STRONG PAIN KILLERS

[PIRATE185]

Hi after my two weeks of not taking Pregabalin I had the odd pain but last night and today finds me in severe leg pain once again I came in from my part time job today and phoned my surgery for an appointment in order to see my doctor. Next Wednesday the 22nd is my visit. The question that I want to ask is what Pain Killer would you say is the best for severe pain.I have tried Amytriptaline dulucine Pregabalin and the side effects were way to much for me.At present I am on Cocodamol 30x500mg.

[Hidden]

Tried Amytriptaline, Gabapentin, Codeine Phosphate, Cocodomol, good old Paracetemol, naprosyn - yet to actually find something that works

[PIRATE185]

no-one at least if nothing else you are a tryer I hope at some point you get the medicine thats right for you. I know that this is what I want for myself. As constant pain is no use to anyone. As for the pair of us we will just have to keep trying and taking the pills and with any luck at some point we will get the right one that suits us.

[thenunn]

Hi Pirate, like you and no-one I have tried loads ,currently gabapentin and cocodomal,but all to no avail. Am also using movelat ,which is ,eh,useless I have a massage oil a lady on ebay made up for me which is the only thing that helps me,i think mostly the aroma relaxes me ,either way its a joy to use. when used with my deep massage heat machine I can get an hour or two help..not total by any means but comfort. Just been onto my physio and she is going to get me re-refffered ..ive said im open to surgery as cant go like this..im 51 and feel and move like an 80-90 year old 11 lol. just about to start a 12 hour a week job as a carer and wondering if I'll be capoebable but unless I try I wont know ..will I .

Love and hugs to all

[PIRATE185 in reply to thenunn]

Thenunn all the best with that job,as for mine its 5x4 hours withthe odd extra hour here and there after 5 hours I am sore and tired.Hope that you manage those hours ok all the best.

[Calceolaria]

Is your leg pain from your lower back? Have you tried a tens unit? What about asking for referral to Pain Clinic for advice ?

[PIRATE185]

Hi Calcoelaria yes the pain could be coming from my lower back I have a tense machine but this only helps when my legs are tired and not when hey are in pain :-/. Hence the appointment with the doctor in order to try a different pain killer this time .

[Boozybird]

It would be oxycontin and a wine chaser for me. The Americans call them Vicodin and I really don't know why we are so mean here that we stitch people up who are in pain with tramadol which is vile and all the rest of them...it's also the drug that dr. House on the tv series takes for his fictional leg pain. All the best pirate.

[PIRATE185 in reply to Boozybird]

Thanks Boozybird I think I am going to need it :-/.

[teadrinker]

I've tried the same meds as you. Also gabapentin, but didn't find them that helpful. Now take the odd co-dydramol & ibuprofen. This doesn't get rid of the pain completely but it's sometimes handy if I can't sleep.

Things that do help : heat packs (either the ones you microwave or the ones you stick on your skin or clothes and dispose, they can last for several hours which is useful if you're at work); a hot bath or shower (only as good as for the time you're in it but it's relaxing and a useful distraction); physiotherapy (though I've worked my way through a few before finding the right one); moving about /exercise (strangely enough, I can go to a zumba class feeling very stiff and in pain and come out feeling better, probably as I've used the muscles better than when I'm just sitting or pottering about).

There's also acupuncture - not helpful in my case but lots of people swear by it.

I think the thing about pills is that we expect them to work for the whole time that we take them between doses and to keep us free of pain. The non-drug pain management things we try like heat packs might not work for hours at a time so we maybe don't see them as useful as drugs.

Things have got better for me since I worked out that it takes a combination of things, medical and otherwise, to ease my pain. It also helped to write down what helped and to make myself look at this list and then actually act on it rather than sit & think about how much things hurt.

But there are still different medications to try and we're all different so I hope you find something to help you next week.

[PIRATE185 in reply to teadrinker]

Teadrinker thats what I am wanting a pill that is strong enough to take this pain away I will let all of you know just what is prescribed for me and just how I get on .

[missrat]

I've been through just about the lot of painkillers. Oxycodone helps a little, but if I have it at night I'm up all night itching! Hot and cold packs help.

The best thing out for me is TENS - especially the Ultima TENS unit, program H - available online. It can take a lot of experimenting to find the best electrode placement and program selection for you, and a lot of people give up, but it's well worth persevering and not too expensive. Pain clinics and physios will often help you find the best settings.

Also, pain clinics do have other things at their disposal - I'm having radio-frequency ablation in a couple of weeks.

Good luck.

