I am a huge fan of Motrin, i take between 600 mg to 800 mg at a time, generally about 3 times a day. It's an anti inflamatory. I also get a great deal of help from skelaxin for a good 8 hours, so a pill in the morning and a pill at night. fortunately i am still able to work, but when my muscles are a real mess, i take flexeril, but it makes me to tired to work. (Over my many years of dealing with chronic back pain, i have noticed that sometimes a muscle relaxer won't work for me when previously it had, so i am always willing to have them mix it up a bit if i'm not feeling better!)

I have also recently found TREMENDOUS help from deep tissue manipulation by my physical therapist. I'd be happy to give anyone more info on that if you message me.

and last but not least, i have tried lyrica, which is an anti-depressant. It was explained to me that the medication works on the nervous system in such a way that it puts up "speed bumps" so to speak in the neuron synapses as they travel to the brain, i guess the idea is that by the time the pain signal gets to the brain, it's not as strong. I had no change from using that drug, but lots of people have gotten relief from it.

i have been treating with a psychiatrist for years for anxiety and recently she changed my anti-depressant/anxiety med to Cymbalta which is also being used to reduce pain, though I can't tell you why. not sure of the science there. I do know that i HAVE been feeling better since i started taking it, am now on the maximum dose, anxiety is at an all-time low! but i am still doing phys therapy from my last surgery that was in late october of last year, 2008.

happy to answer any other questions!
Mary Beth

Just as a side note ~ you must be very careful with the anti-inflammatories. These, such as Celebrex, Advil, and the others with Aspirin or Ibuprofen in them have been thought to cause strokes particularly in women, from what I've read. For awhile they took Celebrex off the market, but have since put it back on the shelves. They have still warned people about taking these products. I don't know what they expect us to use!!!

What I use other than the pain med, is Topamax for the nerve pain and the Lidoderm patch. That's about it.

Hope you find relief for your pain! God bless. Hugs, Lee

I have tried a few naprosyn EC without much success for pain and wreaked havoc on my G.I. system. Just filled the expensive flector patch and was told by dr to use two at bedtime, next day I was deathly sick with nausea and flu like body pains. Came to find out only one patch is to be used each time and I feel that I got an overdose. Bottom line is that neither helped pain but instead opened up a new can of worms with additional problems! I, obviously, would not persue this avenue and pursue legal advice next week about being prescribed what turned out to be an overdose to my system. Does the hurting ever stop, the physical or the resultant emotional?

I have been on Morphine for a few years now, however I have a friend who is a Neurologist and I asked him to help me get off of the narcotic somehow. So we have tried a number of things, first we tried Lyrica - (Made me sleep all the time) Then we tried Nerurontin - (Helped a bit, but once again, I slept all the time.) So after that he upped my Cymbalta and my Tegratol - it helps a little bit? I am still on the morphine, but I seem to be using less.

I have also just been approved for Medical Marijuana. Now I am still experimenting with this, but it does seem to work quite well! There are a number of ways to ingest it, with smoking being the least potent! However, I will post more as I make more attemots at this. I am in Michigan has just approved the use of MM, so I am still trying it out, but I can say, that out of any thing I have used, this seems to be one of the best. (Please keep in mind that there are two chemical agents in Marijuana, one that works and gives you a buzz, and another that works better, but with no "Buzz"!

Like I said, as I experiment I will post more.

Alleve and Muscl Relaxers, use Tramadol at nite w/muscl relaxer.Also,Viactive,they are caramel chews and high in Vit D...you need lots of vitamin D for such.Best results i get are by going to a foot reflexologist.There are thousands of nerves in your feet,all connected to body parts.Only go to one that uses the Turkish method,not the aggressive kind.Best money I've spent other than exercising in the hosp pool and hot tub.

I am on a medication called "sulindac" which is an anti-inflammatory. I also take prozac which helps with the depression side of chronic back pain, then I take carisoprodal if I need it for muscle spasms. I have sleeping pills if pain keeps me up. For some of these medications, liver tests are important .

In the past, you name it...I tried it. Lyrica and neurontin for nerve pain...didn't work. Ate like a pig on lyrica. Was on time release morphene for five years, have had many things done but so far have avoided surgery. Let me know if I can help with anything.

I try my very best to take next to no meds it is very very hard when at tims I can noy stand or sit and even when I lay down I am in so much pain I am on enough meds already so I use heat the most showers heat bags etc (a pain in middle of ozzi summer)I have got meds but hardly ever take them As for anti inflamatory meds be very careful if you are on other meds or have had gastric problems do not take more than prescribed and only take them under regular Dr supervision

I take naproxen, which is an anti-inflamatory. Heat and ice. I also go to the chiropractor. I take cymbalta for depression, but it is also suppose to help with pain also. My Mom takes Mobic, which is the only thing that helps her knees. Good luck.

I did use celebrax until i heard about all the side effects.
Always have them with food or glass of milk.
But be careful.