Bulging Discs - Tramadol, Naproxen, Co-codamol And Nortriptyline - No Relief
Jun 4, 2015
I have suffered with a 'bad back' since i was 21, i'm now 40 in August, and since october 2014 i have been getting worse and worse and went from taking tramadol, naproxen, co-codamol and nortriptyline as and when i needed to. Now i take in a day.... 1800mg of Gabapentin, 20 mg of Zomorph, 180 mg of dihydrocodeine 35 mg of Amitriptyline at bedtime 1000mg of naproxen. I also have an underactive thyroid so take 200mcg thyroxine and for my depression and anxiety i take 150mg of venlafaxine.
With all this i still feel pain, but also a little dopey, i'm currently on the sick from work and am worried about how I'm going to pay my bills - i have been to my psychiatrist and she gave diazepam to take when i feel anxious...... love sweets, me!!!! I needed help and advice.... with all that medication i should be floored, never mind the fact I'm still in pain. I had an X-Ray in Nocv 14 this showed osteoarthritis and then an MRI scan this showed a bulging disc on L5/S1 i think it was. I have been referred to the orthopaedic specialists but its all just a waiting game but all this time i still have all my bills to pay and this leads to horrendous bouts of depression.
View 1 Replies
Advertisement
The Dr told me I need 3 cervical fusions due to 3 bulging disks that are cutting off spinal fluid in my neck, I already had C4 and C5 fused. I deal with the pain constantly and it is getting old. He told me I would have very limited movement with my neck. My questions are, did anyone else on this forum have the same operation and would you do it again. My other concern, what happens if I refuse to go through with it, possible damage to the spinal cord or other complications ?
View 6 Replies
I find these tablets really good for my arthritis. I have arthritis in hips, knees and at the back of my neck.
I do not have any side effects
One day this week I had a toothache and wondered whether I could have taken something for it on top of Naproxen. I wondered about Ibuprofen or co-codamol.
View 8 Replies
I've been on Naproxen 500 mg for a week to treat arthritis pain in my hand. I'm also using a brace. Almost seems to hurt more than it did before I went on the meds. Is this normal?
View 2 Replies
I began tramadol in June 2014 after surgery. It subsided the pain and made me feel good. Like happy and optimistic about my recovery. I couldn't drive while recovering, so I walked everywhere, including to physical therapy appointments. That was all of last summer. I stayed on them until January to help with physical therapy discomfort. Then I suffered an elbow injury also in January, so stayed on them. My surgeon who originally prescribed them began cutting down on what he prescribed, so I found them elsewhere. This past spring, I began drinking alcoholic beverages after taking my last dose at around 5pm. Two months later was a disaster. Since, I have learned two very important things about Tramadol. One is that it's also an antidepressant and two, alcohol makes them even more addicting. This I learned through all the research I desperately sought. I am now 11 days without taking Tramadol and It's been hell. I spoke to a detox facility and they said that my insurance company would not pay for treatment for Tramadol because it is...wait for it... NOT ADDICTING. So here I am still trying to get this poison out of my system. It stinks because it is now I need something to calm my symptoms. Which is the lesser evil? I have no energy, depression, muscle weakness, no motivation and can cry at any given moment. Why me, why any of this? Doctors need to know what Tramadol truly is as do the insurance companies.
View 4 Replies
Please help me understand this report:
There is a multilevel loss of t2 hyperintensity within the discs, compatible with disc degeneration.
C3-C-4, there is a small disc osteophyte complex. There is no central or foraminal stenosis.
C4-C5 and C5-C6 there is mild disc bulge
C6-C7, there is a small posterior disc osteophyte complex. There is no cental or foraminal stenosis.
The remainder of the visualized intervertebral disc levels are normal.
The cervical cord is normal in signal intensity and contour on all pulse sequences.
The cerebellar tonsils are low lying extending 5 mm below the plane of the formen magnum. Borderline for chiari 1 malformation. No evidence of cervical syrinx. No evidence of hydrocephalus in the visualized portion of the brain. He used brain MRI to compare for chiari diagnosis.
Impression: cerebellar tonsils extending 5 mm below the plane of the Forman magnum borderline for a chiari 1 malformation. C3-C4 and C6-C7 small posterior disc osteophyte complexes. At C-4-C-5 and C5-C6 mild disc bulges.
What does that loss of t2 hyper intensity mean?
View 2 Replies
for nerve pain in lower back/hip and leg. MRI in a few days. Known herniated lumbar discs, nerve pain new for past 6 weeks.
