Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
been going to my Rheumy for over a year, he started me on plaquenel and tramadol for pain and steriods as well. worked for awhile then took me off steriods cuz erosions got worse and pain was unberable, put me on mtx injection a month ago and folic acid. heres where the trouble comes in..my pain in my shoulders and back are so bad I dont want to get up and move around from the pain. Ive told them in person the tramadol isent working and called begging for something for pain relief. they put me on" tizanidine" and metaxalone, andnothing is working. are they afraid of giving me something too potent? Im ready to go to the streets for pain relief...is this fair? please give any advise you may have for me! thank you and thanks for letting me vent. Im so frustrated.
Doctors right now have the DEA breathing down their necks. It's a shame, especially with patients that don't have a history of addiction. Too many confuse 'addiction' with 'dependence'. Even patients with cancer tend to suffer because of their fears and pressure from family to avoid becoming an 'addict'. It's a quality of life issue, we shouldn't be forced to suffer. I would definitely NOT get street drugs. If you've never had a problem with addiction, and you get caught, you'll be forever labeled as an 'addict'. On top of that, you never know what you're really getting.
I am currently in a widespread flare. I take hydrocone/apap, I believe it's 5/500, or maybe the sixes, the lowest dose. Some days it barely touches it, but most days it's enough to keep me out of bed. I also prefer to keep the dosage low, as I am new at this RA thing. With a higher dosage I think I might not realize when I overdo it. I did ask if I could take it every six hours, instead of eight, and my rheumy did not hesitate. He also recently prescribed fioricet for my neck flares that give me migraines. I am hoping once I start the MTX/folic acid, I can reduce the amount I take.
Bottom line, as long as you don't have a history of addiction, and as long as you are in more pain than you can handle, I think you should find yourself a new rheumy.
I think most rheum. move to the biologics at 6mo of mtx if not fully arrested. At my 6mo visit, I was given a choice of 5 biologics along with the pros/cons of each.
Hope you feel better.