Question for you older folks about arthritis and pain meds
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 683
Question for you older folks about arthritis and pain meds
I've been off my pain medications for 3 months now and have noticed that my arthritis pain it not anywhere close to what it was.
To give you a better example, When I was using my pain meds (for serious physiological back issues), I noticed that every morning when I woke up, I had REALLY bad arthritis pain in my fingers. When I woke up every morning, I could not make a tight fist. As matter of fact, clenching my hands when I woke up was quite painful. Of course, when I took my meds that morning the pain went away. As the day would go by, my fingers would limber up but still did not be able to grab hold of something without the joints hurting. But every morning was the same thing... Joint pain in my fingers. I noticed that if I took more meds than I was supposed to the day before, I would have more joint pain in the mornings (primarily in my fingers but in my knees too).
So, my question to everyone out there (especially you older ones), has anyone noticed an increase in joint pain when you take pain meds?
I thought I read somewhere where opiates caused joint damage. I can't be 100% certain that is the case... Just wanted to ask my SR friends if they have encountered this.
BTW, Yes I'm 3 months off now! While I still have to deal with Chronic back pain... I've been able to manage it without having to use the narcotics I used to. I frequent the gym 5-6 days a week and eat much healthier. I've lost some weight too! Those things have helped my immensely! Understand this though, I can't say that I'll never use again... My back pain will dictate that. BUT, now that I'm 3 months out, I know that my addict brain is no longer in control of what I take.
YES I've taken some pain meds during my 3 month clean run. *BUT* I DO NOT take them every day as I once was. It's been a two weeks since I've had to take a pill and when I did, I took 3 pills over a 3 day stretch. I had to because I was unable to walk because the pain was so bad.
One thing that has helped me sooo much is I use the jacuzzi at the gym almost every day. A 20 minute soak works wonders for my pain!
If any of you suffer from chronic pain, I can assure you that soaking in a jacuzzi will work wonders for you. I still despise having to go to the gym but it has helped me tremendously. The one thing that keeps me going is the fact that I use the jacuzzi as my reward for working out for an hour. When I slip into the Jacuzzi... All my stress and pain simply vanishes for that 20 minutes. The hot temps wear me out and I'm exhausted when I leave the gym but as i said... It has paid off quite nicely. My wife has noticed that I've lost some weight and I look much healthier too. She has been much more receptive to me and has also stated that my drive to get healthier has made me more "attractive". That in itself is worth all the effort.
Anyway... I just wanted to ask all of you if anyone has notice a correlation between pain meds and joint pain.
Thanks guys! Love you all!
To give you a better example, When I was using my pain meds (for serious physiological back issues), I noticed that every morning when I woke up, I had REALLY bad arthritis pain in my fingers. When I woke up every morning, I could not make a tight fist. As matter of fact, clenching my hands when I woke up was quite painful. Of course, when I took my meds that morning the pain went away. As the day would go by, my fingers would limber up but still did not be able to grab hold of something without the joints hurting. But every morning was the same thing... Joint pain in my fingers. I noticed that if I took more meds than I was supposed to the day before, I would have more joint pain in the mornings (primarily in my fingers but in my knees too).
So, my question to everyone out there (especially you older ones), has anyone noticed an increase in joint pain when you take pain meds?
I thought I read somewhere where opiates caused joint damage. I can't be 100% certain that is the case... Just wanted to ask my SR friends if they have encountered this.
BTW, Yes I'm 3 months off now! While I still have to deal with Chronic back pain... I've been able to manage it without having to use the narcotics I used to. I frequent the gym 5-6 days a week and eat much healthier. I've lost some weight too! Those things have helped my immensely! Understand this though, I can't say that I'll never use again... My back pain will dictate that. BUT, now that I'm 3 months out, I know that my addict brain is no longer in control of what I take.
YES I've taken some pain meds during my 3 month clean run. *BUT* I DO NOT take them every day as I once was. It's been a two weeks since I've had to take a pill and when I did, I took 3 pills over a 3 day stretch. I had to because I was unable to walk because the pain was so bad.
One thing that has helped me sooo much is I use the jacuzzi at the gym almost every day. A 20 minute soak works wonders for my pain!
If any of you suffer from chronic pain, I can assure you that soaking in a jacuzzi will work wonders for you. I still despise having to go to the gym but it has helped me tremendously. The one thing that keeps me going is the fact that I use the jacuzzi as my reward for working out for an hour. When I slip into the Jacuzzi... All my stress and pain simply vanishes for that 20 minutes. The hot temps wear me out and I'm exhausted when I leave the gym but as i said... It has paid off quite nicely. My wife has noticed that I've lost some weight and I look much healthier too. She has been much more receptive to me and has also stated that my drive to get healthier has made me more "attractive". That in itself is worth all the effort.
Anyway... I just wanted to ask all of you if anyone has notice a correlation between pain meds and joint pain.
Thanks guys! Love you all!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: in the shadow of the rockies
Posts: 338
that is interesting- my most severe back pain was also in the midst of a several month long opium addiction.....
that was 17+ years ago -i had one bad spell about 14 years ago but nowadays i stay in pretty good shape [altho i havent ridden the bicycle for 2 weeks now]. but i still lift, do my Ab crunches, do intense boatbuilding and gardening, and try to do those yoga based Sun Salutes every morning. it has really kept me pain free for years and years..
that was 17+ years ago -i had one bad spell about 14 years ago but nowadays i stay in pretty good shape [altho i havent ridden the bicycle for 2 weeks now]. but i still lift, do my Ab crunches, do intense boatbuilding and gardening, and try to do those yoga based Sun Salutes every morning. it has really kept me pain free for years and years..
