Re: Waiting for relief after major Flare Up

[Guest guest]

Have you talked about daily pain medication to help with the pain? If not then

you need to. There should be no reason you have to be this miserable.

Celeste

[Guest guest]

I have been in the midst of a major flare for the past year (due to a

surgery). It's been just horrible. I've been on hydrocodone -- and finally

my pain got so bad, I ended up in the hospital and they put me on morphine

for five days. After that, they switched me to the Fentanyl patch for a few

months. Once my Humira and methotrexate kick in, they are going to reduce

the dosage and eventually wean me off it.

But I do love the fact that it's a patch. It keeps a continuous flow of

pain medication...instead of sporadic up-and-down relief from

hydrocodone/Vicodin.

Obviously, Fentanyl isn't for everyone. It's very strong and you have to be

on morphine or long-term narcotic to even get a prescription. It's

apparently pretty addictive.

But what amazed me was when it kicked in. I didn't realize how much pain I

had been in until I went on the patch and had no pain for a couple of days!!

Of course, I still have breakthrough pain (I have a CRP rate that's

regularly 23.5 and above -- which is extremely high). But overall it works

well.

I don't believe prednisone is a pain reliever, by the way. It works on the

inflammation.

The biggest lesson I learned this year was that if I feel exhausted or I'm

in severe pain, I have to just listen to my body and rest.

It's been really hard and I've had to stop working for awhile. But when I

do rest and take plenty of warm baths, it does help.

Good luck...and hope your rheumy can help you with the pain.

Patty

[Guest guest]

You are so right about Fentanyl!  It is extremely strong and addictive.  Usually

reserved for patients with end-stage cancer. 

You are also right about prednisone in that it is not a pain reliever, per se,

but because it reduces all kinds of inflammation the end result can be a huge

reduction in pain. 

 Joanna Hoelscher

[Guest guest]

When I have a flare I will add ibuprofen to prednisone and prescribed

pain relievers. That little extra seems to help, sometimes. What

works one time may not work the next. Good luck.

-Eileen