back pain = weight gain

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anti-inflammatory medications

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pamelazee
pamelazee Posts: 45 Member
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I can't take pain killers or muscle relaxers. I can't take anything those things that will "impair my judgement." Does anyone have experience with anti-inflammatorys? Right now I'm just on Ib. Thanks!

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  • opal24
    opal24 Posts: 205 Member
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    I've taken anti-inflammatories for many years. I used to take them as and when I thought I needed them, then I finally got to see a rheumatologist who believed that my pain wasn't all in my head, diagnosed my problem (connective tissue disease and fibromyalgia) and who worked with me to develop a drug regime to manage it. I now find that if I take the hydroxychloraquine that actually manages the disease, together with a daily anti-inflammatory tablet, I'm pretty much pain free most of the time. Unfortunately, there are also huge downsides. It took me years to find an anti-inflammatory that didn't make me ill, but I did eventually get there. However, I do end up with severe reflux if I don't also take anti-reflux medication. I've also discovered since my back surgery that I apparently have some low level form of intestinal bleeding that has severely impacted my iron levels, so I now take an iron supplement as well. This is also almost certainly a side-effect of the anti-inflammatories.

    The whole thing turns into a sort of 3 ring circus, but on the occasions when I've decided for one reason or another to stop the anti-inflammatories it's only taken a few days for my overall muscle and joint pain levels to shoot up again. It seems to be a question of deciding which of the evils I'm prepared to put up with - and my decision is that it's better to put up with the side effects and extra medication than the pain levels that stop me doing things.

    Probably not a lot of help for you - I hope you can sort out something that works!
  • grassette
    grassette Posts: 976 Member
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    I use Tylenol for body pain and find it quite effective when I go into spasm. Short term use only. But it does get me back on my feet.
  • pamelazee
    pamelazee Posts: 45 Member
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    Pain has gotten bad enough for me to take some more action.
    On a five day course of Prednisone for the inflamation and Ultram for the pain.
    Physical therapy three times a week for the next two weeks.
    If the pain is relieved by then, on to image guided injections, which I have heard a lot of good things about.

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