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 31,179
(((Ivan))) I used to be THRILLED when I had pain...opiates!! Since I've gotten clean, I have had to use occasional pain meds, but I don't abuse them. Earlier this month, I fell down a flight of stairs, woke up 5 hours later (had been unconscious) and was upstairs, with no memory of what had happened (tornado weather, had 3 cats and a dog on the stairs, one of them obviously tripped me up).
I didn't go to the ER until 5 days later, when I was having some pretty bad pain in my rib/shoulder-blade area. I was also REALLY bruised on my face...as in green/purple/blue down to my neck.
I told the nurse and dr. that I was an RA. Turns out, head was fine (though I still have a nice hematoma almost a month later) but I cracked some ribs and probably bruised my shoulder-blade. My dr. was concerned about my recovery...I told him "in 2 days, I'll have 5 years...you, me, NO ONE is going to mess that up". We agreed on a prescription...he gave me 3 day's worth...I made it stretch to 6-7 days. I used Motrin/Aleve except when I woke up (in a lot of pain) and when I went to sleep (I sleep on the side that was cracked/bruised).
I had NO desire to be high. I just wanted to be able to breathe and move without severe pain. I've read, here, of several people that said their pain was worsened when they were using opiates. I've seen my stepmom need more and more opiates, benzo's, etc. (yeah, she admits to being an addict). She does nothing to improve her health, goes to dr. after dr. to get more pain meds, and I'm convinced....using all the meds she does, just makes her condition worse.
Sounds like you are doing GREAT, and I'm really proud of you
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
I didn't go to the ER until 5 days later, when I was having some pretty bad pain in my rib/shoulder-blade area. I was also REALLY bruised on my face...as in green/purple/blue down to my neck.
I told the nurse and dr. that I was an RA. Turns out, head was fine (though I still have a nice hematoma almost a month later) but I cracked some ribs and probably bruised my shoulder-blade. My dr. was concerned about my recovery...I told him "in 2 days, I'll have 5 years...you, me, NO ONE is going to mess that up". We agreed on a prescription...he gave me 3 day's worth...I made it stretch to 6-7 days. I used Motrin/Aleve except when I woke up (in a lot of pain) and when I went to sleep (I sleep on the side that was cracked/bruised).
I had NO desire to be high. I just wanted to be able to breathe and move without severe pain. I've read, here, of several people that said their pain was worsened when they were using opiates. I've seen my stepmom need more and more opiates, benzo's, etc. (yeah, she admits to being an addict). She does nothing to improve her health, goes to dr. after dr. to get more pain meds, and I'm convinced....using all the meds she does, just makes her condition worse.
Sounds like you are doing GREAT, and I'm really proud of you
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 683
My experience, when I was taking heavy meds daily, was that my pain worsened - so I took even more meds...
I believe that when you first start taking pain killers, they work great! But after you've been on them for a while-or years... The pain only gets worse.
The thing I'm trying to figure out is why my joint got so bad when I was taking my meds. Just a couple of weeks ago when I had to take my meds pain, my arthritis got really bad again. I can't explain it.
I believe that when you first start taking pain killers, they work great! But after you've been on them for a while-or years... The pain only gets worse.
The thing I'm trying to figure out is why my joint got so bad when I was taking my meds. Just a couple of weeks ago when I had to take my meds pain, my arthritis got really bad again. I can't explain it.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 31,179
(((Ivan))) I don't really know the reason, but I do know (from reading here) that opiates have a tendency to make pain worse, and you need more, more, more. I'm sure there's a medical reason, and I've just forgotten it from my years of being a nurse. I trust the people here, though, and I have no doubt that using opiates makes things worse, and your dependence go up.
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,355
I haven't got much in the way of arthritis but I have a lot of joint trouble
about a year ago I began to cut back on my pain killers and get back into a gentle programme of exercise...changing my diet a little....
my pain is nothing like what it was a year ago when I was taking pain killers daily.
Glad to hear you're doing better too Ivan
D
about a year ago I began to cut back on my pain killers and get back into a gentle programme of exercise...changing my diet a little....
my pain is nothing like what it was a year ago when I was taking pain killers daily.
Glad to hear you're doing better too Ivan
D
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,960
I believe those meds are so strong and really numb the nerves so when they are not taken, there is a bit of withdrawal and the nerves are super sensitive....
does that make sense?
I was visiting a friend in the hospital and it was 2 days after surgery and the doctor wanted to reduce the meds, my friend almost didn't want to, but I suggested how addictive they were...the doc reduced them saying "since you are here, if it doesn't do the trick, we can up it until you leave."
He's home, I will have to ask if he upped them or not. He gave up drinking but never was an alcoholic, according to what we discussed.
does that make sense?
I was visiting a friend in the hospital and it was 2 days after surgery and the doctor wanted to reduce the meds, my friend almost didn't want to, but I suggested how addictive they were...the doc reduced them saying "since you are here, if it doesn't do the trick, we can up it until you leave."
He's home, I will have to ask if he upped them or not. He gave up drinking but never was an alcoholic, according to what we discussed.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,258
First of all, SUPER good job!!! I noticed that when I was on the pain meds, I had more pain, and even heavily taking them I knew that ibuprofen or anti-inflammatory meds worked better for me. But that didn't matter, I still took them. I don't know much about the joints though. I also think the jacuzzi works wonders, but what has worked the best for me is deep tissue massage. I swear by it. I go every Saturday and want to die during it, but I literally have not had once bad day since then!!
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
