Pain med question

[badback4me]

I am experiencing a great deal of pain in my back, neck, and shoulders. My original surgery was in 1989 for Scheuermann's kyphosis (108'). My curve has now moved up my spine and is quite bad where my neck meets my back. I had always taken ibuprofen for my pain, and naproxen for a little while. Well, it ended up giving me an ulcer. I cannot take ibuprofen without it extremely upsetting my stomach. When I mentioned this to my doc at my last visit, he prescribed Celebrex. Well, it is upsetting my stomach now, too. I have been taking Tylenol, which doesn't do much, and I'm afraid it will damage my liver. I was wondering what else there is to take that is non-narcotic. I teach, and I don't want anything that would impair my ability to do that.

Does anyone have any recommendations of where to go from here?

Thanks,
Allison

[trishthedish]

Drugs-R-Us

Some people have had luck with Arthrotec (an anti-inflammatory plus an ingredient to protect your stomach lining). There's also Daypro, a less-acidic anti-inflammatory that works well for some. For just sheer pain, no anti-inflammatory included, there's Ultram and Ultracet (Ultram with Tylenol combo, not a narcotic). Hopefully something out there will work better for you then what you've had. Being a pharmacist, I tend to wrack my brain for a solution in a pill. A non-pharmaceutical solution that I like is those stick-on Thermacare heat patches. They make them specifically for the uppper back and neck; 8-12 hours of soothing warmth all day. Biofreeze is a nice topical rub that doesn't smell funny once it dries and I get substantial relief from that.

It should be interesting to see what's worked for everybody else...suggestions, folks???

[txmarinemom]

Tiger Balm!!!!

(and great suggestions, Trish ;-)

[trishthedish]

More Drugs...

Hubby has significant lower back pain and reflux disease; he gets by with Mobic (once-a-day generic meloxicam, $4.00 Rx at Wal-Mart) and chases it with an OTC Pepcid or Prilosec. MIL takes Relafen (another anti-inflammatory supposed to be stomach-friendly) and she does well.

Tiger Balm...I am almost out of BioFreeze, and I will definitely try that-thanks, Pam =)

[Geish]

I swear by Ultram/Ultracet. I had trouble (allergies) with celebrex and all of the other super drugs out there, except vioxx (gosh I miss vioxx)! Was on Ultram for 9 years and no problems ever. Got off of it a few months after surgery with no side effects.

I still need to try tiger balm.

[titaniumed]

Years ago I used to use infrarub. You have to be careful and wash your hands after you use this stuff. I scratched my ear, and my ear caught on fire!

Blue stuff is interesting stuff. Good product, but they keep calling you on the phone all the time for another re-order.

Ed

[txmarinemom]

Tiger Balm ...

... really is AWESOME stuff. It contains camphor and menthol (and stuff like cinnamon and cardamom), but it doesn't have the skin blistering heat that some other liniments have (and I've probably tried them all). It gives a slow, constant heat - and somehow seems to reach deeper than anything else I've tried. Also, I've never known anyone to experience any skin discomfort or reaction (even people with sensitive skin).

Generally, I just use the ointment (comes in a tiny jar, but goes a long way), but I've also used the patches. They work great for pulled quads from softball, and they're good for the back and neck area like the ones Trish described. If you have a back rubber in residence, the ointment is really, REALLY nice when it's massaged in.

I always crack up walking in a dugout of us old diehards who refuse to give up softball ... your eyes instantly start spurting tears because everyone is marinating in the stuff - LOL. Seriously, I keep a jar in my purse, one by my bed, and one in my softball bag!

Out of curiousity, I looked at their site (www.tigerbalm.com): I've never seen most of the stuff in Walgreens, CVS, etc. And funny, I just looked at my jar and it reads "Tiger Balm Ultra Strength" which isn't even listed on their site - but it's what I always buy, and it IS available in almost every drug store.

And random factoid, it's the ointment of choice for the United States Marine Corps. It was the only one stocked in the Recruit PX. You have to imagine it's pretty good stuff if they're using it to treat the punishment of Marine Corps boot camp - LOL!

I know I sound like an ad for it, but it is soooooooo freakin' effective!

I'd completely forgotten about Relafen, Trish. My ortho rx'd it between my first and second knee surgeries when found out how much Advil I was eating before sparring and karate tournaments (the screws in my knee were actually backing out from training so much). I didn't have any problems tolerating it that I recall.

And, yeah, Geish ... a LOT of people who didn't have adverse effects to Vioxx *do* miss it .

Regards,
Pam

[titaniumed]

Pam

Thanx for the tiger balm info. Like Allison, Im having some mild neck issues above my fusion in my neck area. I will get some soon.

And since we are talking about drugs, here is something of interest.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27342269

I was just wondering how much they cost?????

Everyone needs to know what it is that they are taking. Most on this forum know quite a bit however, what about everyone else?

No wonder insurance rates continue to skyrocket.

Ed

[txmarinemom]

Wow.

Also, Ed, with the dawn of the $4 generic drug programs, those of us forced to purchase non-formularies (like my Adderall XR ... I pay full price, but do get reimbursed 100% on my HDMP/HSA - at least until I meet a new deductible next year) absorb a LOT of the cost.

And that cracked me up about how some docs find placebos acceptable if the patient knows. Like THAT's going to work?

Jeez.

Pam

[trishthedish]

A Momemnt of Silence...

