Chronic pain

[Debbs73]

I'm 42 yrs old and have suffered knee pain since 18yrs old. I've had numerous operations on my knees more so to the right knee. I've also had 2 operations on my right shoulder which is now causing me chronic pain I'm also suffering chronic pain in my back. I take morphine patches and tablets, lidocaine patches, amatryptatine tablets, ands gabapentin. I know the pain isn't going to get better so it's a case of dealing with it. I'm thinking my body is getting immune to the drugs now and need to change, but have tried so many. Any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance.

[deejames]

Hi Debbs and welcome to the forum. That's a lot of medication to be taking at once. Would you elaborate on the dosage. Have you had a diagnosis for the various pains ? Any other treatment ?

I'd be happier replying with my experience if you lock your post so that it cannot be seen on the wider net. Go to edit and click on the pack lock icon. Then resend.

Dee

[Debbs73 in reply to deejames]

Yeah sure here goes my long list of meds. : sevredol morphine tablets 20mg every 4 hours. Gabapentin 900mg 3 times daily. Amitriptyline 75mg at night only. Fentynal patches slow release 50 but can go upto 75mcg/hour I wear these 1patch for 3 days then put a new one on. Lidocaine patches 5%medicated plaster that is to be worn for 12 hours . I've tried numerous other tablets, creams before we (me and my gp)have got to this stage. Accupuncture injections, (in my knee, shoulder,and feet ). I'd be grateful of anything else anyone can suggest. I'm may of tried what u suggest but u never know. I can then goto my gp and ask if we can try whatever u suggest. I'm at my wits end now and makes me very depressed. Tia.

[Sallyk42]

Hi hun. I take Zomorph for similar pain. And amitriptyline too. I would think you're on some massive doses to be taking that lot. I too am constantly taking more because they stop working. Although I can say I think you need a review of your meds. Do you go to pain clinic? If not I advise to get Dr to refer you. They will then look to other options like neck / back injection. I personally have so many side effects from taking my tablets for two years. I dread to think what you're having.

[Debbs73 in reply to Sallyk42]

HI there. Yeah I have had my meds reviewed recently by my gp. Yeah I have done the pain clinic seen different consultants over the year. I have also completed a pain management course which tries to teach you coping mechanisms on how to deal with your pain. Tbh I didn't feel it benefited me as it just told us things that was really using your common sense. Like if your in oddles amount of pain don't do to much which could aggregatethe pain and make it worse. Do little and often. I've also had injection directly in my knees, also had a tight taunacaine put around my foot had it blown up really tight and then had injections into my foot this is meant to help but after the 2nd lot I had no change so they never did the 3rd one. I'd be grateful of any Adice any one can give me. Thanks.

[johnsmith]

See an Alexander Teacher. They can help reduce the bad posture and poor muscle control that has an input into your pain. Improving posture and muscle control should hopefully reduce pain and discomfort.

Hope this helps.

[Marylyn]

Hi I think you are having neuropathic pain caused by nerves being damaged .Sadly folks are continually operated on for painful joints.unbeknown to surgeons they are only treating symptoms not cause.By treating nerve damage caused by a vitamin B12 in fact nerves can be repaired if damage not long term.Todays meds like statins,for Goad,metformin,chemo,antibiotics,OCP ,PPI,nitrous oxide,stomach stapling all deplete Vit b12.Blood tests required Serum & active B12,folate,ferritin iron,homocysteine,MMA.If b12 is below 450 then nerve damage has already occurred & supplements required now.I am speaking from personal experience.Good luck.

[PFKAAde]

Hi Debbs

I have a not dissimilar spread of woes to you, although for different reasons I would guess.

I have RA, DDD - spinal stenosis, degenerative scoliosis, a torn rotator cuff and degenerated collar in my right shoulder (only option a replacement that might well 'not work') new left knee, snapped tendon in right foot leading to fallen arch, painful hands & wrists from RA etc.

I've had RA since I was 30 and am now 47.

12 months ago I was on a silly amount of morphine, Amitryptaline, Pregabalin, diclofenac, lansoprazole, and others.

It's a very long story but about 4 months ago (with the agreement of my spinal surgeon) I started going to the gym and seeing a Personal Trainer with experience of lower back pain problems. At the time I couldn't stand up unsupported, had constant sciatica, huge muscular pain in glutes (bum if you prefer 😬) all of my muscles ached and I was not getting much relief from the pain meds. And I couldn't sleep due to the pain.

Four months of hard work and more pain and I'm starting to see a real improvement. It hasn't been easy but I have now learned the difference between true back pain and muscular pain (and the muscular pain was a massive part of it all).

I have also had root ganglion nerve block injections into my spine (and 2 emergency laminectomies), which enabled me to get going in the first place but without the physical therapy I'd still be in a bad place.

The increased muscle strength has helped with everything, it takes some of the strain off the spine which helps with the pain and the scoliosis, my shoulder is more mobile and less painful, I can stand up, the sciatica no longer keeps me awake, I'm fitter than I have been for years and I've reduced my meds.

I'm still on 50mg a day of morphine, but I'm working on that slowly (I was on 10 X that), I'm nearly off the Pregabalin, off Diclofenac / lansoprazole and off Amitryptaline.

I have started supplementing with turmeric / pipperine, b12 (needs research to find the best way of taking it so it can actually be used), potassium, magnesium, zinc and other stuff for 'leaky gut' repair (RA related). I've also cut down on alcohol and changed my diet (no gluten / dairy, less meat, no sugar, nothing processed, no simple carbs etc).

Not all of this may be appropriate for you, I guess I'm just saying there are always things you can do, and you can do it. If I can anyone can.

I now feel more benefit from the hugely reduced amount of morphine than I did before.

Ade

[Marylyn in reply to PFKAAde]

Vitamin b12 can be taken sublingual or injection we do both as we have pernicious anaemia.All that pain is neuropathic pain Drs won't tell you this they say it is arthritis.Have your active vitamin b12 serum is inaccurate,folate,vitamin d ,iron,ferritin,MMA,homocysteine levels.Check b12awareness.org for life changing facts.

[Debbs73]

Hi guys. Just thought I'd update u on my recent trip to my gp to discuss a jig up of my meds. I asked him about stem cell therapy but is not available on the nhs in the uk as yet,so I think that will only happen if I win the lottery. 😢.So he's taken me of my amatryptatine and replaced that with diazaapm to help me sleep. An has also added citalopram to also take. He's left everything else the same 900mg of gabapentin 3x daily, morphine tablets 20mg 4x daily, fentanyl patches to be woken for 3 days then change and replace 5omcg this I can increase to 75 if pain is more severe than normal (nothing normal about having pain 24/7 at all.), also lidocaine patches to be worn at night. These meds are also to help with my back shoulder aswell as my knees pain. He's also booked me in for blood test to check to see if fibromyalgia and other disorders as I'm getting more and more pain, I'm now getting it in my left foot. So let's see how these knew meds work out. Got to go bo in a month to check on progress. Xrays,scans,mri,injections ops numerous of these have been told is wear an tear and now the onset of arthritis due to all the ops and other procedures on my knees, they've been saying wear and tear since I was 18 now 42,said me doing about of sport at school had contributed to this also. Well there we have. Rather long update, so let's see what these blood tests show up. It's nice to know I'm not alone with pain, as I'm sure you all have felt line this from time to time and don't like to burden our loved ones. Thanks Debbs ☺