A "miracle" drug for Chronic pain

[Guest TankerHC]

I have read a few people's posts on here about also having chronic pain. I have never ending pain in right foot and leg, back and left upper chest and arm. Just never stops. Lately I have tried about everything, even Tumeric, which did not work. The other stuff I don't like taking because I don't like being tired all the time. Told my Doctor I was wondering if there was something that didnt put you to sleep or make you tired that might work. I know not everything works for everyone, but thought I would share this because it worked for me and someone else might want to ask their Doctor about it. 

 

1. I have absolutely no idea how it works, and reading on it, apparently Scientists are not quite sure exactly how it works either, but for me, it worked. Not 100% but definitely some major relief.

 

2. Not sure if this is going to be long term, has some long term side effects, but the same side effects as everything else I have taken. Not sure if this is worse in the long term or not. Hope not, because for me it works.

 

She prescribed me something called Diclofenac. 

 

1. As mentioned it did not give me 100% relief, but more than I have had in close to 20 years.

 

2. I know all Medicines don't work for everyone, but if nothing works, it is definitely worth asking your Doctor about.

 

3. Doesnt make me tired, no upset stomach, no nothing. I take it in pill form, but from my understanding you can also get it in a cream.

 

3. ASK YOUR DOCTOR. All I can say is it worked for me.

[Luke E.]

 Thanks for posting. I'm young by a lot of folks standards but I've also messed myself up pretty bad over the years so between being eaten up with arthritis, missing bits and chunks of different bones, having no ACL in my right knee etc..etc.. I can relate. I've been getting injections in my lower back for some time now and it seems to help some but not enough for me to be able to function normally most days so I have had to lean on things that I have zero desire to take. I will definitely inquire about this and see what the doc thinks next time i'm in for my shots. Anything that will prolong my time before going in for knee replacements is a good thing.

[Oh Shoot]

Yeah, I've got a script for Etodolac, a similar NSAID. Sorta like taking maybe 8 Ibuprophen at one time, but lasts longer once it kicks in, only supposed to do one per 24 hrs.

 

Pretty much same risks for all NSAIDs though, more so with daily use, even more so with daily use long term and for, ummm, elder statesmen. ;)

 

My osteo in lower back is mostly manageable though, I don't take but maybe 5 of them a month on average, I'm luckier than you so far anyway. Hope those babies do ya well.

 

- OS

Edited February 21, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[Guest TankerHC]

Yeah, I've got a script for Etodolac, a similar NSAID. Sorta like taking maybe 8 Ibuprophen at one time, but lasts longer once it kicks in, only supposed to do one per 24 hrs.

 

Pretty much same risks for all NSAIDs though, more so with daily use, even more so with daily use long term and for, ummm, elder statesmen. ;)

 

My osteo in lower back is mostly manageable though, I don't take but maybe 5 of them a month on average, I'm luckier than you so far anyway. Hope those babies do ya well.

 

- OS

 

Thats mine, take as needed but no more than two in a 24 hour period. 

[gun sane]

My know-it-all nurse wife asks:  Are you taking any thing to protect your tummy?  Any NSAID, over the long haul, can cause a GI bleed.  Take Nexium or Prilosec as a protection (unless you're on Plavix.)  If your doc has you on something else, of course stay on that.

[Guest Broomhead]

Dang. I suffer from chronic pain and have no desire to do narcotics any longer. However, due to my gastric bypass I can't do NSAIDS. I'm not even supposed to take ibuprofen.

[Joseg]

It's not Motrin 800mg? what, say it ain't so, did anyone contact the army and let them know 

[mikegideon]

My know-it-all nurse wife asks:  Are you taking any thing to protect your tummy?  Any NSAID, over the long haul, can cause a GI bleed.  Take Nexium or Prilosec as a protection (unless you're on Plavix.)  If your doc has you on something else, of course stay on that.

 

I take nexium every day, and have for years. I was also taking aspirin for pain (another NSAID). As you can see... my heart is probably OK :)...

 

[Glenn]

I take Meloxicam (another NSAID) every day. Recently begin to wonder if it was doing me any good so I stopped for a week. could barely get out of bed. I also take Gabapentin, which helps block nerve pain. If I had known I was going to live so long, I would have taken better care of my self.

[Guest TankerHC]

I take Meloxicam (another NSAID) every day. Recently begin to wonder if it was doing me any good so I stopped for a week. could barely get out of bed. I also take Gabapentin, which helps block nerve pain. If I had known I was going to live so long, I would have taken better care of my self.