Oh, Geish! I am still in mourning for Vioxx! I remember when they recalled it and I was actually stupid enough (well, ethical enough) to pull it off my shelf and send it back to the manufacturer. Vioxx was da bomb! *Sigh*

P.S. I have been a pharmacist for 15 years; never have I dispensed a placebo. FYI. Just sayin'...

[Geish]

Oh, Geish! I am still in mourning for Vioxx! I remember when they recalled it and I was actually stupid enough (well, ethical enough) to pull it off my shelf and send it back to the manufacturer. Vioxx was da bomb! *Sigh*

P.S. I have been a pharmacist for 15 years; never have I dispensed a placebo. FYI.

I really do miss it! you have no idea. It really was the best thing out there, at least for me. I can't take anything with sulfa so that cuts out a lot. I also can't take Lodine, my liver likes it a bit too much and it makes me a very sick girl.
~~ Moment of silence for Voixx observed~~

[Qikdraw]

Oh, Geish! I am still in mourning for Vioxx! I remember when they recalled it and I was actually stupid enough (well, ethical enough) to pull it off my shelf and send it back to the manufacturer. Vioxx was da bomb! *Sigh*

P.S. I have been a pharmacist for 15 years; never have I dispensed a placebo. FYI. Just sayin'...

My wife got really pissed at a story she read of a pharmacist that refused to give a women her birth control pills, then also refused to transfer her perscription to another pharmacy. Oh she was pissed. The dogs all ran out the door!

And why is there a pill that will fake what marijuana does, but medical marijuana illegal? Just boggles my mind...

Oh and do you know of a birth control pill or whatever that someone with high blood pressure can take? My wife takes Atenilol(sp??) 100mg. Although she has tried to get that lowered but her doctor is not listening, he just says its working, but since her dose got upped she's lost 40lbs, works out every day and is eating better. Things that usually lower BP I believe.

I think I'm gonna get me some Tiger Balm too! The wife can massage that into my back intead of just using massage oil. Although she is going to have to wash her hands before we do anything else. OUCH!!

Brad

[Carmell]

Oh and do you know of a birth control pill or whatever that someone with high blood pressure can take? My wife takes Atenilol(sp??) 100mg.

Hi Brad,

Atenolol at 100mgs is on the higher end of the dosing schedule. I'd be asking for something different... esp if her blood pressure is still high after the weight loss (GREAT for her!) and other life style adjustments. I may be mis-understanding here...

About birth control - Getting personal here... I couldn't tolerate B/C pills well, ever. When they came out with the NuvaRing - that was the BEST thing invented!!! It delivers the B/C hormones right into the "area" without having to go through your entire GI and blood system. Doesn't mess with your "normal" hormone levels. Very topical. I'm 43 now (ugh) and haven't had a real period in 3 years. Ahh... nice. Obviously, they have a website: http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp Maybe this is something to consider, esp for people like me with borderline high blood pressure and can't tolerate oral B/C pills.

Pam and I are NOT solicitors. Just offering suggestions based on experience...

[Qikdraw]

Hi Brad,

Atenolol at 100mgs is on the higher end of the dosing schedule. I'd be asking for something different... esp if her blood pressure is still high after the weight loss (GREAT for her!) and other life style adjustments. I may be mis-understanding here...

Hey Carmell,

My wife's BP is normal the last 4 or 5 times she has gone to the doctor, but he refuses to lower the dose. She used to be on a much lower dose, but it was raised because her BP was getting high, but it was also due to high stress with finances, her hating to go to a doctors, and a few other thinsg as well. We have finally got her to a point where her BP doesn't shoot up at every doctor visit, and she is doing much better healthwise as well. The doctor just keeps saying that the medication is working and he doesn't want to change it.

About birth control - Getting personal here... I couldn't tolerate B/C pills well, ever. When they came out with the NuvaRing - that was the BEST thing invented!!! It delivers the B/C hormones right into the "area" without having to go through your entire GI and blood system. Doesn't mess with your "normal" hormone levels. Very topical. I'm 43 now (ugh) and haven't had a real period in 3 years. Ahh... nice. Obviously, they have a website: http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp Maybe this is something to consider, esp for people like me with borderline high blood pressure and can't tolerate oral B/C pills.

I will show that to my wife and see what she thinks about it. Thank you for the link.

Pam and I are NOT solicitors. Just offering suggestions based on experience...

Thank you VERY much for your experienced opinions too! I'm not a huge medical knowledge type guy, I forget that kind of stuff easily, so thats why I come here to ask questions.

Brad

[txmarinemom]

Carmell, my daughter LOVES the Nuva-Ring, and from what I understand, there have been very few complications reported with it. Am I understanding you correctly that it can stop menstruation like continual dosage (skipping the placebo week and starting a new pack ... what I do) of the low dose pill?

I had my tubes tied at 21 (my first child was conceived while I was on the pill), and as far as I'm concerned, having 2 kids, 22 months apart was all the birth control (or incentive to undergo permanent birth control) I needed ;-).

And, Trish, your comment about "never dispensed a placebo", I *wondered* about that! Not YOU specifically (lol), but I wondered "Does the pharmacist KNOW they're giving a placebo, and how is that charged??".

Obviously your answer says there something on the prescription that basically tells you "fake pill". And this makes me even more curious, do all placebos look the same, or do they resemble the real McCoy?

Funny questions, I know - LOL!

Regards,
Pam