how do you deal with pain?

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nanette1985

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Oct 12, 2005
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I've had Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was a small child. As a kid I could generally get through pain fairly well. Plaquenil came out when I was in something like 2nd grade and it made a huge difference in my life.

I'm not in 2nd grade any more - I'm well into my 50's. It's really difficult to get pain killers these days. And that stupid arthritis makes movement painful.

I'm sure athletes push their bodies really hard and must often be in a lot of body pain. If so, how do you deal with the pain? You probably don't grab opiods very often. Do aspirin and tylenol help you to keep going when you're in pain?

I've been through childbirth 4 times - yes, painful. But tolerable because at the end of the process, they hand you a baby.

Do you just assume that it's part of the fitness process and ignore it? Do you use visualization and yoga and stuff like that? That's what docs are trying to do with us RA folks. There are some really depressed folks in my RA support group now that painkillers that work are basically illegal. Sure don't want anyone to die of overdoses, but for some of us, painkillers make it possible to get through the day.

Anything, any thoughts? How do you deal with pain?
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
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My mates use 400mg of ibuprofen which is over the counter in England. They are pretty beat up but holding well. They have 12 and 15yrs of competitive weightlifting each.

I don't know any high level athlete which doesn't grind away or has pain/ injuries one way or another. If they chilled out more it would be different but that isn't the case with these 2 guys. They limit the ibuprofen use to heavy training days.

Koing
 

AyashiKaibutsu

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Jan 24, 2004
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Athletes go through a whole different kind of pain than chronic pain sufferers although they're probably somewhere between normal people and someone like the op or me (maybe there's research that would actually settle this?).

400mg of ibuprofen is the normal non-prescription dose in America too. It's prescribed in 600mg and I think 800mg doses as well (or you can just take 3 or 4 pills instead of 2). I'm guessing ibuprofen would do nothing for the OP though.
 

marmasatt

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Jan 30, 2003
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I have bulging discs in my neck. There is pinched nerve (or multiple?) in there somewhere that goes from the outside of my neck, to the outside of my arm, all the way to numbing my first two fingers. I am still very active at 42 (running, hoops, biking, soccer) but if I take a good whack I have to step back a bit. And yes, I pop opiates. I take 4 IB's (800 mg) maybe 3x in one day and it won't even touch the pain. Vicodin is the only thing that works for me unfortunately. (Been to Ortho, PT, Chiro, band work, stretching, massage, steroid shots, nothing will make it go away). So, it is what it is I guess....

But on a side note, and I've chimed in on this before - I actually use the exercise/endorphins to medicate myself. I just feel better after "doing something" then having a beer...
 

nanette1985

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Oct 12, 2005
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Athletes go through a whole different kind of pain than chronic pain sufferers although they're probably somewhere between normal people and someone like the op or me (maybe there's research that would actually settle this?).

I'm guessing ibuprofen would do nothing for the OP though.

Ibuprofen wrecks my stomach.
 

yuku

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Jul 3, 2013
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Sometimes i will do yoga to relax my body. My neck and back hurts when i sit in front of the computer for a long time. By doing yoga, all these hurts can alleviated.
 

Blackjack200

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May 28, 2007
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OP, have you tried medical marijuana? I think NJ just recently voted to allow it, although I don't know if that has translated to practical availability.

I'm sorry, I did not realize that it's that hard to get painkillers now. Our society has so many ridiculous rules that cause real, tangible suffering, and this is an example.
 

nanette1985

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2005
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OP, have you tried medical marijuana? I think NJ just recently voted to allow it, although I don't know if that has translated to practical availability.

I'm sorry, I did not realize that it's that hard to get painkillers now. Our society has so many ridiculous rules that cause real, tangible suffering, and this is an example.

I'm signed up, but there is a long waiting list. It's a complicated system.
 

jaqie

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2008
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I have rheumatoid arthritis, reactive arthritis, multiple system atrophy, spastic colon, ehler's danlos syndrome, and a host of other pain generating debilitating problems, most rather advanced at this time.

I have also been dealing with multiple cavities deep into the roots of my teeth, since I have had a wisdom tooth impacted so deep the root punctured the sinus cavity, some 14 years ago... and disability will not cover the necessary experts to remove it. I have actually moved to several states trying to get treatment for this, but no one will touch it nor any of my other dental problems until this is taken care of, so I have not had any dental care in 14 years.

Needless to say the pain from all of this is excruciating and debilitating, I have built up a rather strong resistance to pain but I still feel it's secondary effects quite strongly; weakness, extreme irritability, stiffness, et cetra.

I have been prescribed etodalac 300mg 3x daily, and that for some unknown reason takes the edge off of the stiffness and takes my base pain level down a few notches quite well. I can really tell when I miss a dose, because I go from being able to do some basic things to hardly being able to move at all. I used to also have a prescription for vicodin 500mg 8 monthly, which I took half at a time on really bad pain days (like cold rainy days) but my quack has decided for some reason to stop that. For becoming functional, I switch between naproxen sodium gels and ibeuprofen gels and with those I can usually do basic things like using the bathroom for myself.

Honestly because my doctor is a quack I am not making do, I am basically housebound now, I have to use a wheelchair because I can't really walk more than 100 feet without incredible back pain (on the days I am not too weak to walk that far!!), I have serious trouble with normal things like opening a door using a key, I can no longer make food, et cetra ad nauseum. I have a disability caregiver for 20 hours a month, which is such a close friend shes like my daughter... and I give her room and board in exchange for taking care of me the rest of the month the state doesn't pay her for.

I guess the answer to the OP is I manage by 1) doing less 2) taking a combination of etodalac and swapping between naproxen sodium gels and ibeuprofen gels 3) using a wheelchair when I go out 4) having a caregiver 5) regulating the temperature of the room I live in down to 72F+-8F to care for the joints better.
 
Sep 29, 2004
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My father in law has RH.

Does medical marijuana help? I mean, actual statistical proof?

I read that weight lifting can help but I just don't know.
 
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