What can help with constant pain in back, hips and legs?

@marja27 I did try Lyrica but I did not like that stuff at all. I am a Mercury outboard tech and I couldn't concentrate while on that and Gabapentin. I was on a ton of meds and I stopped taking them all. I wanted the problem fixed not the symptoms. I gave in and asked for meds. They put me on Prednisone and LDN as of now.

@livininthestix It is true that you can’t t think with Lyrica. I take only in the Night. I tried Gabapetin, too, but it does not help neither Venlafax. Have you tried painphysiotherapeut?

@heyjoe415
I have all your all your back issues- 3 yrs ago (female), 77 yrs, was walking with a cane, on drugs, getting epidurals, decided to get off everything. Could not sleep so much pain. Started lifting weights again (light), took private pilates lessons, got 4 nerves in my back done by Rozinomity which helped
So much. Do not pick up anything more than 15 pounds, back to playing tennis (still in pain but do not care), now 81, still taking pilates, playing tennis, & weights. Believe it is all about your core muscles getting stronger that helped me.

Not sure if this is where I’m suppose to post this. I have multiple back. problems. The second (PRP shots) seemed to help my SI joints but now I’m having hip pain. No pain meds (Oxycodine, morphine, dilaudid) help. My pain doctor is suggesting a hip replacement. I’ll be 84 in a few months and the thought of surgery at this age is quite scary. Has anyone had a hip replacement at around my age?

@gwj734
My apologies for this being long.

If you have not had physical therapy in a while it might be good for you. My PT suggested after I went through the treatment to keep up the exercises and to get a TENS unit. He had used one as part of my treatment. I got one .. probably from Amazon .. for about $30 or less US dollars. I received it before my last session at therapy and my therapist showed me how to use it. It has been a few years and I still use it .. not as often as I should. There are plenty of places online to help decide where to place the pads.

My personal physician sometimes has his nurse give me a shot of depro medrol (steroid) and one of toradol (anti-inflammatory ) (my spelling may be off) which helped me more than having steroids injected directly into my joints. I have a lot of bone on bone arthritis and there is no joints to inject medication into.

I had whole body neuropathy hit me all at once the first week of March. (I already had some neuropathy in my right foot from my first S-I joint surgery in 1993 and then morton neuromas surgery in that foot in 2012. Also some in my left ribcage from open abdominal surgery in 2015.)

I cannot take neurotin nor lyrica. I have taken diazepam (generic Valium) for a few years off and on when my sacroiliac acts up to help me sleep. So tried it to help with the neuropathy. It is helping a little. I cannot function well taking it in the daytime.

It took me about 3 weeks to get an appointment with a neurologist. I told him of my chemical sensitivity. I am allergic to several medications and sometimes have a medication do the exact opposite of what they are supposed to do. A good example is ambient .. it is supposed to help you sleep. I was awake all night. The neurologist said he was going to prescribe Doxepin at a low dose .. which was 10 mg. I took one capsule and was in a stupor for almost two full days.

When I went back to the neurologist and told him how it went …. it was Wow! I usually start my patients off with 40 mg of doxepin. So he thinks a minute and said: it would take a very long time to find a medication that would work for you. Let’s try a plant based way. He is originally from India. I want you to use a turmeric tea. He said use one teaspoon of turmeric powder (He said the powder form works better than the root for pain) per cup of water and simmer. If I did ok with it then add an inch of grated ginger .. he also said add black pepper which burns my esophagus .. he said leave it out. Oh .. he said you can use the supplements, but they tend to add preservatives and other stuff.

I had used some turmeric in cooking many years ago, but that ain’t Southern Cook'n (husband’s 🙄. He is now the cook and the amount of spices have tripled. He had to take over or starve I was just too nauseous to cook .. I think that was 2011).

We got to the car after the visit and I told my husband that sounds like way too much turmeric to water. He agreed. I researched it and turmeric teas is usually made with 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric to two cups of water with a few grains of black pepper and 1/2” of fresh ginger. You can add lemon juice and honey and some say oil or ghee makes it work better.

What I do: 1/8 teaspoon ( a half of a 1/4 teaspoon measure spoon .. I don't think they make an 1/8 teaspoon measure spoon) turmeric powder and 1/8 teaspoon of ginger powder (after my surgery I don’t digest some things well and grated ginger root is one). I tried just this with water and did not care for it. I read you can add the powders to coffee or tea. I make my Tetley British Blend tea in a 14 oz cup. I put the spice powders in the bottom of the cup and place the tea bag in the cup I run 14 oz of water through my pod machine over the bag and spice powders. When the water finishes I place a saucer over the cup and let it steep for a few minutes. Sometimes I get sidetracked by the dog and the tea get a little too cool and I pop in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. I like the tea. Not all the powder dissolves. I don’t usually drink the dregs in the bottom of the cup. You can use any tea you want or use just water and add lemon juice and honey with the powders. I make our morning coffee in a regular 12 cup coffee maker. In my coffee cup I add the powders to the coffee and heat for another 30 seconds. The coffee maker water is not as hot as it should be be. Need a better pot 😁. I can only make it through a cup of coffee at breakfast, one at dinner and one tea at supper. So 3/8 teaspoon of each powder.

How am I after almost a month? My arthritis pains are at about 30% less. Swelling is less in my hands and feet. The neuropathy is about 20% down. I am going to try and increase the amount of the powders. A bit hard when your stomach is the size of a large egg. I have to have room for food. My sleep is a little bit better.

I cleaned the walkway this morning of birdseed and my body got warm. The time before that when I cleaned the walkway my body felt like it was on fire.

If you want to try this please talk with your doctor first. Turmeric does have side effects and affect how over 100 medications work. .. especially diabetic medications. Do your research and please have your doctors' ok. Keep an eye out for side effects .. I think a teaspoon is the safest high dose.

My apologies for this being long. I hope someone finds something in it to help them. I am so thankful for any amount of pain relief .

ZeeGee

@barbarav1 after talking to good surgeons and you decide to do it, I would say mine went really well and I wish I had done it sooner. I was only in the hospital for a day and a half. I told them I did not want to remember the OR even though I had studied videos ahead. I would say don’t worry about it. I did not even need a walker afterwards. I am 69. It improved my mobility.

Hi Gwen,

Thanks for replying. Is your pain in the back of one or more of your legs? That is likely sciatica caused by stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal). An MRI would show what is causing it and if surgery is necessary.

In 2014, I had a procedure called a laminotomy on S1, L5, and L4. I was in a lot of pain from, probably stenosis, and part of the disc at S1/L5 had ruptured and needed to be removed.

The first surgeon I saw would only do fusion of those vertebrae, and I got a second opinion. The second surgeon tried the laminotomies, and they worked, no more sciatica pain.

The procedure is simple. A small incision is made and holes are drilled in the back of the affected vertebrae. This allows room for the sciatic nerve to expand, reducing the pressure and pain. 12 years later I'm doing pretty good and able to get to the gym everyday.

I hope you get some relief Gwen!

Joe

Thanks Karen!

What a great success story and testament to the power of having strong core muscles. I'm very happy for you.

I'm not familiar with "Rozinomity". Can you tell me a little more?

Thanks Gwen and great work!

Joe

@gwj734 I too am thinking of Pregabalin generic for Lyrica. My only concern is the weight gain side effect from fluid retention. But I’m really hurting . So it’s a difficult decision to make for me . But there are so many plus sides for taking it. I guess all meds have side effects.

I gained 50lbs on it. But I still take it.