Question by Just Me: Chronic Pain please help?
I am a sufferer of Rheumatoid Arthritis, it began in my feet, ankles, knees, hands and wrists, which caused a great deal of pain as it did. I now suffer pain in my elbows, muscles around my joints especially knees and ankles feels like they are on fire all the time. My back also, is hurting a great deal, my shoulders get on off pain and stiffness too.

My Dr has gone thru all the weak Opiates/ Opiods with me. None of these worked. I am now on Buprenorphine Transdermal Patch 20mg per week 20mcg per hour release with Co-Dydramol 10/500mg 8 per day. My pain is still chronic and severe.

I also, use DMARDS – Sulfasalazine 500mg 4 times daily, Prednisolone Steroids 10mg once daily, High Strength Folic Acid and Vitamin D and Calcium pills daily. Plus a few more pills to combat side affects from my Steroid use.

My Dr has told me and my mom today when she saw him, that I would just have to deal with the pain and exercise more even though I exercise twice daily but light exercise until my joints have had enough. He has said there is nothing he can do for me so I will just have to take the Chronically Severe pain.

Buprenorphine is the only strong Opiate he has tried me on, he once said he would give me Morphine tablets but has now back tracked on his idea.

I am in the UK, I know from research that Buprenorphine stops the analgesic effects of other Opiates from bein as affective. That there is also, other meds avaliable in England that are NOT Morphine but have less side effects and/or slightly weaker like Palladone (Hydromorphone) and Oxycontin/Oxynorm. Hydrocodone although legal in the UK, Dr’s dont seem to know anything about it even in the brand name Vicodin, some even suggest i is Dihydrocodeine (DHC / Darvocet), even though it is not.

But he seems not interested in helping me saying im too young to become an addict. Like any age is good to become an addict, but I also know if used correctly at low doses addiction is not a real problem. Even the manufacturer leaflets on these drugs say it can be used by all people of any age just extra care is needed when under 18. I am 24 in 2 weeks BTW.

Is my Dr right to say these things? Or is it he is not interested much in helping me? I even had to fight for Dr’s to recognize I had R.A because I broke the usual text book understandings of it just 2 appointments with a Rheumatologist said I had the disease a very aggressive Seronegative R.A. Even she told me not everyone plays by the rules with disease and most Dr\’s are ignorant of the problem.

My Rheumatologist also, wants me off the Steroids because they commonly cause Brittle Bone Disease (Osteoperosis) when used for long periods. Which I do as a blue steroid treatment card holder. But my Dr is refusing to wean me off the Steroids because the pain im in. I use steroids and still get swelling nearly everyday, only thing that helps my disease is illegal even Rheumatologist said it helps that is Cannabis it gets rid of my pain better then all pain meds so far and it gets rid of swelling and inflammation better than steroids.

My pain is so bad, I cant get more than 3 hours sleep without waking up from the pain, I have big black circled shadows around my eyes cos I cant sleep and the pain keeps me up. Half the time I cant walk or get ot of a chair without help or my Crutch.

Plus I have a huge phobia of needles so cant use Anti TNF drugs, its even hard for me to get my bloods done every 3 months.

Best answer:

Answer by Lumpy Taters
I feel for ya. I went thru getting both knees replaced 6 yrs apart. The pain was so intense I would see white, Drs put me on Lora Tabs and for 5 years I would take at least 12 a day. I was worried about addiction, but my dr. assured me when I no longer needed the pain meds my body wou;d let me know. Got both knees done, went thru therapy, and one day I felt I didn’t need meds. so 1 yr later I haven’t needed pain meds… You’ll know.

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