Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Wish I could do without my meds while at work but they are the only things that allow me to work. I have a funny story about a heart monitor. Had to wear one for 30 days. While sitting in the court room in silence waiting for the Judge to speak my monitor starts beeping. The baliff is walking around the room looking for the cell phone culprit. He stopped next to me with eyebrown raised. When I mouthed heart monitor the Judge heard the word heart and stopped everything to see if 911 was needed. Talk about turning red in hte face. It is crazy to have the entire court room looking at you. Anyway I did my best to make a joke of it. At least everyone laughed and the hearing went on. We must find the humor where we can.

kjv1956

Post edited by: kjv1956, at: 04/28/2012 08:48 AM

Friends, do you know that you will become used to your pain meds and be able to drive or work taking them? The side effects of sleepiness and/or spacey feeling will go away and you are left with blessed pain control only.

Jaynie is right that you must grab hold of the pain before it hits a high level. If you let it reach a high level it is extremely difficult to bring it down.

So don't wait until you are nearly blinded by pain to take your pain med. Your body and mind will thank you.

Hugs

what pain meds are we taking? I'm on MTX and pred and I take an occasional ibuprofen Dr only prescribed tramadol which I do not take, anyone one use it? is it a good Pain med?

Post edited by: stevemcdowel, at: 04/28/2012 01:46 PM

I take tramadol for pain as needed.If i take a whole pill I feel spacey so I cut them in half.It takes the edge off the pain.It helps.

For 2 years my RAD meds have been on hold. I am considered an uncontrolled case.

The only thing we can do is treat symptoms. Pain specifically.

Pred is given in burst forms now and then to help inflammation and terrible flares.

I cannot take it everyday because of serious stomach issues.

I take 3-4 hydrocodone 10mg as needed.I take Zanaflex muscle relaxers as needed, I can take 3 a day but only take a few a week.

I can take Lorazpam 2x daily but only take a few a week.

I am not holding back taking them. i only need the amount I take.

I am never out of pain. Only when I was in remission and when I took Enbrel did all RAD symptoms leave. I have other chronic painful issues but nothing compared to RAD symptoms. The other chronic issues never caused me the overwhelming fatigue RAD does.

In other words, I never felt sick with anything but RAD.

If I could I would do Enbrel again. If I could I would be on Orencia as was planned.

But I can't and I can feel the destruction of RAD growing as time passes.

I don't dwell on this. I focus (most tf the time) on my blessings which are many. And I laugh often.

Hugs

What is the pain patch some of you spoke about?

Hey Bits,

I may have missed it but why can't you take the RA meds. The Fentenal Patch helps with the chronic pain and vicodin 10/325 for breakthrough pain. Tizindine for muscle spasms, and gabapentin for nerve pain. The amount of meds astonishes me but without it I am not able to take care of myself or work.

kjv1956

I take 400 mg Celebrex every night. Just saw my doc yesterday. He said a lot of people do. I couldn't live without it! I get all over muscle pain, just an all-over not feeling well feeling, and all my joint pain comes back when I don't take it. It controls my RA to an amazing extent. I can't imagine how much other medication I'd have to take without Celebrex in my bag. (I do take other meds, but Celebrex is a lifesaver).

How do you manage pain daily? All I can do is take my meds and cry. Yea, I cry a lot :~(

Sometimes the pain meds aren't enough and I have to take pred burst.

In the beginning I was not taking enough pain med and till I finally did I was pretty miserable.

Uncontrolled pain caused me many black out periods. Very scary. I am talking about hours of no remembrences. Once pain was controlled I now have very good recall.

Anne, have you discussed with doc a possibility of pain meds not working well enough?

MY RAD meds were put on hold after a chronic wound I had would not heal for 3 years.It was becoming very dangerous to have a wound stay open that long.

I cried like a baby, I begged, pleaded. I was more terrified than in the beginning of dx.

By this time I knew what the outcome of untreated RAD would be. And I was petrified.

But...as usual, God pulled me thru. My knees don't knock anymore.

Hugs