Guest guest Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Hi Betty.  It seems like you have a very nice Rheumy who is taking good care of you and knows what you will need to continue to have a life.  It is a shame that your hands are getting worse. I feel bad that your now pain meds., are not working well for you. I have never had a pain patch, but my girl friend has been using them for 5 years now, and work very well for her. It is the same name and she just could not function each day without it. I wish you great success when you begin using them, and hope it takes all your pain and suffering away.  I really think as your Rheumy does, that this wheelchair will really help you get around more. It will take so much stress of your body and make your life easier. When I had my hip replacement done, I was in one for 2 weeks, and very happy I had it. It serves our needs very well.  I truly hope you will begin to feel much better soon. I know it is very hard to suffer day in and day out with this RA. I also think when you get your pain under control, you wiill then begin to sleep more hours, and feel so much better for doing so.  I just had my cast off, and now just have a air cast on my ankle. I will see my surgeon Mon. and will ask him about my balance and unsteadyness on my feet. I don't know if I need PT or not. I am so afraid of falling again. I broke my hip from a fall and this fall broke my ankle. UGH.. We all have so much to deal with don't we? One good thing here, everyone truly understands what we go through with RA. Pain, tiredness, stiffness, more pain, and more tiredness. It is just a battle to get up each day, and do what we can.  You are in my thoughts Betty. I can't wait for you to feel so much better, and then having no pain.  Take care of yourself, and please rest when ever you can, no matter what anyone thinks if you do so. They are not in your shoes...........  Hugs,  Barbara BARBARA From: bettygates tds.net <bettygates@...> Subject: [ ] pain medicine ?? " " < > Date: Friday, March 25, 2011, 11:28 PM  hi everyone, i went to my dr. today, he took blood work and x rayed my hands again. he says they are getting more disfigured.... boy, do i know it.... bad news, ... he says it is now a wheel chair for any moving around for me. i knew that too.... then he said, my age, (69) i will only be getting worse. so, i can also see this too. my pain meds have quit working so he is trying me on a patch now. he said if this doesn't work, i'll have to see a pain management dr. this patch is, ( i have the prescription, can't read his writing.) looks like fentonyl ??? is this right ?? 50 mg... has anyone used this before, and has it helped ?? the spelling might be wrong on this prescription. maybe someone knows what it might ge... thanks, Betty -- NUMBERS 6: 24-26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Betty, you are having some trials, huh? Unfortunately that's the way of RA. Since your hands are a problem, yu can't use a standard wheelchair. It'll have to be a power chair, electrically operated, which brings another set of problems. How to transport it and use it anywhere can be a challenge. I've been wrestling my chairs and scooter for a bunch of years and am still working through new challenges I come across. My doc prescribed the Fentanyl patches for my lower back but were denied by my insurance because " they are only approved for post-shingles in the elderly " . Any excuse, huh? I recently got a TENS unit and am using it on many of my tender areas, including my wrist that has needed cortisone shots for over a year, and it even helps that. You might consider one for areas of pain. They can be found on-line for as little as $25. I've bought 3 for me, Betty, and Liz, our daughter. I hope you find what works for you. Pain isn't fun... Dennis in eastexas On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 10:28 PM, bettygates tds.net <bettygates@...>wrote: > > > hi everyone, > > i went to my dr. today, he took blood work and x rayed my hands again. > he says they are getting more disfigured.... boy, do i know it.... > bad news, ... he says it is now a wheel chair for any moving around > for me. i knew that too.... then he said, my age, (69) i will only be > getting worse. so, i can also see this too. > > my pain meds have quit working so he is trying me on a patch now. he > said if this doesn't work, i'll have to see a pain management dr. > this patch is, ( i have the prescription, can't read his writing.) > looks like fentonyl ??? is this right ?? 50 mg... has anyone used > this before, and has it helped ?? > > the spelling might be wrong on this prescription. maybe someone knows > what it might ge... > > thanks, > Betty > > -- > NUMBERS 6: 24-26 > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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