Erosive osteoarthritis pain but can't take NSAIDS

Posted by chris7121 @chris7121, Jul 1, 2023

I have erosive osteoarthritis and because of a heart attack, I'm on a blood thinner and not allowed to take anti inflammatories /NSAIDS. Tylenol no longer helps. Any suggestions for alternative sources of pain relief are most welcome!

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@pacer3702

Just a caution about turmeric supplements. Their use has been linked to an increasing number of cases of liver injury (although still rare). The culprit is thought to be the synthetic curcumin often found in these products.

https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(22)00740-9/fulltext

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Pacer: Synthetic curcumin?? What in the heck? I am taking Integrative Therapeutics brand Theracurmin HP. Active ingredient is "curcumin extract from Curcuma longa rhizome." Which sounds pretty real to me. What turmeric supplements do you refer to?

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There are topicals that might help. I like CBD cream, but you can also get prescription creams. KIK II from Potters House (ketofin, milaxicam, etc) is an RX and it does work. I like to also use a bed buddy (microwavable moist heat) over the area I have creamed. Water movement is painfree and can help you stay flexible and stronger. It shifts the liquids that build up in muscles and tendons. My knee gets nighttime massage, a lidocaine patch held on with an ace bandage; elevation and some heat. If my back is angry, it is yoga cat/cow/child/cobra and other stretches. Spray magnesium helps some. However, I find the best pain relief from either a cold pack or heat.

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I have stage 3 kidney failure and sjogrens disease. I take tramadol and 500mg Tylenol. Also Boswellia and Tumeric for inflammation.

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Tramadol and 500mg Tylenol. I have heart failure and kidney failure.

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@therpy

Tramadol and 500mg Tylenol. I have heart failure and kidney failure.

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@therpy tramadol is excreted by both kidneys and liver. Did you have a dose adjustment of tramadol due to your kidney failure?

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@sueinmn

Yes, but only a small % of it reaches your bloodstream, and none ends up in your stomach to irritate it.
We have used it for many years, long before it was widely available in the US, and even my husband nephrologist allows it with his CKD. I believe the situation may be different if you have liver failure.
Sue

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Tramadol loves me, it compressed my organs & made me hemorrhage. I’ve had reactions to Tylenol, aspirin, Motrin & all NSAIDS, cannot do any over-the-counter, have 42 known drug allergies cannot hardly get any new med prescribed. It took me 16 months to get cleared for the Jensen vaccine. I currently have or have residual chronic pain syndromes & cannot get the one pain med everyone knows I can safely take, dilaudid. It’s a sad day in America when a person with over 40 conditions can’t get pain meds because they might become an addict & EVERYONE KNOWS how I feel & what my pain is. Nicotine is the only ‘addiction’ I’ve ever had. Prove it, everyone else has failed! Of course having multiple issues with my entire spine damaged does not help, I recently broke it for the 3rd time. I exist to suffer in extreme pain because Michigan no longer practices real medicine, or treats critical care patients who call them out & fights them when they receive such treatment, abuse, neglect or outright blackballing. Thirty eight years after my accident I suffer in extreme pain at a level it hurts to inhale/exhale with every breath. In Michigan (No. Korea USA) unless I’m hospitalized, I am only allowed infrared heat. Michigan doctors call this living, I call it suffering to exist, I would have been better off not becoming a world case study, not advancing the POA, not surviving multiple surgical hemorrhages…because I had a amazing life…when I was medicated. Now I lie in bed for 2 hours after 5 hours laying & dozing on & off, fearful of all movement. That causes nausea, vertigo (my body’s revenge for ignoring extreme pain levels), difficulty breathing until I can fall into my lift chair & wait for my body to quit screaming. Then as long as I don’t do more than breath…my pain drops to a four. THIS IS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF ALL MEDICAL STANDARDS I’VE BEEN EXPOSED TO SINCE FEB. 17, 1985. What the hell happened to the Hippocratic Oath? In my world it ended 7 years ago.

