use a Water Pistol to put out a house fire.
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