Osteoarthritis pain as well as neuropathy in my feet.

I've got or had most of that. I take light dose opioids. Percocet or Oxycodone. That's it. and I exercise even with the pain of the neuropathy and radiculopathy. I've had the surgeries you've had. I am starting strength training. I have gout which causes a lot more pain than the OA caused! Try tart cherry capsules ZAZZEE its. $20 on Amazon. You'll know in 24 hours if Gout arthritis is causing some of your pain. Keep trying stuff. Get rest. exercise through the pain. find some things you are passionate about when you are frustrated and want to throw in the towel. Also - weather makes a HUGE difference. So I hunker down when the weather provokes my arthritis and just wait to get thru it to brighter days. I'm 68. I walk a mile in the morning and in the afternoon. Hug my dog ALOT. Hug YOUR WIFE TOO!!! @mrmacabre

Nothing helps . Gabapentin(will turn you into a zombie) is a mask that really dont cure but mask. Keep smiling even though its hard for your family. Keep moving as all my problems started when cancer surgery put me in a chair for 9 months and everything deteriated. Good luck

I have a similar situation with my lower body (Rleg and hip and back) and also my left hand where overlapping OA, RA and neuropathy sometimes overlap and sometimes one is more bothersome than another. I am in PT with a big focus on core/posture and daily walking even if only for 10 minutes. I am up to 15-18 minutes now and it does often hurt a lot but there are so many benefits that I try to direct my attention to. fresh air, natural beauty, feeling part of a community are all things that help me to get through those 10-15 minutes and make me feel better when I get back home.

I also use max prehabalin, muscle relaxer, and hydrocodone (5:325) 3-4 times a day. All in order to function and stay in the world.

I take gabapentin 600 3x a day

I am 60 years old and dealing with chronic pain from osteoarthritis is starting to make me feel hopeless. I have 5 levels fused in my neck by a great neurosurgeon and the arthritis from that is manageable. However, I just had lumbar decompression to resolve severe shin pain and neuropathy in my feet and that did not work. I dread getting out of bed everyday due to the severe shin and foot pain. I do not want to continue to live like this but I don't know what to do. Daily I take Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, gabapentin, muscle relaxer, and small amount of opioid. The combination of these takes the edge off but still does not resolve the problem. Any suggestions or solutions regarding my shin pain? Thank you!

I’m sorry to hear all this! You sound like you’ve tried! As much as you probably don’t want to hear this. I think you need to get some new doctors or second opinions.
I have the same, but I found pain relief in exercise. There was nothing left to try! So while I am writing this, I am sitting on my stationary bike which sat unused for three years until this past spring when I was without Hope and frustrated. I take low-dose opioid for 25 years. It allows me to walk the dog twice a day and do intermittent activities. I’ve had many joint replacement surgeries. But this Springs, low level nerve pain along my leg outside of my knee outside of my shin down under my toes on top of my foot kind of threw me over. I got really angry and I got on that bike and I rode! Exhausted myself and for the first night in nine months, I slept… WELL. I have now tried to make it a religion to ride my stationary bike, an exhaust those crazy nerves. My nerves are permanently damaged from a nerve surgeon, not wanting to do surgery in time so they were crushed beyond repair. My lumbar surgery was 100% successful however it did not resolve the areas around the fusion which now need to be attended to at some point with another surgery. In the meantime, I’ve had six or seven years since the lumbar surgery and the nerve pain in my shin and foot have gotten worse. however, I never give up Hope really and I found I was borderline insulin resistant and I demanded the doctor put me on a medicine. I was put on metformin and it’s all pretty new, but I definitely think the insulin resistance has been causing a myriad of problems with my body not functioning properly. now that my body is working better along with being put on allopurinol for gout arthritis, which was misdiagnosed for 25 years as well I am doing much better. I am trying not to get anxiety ridden about the leg and nerve pain. The low-dose opioid works sufficiently in my case and as long as I continue my exercises(to (which I am now adding resistance light weights). I know how bad that nerve pain can be and how exhausted you get when you don’t sleep. All I can say is keep plugging away. Also, I want to recommend that you see a doctor about periodic facet joint (along the spine ) injections with corticosteroid that seems to relieve my nerve pain in my leg and foot. Inquire from your doctor if that is an option for you it is only a temporary fix as the Cortizone wears off. Ablation‘s work great and I love them but insurance is reducing their availability. Try to exhaust yourself during the day so that you sleep well at night. Sleeping deeper Makes you more optimistic and lessons the pain. It’s hard because we are more sensitive at night and our pain is exaggerated. Good luck.

Thank you so much for your response! I am still optimistic that my leg nerve pain will resolve itself over the next few months, but, I will also try your suggestion on the exercise. I have always been VERY active (hiking, biking, swimming, weights...) but of course have curtailed all of that over the last few years since I haven't been able to do anything without extreme pain. I am 3 weeks out of lumbar decompression surgery and currently walking twice a day with walker. I'd hate to think that I will always be on low level opioids, but if it's what I have to do it's what I have to do. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and advice. ps... will also look in to periodic facet joint injections (I've had loads of injections but haven't had facet joints in a long time). Best of luck to you!

@mrmacabre

Have you tried R-Lipoic acid or Alpha Lipoic acid for neuropathy?

Yes, my doctor recommended ALA a few months ago, so I'm taking 1200mg a day. It seems to be helping a little.

I don't know what ALA is. Don't have arthritis doctor. Managing chronic pain from faux pas fusion 25 years ago keeps me on fentanyl patches and OxyContin to deal with chronic pain. Helps some, but only 50%.