Re: Life without painkillers

I rarely take painkillers and I don't like ibuprofen, they can make your stomach bleed and cause ulcers.

In fact I am trying my best not to take any tablets at all although I have one blood pressure tablet which I'm talking to my doctor about coming off that too.

While some tablets are taken to remedy a problem they cause another which is why my dad now has chronic kidney disease.

Re: Life without painkillers

Yep. I agree with all the hi-lighted bits Queenie.

Re: Life without painkillers

I can't remember how many years it is since I took a painkiller.
Now I have what I describe as severe pain all over my body from the neck down including my feet . Whether this is Fibromyalgia , I understand like mine the pain from this shifts areas it attacks.
[ Doctor said several years ago it wasn't and sent a blood test off to prove to himself it was probably Polymyalgia Rheumatica but it came back negative ]

Or is some such as was experienced by our forfathers , Rheumatism , I don't know but it hurts like hell . I have had several bad falls tho involving my spine .

When I attempt to get up out of bed I can hardly walk , I've had cramping all night in my legs , my shoulders are so painful, two fingers of one hand the same but the hand that hold my walking stick is not affected thankgoodness .

You might think it cant be that bad or I would take something ,but the fact is it will , by bedtime have eased off considerably and if I took painkillers I would maybe have had 3 doses x2 by then.
What is the point of yet another visit to my doctor if he was proved wrong by a blood test ?
The only thing painkillers will do is temporarily reduce the pain but then I'll be hooked ?

Re: Life without painkillers

I never take painkillers, for the most part because I don't think they are very good at what they do. If I still feel pain after a few doses they're not worth taking. I just work through it these days and ignore it.

Re: Life without painkillers

Since I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia rheumatic three months ago I have been on a daily dose of steroids.

If I didn't take them I would have to give up everything I enjoy. There wouldn't be much quality of life left for me.

With the tablets I can still swim, hill walk, do keep fit -everything I did before this ailment struck me.

Of course I dread the side effects but I must live for the present & worry about the future when it happens.
I have no choice.

Re: Life without painkillers

Carol that's good to hear . What side effects have you noticed so far ?
You used to be on rather a high dose of painkillers I believe ?

Re: Life without painkillers

Yes the painkillers were for bursitis but that better now and I haven't had to take any at all.

Fighting fit I was until one day I had a stiff neck. In a matter of two weeks it had spread to my shoulders - then my thighs & rump. I had to halt all my activities & start taking painkillers again but they didn't work so well.

Blood tests revealed I had polymyalgia rheumatica. The doctor put me on 15mg a day of the steroid prednisolone and within 3 days the pain completely disappeared!

I haven't noticed a lot of side effects. I do get cramp in my calf muscles - I think that's one. I don't know what will happen long term though.