Guest guest Posted October 12, 2000 Report Share Posted October 12, 2000 Hi All, I don't actually have pain free day's but hope I'll experience them again. I'm just putting up with minimal pain most of the time since not having a bad flare. I don't like to take additional meds if I don't have to. I've reached a level that I say is not too bad to deal with and just keep going and don't think about it. I think my pain tolerance is much higher than it used to be so I kind of throw minimal pain into the same grouping as no pain. I've learned to put up with it until it reaches a certain point. The pain is in different areas all the time. Cassie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2000 Report Share Posted October 12, 2000 replace the pot with good meditation, chi gong and laughing a lot. I know ti sounds funny but endorp[hines are released the same ones you get from smoking pot and with out all the carcinogens from smoking something. nevermind the brain cell loss. _Adriel > From: <kelly94114@...> > Reply- egroups > Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 11:51:16 -0700 (PDT) > egroups > Subject: Re: [ ] How far do we go? > > Yes I have been pain free, but I took narcotics. The > drug is called Vicoprofen. Unfortunately, it's > addictive and a script reading " as needed for pain " is > dangerous. Getting off the stuff sucks. I'm down to > one a day, but for that four hours for so, it's > lovely. > I've also found that accupuncture has worked well in > the past for pain management as well as...frankly, > smoking pot. > > My 2 cents. > > Take care, > > --- " BentSlinkey@... " <BentSlinkey@...> > wrote: >> A topic I haven't really seen discussed anywhere is, >> " How far do most >> of us with moderate to severe PA go before we're >> satisfied with the >> pain relief from our medications? " Do most people >> try to eliminate >> their pain completely or just reach a point where >> they finally give >> up and say, " It's good enough " ? >> >> I'm slowly creeping up to the stage where I'm >> starting to get some >> pain relief from my combination of PA meds, (MTX, >> Sulfa., Indocin), >> and I'm just curious as to whether anyone on the >> list has ever >> actually been able to reach the point of being " pain >> free " . >> >> Jay >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2000 Report Share Posted October 12, 2000 Yes I have been pain free, but I took narcotics. The drug is called Vicoprofen. Unfortunately, it's addictive and a script reading " as needed for pain " is dangerous. Getting off the stuff sucks. I'm down to one a day, but for that four hours for so, it's lovely. I've also found that accupuncture has worked well in the past for pain management as well as...frankly, smoking pot. My 2 cents. Take care, --- " BentSlinkey@... " <BentSlinkey@...> wrote: > A topic I haven't really seen discussed anywhere is, > " How far do most > of us with moderate to severe PA go before we're > satisfied with the > pain relief from our medications? " Do most people > try to eliminate > their pain completely or just reach a point where > they finally give > up and say, " It's good enough " ? > > I'm slowly creeping up to the stage where I'm > starting to get some > pain relief from my combination of PA meds, (MTX, > Sulfa., Indocin), > and I'm just curious as to whether anyone on the > list has ever > actually been able to reach the point of being " pain > free " . > > Jay > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2000 Report Share Posted October 12, 2000 Bent slinkey wrote.... >A topic I haven't really seen discussed anywhere is, " How far >do most of >us with moderate to severe PA go before we're satisfied with the pain >relief from our medications? " Do most >people try to eliminate their pain >completely or just reach a >point where they finally give up and say, " It's >good enough " ? {snip} I'm just curious as to whether anyone on the list has ever actually been able to reach the point of being " pain free " . As for me, my 5 main goals are: *to have tolerable pain *walk without assistance of cane *have enough movement to complete my daily responsibilities at work and home *to sleep through the night, and *be able to stand up on my own when I get out of bed in the morning. I'm 28 and have had PA for about 7 years now, and the usual ups and downs of good and bad times. I wouldn't consider my case to be severe, but it has affected almost all of my joints (except my jaw) at one point or another, and I've needed assistance in walking during at least 6 months of the last 7 years. If I can walk unassisted, and get through the day without needing to stop because of pain, I am satisfied with that. I have had some good weeks with minimal pain, but I haven't had an entire day pain free since all of this started. This disease seems to manifest itself differently in everyone, but from what I've heard on this site, chronic pain and fatigue seems to affect almost everyone. I'm guessing many of you seem to be in about the same boat.. Christie (in Taiwan) _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2000 Report Share Posted October 13, 2000 Boy, that's a tough one, pain being as subjective as it, after all. I don't look at it as pain free so much as how functional I can be. If I can get through my day with my work done and my sense of humor intact then all is well. Fear and anxiety are, for me, the biggest " pain " and contribute most to my sense of discomfort with this disease. My feet hurt so bad and I was barely walking until I finally got the diagnosis of PA (which I knew) AND osteoarthritis. THAT I could deal with, stop worrying about, treat with EPO and glucosamine, and my sense of pain decreased dramatically. The not knowing is the worst - is this the beginning of a new flare, how long will it last, how much will it cost me in terms of work, relationships, enjoyment, what's wrong now?? Getting some answers helps keep things in perspective and lessens the pain. Being able to put a name and a description to what's wrong somehow makes it more tolerable. I try to distract myself as much as possible from my physical discomforts and worry about them as little as possible. Some days I just come home and rest. It means lowering my standard of living and adjusting my expectations but the constant fear and anxiety raise cortisol levels, enhance pain and just make life miserable. Right now my right elbow and wrist have been sounding off for about 2 weeks and the twanging pain is telling me I need to splint and rest. I'm certainly not pain free but feeling 1000% better than I did on MTX which made me sick and grumpy, Relafen which tore holes in my stomach and Vioxx which raised my blood pressure and made my ankles swell. It's a very personal decision and only you can decide what you need to do or take to have the best quality of life for YOU. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2000 Report Share Posted October 13, 2000 << I'm just curious as to whether anyone on the list has ever actually been able to reach the point of being " pain free " . Jay >> I'm currently primarily pain free, today. Tomorrow I may not be, but I take each day as it comes. I probably don't have PA in as severe a form as most on this list. Right now I'm not taking any medication in the hopes of conceiving a second child. I'm amazed I'm walking. Just goes to show -- you just never know. Patty, moderator from OH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2000 Report Share Posted October 13, 2000 Hello Everyone, I am beginning to understand that pain free might be more than I should be working toward. I liked ChrisC explanation about getting answers and lowering anxiety. I haven't seen the rheumy for 4 years. But did get the OK yesterday from my family doctor (I'm on an HMO and have to go through a lot of paperwork). The family doctor also prescribed a course of Prednisone. The last time I used that drug (4 years ago) it worked miracles and I was very happy to get the new prescription. Maybe it's too quick (only 1.5 days so far--but I only get 10 days) but the results have not been as wonderful as the previous course. Last time I was 'pain free' through the whole treatment and was hoping for that period of relief this time also. Also had X-rays taken yesterday and ended up in tears before that was over. I finally had to tell the technician - NO--I am not getting on my hands and knees--I can't take that pain. (Sheesh!) Looking forward to my Rheumy visit although it's probably at least a month away. Also enjoying the 'How far do we go' discussion. Jeanne in Idaho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 15, 2000 Report Share Posted October 15, 2000 Hi Everyone - I haven't been online much due to much pain from a recent kidney stone attack. Still waiting to hear from the doc. about surgery. But I had to answer this topic about pain free - Have a kidney stone, your arthritis won't hurt at all Hippocrates was right when he wrote " kidney stone pain is the most exquisite pain known to man " . Supposedly it hurts worst than child birth, third degree burns, or a gun shot wound. The best part is, they come back!! oh well, like I said, at least my arthritis isn't bothering me! Take care all, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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