Wishing I'd Bought Stronger Pain Medication
@Ruby3881 (1963)
Canada
April 19, 2016 10:01pm CST
I have chronic pain in my legs, back, and hands. Most days I can cope fairly well. But if I push myself too much physically, or if I'm already feeling sick, the pain flares up. It also tends to get worse when there are changes in the weather.
When the pain becomes intrusive enough to prevent me from keeping up with my daily routine, or when it wakes me up in the middle of the night, it's time to take pain meds.
I don't have a prescription for pain. I use over the counter analgesics (usually acetaminophen or ibuprofen) when I need pain relief. That seems to be enough to block the pain message, just long enough for my body to relax. And for me that muscle tension is a good part of the pain, so relaxing is really important.
But there are days when I need something just a tad stronger. And today is one of those days. Unfortunately, I have run out of naproxen. And of course, I forget to put it on the shopping list.
So I'll tough it out today, and try to compensate with my ibuprofen and a relaxing cup of tea. Hopefully, that will be enough and I won't need o get the naproxen tomorrow...
How do you deal with pain?
[Image: aloisiocostalatge/Pixabay/CC0]
22 people like this
24 responses
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
20 Apr 16
Voltaren/Diclenofac has a new formulation that is supposed to not cause stomach problems or blood pressure problems. I forget what it is called. My doctor gave me samples and they gave me chest pains. That is actually one of the risks of NSAIDs
3 people like this
@davidalicea100 (3495)
• Merced, California
20 Apr 16
@GardenGerty I hope you didnt have a heart attack or anything.
@celticeagle (168123)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Apr 16
I have been taking several natural supplements and I can't remember the last time I had any pain. I used to take Tylenol and that helped. I also use the rub and it helped my hip a lot. Have you tried any of those? Bengay is the one I use. It doesn't have the odor anymore.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
20 Apr 16
@Ruby3881 I was going to say this Outback Pain relief is essential oils in an olive oil carrier. You would know if it had something in it you were allergic to. Olive oil, both internally and externally helps with pain.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (168123)
• Boise, Idaho
20 Apr 16
@Ruby3881 ....mmmm Wintergreen is such a nice fragrance. I have a Tonic by Solaray that has some natural pain killers too.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
@GardenGerty It actually seems free of allergens for me 
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
@LdeL0318 Ibuprofen upsets a lot of people's stomachs. In that case, it's best taken at mealtimes or swallowed with milk. I think that's probably the most common side effect, unless you have a specific medical condition. It's important to check with your doctor or pharmacist, though, if you take other medications or if you have a chronic condition.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
I suspect that part of it is rheumatoid arthritis. Though most of it is muscular. I was born with cerebral palsy, and have weak muscle tone. So there's extra strain on my body as I'm getting older. Between that, damage due to a back injury when I was much younger, and an inherited knee condition, I'm pretty much falling apart at the seams, LOL!
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
20 Apr 16
With my severe spine injuries, it's a 'mind over matter' situation @Ruby3881 . The most I will take med-wise is baby aspirin. Otherwise, it's deep breathing and curling up in a fetal position. I have bottles of hydrocodone that I've never used. I do however use a Tends Unit for massaging purposes. At the base of the skull at the cervical area, I use a hot, moist washcloth.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
20 Apr 16
@Ruby3881 They tried the shots originally and they did nothing at all. I only have 6 mm left between my spinal cord and the collapsed spine itself. There are no sponges left inbetween the vertebrae and most of the vertebrae are collapsed upon each other and fractured. The ones in my neck are like broken pieces of chalk. My spine is actually in the shape of an "S".
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
20 Apr 16
@Ruby3881 The chewable aspirin hits the system faster. Even though the hydrocodone would lessen the pain quicker, it makes it much easier to feel so good that you make dumb mistakes; like you can do something more physical and wind up hurting yourself more. Since I can't stretch my body by lying on my back or doing any exercises, the fetal position helps me stretch in the opposite direction and does relieve some of the pain. My lower Thorasic part of the spine has intruded so far forward that there is only 1" between the spine and the front of my body. The doctor couldn't even understand after looking at the xrays how I was able to even stand vertically at all.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
@nanette64 Ah OK, I understand now! Yes, I can see why a chewable would work faster. And I do see how you'd want to be careful of feeling too good and then overdoing it (I do that too, but not when I've been taking the meds. Just on my good days!)
