Re: Fatigue/Pain Control

[Guest guest]

Mark, I've tried all of the pain meds, nothing really helped. I started

oxycodone six months ago, should have done it years ago. I have not had any

problems, I do not snort or inject the stuff. I simply take a pill every 12

hours, none of the " horror " stories as long as you stay on the recommended dose.

Much easier on the liver than Vicodin, and it doesn't wear off every 4 hours.

Getting up in the morning after the Vicodin wore off was a big problem, solved

with the oxy. For the fatigue, a Provigil once in the morning takes care of

that problem. Non-addictive, works GREAT. We just returned from a month in

England & Normandy, I " out-walked " my wife. Not bad for a guy who had a severe

problem getting out of bed. My 1/2 cents worth. bob b

verkhoturye <radiomark@...> wrote: Have any of you been able to

control your fatigue by controlling the

constant pain you have? Fatigue associated with PA has been a real

problem for me. The doctors have always treated the fatigue with

depression medication and I haven't seen much improvement from it. Is

there any chance that the fatigue would improve if I were able to

bring the chronic aches and pains under control? I really need some

help here. My family practice doctor put me on Cymbalta about a week

and a half ago. I think it has helped the fatigue some. Prior to

that I was on Celexa and the fatigue was getting really bad. In the

meantime, I need to dump the Cymbalta. I seem to be getting a rash on

my face and scalp with a lot of burning. Can anybody steer me in the

right direction?

Thanks,

Mark

Bob Bowman

14450 Bowers dr.,

Ramsey, MN..

55303

1-866-900-TANK (8265)

www.tankride.com

Star Lake Forest Rentals (year round furnished rentals in Florida)

www.starlakerentals.com

1-866-888-8265

[Guest guest]

Hi Mark,

I took Cymbalta but stopped... I just felt weird on it. I'm back to

Celexa. I've found, however, that I need to take only a certain

amount or I get MORE fatigued. It's not my optimal dose depression

wise. You might want to try another SSRI like Zoloft. Each one is

slightly different, and you may have a better effect with something

else.

My rheumy today suggested another reason to me for fatigue, she said

pain makes the muscles tight, and that can be exhausting to have

muscles working all day long at a low level. I'm going to start

3x/week aquatic PT to hopefully help. She said the muscles along my

spine were EXTREMELY tight, probably because I've had the worst 10

day long flare I've had in almost a year.

My fatigue comes in waves... some weeks I'm in pain but not fatigued,

other weeks I am not in much pain but intensely fatigued.

Thanks my ramble for the day... <g>

-Marietta

> Have any of you been able to control your fatigue by controlling the

> constant pain you have? Fatigue associated with PA has been a real

> problem for me. The doctors have always treated the fatigue with

> depression medication and I haven't seen much improvement from it.

Is

> there any chance that the fatigue would improve if I were able to

> bring the chronic aches and pains under control?

> Mark

>

[Guest guest]

From what I understand, this disease involves your body fighting a

war within you....the body attacks itself....not recognizing whether

your joints are friend or foe. Battles are exhausting. What happens

when we have the flu? We want to sleep due to the combat that is

occuring inside of us. Same with PA....only it does not go away

after a week or so. No wonder we are tired! Given that, I'm not sure

if relieving the pain really does it. ly, I had fatigue LONG

before I had pain. I did not realize how much fatigue I had until I

got in ALOT of pain and then got on Enbrel. Once the Enbrel began to

work it's magic, I was no longer in such pain but the fatigue was

gone completely. That and only then is when I realized that I had

been suffering from fatigue for many years and it had been getting

worse. That has been my experience. -Betz

>

> Hi Mark,

>

> I took Cymbalta but stopped... I just felt weird on it. I'm back

to

> Celexa. I've found, however, that I need to take only a certain

> amount or I get MORE fatigued. It's not my optimal dose

depression

> wise. You might want to try another SSRI like Zoloft. Each one

is

> slightly different, and you may have a better effect with

something

> else.

>

> My rheumy today suggested another reason to me for fatigue, she

said

> pain makes the muscles tight, and that can be exhausting to have

> muscles working all day long at a low level. I'm going to start

> 3x/week aquatic PT to hopefully help. She said the muscles along

my

> spine were EXTREMELY tight, probably because I've had the worst 10

> day long flare I've had in almost a year.

>

> My fatigue comes in waves... some weeks I'm in pain but not

fatigued,

> other weeks I am not in much pain but intensely fatigued.

>

> Thanks my ramble for the day... <g>

> -Marietta

>

>

>

> > Have any of you been able to control your fatigue by controlling

the

> > constant pain you have? Fatigue associated with PA has been a

real

> > problem for me. The doctors have always treated the fatigue with

> > depression medication and I haven't seen much improvement from

it.

> Is

> > there any chance that the fatigue would improve if I were able to

> > bring the chronic aches and pains under control?

> > Mark

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Mark,

I think the pain and fatigue are separate but related.

1. Granted, pain causes fatigue, but pain medications (anti-

inflamitories(NSAIDS)/opiates/anti-depressants, etc.), themselves,

can be tiring - they can kill you if you take too much.

2. The pain we feel is often the result of tissue/joint damage and

inflamation. If the damage and inflamation to our tissues can be

held at bay, then the fatigue will be less. That said, not all of

the attacks to our systems are held totally at bay by even the best

TNF-inhibiting biologics. The biologics are just blocking the anti-

bodies' ability to attack our cells, but they do not block every

anti-body every time. Thus attacked, we are weakened and our bodies

respond by repairing the damage - this takes nutrients and energy,

and results in fatigue. Note that tissue damage may be occuring in

places other than our joints and skin, so even when our joints seem

OK, our bodies may still be under attack.

