I was diagnosed with bulging discs and osteoarthritis of the spine a few months ago. I've tried lots of painkillers other medication including tramadol, gabapentin, pregabalin, naproxen, nothing has helped. I was given codydramol which helped taking the edge off the pain. Recently I've got numbness and really bad pain in my lower leg and foot and was given amitryptiline 10mg to take at night. As my pain is getting worse and now affecting my knee, I'm going to have to try them because my doctor said that they can help with nerve pain. Is it safe to take the amitryptiline 3 hours after taking the codydramol which is the highest dose. I know it takes a few weeks to start helping with the nerve pain but at this point in time I'm willing to try anything. Any advice would be appreciated.
Chronic pain: I was diagnosed with bulging... - Pain Concern
Chronic pain
Morning.
Always makes me laugh when someone writes the long words,
So youre on, codeine or cocodamol.
Very similar to tramadol.
I'm surprised very early on, you've gone through both pregabaline and gabapentine (one was made to replace the other) which are both nerve pills.
Ice been on morphine now for over a decade, and am stuck here., as there's nothing better, but it rarely kills my pain.
As for your original question ... You can take cocodamol at the same time as amitriptyline, but I wouldn't!
Why?
Take you ama 2 hours as usual before your normal bedtime.
Half an hour before bed, take your last lot of cocodamols.... They will kick on, just as your about to nod off.
I am not a Dr, this is just from past experience, and it worked for my fiancee.
Plus the amount you can work up to on amatriptyline is quite high, and very easy to reach it too.
So my suggestion is , on a normal day stick to 10mg, but on a bad night take 2 (20mg) but don't do that nightly, or you get used to it too quickly.
Last time I was on that stuff, I was taking 100mg!
I've gone through the max levels of almost every painkiller going.
Have you seen a pain specialist yet?
If not, ask your Dr to send you.
They can be very useful.
Thank you for your response, I'm currently waiting to see a pain specialist. I will try to get an appointment to see my gp today to see if he can chase up my pain clinic appointment
I have an appointment booked to see a consultant at the “Pain Clinic”
Expecting to wait a few weeks.
But the appointment has now arrived and I have to wait the maximum time the NHS allows- so it’s in 18 weeks
How like you do we survive 18 weeks wait.
Good luck xx
Hi, I also suffer with OA of the spine (a few years now) and bone spurs growing on my spine into my body (doctors don’t seem to worried!) , but this is only one of my pain centres . The others are abdomen and chest . I had nerve pain in 2018 of the shoulder so was put on Gabapentin (low dose), had a script for a month but after 5 days had an adverse reaction and developed stroke like symptoms, this caused me to be diagnosed with FND. Like you I have tried various pain medications ( liquid morphine made me ga-ga) but I am now on buprenorphine patches started on 5mcg and over time worked my way up to find the best dose for me. Got up to 35mcg patch but became very unwell so dropped to 30mcg and that seems to work for me as well as 8x500mg paracetamol per day and have codeine for emergencies. The pain is still there 24/7 but is bearable, like I say it just takes the edge off. Today my pain is 8/10 abdominal, 9/10 back and 7/10 for my chest. I find the best person to ask about meds is the pharmacist ( chemist) , they can tell you what works best and what works together. Hope you find the answer you’re looking for. Kevin
Hi there, I have quite bad pain caused by my an accident back in 1976 whilst in the army. My back is broke in 4 places my neck is falling apart and just about every joint in my body is worn out, my main pain medication is Dihyhdrocoden 120mg twice a day along with several other pain meds including amtriptyline 100mg before I go to bed. I only take my meds twice a day and I take them all at the same time I think if I tried to take them at seperate times it would take my whole day up I have to take 8 in a morning and 9 at night it should be 10 in a morning and 11 at night and I should take anouther 5 at lunch time but I miss my lunch time meds I hate taking tablets I use to put one very small tablet on my tongue then drink ½ pint of milk then I could put my tongue out and the tablet would still be there, now I just throw them as far back as I can then take a mouth full of water tilt my head back and swish my tongue around then swallow everything in one go it works most of the time but now and then I would gag and everything would come back up so I would have to start again.
