Pain medication

It took me a long time to get proper medical help - we have a good doctors' practice but so many changes of doctor, meaning I had to start again every time, explaining the problem and just getting an exercise sheet not particularly targeted to my age group. When the arthritis in my ankle was very bad I couldn't get to the doctor - ironic that I could only go when I was having a good day - so no one ever saw me at my worst. Eventually I wrote a letter and since then my doctor has been great. I discovered Voltarol gel from the TV ads and it helped a lot so now I get it on prescription. I believe it's better for the patient than pills which enter the blood stream. My x-ray in my left ankle showed the arthritis was quite bad, and I can see a specialist any time I ask but my doctor said it would be better for me to control my pain and health myself rather than "let the experts get their hands on me."  I don't know if this is actually for the best, or whether I should see a specialist. No point if it gives me equally bad side effects. What do others think? I am managing but I walk quite slowly and people get impatient with me.

My problem is with my hands and fingers, before I moved to Wales it was being controlled very well with Eterocoxib, which my consultant said was the best medication I could be on , considering my other problems and as I am drug allergic it was good htonhave something that didn,t give Me side effects. Since moving to Wales the rheumatologist insists I come off it and wanted me to go on antidepressants. I do not want to go down that road so my doctor put me on co- dydomol it Made me very ill then he put me on pain patch , made me more ill,  for 3 months I have had to manage on 14 tablets per month till I see the rheumatologist again.

i have to work out what days I need to drive because I cannot trust my hands on days when I don't take Etorocoxib. I am now suffering with sleepless nights through pain, pains in my knees and hips. I moved to Wales to be near my family but they are cross because they feel as if my quality of life has decreased rapidly because of the move . They say if the rheumatologist sticks to his guns they will contact the health ombudsman . I have even offered to pay for the tablets

help help help

Im on Naproxan and codeine/phosphate for my osteoarthritis,these dont touch me

i dont want to go back to the dr as i know what he will say.I was told by a surgeon 

that they dont like operating on knees as they dont always work,and those that do

"The patient is in more pain than before".help plz

I have had a knee replacement in February this  year but  in retrospect, I wish I hadn't as I am now worse than before operation and awaiting corrective surgery.  I take Zapain, which at first was very effective but is now barely touching on relief.  I am soon to have a cortisone injection to carry me through till the surgery which is apparently going to scale back the scar tissue which has grown between my patella and fibular bones and is now the new cause of my pain.  I am not confident in anything I do.  Walking is tiring , climbing stairs is very painful and a "one step at a time" manoeuvre.  Crossing my fingers that this new procedure will be more successful. I live in hope.

I was taking diclofenic for over 10 years and it was making the arthritis bearable but following a blood test at the end of last year which showed a problem with my liver which the doctors believe was caused by diclofenic I was taken off it and put on cocodomol the next liver reading had improved so I can only think they were right but I now ache in most joints all of the time. My ankles are damaged and have arthritis the co codomol make me sleepy so I can't take them when I go out as I rely on my car. Surely there is something that can help the pain that doesn't have these effects.

I have osteo arthritis in both knees and I am on the waiting list for a left knee replacement. I have been managing my pain with Fastum gel twice daily. It is on prescription only and very effective for osteo arthritis.

I have arthritis in my hands feet shoulder neck hips and base of my spine I only go out twice a week and that's in my car as can't walk more than 50 yards+ before stopping has no life for over ten years now and sleep is a thing of the past I dread going to bed as it's even worse on my hips when i lay down tossing and turning all night. The doctor won't give me any stronger tablets than cocodemol highest strength eight a day as i also on letrozole for breast cancer and the side effects of those are horrendous if i could get relief from just one of these illnesses I would be so happy as I have forgotten how good life was

I have pain in my muscles all over.And my neck gets so stiff that it affects my balance as I walk. If I go to the gym and exercise, during the exercise I feel OK, but the following days, I am in agony for days! Mostly, overall muscles and tendons aches.!I also get aches and pains in my both knees but not every day! I usually take paracetamol or co-codamol. I did take Tramadol for a while but having learnt the long time side effects of it, I have stopped taking them. I do have wear and tear on my joints though!

I have osteoarthritis in most joints had both hips replaced and they keep slipping which leaves me trying to wriggle to get comfortable doc says need replacing but won't be good as first op.spnal stenosis with part disc protruding with arthritis Spurs behind trapping sciatic nerve. Have buTrans pain patches but they itch so much they burn skin. Take cocodamol evening and morning plus amitriptylene 1 and half tablets each night which knock me out. Pain patches are buTrans 0.15micrograms.

Unfortunately being drug allergic , codeine medications out, antidepressants  will not take, pain patches set up allergic reaction, naproxen  allergic, why when etorocoxib suits me and kills the pain, can't i have it there have been no liver tests giving reason for stopping them. medical profession gone mad