Ann

[PIRATE185 in reply to missrat]

Thanks Ann and all the best with your treatment in a couple of weeks time.

[alfiep]

oxycodone works for me, but only in huge doses.By the way boozy bird, you should not drink while taking oxy.Taken together, they could stop your breathing, especially while you are asleep

[Boozybird in reply to alfiep]

Thanks Alf, sadly they won't give me narcotics. I just had a few prescriptions while on holiday in the U.S a long time ago and thought they were brilliant. I also woke up from an anaesthetic recently, I presume morphine based and my back pain was gone for nearly 24 hours. It was bliss. Feeling easy in myself again for a few hours was like being on a proper holiday! But they've decided I have neuropathic pain so won't prescribe anything stronger than cocodamol and I can't tolerate that.

[alfiep in reply to Boozybird]

Hi boozybird, thanks for the reply.Neuropathic pain is no bar to using opiates.Sounds like you need a new doctor.I have neuropathic pain and I take 600mg of oxycontin a day along with 200mg of Tapendatol, another opiate especially for neuropathic pain.There are a huge range of meds available to you, have you been seen by a pain specialist ? cocodamol are no better than paracetamol, if you have severe pain, you need opiates

[Boozybird in reply to alfiep]

Yes, my GP (s) is crap. I've seen 3 different pain mmgt specialists who sadly have left me high and dry! I've been finally offered spinal stimulation but I just can't do it. If I go back to the GP then all I do is burst into tears (mostly pent up frustration) and he offers me anti depressants or worse tells me about his neck problems! I think I've got traumatic stress from seeking therapy and failing (no offence to ptss sufferers) so I just stay in the house now and do my best each day. My youngest child leaves homes for university this year (hopefully) and we have to sell our house so I will have to seek help soon because I feel very stressed. Thank you for letting me know about your med cocktail. Does it work?

[alfiep in reply to Boozybird]

yes, it does work but the amount of oxy I take is enough to fell an elephant so I guess it should work.If I was you, I would see another pain specialst as a private patient.You should get the meds you need.

[Hidden in reply to Boozybird]

Cocodamol IS an opiate, with the drawback of being mixed with that toxic junk paracetamol!

[williams38]

Hi, I also take pregabalin, terrified to to stop taking themm if I was truthful, have you tried diclofenic ???? they also work for me. Good luck, keep smiling

[Nora1]

I am taking OxyContin and Gabapentin . They don't work all the time, but it's better than having to lie in bed all or most of the day. I have found recently that by altering when I take the Gabapentin I'm having some relief. I now take it at 4/5 hourly intervals instead of longer it works better and the afternoons and evenings are almost pain free. Don't know how long this will last, but fingers crossed. Am going to the pain clinic next week to discuss different painkillers.

[Hidden in reply to Nora1]

No, they don't work all the time!

I seem to "burn up" all opiates very quickly... yes they work well on me, but not for anything like as long as they should.

I find patches (Fentanyl OK, but BuTrans has been better for me) have been the better option in that respect, less up and down even than you get from time release drugs.... even thy don't last as long as they are supposed to either, just a lot less of the "roller coaster" effect.

Don't like the sticking (and un-sticking) problems or the irritation though, but for pain relief I have been much happier.

[KittyBoo]

I take Duloxetine, Tizanidine, Zomorph and Oromorph for breakthrough pain.

This combination has been increased in dosage and seems to be working.

[Hidden]

I don't do painkillers unless absolutely necessary (twice in 11 years) I use alternative things like physio, distraction (my work), stretching, functional and passive exercise, rotating my activities.

Then I do meditation and mindfulness - don't underestimate the power of the brain. Pain is made in the brain, so switching the wavelengths your brain operates on can help to switch off the pain, or move it to the background.

The thing with painkillers is they are designed for short term pain, which is why you keep needing stronger and stronger until you are on morphines and opiates.Then the pain becomes a withdrawal pain and not the original pain. At this point you are a legal junkie. Not only does this affect the quality of your life, but makes it almost impossible to get off.

I really am amazed that people just blindly take any pain killers handed to them without looking at the science and chain of events that may happen as a result.

The only people benefiting from pain meds is drug companies. And the only way that they would start to address the issue would be if everyone stopped taking the pain killers that don't work.

