what do you do for pain?

I have had RA for eleven years.  I do not take perscription pain meds largely because the only two I tried (toradol for kidney stones and codiene when I had my wisdom teeth extracted) left me completely disfunctional.  One dose of Codiene (T-3) put me out for fourteen hours and I was lopey for hours more.

So, are there other meds (I do like tylenol but have to use it sparingly because of the plaq) I can't do NSAIDS because I may have had a cross reaction with the mtx.

So, I know ice on hot joints heat on inflamed but no longer hot joints but what else do you do.

I especially have problems with my knee while trying to go to sleep.

Any hints would be appreciated.

Sj

i too suffer as i cannot take any pain meds they all seem to make me spin. i am sometimes jsut thankful for the exhaustion and fatigue to get me started and get a few good hours .......

the only thing that alleviates my pain is pred or cort shots. and neither is good long term so it is just a quick fix. i think like many of us we live with pain daily.......... i have down days where i just want this to go AWAY! and then others where i dont even think about how much pain i am in...... i guess i do mind over matter a lot to get through the day.... not that it works always........ ever? lol

hang in there sj i feel your pain...... hugs

Jody-the tylenol/plaquenil thing is probably just me-the information sheet for plaq says to use tylenol cautiously because they can cross react-my rhuemy itially told me they were fine to take together-then I reacted to the mtx/nsaid thing which no one ever does and she said I can't take anything unless she prescribes it.
I like the pillow under the knees idea that might help.
I asked rhuemy same question she also suggeted ace wraps.
So we'll see if any of that stuff helps. Thanks for the replies.
Sj

Methotrexate (usually in high doses) can suppress your bone marrow-gives you anemia. If you mix it with NSAIDS the possibility of that happening goes up. Now I asked my rhuemy about that before starting mtx and she said that I read to much and that less than 2% of her patients have to be taken off NSAIDS when on mtx. During the first two weeks my hematocrit fell more than 10 points-no more NSAIDS for me. She also became very cautious about all possible drug interactions for me-so caution with the tylenol. I have to have her approval before taking anything prescribed by my pcp. No one else should worry about this stuff though its just me.
Am I the only one who reads the patient information sheets handed out by the pharmasy, then reads the PDR and the nurses drug reference before taking any medications? (Maybe I'm a little parinoid)
Sj

Thank you Mary, I will ask about it. nonnarcotic is good. I don't neccessarilly want something to take very often but every now and then when the knee or shoulder is bothering me it would be nice to have something.
Sj

Pamela, I used to use salonpass, patches-I really like them. But, they contain salycilites which are NSAIDS which I am not allowed to use anymore. I will go to the drugstore and read labels because I do know some of those do not contain asprin or other NSAIDS and they do work. I am afraid of meds like methadone becasue of how I have reacted to other pain meds,
Thank you so much for the suggestion-I think ben gay or icy hot would be beneficial-I will go search for the asprin free ones.
Sj

(I especially have problems with my knee while trying to go to sleep.)


My wife suffered with horrible knee pain. She found something called BLUE-EMU that gave her great relief. Its a deep penetrating cream that you just rub on. It stops the pain. We used it for arthritis in our hands also. It might help your pain too.

hi sjkly,

well in all honestly pain meds used to make me feel loopey too, but I notice when Im truly in pain, and my body is putting me in a major flare, I notice that the pain meds like Vidocin, doesnt make me feel loopey, it just takes the edge off...But I also make sure I eat first, this way the medicine takes times before it kicks in...

if you are still hesitant, then what I can reccommend is taking Tylenol arthritis pain formula that you can buy at a CVS< DUANE READE or Even a supermarket, take that with a cup of coffee to make that go into your blood stream a little faster in addition to that, you can also purchase Tiger Balms ointment which is all natural, or you can use bengay unsenceted, or Therma care patches that heat up...

Also there is a product that my freind brought me from his country, but I looked it up and u can buy it online, its like $20 bucks, but its worth it... its call called "NUT MED"
AND HERE IS THE WEBSITE http://www.nutmedusa.com/index.htm... The spray is like Bengay but alittle stronger than that, plus its all natural and you just spray the area...it definetely takes the edge off especially if I happened to run out of my meds, I will do that to get me through plus, if you take a tylenol arthritis pain formula plus spray the area, that can give u the relief that you need quickly...with out harming your liver and other bodily functions....

I hope this helps....feel better
ciao
Babz