I have two places in my right knee now where it functions bone on bone—all the cartilage is gone. I am determined to put off the knee replacement until “the dark months”—maybe January. But in the last couple weeks as I garden and continue my walks, albeit with a cane now, the pain is getting difficult to bear-----even for me who has the history of knee surgery on her old dancer’s knees—going back to 1966.
However, now I am diabetic and mistrustful of many old pain meds. Plus my mother died of kidney failure, so I am doubly determined to proceed with caution. I like my current GP who has good intentions, but no more experience with The D than most. My knee doc suggests steroids and we all know how awful they are for us. I don’t trust NSAIDS anymore.
Any suggestions on what are some pain meds that might be safe for us for a few months? I have never taken anything for my fibromyalgia. Acupuncture has helped a lot, though. I am T2, diet and exercise only so far and afraid of any rise in my BS.
I like Voltaren a lot. I think that it’s an anti-inflammatory too but I had an RX for it when I rolled my ankle running in January, perahps the doc felt it was warranted since it also pulled something connected to my ankle and I had twinges up the side of my calf? Anyway it’s freaking awesome!! It didn’t have any loopy side effects but it also made the creaks in my back, neck and wrist go completely away. I saved 4 of them and took one the day after the 1/2 marathon, for which it was perfect, and the rest for after the Chicago Marathon in October, although my recent experiments with longer runs are suggesting it may not be necessary? Still, they’re not getting any younger…
NSAIDS- Naproxen, Ibuprofen, Aspirin Rx strength- Voltaren (diclofenac) , Celebrex (this one works different from the rest)
Acetaminophen- Plain old Tylenol but watch out for the effect on the liver!
Narcotics- Vicodin and Percocet, Tylenol #3, Tramadol (many people say this is effective as the others without the groggy, dizzy etc side effects the others have)
Besides these there isn’t a whole lot besides of course ice, Glucosamine, etc
With the amount of pain it seems like you have been in for a while I would suggest working with your doc to find some prescription strength pain relievers that you can tolerate. Have to weigh the negatives of the medication with the amount of pain it sounds like you have been in Hope you feel better soon.
I think you want to take narcotics off and on. If you take them all the time, it’s hard to stop taking them. I don’t think that NSAIDS or narcotics mess with my BG, although if I take them for a couple of days, I seem to gain a couple of pounds.
I have fibro, but not a whole lot of pain yet, and osteoarthritis.
Right now I do fine with an Arthritis Tylenol.
My doctor gave me Ultram for if I really need it, saying at least it isnt terribly addicting. She also said you can take it as needed and not on a steady basis. She would not suggest Celebrex, due to problems those type of drugs have had.
My fomer doctor got my husband addicted to pain pills, so I wont ever go that route.
Anyway, my arthritis doctor also suggests ginger or Turmeric for inflammation and exercise such as yoga, stretching etc. for management.
I am assistant leader of our local fibro group and we have a lot of research and helpful articles on our web site, which we frequetly update. We pretty much find most people are helped by alternative meds, supplements and pharmaceuticals if necessary. Cymbalta and Lyrica are the newest ones people are taking and having varying degrees of success with. I dont trust the new drug Savella, but some are taking with success. www.abqfibro.com.
Feel free to look around, our young leader gal has made a very nice web site loaded with resources.
I take Norco (super strength vicodin w/ more opiate/less acetaminophen), Lyrica, Rx Ibuprofin (800 mg tabs), Zanaflex (muscle relaxer), etc, etc (was also on Morphine (allergic), tramadol (worthless) and fentanyl (good stuff)) for chronic pain & permanent nerve damage from a car accident 3 yrs ago. You have to be careful with the opiates for several reasons…high risk of addiction, problems with other organs, and they also mess with the adrenal system, which affects the endocrine system and your diabetes control. My endo can’t stand my neurosurgeon for putting me on all this stuff…she told me she can’t wait til NY legalizes marijuana (lol won’t make a difference for me; I’m allergic to THC) so diabetics can get pain relief without all the side effects of chemical painkillers.
I always tell people in our fibro group, if you think you cannot get addicted you’re very wrong.
You have to be so careful, and not all doctors worry about over-prescribing.
Some are getting more cautious about it, some dont care.
It would be nice to have a safe balance.
So sorry to hear of the pain. Maybe it’s better not to put off the surgery & get relief sooner.
My dog has severe arthritis. Like you, Gracie has no cartilage & also gets acupuncture treatments. In case this may be useful, Tramadol helps her pain. I took one of her pills when I injured my back. Gracie also takes Phytoprofen. It’s a human supplement that’s a natural anti-inflammatory. http://www.thorne.com/Products/Musculoskeletal-Health/prd~SF799.jsp. She also takes a Chinese herb Sang Zhi San suggested by her acupuncture TCM vet.
Hope you find the pain reliever that works best for you.
Judith, I get it.
I was in dance over 25 years. Had to drop my ballet major when I got a stress fracture in college from dancing.
So I went ahead and got a theater degree. I think that’s why hubby and I dont make a lot of money! He has the same degree.
And we do have a lot who really really like Tai Chi. Had a guest do a presentation on it a few months back.
My dog also uses Tramadol which helps him very much! Tramadol is still considered habit forming but I believe most feel less some than some of the other narcotics.
Yeah, I’m thinking of getting into writing as it would be a great creative outlet. Made $300 once on an insulin pump article for a web site. Not bad.
And I want desperately to learn to do some fiber arts.
Since the dancing stuff aint gonna happen no more!!!
I never got brave enough to try my prescription. Just left it sitting in the bottle.
But yeah, my doctor said it is less addictive than many things out there.
While I agree addiction is a real thing when taking narcotics if you go about it the right way it is a risk I feel can be mitigated or at the least reduced.
I think the most important aspect of this is drug holiday’s. Like others have mentioned if narcotics are consistently taken you have to continually take more to get the same relief. Because of this tolerance your body becomes dependent. When you try to take less or stop the narcotics this dependence makes itself known. Having a holiday will show that this dependence is or is not a problem but more importantly will make the tolerance less so smaller doses can be taken to get relief. Part of this is open communication between the doc and person taking the narcotics. These holiday’s should be a part of the treatment protocol and should be scheduled consistently depending on how often the individual needs them.
I also think an important distinction needs to be made between addiction and dependence. Addiction implies something a bit more serious than dependence which can usually be worked through or in the case of extreme chronic pain something that is known and accepted as long as addiction charecteristics don’t manifest.
I believe one of the only reasons marijuana has not been legalized and taxed just like alcohol is a strong silent push by drug manufactuers. Have talked to many people that found it helped many different types of problems which I believe they (drug manufactuers) realize and know they would miss out on lots of $ should it become legal. If someone decides they no longer need their Lyrica imagine how much they loose on a lifetime of even that one person no loger needing it.
True. My hubby had fallen and injured bones and knees and everything else.
Our (former) doctor however started him on one of the highest doses of pain meds that anyone could take. Started him there. The pharmacist told me it was a dose meant for dying cancer patients.
My husband didnt see it coming, but with starting on a dose that high there were not too many places to go except up. And the doctor just went along with it.
Maybe that is why she left the state. According to other physicians and dentists, she created a monster.
She may have done this to an awful lot of folks.
Hope you feel better soon.