I cannot take morphine or derivatives due to it making me feel like I can't breathe so the anti epilepsy drugs are next try.
Dr gave me 300mg capsules but having taken one today I have asked to be given 100mg capsules and I will increase very very slowly. The side effects with one 300mg capsule was spectacular and I could not cope with this again let alone increasing the dose but can only hope that starting very low and only increasing very slowly I can tolerate
My question is, is it possible that just one 300mg tablet taken for the first time give pain relief as I am sure it did with me. Now its wearing off the pain is worse. My Dr said that it takes up to 2 weeks for pain relief.
View 15 Replies
Degenerative discs and spondylolisthesis,had injections worked well for 5 days now all back ...
View 5 Replies
I had bulging disc over two years ago and i was sent for mri scan a while later i got cortisone injection into L5 disc worked ok and lasted for a few years,two months ago it returned and is very painful the doctors gave painkillers and said to exercise couldn't stand up never mind exercise,,i'm confused on why they are asking me to see a spine specialist which is taking months and why don't they just do the injection like they did a few years ago ,anyone any answers?
View 3 Replies
I'm a long time sufferer of low back pain (20 years, I'm 42). I believe I've given my diagnosis & previous treatment rundown on a previous post, but I'll post it here again, hopefully short and sweet:
Last MRI (Feb. 2012)
Bulging L4-L5, Herniated L5-S1 (Central Annular Tear, 6mm protrusion)
Previous MRI in 2008 showed basically the same as above.
I have tried most therapies & treatments, including but not exclusively:
Acupuncture, TENS, PT, ESI in 2008 & 2012, Prolotherapy, Mackenzie Stretching, Chiro, Massage.
Some of my main activities that I've had to scale back to, and serve as productive exercise:
Walking everyday, inversion table, swimming, Mackenzie stretching.
I used to do martial arts and grappling and have not done so in a couple years now.
I have a hard time now with doing things that I HAVE to do, like working around the house or sitting in my car to drive to work as a couple examples. I cannot do any type of sports that have ANY kind of flexion movement. (I'm able to swim because my back is in extension position)
I've been reading some posts regarding folks who've had the microdiscectomy procedure done, and I've met with many neuro and ortho surgeons during my long journey. I've also begun to research BMSC treatment as well, as this is proving to be very promising, but is still in the very early stages of acceptance and use in the States. I've always opted to not have an invasive procedure because of fear of it not helping and possibly making things worse.
However, I'm just tired of the conservative approach not working and I'm tired of not being able to fully live my life.
Believe me, I understand there are many that are worse off than me and I wish I could help you because I know how bad chronic pain is and what is does to you physically AND mentally.
All the doctors I've ever seen look at me (at 5'9, 150 lbs, lean and "looking" healthy), and I pass all the "strength" tests they give me. They tell me to go conservative, which I fully respect. However, just because I look healthy and can pass them pushing on my legs and feet while I resist, and I'm not losing bladder or bowel control doesn't mean that the slightest move or overdoing it won't put me down again.
Case in point, (After 2 years since my last episode and the walking and my conservative exercising not giving me the progress I'm expecting after 2 years), I decided to, (at the recommendation of a sports med doctor), to go see a well respected and very highly recommended, (by friends), PT Strength and Conditioning coach. He put me through an initial PT type evaluation and I had my first session last night. Well, about half-way through, something wasn't feeling right. We scaled down the workout, (which was pretty conservative already), to just stretching at that point. Long story short, I'm now back to stabbing pain, radiating leg pain and tingling, and standing crooked and not being able to sit down.
I'm really beginning to seriously consider surgery, or possibly explore BMSC treatment for the disc(s). I'm sure since it's been 2 years from my last one, I'll need another MRI before doing anything.
My question is, what would you do if you were in my shoes?
View 14 Replies
My boyfriend takes 30/500 co codamol and he takes 20-30 a day, you may think this is a lot but that is because my boyfriend has been addicted to them for the past 6 years after being given these tablets following his tonsillectomy.When he wakes in the morning he has bad cramps and my bed is soaking wet this is due to the fact that he's an addict and the codeine has worn off. When he has tried coming off them he has the same symptoms as a heroin addict in cold turkey. He is now gets a daily prescription and is down to fifteen a day but he now takes codeine phosphate as the paracetamol in the co-codamol causes constipation which can't be good on the bowels. He is only 26 and this addiction has made his life sometimes unbearable. I know that if he could turn back time he would never had taken co codamol.
