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[Cornwall123]

I have arthritis and osteoporosis, chronic pain back and hip. Every day I wake up with pain and go to bed with pain. My doctor says she has tried everything and nothing really help. Steroids is the only thing that releives the pain but am only aloud a small amount when the pain gets to bad. I have tried lossing weight and exercise but nothing eases it. I am on antidepressants and tablet for anxiety. Any advice. Moira

[cyberbarn]

It sounds like you and your GP have tried everything available in primary care, maybe it is time to ask for a referral to a pain clinic?

[Cornwall123 in reply to cyberbarn]

I have been referred to a pain clinic. No joy there. I had a course of injections into my back and hip, they were no good. Tried going to an Osteopath. Nothing seems to help. I don’t believe that there is nothing I can get to help me. Moira

[Hidden in reply to Cornwall123]

If it's pain you need help with, many meds are there for you to try. Why not ask DR about tramadol? I require something much stronger much tramadol still has a place in my pain management. You only have to ask. No joy? Keep asking, it's your life! All the best.

[JeffMett]

Hi, I've have Osteoarthritis in my neck and right Hip and Arthritis in both Knees and the muscles in my lower back are a problem due to a Operation on my back. I find walking on level ground, not hills helps. You could ask your Doctor about going to the Pain Clinic who could advise you on your particular case.

[johnsmith]

The doctor has not tried everything. The problem is that the doctor knows a lot of techniques that can be applied in a ten minute consultation and nothing about techniques that take time and sensitive hands.

See a McTimony chiropractor. They can give you a prospective that a doctor is not qualified to give. Emotions are felt in the body. Emotions are a reflection of the state of the fascia and muscles. Change this by appropriate movement and posture and the emotions change.

It is worth seeing an Alexander Technique teacher. They can teach you to help change some of the problems you have. Arthritis is often a brain problem. Learn appropriate movement techniques and some of the problems of arthritis will decrease.

Learning to observe what you do and experimenting with how you do things can enable some change. This takes a lot of time as their are lots of new skills to become aware of and develop.

[Hidden in reply to johnsmith]

Looks like it could help me. My lower back pain seems to be only to do with facet joints and scan shows nothing. My posture is poor and I'm sure a change in that could help. Good advice.

[johnsmith in reply to Hidden]

if the scan is an MRI scan I would say things are looking good. If the scan refers to an x-ray then it may not show much. MRI can show the relationship between bone and tissue. X-rays cannot show this relationship.

Pain can be referred. IE. the pressure on a nerve causing the pain may be located away from the area you feel the pain.

All the best.

[Hidden in reply to johnsmith]

It was an MRI and my gut feeling is something is pressing on a nerve that can't be seen or wasn't seen. Hope

You are well.

[Oxyforall in reply to johnsmith]

I think this is a good post and highlights there is more to just popping pills.

But seeing as Mri’s cover large - ish areas for instance a lumbar mri then if there were bulges a level or two away or referred pain it’s likely to show.

Also MRI’s don’t reveal the cause of pain. Most pain have some wear and tear on their joints such as the facet joint but that doesn’t mean it’s the cause anything is seriously wrong etc. In a way we are dosing up people for nothing.

[Hidden]

Welcome. There are many more things that you can try for the pain. I hear you and understand just how awful daily pain can be. Tramadol works well for pain and I still use it. I need OXY daily. Maybe see another DR if you feel you need better pain relief. That DR had not tried everything! Good luck.

[Hermes123]

Hermes123.

Hi Cornwall123. I have been round the block that many times with your symptoms, so I do know what you are going through. Nearly fifty years I have suffered 18. oral pain killers a day and my Doctor told me there was nothing more he could do for me. A few ago after a night of sever pain as if I was walking up the wall and across the ceiling, 7.am. came just could not bear the pain any longer dial 111. after my details etc. were taken and an ambulance was dispatch to my house, para medics check me over and suggested the chest pain I was experiencing was due to stress of the pain I was experiencing, they phoned my medical clinic told them I needed to see a G.P. right away, as I result I was given weekly doses of pain patches, I returned last week after my month's trial, I was ask how I got on with the patches I said a 90. per cent improvement. So I am now on the patches being monitored, for now on a low dosage but can be increased if the need be. I hope you find this helpful its taken a long time to get to this stage. Hermes.

[Robto]

Hello Moira/Cornwall123,

So sorry to hear you're in so much pain, I can't believe the Doctors and Pain Clinic when they say they can't help you. From my experience there are lots of drugs that might be of use to you, if you haven't already tried them.

Such as Co-dydramol, Co-codyramol, Tramadol, Amitriptyline, Gabapentin, Pregabalin, Fentanyl and stronger opioids such as MST, Morphine Sulphate, Zomorph or even a cocktail of drugs. I'm sure there are many more available, but unfortunately no medications will ever get you completely rid of pain, the best we can hope for is to numb it sufficiently so life is a bit more bearable.

There are other nonmedication things to try, such as exercise (as you mentioned- but maybe try different ones) meditation, mindfulness,hypnotherapy and distraction (try to do something to take your mind off the pain).

But as someone has already said it's your life, it's your body so keep pestering the 'experts'

Keep strong fellow pain warrior, and please find out who has your voodoo doll and make stop putting them pins in you.

Take care.

Rob X