I WANT PAINKILLERS GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME

[WildThing]

So yeah had enough of my leg killing me this week and went to the docs this morning and she gave me a cream to rub on it.  I wanted DRUGS to knock out the darn pain that almost made me pass out once it got so bad but no, I get cream!  Lucky me.  Perhaps I shoudl get strawberries to go with it.  She did say she was worried about giving me drugs and I am very senstive to any form of medication so I guess she was right and she was looking out for me but really, how can a cream help??

[mshistory]

Is it muscle or joint pain? I get both. NSAIDs work best for me ... can you take naproxen or ibuprofen? When I had pleurisy, my rheumy told me to take two naproxens twice daily (that ended up causing bad stomach pain though) and three to four ibuprofen every six to eight hours is the equivalent of Rx strength (it's what I was told to alternate with Darvocet after my c-sections).

Now, I have Relafen (a different NSAID) to take for pain in joints/muscles and it helps. You're right - I don't see how a cream would help with the kind of pain we get 

[anita]

Was she able to determine what is causing the pain?  After all, that would make treatment easier if you knew what what causing it.  BTW, you should always start with the lowest form of pain medication.  Narcotics should be last resort after other have been tried and failed. 

What is the cream she gave you?  There is a lidoderm cream.

[Joe S.]

Sorry, They can not give you any pain medication if you ask for it. I did not ask for it but got a bottle of Oxycodone. While it is one that works for me, it leaves me constipated so I try not to take it until I am in tough shape. I use distraction, reflexology, reiki, and meditation first.

I hope you feel better soon.

[jstroble]

There is a fairly new NSAID topical gel that helps me a lot. I cannot take oral NSAIDS because of stomach problems but the new gel works without any side effects.  I thinl Voltaren  is the only one available right now.  Might be worth a try.   Joyce

[WildThing]

I think I should get stoned I think that's what I should do.  But seriously, the pain is mainly in  my calf muscle although my ankle and knee joints ar sore too.  It is caused by a deformity in my right foot, it is severely pronate due to having ehlers Danlos syndrome, the whole structure of the foot just collapsed so my ankle is grazing the floor and my toes facing outwards.  This is twisting y calf muscles, pulling on my shin bones and causing my knee to rotate.  So cream, yeah, that'd do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tried ibuprofen...doesn't even touch it.  Might as well swallow Smarties.  The cream she gave me was Piroxicam.

Used to do a lot of rekei Joe, can't say it helps me physically but does emotionally and spiritually.  The lady that does it for me suggested I take a course myself but I don't feel ready yet.  Do you practice it or just go for the sessions on yourself?

[gold55]

I have the Voltaren Gel and it seems to help a bit.....I can't see taking off my shoes and socks at work to spread it over my toe joints 4x daily plus, when I'm on it I can't take anything else for pain.  It has helped the muscle/tendon pain in my left forearm but again, you have to consistently use it.  I think it's good for a quick relief type thing but don't know how lasting it really is.   I really haven't given it a chance to prove itself

[Joe S.]

I teach Reiki. I have used it extensively. When I pass atunements to people their life often changes. While working on on of the actors from the TV series "Angel", 75% of his scoliosis disappeared in one session. I have seen severely bent arthritic hand return to normal in sessions. At a touch to her neck one gal felt burning heat and jumped away. Her neck returned to normal and her migraine vanished.

Not everyone has this type of reaction. I did 18 hand atunements after an adult education intro class. About 1/2 of that class started to openly weep when they first felt the energy of Reiki.

I hope that you can find the healing that you seek. I have also seen cranial-sacra therapy provide similar results.

[WildThing]

Well leg's not so bad today funnily enough Gold and I postponed by ortho appt just to get painkillers and all she gave me was darn gel.  I wanted cocodamol or something.  I'll apply some now then later tonight and we'll see how it goes I guess.  I could try sticking it on my tail bone as well I guess see if that helps.

Joe that is amazing I ave never heard of it working on physical ailments at all.  I will mention this is Julie my reikei lady when  see her on Monday.  She is a psychic as well so she's giving me a reading.  I'm  psychic too but want conformation on a couple of things.  Might well learn rekei myself in the future.  She offered to teach me.  Would be a very usefull tool.  I seem to have natural healing abilities I think I need to harness them.  Is it hard to learn?

[slccom]

Wild Thing, are you seeing a chronic pain specialist? They will listen to you and prescribe what you need. Unlike lots of docs, they understand that chronic pain makes everything else worse.

I'm so sorry about your foot. That sounds miserable. Don't freak out, but sometimes amputation of something like that will actually make your life better. I know one woman whose leg was badly injured as a child. They "saved" the leg, and she suffered major pain for 15 or so years. Finally, she said, "enough," had the damaged part (lower leg) amputated, and thoroughly enjoyed a life with much, much less pain after that. Her only regret was that she hadn't done it earlier. And that was long before the great improvement in prostheses.

Hugs, Sharon

[WildThing]

HI Sharon,

no I'm not seeing a chronic pain specialist.  Didn't even know there was such a thing tbh.  Maybe I should ask my surgeon about it.

As for chopping it off, the first surgeon hinted that that might be the only way to go in the future but the second surgeon seemed reluctant to do anything at all.  Thing is because I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome I bleed very easily and a slow to heal and was warned by the rheumatologist who diagnosed me that I was not to have any form of surgery unless it was a matter of life or death as I would likely bleed to death from it.  I need only scratch my skin nd it bleeds profusely for hours so I don't think there's any way I'd come through  bit operation like that.

I am seeing surgeon number 2 next month so will discuss it with him then about seeing a pain specialist as I think it's pretty obvious now there's nothing else they can do. 

[slccom]

Have you seen a hematologist to ask about the bleeding aspect? Sometimes it is possible to use medications to temporarily get the clotting time faster. However, from what you say, that isn't an option with current knowledge of medicine.

It also sounds like effective prosthesis use would be difficult or impossible.

I'm so sorry! I wish I had other suggestions for you, but please don't wait on the chronic pain specialist. Two months of agony for what, exactly? Call your PCP and ask for a referral. Or someone!

Oh, oh, oh! I just had another idea. How about getting a prescription for an electric wheelchair or scooter so that you can reduce the wear and tear on your leg? Under the circumstances, I can't see any reason why you wouldn't be covered for that. If you don't have insurance that will pay for it, check Craigslist for used ones, or your local Independent Living Center or Senior Center. A lot of people will sell for cheap or give one away to a needy person.

Hang in there! Hugs, Sharon

[WildThing]

I take medication called Tranexamic Acid for the bleeding.  I could probably get away with minor surgery/proceedures like having a tooth out or having a mole removed, stuff like that but it's wise for me to take a few of the pills beforehand.  I did know of a lady with Ehlers Danlos though who almost bled to death from just having a tooth out but I don't think she was taking this medication.  She really should have been if she wasn't.  I've had many teeth out in my time though and I'm still here.

As for a chair or scooter...that might be the only way to get around eventually.  I'm so darn vain and stubborn.  I don't even walk with a stick which I really need to do from time to time.   The pain is not notmally as bad as this though so I can have days where I'm ok.  Don't know what's made it flare up.