pain meds??what ya takin

I have only been on my meds 4 weeks and before that was off of them for about 13 months.

Hugs, Alicia

I honestly can't remember what all I've tried. Most recently though, it's been Darvocet, which didn't work. And now I'm taking Hydrocodone, which isn't really working either.

I'm not fully convinced that there is any "great" drug to help major pain. But I go back to the rheumy Tuesday and maybe he'll tell me different. I DON'T want to become addicted to pain meds. So if they don't actually find something to work...I may just not take anything and just continue suffering, but without meds.

I do take lots of meds on a daily basis. I often wonder how many of them are actually doing anything at all. I love my rheumy, so I trust him with my life. I will do whatever he tells me to do. (Well, except jump of a bridge or something. LOL!)

Amy

I was on neurontin for a long time. I think my dose went up to 600 mg three times a day. Lidoderm patch did crap. I wish it had but didn't come close. Ultram never worked for me. I am getting relief from the dreaded muscle spasms (right over my rib cage) from the Soma. Tried flexeril and that was a joke. Tried so many things I forget what I've taken.........geeze. My rheumy took me off the neurotin because he wanted to see what my base symptoms were, which of course were all encompassing. He thought if he first tried to clear up my inflammatory bowel, he could take it from there. So many symptoms, it's hard for the doc to treat them all at once.

I got put on lyrica, which when I looked it up is just a reformulation of neurontin because their sales are dropping. My neurologist put me on it years ago for the pain. He said that they weren't sure how it worked, just that it did. There is a big pain difference when you stop taking it.

I just got put on the dreaded steroids for my lower back. My joint down there gets so inflammed, it feels like two big tumors sticking out. The cortisol didn't work (shots), so I got put on the prednisone stuff. A five day course, it just sucks because it lowers your immune system and I got two teenagers who are always bringing stuff home from school. Sometimes, I get treated more for lupus symptoms than fms. My rheumy simply calls fibro, an inflammatory disease.

My joints may not have gotten so bad if I had a competent doc who actually listened to me when I complained about my lower back and the gel-like globs surrounding the area just above my tailbone. She just gave me more oxy. So, now I'm really screwed because that joint of mine is in real trouble and I don't know how many others may follow suit. Ok, I'm trying to think positive.

Oh, I do hope you can get your doc to prescribe you something that works better. I know it's hard to do as we tend to get perceived as drug seekers. Not like I wanna get high, just seek a drug that actually offers some relief, enough to be able to stay sane. Ya know?

I think and/or hope some docs do read what we write here. Maybe they will get schooled a bit in something they obviously know so little about.

Take it easy, Singingangel!

Kelley

Does your rheumy ever give you steroid shots? Those help me. They don't last as long as they should (3months), mine last a couple weeks but it is a couple weeks of relief.

Last time I went I not only got the two shots in my lower back but one in my left arm to help most of my upper back muscles.

I still have problems and they will change the cortisol to something stronger. I did my share of narcotics and the hell of getting off the ones I got dependent on and never want to go that route again. Not worth it.

Take care of yourself!

Kelley

Take care,

Kelley

Kelley you have lots going on yourself.Hope the dr can get you straightened out.