3. Drugs like methotrexate(MTX)(originally developed as chemotherapy

for cancer patients) and other DMARDS are very tiring because they

act against cells besides those they are taken to target.

What seems to work best for me to keep from getting over-fatigued is

to avoid pushing myself. This is really difficult as I have always

had overachiever/workaholic tendencies. Now, I cannot even do an

average amount of work or exert myself in anyway which I consider

average. If I moderate what I do, I have less fatigue which gives

me less pain which means I am less fatigued. This keeps my brain

and body sharper and more able to function (albeit on a reduced

load).

Best wishes, Mark

[Guest guest]

Nope, I can do very little and I am totally exhausted... No matter what I do or

not take...

Love and Peace Always

Shaun and Barb

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 06/09/2006 23:44:51 GMT Daylight Time,

tankride@... writes:

I " out-walked " my wife. Not bad for a guy who had a severe problem getting

out of bed. My 1/2 cents worth. bob b

Oh Bob,

You walked out on your wife? That's a shame...............................oh

you outwalked your wife................I get it now. lol

i hope you had a great time.

[Guest guest]

-

This is just what I needed to hear today. I too, am an

overachiever, obsessive-compulsive with my home, garden etc. Last

evening I was so tired. I had the day off! My husband asked why I

pushed myself so hard. I don't have an answer. It was beautiful

out and I wanted to spend it outside. He asked why I didn't take a

book out and just set and read. I don't know why I don't realize

before I am over worked, overtired. I just keep going like I think

I am the energizer bunny. I always pay. Thanks for the explanation

on what the meds do. I just feel so much better since the Humira.

-- In , " skrewtz "

<brentherman@...> wrote:

>

> Hi Mark,

>

> I think the pain and fatigue are separate but related.

>

> 1. Granted, pain causes fatigue, but pain medications (anti-

> inflamitories(NSAIDS)/opiates/anti-depressants, etc.), themselves,

> can be tiring - they can kill you if you take too much.

>

> 2. The pain we feel is often the result of tissue/joint damage and

> inflamation. If the damage and inflamation to our tissues can be

> held at bay, then the fatigue will be less. That said, not all of

> the attacks to our systems are held totally at bay by even the

best

> TNF-inhibiting biologics. The biologics are just blocking the anti-

> bodies' ability to attack our cells, but they do not block every

> anti-body every time. Thus attacked, we are weakened and our

bodies

> respond by repairing the damage - this takes nutrients and energy,

> and results in fatigue. Note that tissue damage may be occuring

in

> places other than our joints and skin, so even when our joints

seem

> OK, our bodies may still be under attack.

>

> 3. Drugs like methotrexate(MTX)(originally developed as

chemotherapy

> for cancer patients) and other DMARDS are very tiring because

they

> act against cells besides those they are taken to target.

>

> What seems to work best for me to keep from getting over-fatigued

is

> to avoid pushing myself. This is really difficult as I have

always

> had overachiever/workaholic tendencies. Now, I cannot even do an

> average amount of work or exert myself in anyway which I consider

> average. If I moderate what I do, I have less fatigue which gives

> me less pain which means I am less fatigued. This keeps my brain

> and body sharper and more able to function (albeit on a reduced

> load).

>

> Best wishes, Mark

>

[Guest guest]

I wanted to thank everybody for the many kind responses to my

questions regarding fatigue. This is such an awesome group of people.

I have a feeling that most everybody has to deal with this side

effect of PA. I thought I was going to do well on Cymbalta, but I

think I'm allergic to it. My scalp started burning with it. My face

has been extremely red and I've itched all over like I'm getting

hives. I stopped taking it a couple of days ago and now I'm back on

the Celexa again. I just kept thinking that maybe if I were to be

able to more effectively manage the pain that maybe the fatigue would

be better. But then, I guess that the Humira I'm on now and the

Enbrel I was on before that is supposed to knock the PA for a loop and

thus reduce pain. I'm certainly in a lot better shape now than I

would be without the bioligics. That's for sure.

Thanks again for your support.

Mark

[Guest guest]

Mark,

Have you ever tried Prozac? I take that with the

Cymbalta, for the depression and anxiety I take

Buspar. I know that prenatal vitamins work for some of

the fatigue, and yes men can take them. Of course

getting the pain under control will help with the

fatigue. Do you take anything for your chronic pain?

Talk with your doctor tell him about your chronic

pain, don't leave the office until you are satisfied

with what you have been told or given. For pain I take

Advanza(morphine) 90mg. Lyrica 75mg. twice a day and

Soma 350mg. 3 times a day. Believe it or not, the only

thing that really works is the Soma and that's if I

take 2 of them at the same time. The Advanza is time

released and my body is physically addicted but

mentally I am not, I really want to get off of that

med. because of the physical reaction if I run

out(which happened once) never again! Lyrica is like

Celebrex, only better with less side effects, also my

Doc said we can up the dose if needed. It's too bad

about the Cymbalta because it helps with some pain

also. Get that chronic pain under control and try the

prenatal vit. I know what you mean about fatigue, I

have had it bad the last 2 weeks I just hate going to

the doctor and changing meds and when they don't

work......like I am a rat just experimenting with try

another med and another. I wish you the best and my

prayers are with you. Sharon

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