Joined: 11 Mar 2004 Posts: 10 Location: East Coast
Can Anything Else Be Done About Back Pain Due to Arthritis? Posted: 03-11-04 05:54am
I was diagnosed with osteo-arthritis about
5 years ago. I am 52 now. The ortho
put me on celebrex which took 8 weeks to
kick in but has helped a lot. Over the
last year though, the nagging low pain in
my back has spread to my hips and I am
pretty much miserable most of the time.
My doctor changed the celebrex to bextra -
no better - went back to celebrex due to
insurance reasons since there was no
improvement. He says there is nothing
else to be done that I must live with it.
I asked him at that point (6 months ago)
to refer me to pain management. I went
there and received 3 sets of spinal
injections - steroids I believe. That
was absolutely no help at all. Is it
really true that we must learn to live
with this much pain? The only relief I
can get is to lie on the floor with my
feet up in a chair or use ice or heat.
It is very hard to work under these
circumstances. I must work to keep
insurance. Help!!
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tankmama
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 10
Low Back Pain Due to Arthritis Posted: 03-14-04 07:04am
I can relate. I am 41 years old and 4
years ago I was dropped on the back of my
head and basically ruined my spine. Well,
I got the same advice just deal without.
I saw 9 different doctors including pain
management and they were no help. Finally
after going into my doctor he sent me to a
spine specialist and that was the best. I
had my first surgery 3 years ago for my
cervical spine and did great. Until a
year ago when I went to take my children
to school and herniated 3 discs in my
lower back. I went back to my specialist
and found out the I have spinal stenosis
which is usually found in people that are
70 years old or older. The stenosis and
herniation required surgery and since then
all has been well with my lower back the
rest of my spine is degenerating faster
than I had hoped for but atleast I can
walk and be with my children and not have
the lower pain! If it was me I would go
to a spine specialist.
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tankmama
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 10
Low Back Pain Due to Arthritis Posted: 03-14-04 07:13am
I can relate. I am 41 years old and 4
years ago I was dropped on the back of my
head and basically ruined my spine. Well,
I got the same advice just deal without.
I saw 9 different doctors including pain
management and they were no help. Finally
after going into my doctor he sent me to a
spine specialist and that was the best. I
had my first surgery 3 years ago for my
cervical spine and did great. Until a
year ago when I went to take my children
to school and herniated 3 discs in my
lower back. I went back to my specialist
and found out the I have spinal stenosis
which is usually found in people that are
70 years old or older. The stenosis and
herniation required surgery and since then
all has been well with my lower back the
rest of my spine is degenerating faster
than I had hoped for but atleast I can
walk and be with my children and not have
the lower pain! If it was me I would go
to a spine specialist.
|
niap
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Mar 2004 Posts: 10 Location: East Coast
Celebrex Posted: 03-16-04 03:41am
You won't believe that my new insurance
company (as of 3/1/04) has flatly refused
to pay for celebrex that I have been
taking for past 5 years - I am astounded.
Insurance companies suck!
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tankmama
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 10
Low Back Pain Due to Arthritis Posted: 03-16-04 05:49am
That is unbelievable! Have you tried
vioyx? Or 800mg motrin 3x a day? Because
I am a fusion patient I use 400mg celebrex
and that's it. Before my surgeries I used
the motrin and vioyx they worked. Ask
about those.
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purple333
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 1420 Location: Sydney
Tankmama & Niap Posted: 03-17-04 14:48pm
Vioxx & mersyndol (the mersyndol forte
aren't any better) are great, also add
dhea(natural from health shop or I get it
on-line from biosynergy) plus calcium
& also 700-1000mg(each) twice daily of
a combined tablet with glucosamine &
chondroitin - these come recommended to me
by a dr & I have had spine etc etc
problems since birth & will be 49 in
june.
Tankmama I know you're on meds but these
natural ones could help more than you
think both short & long term. My
spine is disintegrating & the
glucosamine/chondroitin combination is
what my daughter's dr recommended I take
(it's too soon for me to say whether it's
worked but I know of others who it has
worked for).
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niap
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Mar 2004 Posts: 10 Location: East Coast
to Purple 333 Posted: 03-19-04 03:39am
How much of the dhea? I must start some
type of preventative and do not want to
have to take ibuprofen or naproxen as they
both kill my stomach. Thank you for your
input.
Niap
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purple333
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 1420 Location: Sydney
Posted: 03-19-04 06:49am
With the dhea i'm not sure of the amounts
as it is only available here from certain
drs who have special government approval
to import it & although my dr does
import it he's put me on the others first
& is waiting on test results before
adding dhea.
He likes to put people on one med (even
natural ones) at a time so as to see if
there are any problems & then go on
from there.
Also he starts people at lower doses
depending on age/weight/other meds/health
issues etc. So I would suggest that you
ask a health store owner or contact
biosynergy.Com which is where my dr orders
from & get advice from them or from
them as to where to go for advice.
Like you ibroprofen & naproxen etc
kill my stomache!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! actually
so do mersyndol but I can take the cheaper
brands of mersyndol (i think it's because
they don't use the yellow die that is used
in mersyndols - it's weird but that's
supposedly the only difference between
mersyndols and the cheaper brands!!).
Please take the calcium (highest possible
dose) & the glucosamine &
chondroitin tablets, start at one a day
& increase to 2 after about 2 weeks.
Check toowith the health shop to see if
they recommend any others (then before you
buy check it on the net!!.).
actually
so do mersyndol but I can take the cheaper
brands of mersyndol (i think it's because
they don't use the yellow die that is used
in mersyndols - it's weird but that's
supposedly the only difference between
mersyndols and the cheaper brands!!).