 

Im just wondering why previous Doctors had not prescribed me this before. I asked the same questions. Could have saved me a lot of misery.

Edited February 21, 2014 by TankerHC

[bersaguy]

I take Meloxicam (another NSAID) every day. Recently begin to wonder if it was doing me any good so I stopped for a week. could barely get out of bed. I also take Gabapentin, which helps block nerve pain. If I had known I was going to live so long, I would have taken better care of my self.

                   ("If I had known I was going to live so long, I would have taken better care of my self.")

 

You have no idea how many times I have made that exact statement. I think most all of us thought we were all men of steel when we were young and now I think most of us all are paying the price for not being Superman.................jmho

[Guest Lester Weevils]

When I had the herniated disc, really liked the NSAID voltaren. But after a couple months had to quit taking it when the stomach started hurting worse than the back. But that voltaren sure was effective until it dissolved all my stomach linings. :)

[LI0NSFAN]

After having my achilles replaced they gave me Diclofenac in cream form. I did not feel like it did anything for me but I was told the pill is better.

I take Meloxicam (another NSAID) every day. Recently begin to wonder if it was doing me any good so I stopped for a week. could barely get out of bed. I also take Gabapentin, which helps block nerve pain. If I had known I was going to live so long, I would have taken better care of my self.

I am on meloxicam as well, it is the first thing that has worked since they took Vioxx off the market.

[Guest TankerHC]

The only aspirin I take is for my daily heart regimen. One 81mg chewable daily. I have been at the point for some time where Aspirin, Aleve, any ibuprofin, non aspirin OTC Pain relievers, nothing over the counter works. Just a waste of time and money for me.

 

The only time I could ever get an relief was to simply ignore it, or plan on sleeping half the day.

 

I know when I posted "miracle" pain relief the Doctors on here just looked and laughed, because it is no secret. Thing is, and I wished I could say her name but cant, this Doctor I have now, best Doctor I have ever had. And I still wonder why they didnt give me that years ago. Its not near total relief, but it sure made a huge difference.

 

From reading your replies I just hope it isnt something I have to stop. My stomach is already screwed up, I had GORD (Not GERD) and an hiatus hernia and had to have a Nissens Fundiplication. From what you are all saying this might not be long term, going to call my Doc Monday and ask.

 

[Luke E.]

 Glad you found a Dr. you like Tanker, that makes a huge difference. 

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I have a "minor" hiatal hernia as well, was diagnosed 10 or 20 years ago but explained symptoms much earlier. Mostly it doesn't bother me as I learned to coddle it, but gas can sometimes cause chest pain and arrythmia like a heart attack, so I'll never be able to tell the diff between a gas attack and the "big one". :) It's great getting old.

Hopefully the nsaid won't chew up your tummy too bad. Maybe if it gives you trouble you'll have to titrate the dose frequency to balance tummy pain against body pain.

[Guest TankerHC]

I have a "minor" hiatal hernia as well, was diagnosed 10 or 20 years ago but explained symptoms much earlier. Mostly it doesn't bother me as I learned to coddle it, but gas can sometimes cause chest pain and arrythmia like a heart attack, so I'll never be able to tell the diff between a gas attack and the "big one". :) It's great getting old.

Hopefully the nsaid won't chew up your tummy too bad. Maybe if it gives you trouble you'll have to titrate the dose frequency to balance tummy pain against body pain.

 

Mine wasnt, couldnt even lean over, as soon as I did, up came acid. My throat was raw and then I started spitting up blood. Went to the Hospital and was told I had a rolling hiatus hernia and needed to have surgery ASAP. I figured I would schedule in a couple of months, nope, couple of hours. Talk about a fiasco, I was at Methodist in Hattiesburg, MS. They put me under that morning. When I woke up I was thinking "Well that was easy, dont feel anything" I didnt feel anything because they did not perform the surgery. Great Lakes Naval Station Contacted Methodist and told them not to do the surgery because I was so close to retirement it could affect any disability I might be eligable for, so they set me up at Fort Gordon, had to have someone drive me all the way down there, got there and they were waiting. A surgery that was supposed to take 2-3 hours took 9. But apparently the Colonel who did it did a good job, because he told me that it may have to be done again in 5 or 6 years and last year when I went to have a Colonoscopy the Doctor asked me when it was done and when I told him he said whoever did it did a good job because it looks like it just healed up yesterday.

 

But there are certainly some long term side effects. (one of which can lead to some unintended "hilarity")

Edited February 22, 2014 by TankerHC

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Dang that sounds rough Tanker. I never researched it much, didn't know how bad they can get.