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@robinlloyd

Tramadol loves me, it compressed my organs & made me hemorrhage. I’ve had reactions to Tylenol, aspirin, Motrin & all NSAIDS, cannot do any over-the-counter, have 42 known drug allergies cannot hardly get any new med prescribed. It took me 16 months to get cleared for the Jensen vaccine. I currently have or have residual chronic pain syndromes & cannot get the one pain med everyone knows I can safely take, dilaudid. It’s a sad day in America when a person with over 40 conditions can’t get pain meds because they might become an addict & EVERYONE KNOWS how I feel & what my pain is. Nicotine is the only ‘addiction’ I’ve ever had. Prove it, everyone else has failed! Of course having multiple issues with my entire spine damaged does not help, I recently broke it for the 3rd time. I exist to suffer in extreme pain because Michigan no longer practices real medicine, or treats critical care patients who call them out & fights them when they receive such treatment, abuse, neglect or outright blackballing. Thirty eight years after my accident I suffer in extreme pain at a level it hurts to inhale/exhale with every breath. In Michigan (No. Korea USA) unless I’m hospitalized, I am only allowed infrared heat. Michigan doctors call this living, I call it suffering to exist, I would have been better off not becoming a world case study, not advancing the POA, not surviving multiple surgical hemorrhages…because I had a amazing life…when I was medicated. Now I lie in bed for 2 hours after 5 hours laying & dozing on & off, fearful of all movement. That causes nausea, vertigo (my body’s revenge for ignoring extreme pain levels), difficulty breathing until I can fall into my lift chair & wait for my body to quit screaming. Then as long as I don’t do more than breath…my pain drops to a four. THIS IS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF ALL MEDICAL STANDARDS I’VE BEEN EXPOSED TO SINCE FEB. 17, 1985. What the hell happened to the Hippocratic Oath? In my world it ended 7 years ago.

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I'm so sorry that you are in constant pain. I have scoliosis which has become worse as I became older. I am in constant lower back pain and no pain pill really does anything. Lying in bed or just sitting is painless, but walking is a killer. So I do understand and hope you find a pain medicine that works so you can share it with us.
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@maxine50

I'm so sorry that you are in constant pain. I have scoliosis which has become worse as I became older. I am in constant lower back pain and no pain pill really does anything. Lying in bed or just sitting is painless, but walking is a killer. So I do understand and hope you find a pain medicine that works so you can share it with us.
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Hi @maxine50, I too have lower back pain and going to pain management for about 10 years because of kidney disease I'm giving Oxycodone does not work, I've tried Acupuncture did not work either. When I'm sitting I'm fine, walking is awful after about 10 steps then I have to sit or bend over, As far as surgery to afraid, never heard of anyone having only 1 back surgery always more! It's not a way of life, Also CBD does nothing, Yes if anyone has some more ideas I'll try anything. I have had back pain for about 10 years before I was DX with Multiple Myeloma which I've had now for 3 years. Sorry your in so much pain too!

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@ancopau1998

Hi @maxine50, I too have lower back pain and going to pain management for about 10 years because of kidney disease I'm giving Oxycodone does not work, I've tried Acupuncture did not work either. When I'm sitting I'm fine, walking is awful after about 10 steps then I have to sit or bend over, As far as surgery to afraid, never heard of anyone having only 1 back surgery always more! It's not a way of life, Also CBD does nothing, Yes if anyone has some more ideas I'll try anything. I have had back pain for about 10 years before I was DX with Multiple Myeloma which I've had now for 3 years. Sorry your in so much pain too!

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I'm now going to Physical Therapy and today was second visit. He applies electric impulse to my back, pressure point, and exercises. I will give it a few weeks to see if it helps but I don't know how all that will make my Scoliosis go away.

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@maxine50

I'm now going to Physical Therapy and today was second visit. He applies electric impulse to my back, pressure point, and exercises. I will give it a few weeks to see if it helps but I don't know how all that will make my Scoliosis go away.

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I hope PT goes well.

It may not be meant to make the scoliosis go away, but to redirect the message of pain that your brain is communicating, since you have chronic back pain.

It could be worth looking into a chronic pain rehabilitation program or asking your PT about graded motor imagery; both can really help with chronic pain in a situation where you can’t completely change the physiological cause.

I have scoliosis as well. I can’t undo the scoliosis or my spinal fusion, but we can strengthen the muscles that support my back and get more blood flow and oxygen going to the areas of pain. And we can try to retrain my brain so that it’s not so reactive and over-producing pain signals.

It is of course…much easier said than done.

I’m hoping it goes well for you, and if the specific PT isn’t a good fit, know you can always try someone else. I had to go through a few until I found the right fit and found someone well-versed in chronic pain.

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