Are you a candidate for any other types of pain relief, like cortisone shots?
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
21 Apr 16
I am an ibuprofen girl Acetaminophen doesn't seem to do it for me.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
21 Apr 16
@Ruby3881 I have never taken them together.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
21 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 I hadn't either until last summer. The medics at camp gave the combo to my Banana when she injured her knee, and she said it worked really well for bad pain. Turns out, she was right. Always check with your doc or pharmacist, though, to be sure it's safe for you.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
20 Apr 16
Ibuprofen hurts my stomach. I take naproxen probably twice a week. I take acetaminophen more often than that. Often I am not aware of pain but find myself grinding my teeth. I bought a product online called "Outback Pain Relief" which is topical and it seems to be beneficial. I made a home made version which I am working to perfect so I can use it liberally if need be. Another good thing is to soak in a tub with Epsom salt and lavender.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
I looked it up, and it sounds interesting. No allergens for me, and it's a pretty simple formulation. Though I was a tad concerned that the company doesn't supply botanical names and managed to misspell one of the ingredient names on the Amazon info. I'd want to do a little digging for reviews, before I invested any money in it...
@allknowing (137552)
• India
20 Apr 16
Have you tried to find out what causes it. If you know what causes it then rather than just deaden the pain may be the cause could be eradicated - just saying
1 person likes this
@allknowing (137552)
• India
21 Apr 16
@Ruby3881 As long as those pain relievers do not harm your body all is well but I know pain relievers do that. 
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
21 Apr 16
@allknowing They're far less harmful than the medications I used to take. And there's far more risk associated with stronger medications or surgery.
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
1 May 16
Yup, that's the safest way to go! You wouldn't want to have issues with bleeding....
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
Sorry to hear that! I find acetaminophen to be effective for mild to moderate pain, but I prefer ibuprofen. It works better, and faster, for me.
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
20 Apr 16
bless yer heart, i can't take nothin' stronger'n a tylenol o'er the counter. i treat my inflammation through diet best i can (avoid foods that cause't, eat others that're supposed to suppress't), take epsoms salt soaks, ice packs, fer the back i've a huge blue ball to lay 'cross 'n when all else fails i've one'f those tens units. i hope ya made't through yer day alright 'n hopefully got a peaceful slumber.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (83064)
• United States
20 Apr 16
I have chronic pain in my knees and usually deal with it with ibuprofen. I've never had anything stronger
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
I've always used OTC meds for pain, except for dental pain and after my C-section. I did rely on larger doses of acetaminophen with codeine, in my younger days. But I've since realized the pain I had back then was actually due to mold allergies. The school I attended had a horrible problem with dampness, and I just thought I was having really bad headaches....
@Leonbullock (2)
•
20 Apr 16
I also fall victim to pain medication that's just not strong enough. Now days, there just isn't anything to sooth that pain area. Which leaves us, to search for home remedies, which is crazy.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
I generally avoid home remedies for pain, except the topical ones that are counter-irritants, and heat or cold. There are a lot of home remedies that are simply unproven and ineffective. But some are also dangerous - especially the ones recommended for things that have to do with your brain & nervous system.
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
Yeah, it's tough to function with the pain. I usually work through it, but it slows me down a lot.
@xstitcher (32682)
• Petaluma, California
20 Apr 16
The pain I have is likely not as intense as yours but for me doing other things so that it goes out of my mind helps.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
I can often do that. If I switch activities or start watching a TV episode, the pain will subside. The past few days I've relied on that a lot. It helps some, even when the pain is stronger.
@davidalicea100 (3495)
• Merced, California
20 Apr 16
Don't become addicted to the pain pills. Get a massage it is a lot better lol
1 person likes this
@HebrewGreekStudies (1646)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
I hope you feel better soon:/. For pain...the main pain that I get is my migraines, and for those, nothing helped at all-except when I started sleeping on my back instead of my side...then after having them for 30 years (almost all my life), they almost completely vanished? But yeh, pain medication, never seemed to do much for me so...I just didn't take it after a while.
1 person likes this
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
20 Apr 16
Most migraine sufferers seem to have similar experiences. The pain meds really do nothing, but for many people anti-emetics can either stop the migraine completely, or reduce the pain significantly. I'm not really sure why it works, though.