[gun sane]

Tanker, my nurse wife had the fundoplication, too, because of a hietal hernia.  Have you been diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus?  You may need to be on Zegerid.  

Edited February 22, 2014 by gun sane

[hipower]

Mind my asking about the leg and foot pains? I've been having numbness in the toes, tingleing in the toes, sharp shooting pins in the feet and calves, as well as severe(sometimes) pains in the ankle and heels. Sometimes to the point I can't stand or walk without intense pains. Doesn't usually last more than 10-20 minutes at a time. But at worst may do this for a couple days at a time.

 

No, not diabetic. Diabetic neuropathy was my and my nurse wife's first thought.  Multiple exams, and x-rays show no organic damage. Lab work shows anemia and B12 defienency. B12 injections do help for a couple of weeks, then it's back.

 

I will ask my hematologist about the drug you mentioned though.

[Glenn]

I am diabetic so the Dr insists it is diabetic neuropathy, even though the pain began before the diabetes. My personal opinion is the leg and foot pain comes from being overweight for years and my feet and legs taking a beating. I also think radiation treatments for Prostate cancer may have damaged the nerves leading to my legs

[Guest TankerHC]

I have diabetic neuropathy in my legs and feet. When my Doc first told me scared the daylights out of me because I was sure I was going to lose a leg because of it. I was told that is not the case. Was told that almost every Diabetic ends up with neuropathy. The problem is that Diabetics bump their legs or feet into something or get a cut and dont notice or dont take care of it and it gets infected and goes downhill from there. I check my feet and legs every single day more than once. If I get a cut or a blister, and when I first started wearing these boots I got a pretty good quarter sized blister, I take care of it. not interested in losing a leg from neuropathy and apathy.

 

One thing that surprised me was that you can get neuropathy in other places, always thought it was legs only. But I have it in my chest. Caused by shingles. Have had Shingles on my head, TWICE. First time I had them it was pure absolute total and complete misery for nearly 2 weeks. Anyone who has that crap, I feel sorry for them, because that is true misery. First time I got Shingles about 15 months ago I was headed to Pa. For a couple of days had been feeling tingling on the left side of my head, by the time I got to Chattanooga on my way to Pa. I had to stop at truck stops about every 45 minutes and get my head under a shower. Got to Pa and went straight to the ER, Doctor said "I have some good news and some bad news". The bad news was that I had Shingles, on my head. They called in another Doctor at 2AM after I got there to look at my eyes. The good news was that "Once you have them you wont get them again".

 

I met up with a member here towards Knoxville about 7 months ago. While I am standing there talking to him my head starts tingling again. After called the wife and said I was going to Memorial in Chattanooga because I THINK but am not supposed to be getting Shingles again. Went in and told the Nurse, she agreed if I had Shingles, then that cant be what it is again. Waited the Doc came in and did some tests, comes back in and says "Well, you have Shingles again". Put me right on that 10 day drug. Talking to the Doc about that he said that is what they used to think but they have seen many cases of people having recurrences of Shingles, yes you can get it again. Also told they cant "diagnose" Shingles they do tests to exclude everything else. 

 

But either way, a couple of weeks later I was diagnosed with Neuropathy in my left chest. The diagnosis was that it was caused by my two bouts with Shingles. 

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Some cholesterol meds have been accused of causing neuropathy.

I have diabetes, but one time got a numb toe for a year because I stood on my feet for a whole weekend manning a trade show with too tight shoes. That went away.

I got a numb heel from a bone spur rubbing on a nerve. For about a year would get "electric tingle" moving the foot a certain way, then one day got a good zap and the heel went numb, though after a couple years it is coming back.

The whole foot and part of the leg was numb after I herniated a disc, though over the years that mostly went away.

Leg circulation problems can cause it as well, arteriosclerosis and such. However all those things are so common that one would expect a doctor to diagnose real easy without any assistance from us falling apart hypochondriac geezers? :)

[hipower]

I am diabetic so the Dr insists it is diabetic neuropathy, even though the pain began before the diabetes. My personal opinion is the leg and foot pain comes from being overweight for years and my feet and legs taking a beating. I also think radiation treatments for Prostate cancer may have damaged the nerves leading to my legs

 

Yes, you hit on 2 issues for me. Have been around 220 for 20 years or so, but after chemo and radiation; I was put on a high calorie diet. And I guess I really took it to heart. I'm about 260 now. And it's a pain in the patootie trying to eat  to satisfy 2 doctors, and loose weight for another.

[Glenn]

I hope a Dr never tells me to eat more