Morning, I feel for you. I feel a bit better about taking the amitryptiline now. I know it's only a low dose but I worry about getting too drowsy when taking different medications together. I am the same with taking pills too, I have actually chewed some medication to get it down. Thank you for your response, I wish you well . X
I’m truly sorry that you having to endure a lot of pain and, realise the problems of getting the correct balance for you. If it’s of any help, I need to take 70 mg Amitriptyline but - I take it at 6pm each evening. It helps me sleep reasonably well and not be too bad in the mornings. I also Dihydrocodeine together with 2 paracetamol every 4 hours throughout the day - starting at 8.30am until 8.30 at night. I also have heap of other meds for other things including severe asthma…..but I’m 78years young, and they all keep me toddling along. I do have to be reasonably cautious with my meds as I also have CKD stage 3. Hopefully, you will find the correct meds for you asap. 🙂
So sorry you are in such pain. I am now over 80 years old and have many bad back pain years. I was on amitriptyline for approx 30 years. Took me three goes at withdrawing amitriptyline.
After heart surgery I was told on the discharge letter to come off amitriptyline. No help given with this.
Please check out amitriptyline withdrawal, for some like me it is HELL.
Morning, I have heard about the withdrawal from amitryptyline and it sounds pretty horrendous. This puts me off depending on it. Thank you for your response x
I had a pinched nerve in my groin. The burning pain was torture.
I used 25 mg Nortriptyline morning, afternoon and night for 11 years and then after the three surgeries I waited way too long for my doctor switched me to Amitriptyline 50mg to be taken at bedtime only.
I am trying to wean off the Amitriptyline but it’s a slow go. It can be done though. I’ve weaned off five other meds BUT it’s because my body is healing ever so slowly.
If I’d had my surgeries on time I’d be 100% healed but unfortunately my GP and the specialists she sent me to all gas lit me. I’m lucky to be alive.
I'm sorry to hear that, thank you for your response. I'm so worried about withdrawal so I don't think I'm going to take the amitryptyline. I hope you're feeling better soon x
Listen to your gut. Good luck.
When the pain gets that bad you will need a narcotic. I too have been down the road and back trying all the different meds. Oxycodone taken as prescribed to me is the best meds out there. Unfortunately it has been given a bad wrap. Due to people abusing it. You should never drink with it or even drive while taking it. Also keep it in a very safe place at home.
Hi must be hard to find right medication as you have mentioned a lot
Can only add
If not tryed all above meds
Taken together all different doses 1 with max dose
Even fentynal patch low dose
Everyone different though
Can take years to find right meds and tweets
The thing with taking all together and tweeting doses is for lots no withdrawal systems for lots
An xsample
Was on tramadol for years then pain nurse said stop tramadol completely and put
Pregablin at max dose same time and it helped
Just an xsample
Paracetamol is my fist point of pain med
Again I questioned this
After explanation I understood
Paracetamol
Helps all the other pain meds work better
All with doctors advice and monitoring though
Hope you find the right meds
With some tools from pain courses and diet etc Also if sleep effected long term a sleep med may be needed as sleep important as disturbed sleep and has knock on effect on day and illnesses and pain etc
My doc had enough and prescribed a strong sleep med
Thank you for your reply. I hope I can get some relief soon. Hope you are getting there too
I am now but took a long time thanks It was with the OT
Accepting things and pacing
like levels
The pain meds etc will only reduce the pain
Now live with it and sort of never be pain free
It does help this way of thinking
Like
Levels 1to 3 4 to 6 7 to 9 and 10
Pain nurse done this
Acceptable level for me now and normal is about 3 to 5 rarely go below
Anything above see doc get meds tweeted etc
Another cause is
Missing meds etc and not pacing
Someday you had enough of meds 😪 etc
Get all these tips
On pain and wellbeing courses and pain nurses or ot etc
Everyone different though
Once again
Hope you can find right meds ,tools, tips or advice,referals or treatments etc
And get some relief soon
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