What meds do you take for osteoarthritis pain?

[iuki]

While suffering from chronic bronchitis, I received a steroid shot. Although it didn't help my bronchitis, the next day I felt NO PAIN in my joints. When I finished my oral prednisone medication, all the osteoarthritic pain came back (hips, shoulders, knees, and hands).

Years ago, my doctor told me that I had to take ibuprofen on a daily basis or learn to accept the pain. About a year later, another doctor told me to stop taking ibuprofen on a daily basis, because the endoscopy showed that my stomach lining was being "eaten away."

I moved out of state and now have a new doctor. She had me on Celebrex, but I stopped it because it wasn't really helpful, only an expensive drug. I don't take anything on a daily basis but will take ibuprofen when I am in extreme pain and are going out for the day.

For those of you with osteoarthritis, what do you take to help your pain?
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[utterrandomness]

I take naproxen twice a day, and a prescription antacid to make it easier on my stomach. It takes the edge off.

 

[sharadoc]

I had the greatest vacation one year, when I had walking pneumonia and got prednisone for it. I had absolutely no pain and was dancing around Epcot World Showcase LOL.

My doctor has been willing to give it to me again for vacation, as long as it was only a week's dosage, then there should be no side effects. I tried it twice and never got the same relief.

I was on Voltaren, got high blood pressure; Naprosyn, got terrible stomach issues; Celebrex, stopped working for me. At this point, I have found that Tylenol and Ibuprofen work for me. Doing some physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around my knees and keeping active really has helped too.

My doctor said I can do extra doses of Ibuprofen for vacation. That's my plan for December.

 

[bidnow5]

I am limited as to what I can take I take Tylenol arthritis it works somewhat better then nothing

 

[powellrj]

I think I have been on everything over the years. I started with daypro, went to celebrex, Voltaren and a few more that I don't remember. I am now taking mobic and tylenol. I have taken prescription pain meds over the years and will not take them on a regular basis. I would rather learn to live with the pain.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Hard to believe I am writing this in reference to my DD, who is 21. But she has had a lifetime of health challenges.

Steroids reduce inflamation, but like they say on Once Upon a Time, "All Magic comes with a price." In my daughter's case, severe AVN, dead bone. (steroids were to treat a serious autoimmune disease) She has had 1 double hip operation, 3 double knee, and now has total knee replacements (at age 19 and 20). Yes, it is rare she got this reaction, but it is one of the side effects. The other thing they had her on was narcotics, for over 2 years. This was close to a complete disaster. Please, please don't go that route. (I recognize sometimes they are the only option, it is just that long term they are questionable). Narcotics are the devil. She has been off them almost 2 years now, and is still getting her life back together. (Her pain was so severe she was treated by a pain management doctor in NYC). She was lucky, the TKR surgeries has made her pain tolerable.

Some doctors had her using Celebrex AND Tylenol. I have osteoarthritis, and 3 Advils seem to help me, but I take it rarely. Good luck!

 

[JennyDrake]

I use Naproxyn as well. I have also found Glucosamine Chondroitin supplement to help as well as MSM, which is a natural anti-inflammatory.

 

[GrammyJudy]

I find Aleve works better than ibuprofen. I also take gloucosamine.

 

[iuki]

Thanks to all of you for your responses.

I'm glad to know that the steroid shot doesn't always work. So, based on all of your responses, I'll continue to take ibuprofen when the pain is really bad or when I'm going out for the day.

I'll be going on a cruise in April 2014 and plan to take the ibuprofen when getting off the ship. In the past, there were times that I couldn't even get off the ship or had to return to the ship within 10 minutes of getting off the ship. At least when I'm on the ship, I can always just sit and relax when I'm in pain.

Again, thanks for sharing your info.



P.S. I think I'll try the Aleve to see how it works for me. I was on Glucosamine for a long time, but that didn't work for me.

 

[JennyDrake]

Have you tried meloxicam??? It is Rx and same family as ibuprophen. Only take once a day; Advil kills my stomach but meloxicam is not. Two of my dogs and I are trying it!

 

[suz_cute]

I take Celebrex, because of GI issues that Advil and other NSAIDs cause. I found that it only really works well when you take it daily. Miss a few days, and pain levels are back to where you started without medication.

 

[iuki]

Have you tried meloxicam??? It is Rx and same family as ibuprophen. Only take once a day; Advil kills my stomach but meloxicam is not. Two of my dogs and I are trying it!

I'll check it out. Thanks.

I take Celebrex, because of GI issues that Advil and other NSAIDs cause. I found that it only really works well when you take it daily. Miss a few days, and pain levels are back to where you started without medication.

