Can antibiotics cause pain relief?

[Guest guest]

Hello. I'm new to this group. While going through papers I came upon

some notes made by a friend who suffered severe incompacitating

osteomyelitis, disabling knee pain and stiffness, along with

dimpling edema of the lower legs. A preexisting bone infection in

the ethmoid felt especially painful while the knee and edema

problems came into being. This middle aged female is in severe pain

and taking antibiotics and strong analgesics. Pain relievers do help

but antibiotics result in significant relief. Why would antibiotics

act like pain killers in this situation? I really could use your

comments and advice now. The following is an excerpt from the notes.

In the late 90's I had surgery where they removed sludgy bone

turbinates and ethmoid bones which confirmed my osteo. After

almost 2 ½ years on IV vancomycin my infection had been wiped out.

However, as soon as the antibiotics were removed I relapsed. After

IV vanco I started with a cough and realized it went away with

leviquin so I decided to take it upon myself to take it until my

pain stopped. As the bone constricted I had tortuous pain the entire

6 months. I finally stopped having pain in 2000, and was completely

symptom free. My bone scan was so perfect that I couldn't convince

my new doctor how extensive and involved my scull based infection

was. I was good for a week and in a month later I had a positive

bone scan. I was taken off of antibiotics for 8 months with a

progressively worsening bone scans. I could never arrange a culture

because I had so much pain. So the past 2 years I've been on 3 PO

antibiotics .Until they started doing comparative WBC/3 phase bone

scans the radiologists would always interpret my HIGHLIGHTED bone

scans as clear. I've always had immediate blood pooling in the

ethmoid nasal root area which I believe was causing my cough [area

confirmed by pulmonologist.] I finally got some doctors to evaluate

my situation and they recommended rotating antibiotics for the rest

of my live since this was deemed an unsafe area for surgery. My

scans are improved and my orbit CAT scan shows thickening which they

are not sure of is infection. I faithfully take my antibiotics and

I can feel myself improving but have near screaming levels of pain

even with all my narcotics on board. I'm nauseous and delirious from

the intensity of the pain. Please understand I'm desperate. I can't

cope with another 2 year cycle of pain. Now I have dimpling edema on

my legs and have sudden severe knee pain [both knees.]

Any insight into my friend's problems? Sorry for the very long post.

Sincerely,