Now also been diagnosed significant osteoarthritis also now in addition has vertigo and migraine!! Yelp!!

[CWG2210]

Hi all

After struggling through pain for a number of years and finally coping with a good GP and supportive pain clinic I have another condition to worry about; significant osteoarthritis of the right knee.

Last year had issues with balance and was diagnosed with vertigo and migraines after they diagnosed a 72% deficiency in the left balance organ and have been unable to have significant treatment due to neck concerns over stability. Went back to ENT for yearly review and told about the neck and been referred to specialist in Vestibular Rehabilitation and Physio. Last week got x-ray results back and have osteoarthritis of right knee in addition.

I already take lots of medication including morphine , Pregabalin, naproxen, codiene, nefopam, amitripteline, Sumatriptan, Candestartin and paracetamol. Pain clinic allows me to self dose meds within tolorances and been doing really well but this osteoarthritis is a new level of discomfort!

Anyone had similar who can give me hope!?! About 10/12 years ago had a.lateral displacement of left knee patella and wasn't half as bad as the other knee is now.

Thanks all

[shortandround]

Hi,

I wonder if your healthcare team have considered that opioids could be making the headaches more frequent or worse ? I'm not suggesting it is a cause or definite but it is well know that opioids/opiates can have this effect.

I am sorry to hear about your pain, but you are on an awful lot of medication. I'm really surprised that this not mitigating the pain - usually doctors would look to get at least 1/3 reduction of pain using morphine if not 50%. If this is the case then it would suggest other medications are not helping as much as they should and perhaps they should be swapped or changed.

Obviously no-one here knows your full medical history, but usually a good NSAID is important. If naproxen isn't giving you a pain reduction of 2-3/10, I would consider asking to try some alternatives. In some studies a drug called etorcoxib or arcoxia was found to be the most effective NSAID for pain. Usually it is trial and error. Hopefully your GP can advise.

I'd suggest that if the morphine, pregabalin and naproxen combination isn't giving you at least 50-60% pain reduction then I would personally discuss whether it is worth being on the medications and if they can offer you alternatives. Obviously never stop or make changes without input from your healthcare team. Two of the three would need gradual reduction.

That isn't accounting for the codeine, paracetamol and amitriptyline which also should be good for pain and other than codeine/morphine they all have a different mechanism of working so i'm shocked and sorry to hear the extent of pain.

Do you mind me asking how long you have been on the morphine/codeine and what dose you take? Long term it can become ineffective or even worsen the pain, some people find reducing even helps their pain. Otherwise sometimes opioid rotation might be tried. Just a posh way for saying to try a different opioid.

[Muddle]

How did you see about the balance I have neck problem and had physio which didn’t help I have osteoarthritis in most of my body so know how bad this can be have they offered you a knee support

[Castlerea]

Hi guys I'm just reading some of the pain you are in. I suffer from IBS and a few different things one of which is migraine and boy when I get it it's bad but the doctors give me different meds I tried everything but about 2 year's ago I was watching TV and an add came on about tablets for migraine ok I said to myself nothing to lose that was one of the best thing I've done I went to the pharmacy and got a box of tablets called EXCEDRIN I take two they take maybe a half a hour to an hour to work but they are good but maybe ask the pharmacy or doctor about tham if you want to be sure you can take tham so I hope you find this information a bit of a help the tablets cost for 20 about 7euor