View 25 Replies
The week before last I took co-codamol in the evening and went to bed feeling sick which isn't unusual, a few hours later I was woken by severe cramps and knew I had to get to the toilet, I was sat on the toilet and went dizzy and blacked out, I woke up on the floor sweat pouring off me, finally managed to move myself got a drink of water and made it back to bed, a little later I was sick and emptied my bowels, I wonder if it might of been a reaction to co-codamol as i've not really been able to take it since.
View 1 Replies
I was diagnosed with sciatica yesterday morning by my doctor, he prescribed co codamol 30/500.
After taking two, the pain did subside but I felt really dizzy and sick but was just glad that the pain had lessened.
I took another two at bedtime and am still awake at 4.50am! I can't sleep for scratching! I am so itchy. Has anybody else had this terrible itching?
I remember being allergic to morphine following my hysterectomy, I came out in hives. Is it that I can't take these type of drugs, ie codeine based medicines? Tramadol has also caused itching in the past.
View 1 Replies
How many dare you take in one day?
View 21 Replies
I've been to 5 doctors total and not one of them can give me a solution to my bulging disk; they just keep passing me off to the next doctor. I've been struggling with this for years. I'm only 30 years old and was extremely active before this. Now I can barely walk at a slow pace for 10 min before my lower back feels like I have a burning painful ball at the base of my spine.
View 4 Replies
Is there a connection between a herniated and bulging disk (both lumbar)and problems with urination and unexplained weight loss? I have an appt. with my doc concerning these issues, but was curious to know what you think.
View 1 Replies
My brother is on disability. He has a bulging disk in his neck that is making him dizzy. He has fallen several times because of this and frequently has to sit down. His insurance company won't cover the surgery. Is there anything I can do or something he can do to ease the pain? It makes me so sad that he is in such pain and can't afford to get help.
View 2 Replies
I developed neuralgia on the left side of my face and took co-codamol for pain relief. Within 24 hours this side had swollen drastically. I went to hospital and was given a course of steroids to reduce the swelling. I was diagnosed as being allergic to codeine.
View 1 Replies
I am a 27 year old female who has has back problems since the age of 21 when I got pregnant with my little girl. I have gradually got worse over the past 6 years and am now permanently on crutches to help me walk. I cannot do daily tasks and am in pain 24/7 and have been for some time.
I have asked for 5 years for a MRI on my back as I knew something wasn't right but I have just been told it would be a waste of my time and the medical professionals time.
Anyway after a breakdown at the rheumatologist and my last resort after years of medication, pain management courses, physio and wasted doctors appointments I had to beg for an MRI and he reluctantly agreed.
The MRI has shown a significant bulging disc in my 4th vertebrae which has narrowed my spinal canal and is causing nerve compression leading to problems with loss of feeling in my legs and lady parts as well as pain.
I suppose the biggest question I have is after such a long time before being discovered, what are the chances of my nerves being permanently damaged even if I have the operation to release the bulge?
Is the operation actually going to make a difference?
View 11 Replies
I can't find ANYTHING that removes the pain! Co Codamol doesn't, the 'so called' pain relieving gels don't (I've tried 3 different types). Can anyone suggest anything else?
Yesterday I twisted my hips somehow as I got out of the chair, the pain was excruciating. Since then I can hardly walk (how does excercise, excercise fit in then?)
I had been doing so well, 20 mins walk per day (and I've always disliked walking!) - physiotherapy, etc.
View 14 Replies
My Husband has been taking Co Codamol for over 10 years now , he suffers from spondylosis and arthritis. His Doctor has sent him for many x ray.I know that he is in lots of pain and can sometimes be in bad moods because of it but i feel that his addiction to the painkiller has made his moods a lot worse. My husband gets a months prescription of co codamol which is 224 tablets and has taken them all in 5 days, He takes 20 co codamol tablets at once about 3 times a day , so by the end of the day he has taken 60 tablets. When he has run out of his own painkillers he takes his mom's co codamol prescription and then its many trips to different chemists. I have been to the doctors 3 times with him over the last 10 years and at first they stop them and give him other medication for the pain but he ends up going to see the doctor that prescribes the co codamol for him again. He know longer lets me go with to the doctors because he knows i will tell them about his addiction. I now just have to put up with addiction and try and help him when he wants help. The addiction has certainly put a strain on our marriage and family life. The children who are 18 , 21 and 24 have all noticed and commented that they find it hard to chat to there dad and that he has changed.I feel that i am becoming depressed because of the atmospheres his moods create. He has been given appointments for physiotherapy but he does not bother going as he says it does not work
View 7 Replies
