Hi, I had an X-Ray on both of my hands last April which confirmed I had Osteoarthritis in all of the joints in both of my hands. I have had shoulder pain in both of my shoulders for many years as my job is working on a computer. I started to have lower back pain in 2020 and always had pain in one knee when it got cold. Now I have pain in both of my knees all of the time. I am now having pain in my ribs which is worse when I move and lie down. I can't sleep at night for the pain I am taking Co-Codamol, Naproxen and Amitriptyline. I have even started on HRT as that is supposed to help with joint pain. I have took cocodamol for many years and I don't think it has much of an effect now.
Is there any other pain killers I should ask my GP for instead of Co-Codamol?
If I asked my GP to refer me for an MRI Scan would it show where in my body I have Osteoarthritis?
Or would I need to get individual X-Rays done?
I am under the impression that they think I am on the medication for Osteoarthritis anyway due to having it in my hands so there would be no point having anything else X-Rayed.
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Only45
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firstly, please excuse typing errors as I use voice to text and vice versa to read and reply to posts as I can’t see them. My arthritis started in my hands when I was 18 years old and back. Then only x-rays were used in my late 30s, due to an injury in my back during my nursing career as I slowed down over the years, my spinal pain got worse. As I spent a lot of my time either working 75 hours a week or so teaching outdoor pursuits in the mountains, again, once I slow down my joints all started to hurt. I spent many many years as a tech manager working on computers, 18 hours a day, 365 days a year and as long as you don’t slouch your spine at the computer and you do remember to keep taking breaks so you are walking around for half an hour to an hour every three or four hours, than working on a computer should not affect your health.
I was seen in January 2012 by an MSK team at the hospital regarding my spine and joints. They took one x-ray of my spine, that was it. In 2017 they were still referring back to that same x-ray taken in 2012.
The 2012 x-ray of my lumbar showed I have mild disc degeneration. When I had that x-ray taken. I walked into the hospital, over the next five visits to that unit. I went from walking to using a cane to crutches to a wheelchair and they still referred refused to do an MRI. It was only when due to my lack of mobility and I was moved to a different town to an adapted house but I got to see a new GP. This new GP requested a full spinal MRI when the results came back, she (the doctor ) held my hand saying I am so so sorry, at this point, I was scared to death of what she was going to tell me but little did I know she was going to say to me the words-I am really surprised you are not paralysed yet Going by the results of your x-ray.
For three months I was scared to move. I’m not sure which scared me more, the word paralysed, or the word yet, but either way it did freak me out. Over the MRIs I have had both MRIs and during surgery if you ever have to have surgery on the joints Forms of arthritis can be detected in the MRI because it affects the joints which are primarily the bones. As an example, with the spine, it’s very much like disc grinding on disc.
I MRIs can and will show all osteoarthritis points within your whole body, but these do cost the NHS quite a bit of money so they are reluctant to do MRIs just to toll a patient. Yes you have osteoarthritis . A GP would rather diagnose without an MRI, and only have one done if absolutely necessary and he can validate it to the hospital radiographer.
Co-Codamol can be bought from a supermarket pharmacist, but as these are sold in packs which only last three days, obviously for pain levels. It is better to get the prescription from the doctor Naproxen is mainly an anti-inflammatory, and while these do work, coming from somebody who is now 55 and has been suffering from arthritis in every single joint and through my spine for over 30 years, naproxen and anti-inflammatories work just as much as either a heat pack, or a cool pack or even tens machines But it’s up to you what you want to use. I often find that when the painkillers and anti-inflammatories aren’t working and I am in so much pain I have actually scream the house down all day and all night for nearly a week because I was in so much pain , even left me bedridden for three years it was that bad. This was before I found the joys of transitions doesn’t take away all of the pain, but believe me can come back quite a lot of it when it gets severe so as you looking into them and investigating for yourself, and seeing whether you think it’s something that you would benefit from . If you do decide to get machines I would seriously advise that you look around get a reputable brand replacement tens pads.
If I may ask you to consider I don’t know if you’ve done this or that even thought about this before, have you spoken with an occupational therapist?
I ask this, because during the days where your pain is at its worst and your knees and your spine hurt. Even if it’s just to navigate around the house you may even be offered an NHS wheelchair, even if it’s just to go from the living room to the bathroom and back because you’re unable to walk that distance because your joints are so incredibly painful , there are a huge amounts of walking aids of various things search an occupational therapist.
One thing I will say this is something I have learnt over the years, because I spent far too long, being scared of knowing what I could say to my GP, what was acceptable what would be classed as offensive whether I would have to change GPs if I upset him and I would come away so frustrated because I felt as if I didn’t get my point across, and whatever he was giving me I’d had before I knew that it wouldn’t help so it’s taken me years and years to learn how to be respectful yet forceful when speaking with the GP, yes, it will shock the life out of them, but sometimes that is what is needed for them to take you seriously, and for them to realise enough is enough they’re not you’re not going to carry on taking whatever they get give you and just say thank you very much and not see him again for months on end. Meanwhile you are left in pain and then on the wiser. If you’re in pain please please tell the GP don’t try to play it down. Most GPs are very very immune to tears and tantrums so when you go in there, make sure that you know exactly what you want to say, and like I said, be respectful but be forceful explain to him that you’ve been on Co-Codamol for a long time you don’t feel as if they’ve they’ve been doing any good for you for quite some time now and perhaps that is it’s time for your medication was reevaluated you’ll be surprised how much of a result you get from that and whatever they prescribe for you will be a lot better than what you’re on now.
