Re: RE:Rheumy doesn;t want to prescribe pain pills

[Guest guest]

I have to agree with for my particular case. I have had to take pain

medications for several years now to be able to take care of my kids and daily

activities. We have been using Dmards and they do help but just haven't been

able to find something that has worked well enough. We keep trying but in the

mean time pain meds have helped me function. I usually take about 3 pills a day

which is what I am prescribed. Sometimes I need extra during a flare which my

doc has prescribed me stronger meds to have on hand during those times. Both my

docs are comfortable with my treatment and I have never taken more than

prescribed and they know I am not abusing the meds. On the rare occasion I have

a good day I am able to get by with maybe one or 2 pain meds a day.

With that being said I want to mention that I have MCTD (mixed connective tissue

disease) which causes other pain along with my RA. When I saw my rheumy the

other day he did tell me my RA is severe and the most dominant of my diseases. I

do take Nsaids but now reserve them for headaches and such because after having

been on them for years they were starting to cause stomach problems. We decided

it best to take them sparingly before I ended up with problems from them.

I currently take Arava, Plaquenil and am waiting to be able to start the Enbrel

due to another health concern. My doc doesn't do long term prednisone unless it

is life threatening or organ involved due to long term side effects but he will

give them to me in one week bursts on occassion. After all the literature I have

read on it I am comfortable with this decision.

I key here is finding a doc that listens to you and is working with you to find

the best possible treatment for you since we are all so different. \

--- In , Dobrowolski <mchristinad@...>

wrote:

>

> I may be a slightly different case but I have been on pain pills since 2002.

I was originally on NSAIDs for many years and developed intolerable side effects

(esophageal spasms that feel just like a heart attack and need nitroglycerin

pills to resolve). My then rheumy prescribed narcotic pain pills. From 2002 to

2004, I took them irregularly. Then in 2004, my doctor said I had to take them

round the clock. ANother rheumy in another country said the same thing in 2006.

I have had two more rheumy's since then (we move or they move) and all have

continued prescribing me the pills. Since I have been on the same dose for 7

years, I don't think any doctor in his right mind would think I am shopping for

drugs. None of the many rheumys,nor other many doctors I have seen have

expressed any concern at all. I probably wouldn't be on these pills if NSAIDs

were okay for me. They aren't and I am. I know they don't provide more pain

relief than aspirins or

> ibuprofens did when I could take those. BUt they help since the dmards

aren't doing the complete job. If, at some point, the pain goes away, I will

not take them anymore.

>

> in Northern VA woods

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