Help. No relief from chronic pain - Pain Management Message Board

MomwithMS · 03-24-2005, 08:14 PM

I've had MS for 8 years. Now, I am testing positive for the lupus DNA antibodies. I've also been diagnosed with polyarthritis. I also have optic neuritis and a vestibular ocular disorder. I am 30 years old with two kids, ages 2 and 4.

My problem is that I am now in chronic pain. There is never any relief. I hurt all the time. My joints are so inflammed that I can barely move. I can't take the anti inflammatories (such as celebrex or relafen) b/c they keep eating a hole in my stomach (I had gastric bypass surgery, and my pouch is very sensitive.

I take lortab 7.5 mg, but I'm just not getting relief.

I have requested my PCP to send me to a pain management doctor, and I'm sure he will.

What to I need to know? What else can I do to help cope with the pain?

thanks

surgicaldisaster · 03-25-2005, 02:22 PM

Hello, and welcome!!

I am sorry you have soooo much to deal with. I have a friend with MS and she too is in agony...but it sounds to me like you are WAY undermedicated. My guess is a pm Dr. will help you so much it will change your life. There are so many more meds available to you it will boggle your mind. It will also give you your life back as much as possible. I wish i had some short term answers for you but I really don't...other thn to get in to see a pm Dr. as soon as possible. There is so much more that can be done for you with meds and it would make a world of difference..it has for my friend..she is no longer in constant agony and is enjoying life as it is for her now...obviously very different than she ever thought it would be, but a heck of a lot better now that her pain is not out of control. I will pray for you, as I am sure every day must be a struggle. Please post back and let us know how you are doing or if I can help at all in any way o.k.? Take care, and hang in there..Love, Surgical Disaster

girl75 · 03-25-2005, 04:55 PM

surgical disaster is right, when i could not get any relief i went to pm and through trial an error of course i think i am on my way to finding the right combination of meds to help me. i started a pain patch at the low dosage but its not really helping me so i think if i go up in dosage it will help.
anyway i am 29 with a 2 and 5yr old and i know how hard it is to keep up with them having pain all the time. my 5yr old i think has lots of responsibilities for his age. some days its hard to get out of bed and take him to school but i push myself. thank goodness my 2yr old likes to take naps because we have our 2-3hr nap in the afternoon before brother comes home. well goodluck and i hope you get into a pm doc soon so you can get some kind of relief.

keep us posted and let us know how everything goes.

robin

MomwithMS · 03-25-2005, 08:20 PM

Thank you. I saw my rheumatologist today who is starting me on chemotherapy drugs - methotrexate. I'm nervous. He said it will help with the joint pain and tenderness. I hope he's right. He now believes I have psoriatic arthritis.

Thank you so much for the info. I called my PCP and requested a referral to a PM doctor.

StMishl · 03-26-2005, 12:25 PM

Mom,
I am sorry you are having so many pain issues and wish you quick relief. I take methotrexate for my Rheumatoid Arthritis. I take 40mg at one time 1x per week. I had pretty bad nausea the first few weeks, as well as some major headaches so suggest taking them when you have someone around to help out with the kiddos. I also chose to take them on Saturdays, when I don't have to do very much

They worked so-so on their own, but later formed the "base drug" for more advanced therapies (I now take Remicade every 4 weeks, which is used for RA and Chrones disease, and has been a Godsend...) I don't know if Remicade has been used for psoriatic arthritis or ms, but you may want to ask your rheumatologist. I wish you much luck with the methotrexate... the side effects I experienced did dramaticly subside after the first few weeks. I was told that taking them with a small meal was ok, and found that to also help.

I am currently fighting my own pain management battle, but have faith that the pain medications available now can make the world of difference.

I wish you much happiness and hope.

-Michelle