PAIN OR BRAIN ? THAT IS THE QUESTION.

[Hermes123]

Hermes123 Here, I recently had to make a choice between Opiates that would help with my serious joints pain or masking my brain in fluffy clouds unable to think clearly and lack of concentration, these days suffer an awful lot of pain no exercise will reduce it, so I look towards my brain for relief, I am not talking about age related degeneration of the brain, mine is very good for age 81. I like to keep it that way as long as possible. I do art, write children's books poetry and a whole lot more. My question to you which would you choose and why. Hermes.

[kimbenson21]

Hi Hermes 123,I would go for the pain relief opiates. I have been on Tapentadol for 3 years, it certainly helped with my pain, I can't say that it was masking my brain as it was being masked by my pain anyway. Unfortunately my G. P has decided that I should reduce my opiate based medication which is now leaving me in such excruciating pain again.

[Hermes123 in reply to kimbenson21]

Hermes123

Thank you for your reply kimbenson21 I have suffered years and years of pain and manage most with mind over matter, in other words busying myself so much I had little time to think about the pain, believe it was real enough so when the evenings came I knew all about it. A few months ago my GP. put me on Butec patches I thought I was being driven mad, just doing my head in, then I had an appointment with a Specialist in pain medication, he told me the thinking had change about opiate patches, saying they were for short term pain i.e. somebody involved in a serous accident or the like, not for sufferers of long term pain, since I have stopped I have my life back, but no substitute for the additional pain I suffer. So it's a case of fight it and see, so far I get good days and bad days. Hermes.

[Nessie87 in reply to kimbenson21]

Hi!

I’ve been on codeine 30mg per tablet . My doctor is happy to prescribe them. They’re very effective but cause me total constipation. I suffer with constipation without them anyway. So I end up taking mega doses of Senna to keep everything moving. No easy answers. I try to keep busy but then end up so exhausted I can’t function! It’s horrible at the best of times as I’ve slways been very active and a ‘doer’ type of person!

[Hermes123 in reply to Nessie87]

Herme123

Nessie87 Hi, it's a big problem because so many pain relief drugs have the habit of binding ones stomach making it difficult to go to the toilet, but one can help one self by what one eats, no I'm not going to mention dieting but sensible ways of helping ones self. I always have an apple a day, plus a mixture of soft fruits... cherries : strawberries melon, you get the idea, nuts as well if you don't suffer an allergy. But if you have children or remember when you where a baby, what did they do to clear wind, rub your tummy in a circular motion and pat you on the back. well you cannot pat your self on the back, but you can get your track moving to help empty one's bowels.

A circular motion with the palm of you right hand flat on your tummy, in disperse with the heal of your palm of left hand pushing in a downward motion, you will soon feel things begin to move, there is always an answer it just finding it. Hermes.

[M0AL61 Moderator Volunteer]

Personally, I can deal with pain better than I can deal with a foggy brain, but we're all different and it's courses for horses.

[Hermes123 in reply to M0AL61]

Hermes123.

Moal61, you are so right with your thinking, a lot of people do not understand what it is like to have a foggy brain and its side effects, makes one feel like wanting to pull one's hair out. Thank you for your response. Hermes.

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff]

Personally, having pain under control allows me to do more and live a better quality of life.... Not sure how much of my brain fog is med related to be honest, as when I did a med review last year coming off /reducing meds made no difference to my fogginess xxx

[Hermes123]

Hermes123.

Hi Hazel_Angelstar giving up the Butec patch gave me back my mind, I now feel in control once again, a lot off people confuse fogginess of the brain! The same as ageing of the brain, totally difference effects. I am glad I have my mind back once more. Hermes.