I tried Celebrex, but it just took the edge off and didn't really work for me. Wish it worked for me like it does for you.

 

[geek+nerd]

This might sound out there, but I encourage you to research the links between wheat and dairy consumption and inflammation in joints.

I have an orthopedic disability since birth that has caused OA in my lower back, hips, and left ankle and foot.

Due to some GI issues and being fairly recently diagnosed with a number of food allergies, I am off wheat and dairy and lots of other things. I used to take Aleeve several times a day several days a week with an occasional stronger prescription med. Since being on my restricted diet, I have not taken a single Aleeve or any other pain reliever. I'm not saying that my pain is completely gone, but it has decreased tremendously and is much more tolerable.

Just a suggestion! It is amazing the impact that food has on our whole bodies.

 

[elphaba91]

The second doctor is right, ibuprofen should NOT be taken all the time like that. You WILL wreck your stomach (and possibly your kidneys and heart too).

In Australia we have a product called Panadol Osteo, which is an extended release paracetamol (which you call acetaminophen in the U.S). Each tablet contains 665mg of paracetamol, instead of the 500mg in regular paracetamol, so you only take 6 per day instead of 8. They release the medication slowly, so your pain relief is stabilized instead of having the peaks and lows that come with other pain killers. I don't know if there's anything like that available in the U.S, but you could ask your doctor or pharmacist about it.

Fish oil or, better still, krill oil is also excellent at decreasing inflammation and improving joint mobility. Glucosamine is also good for joint pain. You will want to talk to a doctor or pharmacist about these, as they can interfere with some medications.

But yes, there are MUCH better options for managing your pain. Taking ibuprofen all the time isn't the most effective thing, and it's really not good for you.

 

[Granny square]

I take naproxen twice a day, and a prescription antacid to make it easier on my stomach. It takes the edge off.

Naproxen sodium religiously with food works for me. If I don't take it with food I get sick.

Tylenol at full dose every day is no better for you!

 

[bidnow5]

The second doctor is right, ibuprofen should NOT be taken all the time like that. You WILL wreck your stomach (and possibly your kidneys and heart too). In Australia we have a product called Panadol Osteo, which is an extended release paracetamol (which you call acetaminophen in the U.S). Each tablet contains 665mg of paracetamol, instead of the 500mg in regular paracetamol, so you only take 6 per day instead of 8. They release the medication slowly, so your pain relief is stabilized instead of having the peaks and lows that come with other pain killers. I don't know if there's anything like that available in the U.S,.

I take Tylenol arthritis which is 650 mg slow release so it would be the same as your Panadol Osteo same dosage no more then 6 a day

 

[ittakesallkinds]

I've been through every medicine listed here and have only had relief from Cymbalta. My dr decided to try it on a whim as it's not indicated for osteoarthritis, but it's helped me more than anything (other than opiate pain killers - which I took for quite an extended period for neck issues) ever has. I call it my miracle drug

 

[ILUVALASKA]

I had painful osteoarthritis for years and tried glucosamine, advil, etc. The glucosamine made me fee awful-heart palpitations, dizziness, etc. Two years ago I gave up wheat and sugar and started walking 80 minutes daily. I also started taking fish oil, up to 8 pills daily. ALL of my symptoms went away. It has been a miracle.

 

[PigletsPal2]

I have osteoarthritis in my back, hips and knees. I've tried every OTC medication known to man, and most of the prescription meds mentioned here. Some worked for awhile and then stopped, and some just never took hold.

I'm currently taking, with quite a bit of success, Hydrocodone-Apap, 10-325 tab. The prescription is written for one tablet three times a day for pain. There have been days when I counted the minutes between the time I took one pill and the time I could take another, but there have been times when I could go 3-4 days without taking one pill. I've had no bad side effects, and my doctor says none of her patients taking it long-term have become addicted.

I've been on this medication for almost five years, and I shudder to think what my quality of life, and that of my family, would be if I couldn't take it any more for whatever reason.

Queen Colleen

 

[JLTraveling]

Have you tried Arthrotec? It's a prescription combo pill with an NSAID (similar to ibuprofen, but a different specific drug) and misoprostol, which encourages mucus production in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby protecting the stomach lining from the damage associated with NSAIDs.

My dad has extremely severe osteoarthritis, to the point that a doctor told him 15 years ago he had the spine of a 90 year old (he's 61 now). He was on an ECV and barely able to do anything for years, until he switched doctors and got a prescription for Arthrotec. He had tried everything--ibuprofen, glucosamine, Celebrex, and he calls this his miracle drug. It's definitely not all gone, but between the Arthrotec and fish oil supplements, it's been like night and day.