[rowantree in reply to Hidden]

Zanna I want to get to this point. The only painkiller I've found that works so far is tramadol, and I can't take it if I want to function as it makes me spaced out and dizzy. I can't strng sentences together, walk without holding onto things as I'm too dizzy, or Stay awake! So I don't take it. I find work helps as its very busy, so good distraction, but im so tired afterwards, and sometimes during work, that i cant function then either. Wrist splints help too. But I feel so cross with being in pain all the time, and sometimes it gets me down a lot, makes me upset. What can I do? Thanks

[lollywilli]

pain and controlling it zana is different for everyone, if I do anything other than walk my dogs the fibro and chronic pain syndrome makes my life hell with pain, I take 100mg slow release zomorph 2400 gabapentin and 50 mg amitriptyline, without that I wouldn't be here, I have bearable pain on a normal day on a flare up I needed huge amounts of oramorph, I do voluntary work for distraction but end up worse for the following day, I have tried various non drug therapies but to no avail wish it worked as I feel I eat more tablets than food.

good luck pirate, I changed doctors 4 times and found a brilliant one xx

[PIRATE185 in reply to lollywilli]

Hi an thanks Lollywilli as it looks like I need all the luck I can get .for the past 3 days I have worked an extra hour each day an that takes it toll with increased pain in both of my legs .Remploy got me this job but I just wish that the government had jobs for people like us ie light duties. Dont get me wrong I like my job and I want to keep on there tilp my legs quit on me. I wish all people reading this well an carry on an never give up .

[Rhapsody]

Hi Pirate, You didn't mention how you are getting on with the 30/500

Co-codamol. I can fully sympathise with you , I am in the same situation as you,

and my doctor has just given me the Co=codamol 30/500.

I am also on 150mg of Pregabalin a day in 2 75mg doses.

I only collected the new prescription yesterday and will be taking them tonight ,for the first time.

I feel like a fraud, my Doctor just shrugs her shoulders and turns back to her computer.

I so hope you get some relief very soon.

Regards Rhapsody 71 years old.

[PIRATE185]

Hi Rhapsody as for me I was on Pregabalin 2x100 daily for say 3 month now 0 as they did not agree with me.my Cocodamol is my second pill I have been on this for a few years now . This Wednesday I will see my doctor and will get him to prescribe another pill in place of the Pregabalin. Today my legs have been in a lot of pain in spite of me taking so far 4 Cocodamol. I hope that you are ok on your new tablets.

[vivikin]

I take pregablin, amytriptiline and co codamol, I have got used to the side effects after being on them for three years I am still in pain I have started having reflexology as I read an article that said it might help only had two so far but no improvement will keep trying though as it very relaxing on the day, I have had a lidocaine infusion trial last Friday which gave me four days of pain free heaven seeing the consultant from the pain clinic on the 17 June so will let you know what happens next.

[crimsonpiglet]

I sympathise with you, I currently take Gabapentin which I can tolerate but makes me feel very sleepy, co-dydramol and I use voltarol gel, this combination works best for me.

I've tried co-codamol and tramadol and both made me extremely sick. I cannot take oral anti inflamtories due to taking a PPI. Although I was once prescribed Naproxen which I cannot only describe as evil!

I used to take amitriptyline which once you get used to taking (initially it gave me a really dry mouth but that seemed to subside) really seems to work, and will also help you sleep if you are having problems there. I would recommend you ask your GP about alternative pain relief and perhaps something like accupuncture I know a few people who say it really does work.

[coolpolitealex]

I tell you what has worked for me well, and that is something called Tapentadol

and if you take it with Pregabalin and either co-cocodamol or surprisingly Paracetamol and if you don't do too much (as that whats been working for me) then I've found it is bearable up to a point as you have to move and find ways to move that does not put too much pressure on your painful areas, but I do take something else called Methadone 20mls that is also very good for pain but my GP, bless her, told me a long time ago (but I poo pooed her suggestions about Paracetamol) but after trying it with other pain meds I find I get relief ,we are all different.

So in my humble opinion try mixing them till you find something that works for you .

Please excuse me if I've repeated what others may have written, as I never read them all.

[Medical61]

I was initially prescribed Amytriptaline which did nothing for pain relief just made me sleepy. I was taking Paracetamol, Dihydrocodeine and Tramadol at the same time. I was switched onto Pregabalin in conjunction with the others but had to stop them after 2 or 3 years as I realised that the combination on Pregabalin and opioids was causing Acute breathing difficulties. Not the best situation when you already have COPD and Asthma. I did some research and there was a warning published by the FDA in the US alerting prescribers to a possible risk of fatality if prescribing these in combination to patients with chronic lung conditions. I mentioned it to my GP who was blissfully unaware but I stopped taking them and the attacks of acute breathing difficulties ceased. My Mirtazipene was increased to assist with my nerve pains.