Pain medication
Hi, I’m looking for advice here, I’ve got PsA and fibromyalgia, basically had worked all my life until 51 yrs then started being crippled by this illness, the pain, the bone-weary exhaustion! So after again piling on weight during lockdown I finally decided the weight needs to go - very slowly lost 5 stone but I’ve been given slow-release morphine for pain amongst others so have also been crippled with severe bouts of constipation, not pleasant! It got so bad I’ve been slowly decreasing my dose bit by bit! I’m down to one 20 ml tablet twice a day instead of 70 twice a day but this last one is tricky as the pains increased but I’m trying to breathe through and grit my teeth - when I ask the doctor about getting off them I’m told they are the best for pain but the other side effects for me aren’t worth it anymore, I’m wanting to get off them, I’m desperately trying to get a little bit of normal back and not be scared to go out and try doing things without the fear the pain will stop me in my tracks and I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions of what else to try?
Hi
. First, I would like to congratulate you on the weight loss and the reduction in the pain medication. Those are both huge accomplishments. Opioids be wonderful for pain relief , but they do not slow the progression of PsA and they can really do a number of your digestive system. Eventually, PsA symptoms will just get worse. Are you taking any DMARDs or biologics to slow the progression of the disease? Here is an article about all the different PsA medications on the market: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/medications. Everyone reacts differently to PsA meds, so it can be difficult to find the one that is most effective for you, but when you do, it can be lifechanging. If you have already tried PsA meds with no luck, there are some natural treatments you can try. Here is an article from one of our advocates that gives an overview: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/natural-pain-relief?fbclid=IwAR3ugVOCbesKWoNfmw5icnoeI_BtMv5L9w9WnUIt98VeYR85NJ1fKx4JbzQ. I hope this helps and that you find better relief. Thinking of you. - Lori (Team Member)