Again, I do apologise for the very weird message because I am using voice to text and sometimes it has a mind of its own, and put saying random words instead of what I’ve actually said . I do hope that there is something amongst my very long ramble that you may find useful. I like to wish you much pain relief as possible because unfortunately that’s not something we we get an awful lot off so my heart does go out to you and if I could cross my arthritic fingers for you I would.
Thank you very much for taking the time to reply to me. My GP has referred me for Physio/Occupational Therapy, however that was in April last year for Fingers, Back & Shoulders she did say that there was about a 6 month waiting list. I seen her again in September and she said she was going to chase it up and I still haven't heard a thing so either she has not done it, or the waiting list is very, very long.
keep chasing that up, regardless of how much of a nuisance you or they think you are becoming, because if you don’t keep on about it, they assume it either can’t be that bad and you can live with it or you slip through the cracks, months and years go by and you get forgotten about.
I learned the hard way and didn’t like being a nuisance or a nag, but over the years I fell through the cracks in the system so often I was forgotten about. Jan last year an occupation therapist told me “the visual impairment team are only a couple of weeks backlog behind us so you should get an appointment by end of this month”. I waited and waited, they forgot about me. If it hadn’t been by pure chance of chatting to a blind guy in a supermarket market queue who had the visual impairment officer on speed dial and phoned her on my behalf, I wouldn’t have been seen at all. A 2 week wait turned into my being forgotten about, and after a reminder I was seen 10 months later. The low vision woman said she didn’t even know she was meant to come see me 10 months back but did find a letter from my GP and optician after that guy called her for me (and that’s only one example of the many times I’ve been forgotten about). So please do keep hounding them.
This is my own personal experience of physio visits, but other than exercise, they did nothing else for me. I found using a bath wash, like Dove or Simply Kind on my hands in a sink of water just a little hotter than body temp, find something comfy to sit on (or a bowl and towel on your lap) and massage the bath wash into your hands - basically in the same movements the ads all showed us how to apply sanitiser during Covid. The heat from the water and the massaging of your hands should ease it.
An electric blankets on the bed, one pillow and your knees bent so your spine is more flat, the heat into your spine should help it quite a bit, just don’t fall asleep as I did, I ached more when I woke up as I’d rolled over haha.
An O.T will be able to provide you long term and free so many things that will help all areas of your health.
I wish I could go into detail of everything I have to help me but there is a word limit on here. Try making a list of things as and when they happen, what you were doing and how much it hurt and which area (just short notes) so when you see the O.T your mind doesn’t go blank on what hurts when you do certain things. It helps him/her best determine all the gadgets to get you.
Has your doctor ever tested you for a Rheumatic Disease? I always was told I have OA my whole life until 5 years ago when I was actually diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and the problem I had getting diagnosed is PSA has no testing and on X-rays and MRI it looks like OA and I absolutely have OA but most of my issues is PSA…. Anyway my pains we’re always manageable until I lost my thyroid and became hypo and then my entire body went crazy …. Have you ever had a complete thyroid test (TSH, FT4, FT3 and T3)? Doctors do only TSH but this doesn’t show thyroid issues and not having enough thyroid hormones can make OA and Rheumatic diseases worse as I found out the hard way.
I have had the blood test for Rhemuatoid Arthritis but it was negative. I have been back to GP today as I have been experiencing more pains in muscles and joints and having headaches and feeling nauseous CRP was raised again to 150 from last Wed blood test. She took more today and said she was going to refer me back to Rheumatology urgently. The last time I was referred was November last year and they basically said that there was no evidence to suggest I had an underlying inflammatory Rheumatic disorder.
Even though I had raised ESR and CRP and loads of random multiple and joint pains and felt quite unwell. I was eventually given a 6 week course of steroids and felt better for a few weeks but then when I was on 5mg for last 2 weeks I felt like I was going down hill and then when I stopped I went back to the way I was before I started them.
I am not sure if I have any tests done on my thyroid recently, but I will ask when I go back to GP next Fri.
as far as painkillers go, Only45, I have Butec patches (look it up). It’s a heroine derivative so most docs would be very wary. My own doc has an additional degree in pain management so I fully trust him. The reason I got this painkiller originally is that I was taking medication to help stop the return of cancer, and this particular medication is known to exacerbate arthritis.
When I ceased this cancer pill I tried to come off Butec gradually, with the help of the doctor (you get withdrawal symptoms) I managed to reduce the dose but have decided to stay on it for life if I am permitted to.
The trouble with CoCodamol, as you know, is that it becomes less efficacious as time goes on, and you still get constipated!
In your position I’d ask my pharmacist what the various possibilities are, including over-the-counter medication like turmeric and glucosamine with chondroitin. Most pharmacists regard it as part of their function to give such information. Indeed many high street pharmacists do stints at local hospital where, of course, they advise the docs on duty. Your own pharmacy might be far more clued up than your doc.
You are wise to look into HRT, too.
I’m not sure that scans or X-rays would help you in any way, as has been said. If you had a problem with, say, your hips such that you are on schedule for a hip replacement op, then the surgeon might want a scan to help him or her plan the op. But otherwise, I don’t think it’s would be worth doing.
Hi, have you heard of paradigm biopharmaceuticals? They are an Australian company doing trails for osteoarthritis in a few countries. Having amazing results with no known side effects. My uncle could barley walk because of his knees and was told his only option was two knee reconstructions. He did some research and joined the trial. Now he goes for runs daily and plays other sports.
The drug is called Zilosul
Look it up and ask your doctor to look into it for you. Absolutely amazing results and testimonies from trial participants.
If you google 'paradigm biopharmaceuticals trial UK' or 'par trial UK' their are articles saying they have started several sites for people to join the trials. I'm sure if the company was sent an email they would be happy to give out information on where people can apply.
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