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Coping with arthritis pain at night
I have arthritis pain, and experience this now in my entire body. I cannot take Tylenol, aspirin, nsaids due to chronic gastritis and EPI. I cope with the pain during the day through exercise, stretching and keeping busy. The nights are the problem. I fall asleep easily because I’m tired. I wake up in pain after a 2-3 hours and then toss and turn, get up and stretch, practice deep breathing and try to go back to sleep or read if I can focus enough to do that. I start my day around 6am and do NOT rest during the day so I can try to encourage my body to rest at night.
I choose to not request other options such as opioids or sleep medications. I do use melatonin but as I said, falling asleep is NOT the issue. Getting ENOUGH sleep is the problem. No dreams for me as I don’t enter the phase of rest to do so.
Any ideas???
I am extremely active and use a lateral elliptical at the gym 5 days a week, (4 miles in 32 minutes” and absolutely LOVE it because after the first half mile I am able to “ditch” the pain.
The nights and lack of sleep is my biggest problem at this point…any suggestions out there??! I DO use Voltaren gel but at night the effect doesn’t last long enough to get enough sleep.
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I had a sleep study which was "unremarkable" but I am having a 24 hour EEG on my brain end of May. I had one that lasted an hour and I was awake but they want to see what happens when I am sleeping and active during the day. They put electrodes all over my head so I guess I will be hiding out for the duration until I can return to Hershey and have the rods removed. I hope I gain some insight. Looking forward to the CBD. I didn't do pot although that was my era in the 1960s so I hope I have a good reaction to the CBD even though I know it is not THC. I also have an appt. in July with an endocrinologist to see what impact 10 years of prednisone/prednisolone has had on me and perhaps sleep issues. I am weaning down to 4mg this month week by week but can go no lower. I have to find out how to manage the dosage if I have an infection or otherwise need to increase it. Not clear about that. M.E.
Thank you!
The EEG sounds interesting; I had an MRI showing no real issues. I've had the sleep study for apnea/CPAP. I haven't had much relief from my CPAP, but I do routinely use it. My problem was typically a full awakening after an hour or so of sleep. I was hoping that the THC/CBD combination would also offer relief from inflammation that I have from autoimmune as I scale down NSAID and plaquenil use as I age.
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1 ReactionI know the times when I have had to be on steroids over the years it causes me to be wired and wide awake. Always look at meds. I have an adult child who gets wired on benedryl, steroids, and other drugs that supposedly make people sleepy but has opposite reaction on her
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1 ReactionI take a cbd oil gel each night before bed. I have artheritis and a stomach inflammation. I was really surprised how the cbd has help both. It helps inflammation and it helped mt stomach inflammation. Worth a try….
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1 ReactionI’m allergic to steroids…
so not an option for me anyway 🙄. And the blood pressure meds don’t keep me awake, arthritis pain wakes me up.
I take Zenpep for EPI…
insomnia isn’t a side effect.
so far nothing seems to help except cannabis and it’s illegal where I live.
And it’s not worth going to jail over…I couldn’t sleep in jail either🤯
At least I still have my sense of humor!🤩
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2 ReactionsHave you ever tried dry needling and taping or celebrex in combo
@tarmansbks just to reiterate what someone else said: even 2mg methylprednisolone makes me wired and gives me sleep issues. Before adding something, maybe subtract first, as you are planning to do! Any chance you could get down to 2mg? (I did this with my mother.)
If you take a total of 1.5mg Ativan every night, that could be a problem over the long term. Many docs, in my experience, won't prescribe more than a few pills at a time. Over time you might need increasing dosage to get the same effect, and there is a serious withdrawal when stopped. I hope your doctor gives you good advice on this.
I sympathize with your sleep issues. I am resigned to 5 hours/night however I can get them, even if I am up from 2-4am!
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1 ReactionHello fellow sleep deprived folks~
What a drauge, eh?! I can relate to all of your posts. I've tried all of the OTC remedies as well as homeopathic ones. Nothing gave me the deep sleep I was so longing for. I would go to sleep around 9pm..sleep until 1or2am and that was that...no matter what I did..stretch, reading, breathing,...you name it, I tried it..as most of you have. I have several body structures that aren't in alignment with my 'head space'. I am a very active 77 yr old..(about 62 in my head, maybe)..but my back and hips show me with severe osteoporosis... as well as having arthritis in both knees..bone on bone. I also have a T-8 compression fx from a fall...not my fault..I tripped because of a miss marked step....but braced my fall against a low fence...hence the fx....
I can get myself out of aches and pains during the day, without any meds, most of the time. I did mention 'active'?....well now I'm also chasing my sweet, but strong willed kitten! She's a Bengal..wow are they an active breed! I'm on the floor....twisting my arms/back under the credenza where most of her toys end up. I do and do...but start to get mid back pains in the afternoon....then I sit with a heated pack on my back....that, along with mild stretches seems to be able to release the nerve pressure from the fx. Now..sleep as been an illusion, as it looks to be with a lot of us.
In looking for yet another solution...at my local HFS....I found "Dr. Mercola's Sleep formula"....it has a small mg. of melatonin, (which is better than a higher one) along with many herbs and amino acids that specifically address the problem of staying asleep. Well...so far I've had 4 blissful night's of great sleep! I awake for a potty break around 12:30am...but still feeling that yummy sleepy feeling..so back to bed and poof....I fall back to sleep!..Hallelujah! Last night was from 9:ish pm...to 6am! After having the missed sleep I've been experiencing for so long now..no dreams...mind going a mile a minute....hours wasted....this has been life altering for me. Just to know it exists for me is so very hopeful to all my positive affirmations of healing.
I do have a quex....what CBD product has been working for you? There are too many for me to try..as they are expensive. Much appreciated. A good CBD product can also help with pain.
I haven't been doing a lot of walking lately....but am working out on my Vibration plate. I feel the benefits of spending 15 minutes a couple times a day on it. It's very soothing....on the 'walking phase', then the 'jogging phase', which is a more shaky feeling and then the last one, 'running'....That one really shakes my whole body...feels great as well..but I don't stay in the mode too long..and end up for the last 5 minutes in the 'walking' one....awwww......
Hope you got something out of this post. We are all here (hear) for each other.
I take 1 mg of ativan at bedtime - around 8:45 and a 250 magnesium tabler. Last night I made it to 3:30 AM when I needed a bathroom break. I also lay out a 1/2 tablet of ativan that is handy if I awaken in a panic at night and don't want to go looking for it. I didn't need it last night. I am doing leg exercises the p/t has worked with me for the past 3 weeks to condition my weakened polio leg for a possible knee replacement and maybe that is helping with the leg fasciculations. I ordered CBD gummies from Charlotte's Web and tried one yesterday during the day and felt like I was more energized than relaxed. I just took another one around 1:30 PM. Not sure if they will do me any good. I selected the one without melatonin because of being on methylpred. Wednesday I began a week of 6 mg of methylp. and my rheumatologist wants me to stop at 4 mg because of loss of adrenal function after all these years. I see an endocrinologist in July so maybe something can be worked out that I can taper down or off. I don't want to go on methotrexate or biologics. They are liable to make worse other issues like IBS.
I can't see myself ever being without the crutch of ativan and I know the downsides but they do get me under control. When my husband died almost exactly two years ago during covid, I was thankful for their effect. So far my PCP is not questioning my use. I am prescribed for 3 mg a day and usually don't ever get that far.