Chronic pain in lower back & left hip/leg

pigginkidz
pigginkidz Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
in Cerebral Palsy Network
Hi my name is Susan, my main illness is Epilepsy & so pain medication is got to be carefully given.  I have two prolapsed discs in my lower back & the pain is mainly on my left side  now especially since  I fell down a flight of stairs & fractured my left hip as i put alot more pressure on my left side and is now suffering so much more.  I am taking co-codamol 30mg-500mg 2x 4 times a day, 5ml 10mg/5ml oramorph x 4 a day, epilim chrono 2x500mg twice a day, 50mg Topiramate  1 x twice a day , 20mg x amitriptyline at night  and 2mg x3 times a day diazepam.   Sorry I've just listed my drugs but I was wondering if you or anyone reading this knew of any other painkillers that might be more affective and which wont affect my epilepsy drugs.  Sorry if this is not what this site is for.  Just let me know and i will take this down.  Thanks in advance  susan x



Comments

  • rpauline
    rpauline Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
    I've been given pregabalin since my suberachnoid heammorage in May 2017 .I suffer with lower back pain and leg pain more so in my left leg. It does seem to have reduced the pain but I think I need my dose changing as my pain seems to be getting worse again. I was also given gebapentin before this. I believe the medication is also for epilepsy. Hope this helps x
  • janejr
    janejr Online Community Member Posts: 150 Empowering
    Hi Susan sorry to hear your in pain I know that  how wearing pain is. I too have a damaged back but also have osteoarthritis in all my joints which is getting worse. My list of drugs is no help to you because it don't have epilepsy. Hope someone here can help. I'm on gabapentin for nerve damage and pain and not sure that helps anymore as been on same dose for years. Was thinking of asking doctor to refer me to a pain clinic as never been and feel I can't cope with pain anymore, could you ask for a referal. Hope someone here can help you I think you can ask for any kind of help here. The scope crew are very good and we all support each other anyway we can. Good luck Susan hope you get the help you need
  • Lasian_Alumni
    Lasian_Alumni Online Community Member Posts: 650 Empowering
    Hi @pigginkidz

    Although users are able to discuss their own medical situation and experiences, it is against community rules to post medical advice or request any. Have you been able to discuss your medication concerns with your doctor?
  • raymo69
    raymo69 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
    hello everyone my name is ray, i have suffered with chronic back pain for 30 years or more i had injections in my spine, my consulton prescribed a corset also  had anti deppressents  i had a hip replacement  neuropathy in my feet i take 4 tramadol 2 pre gablin  and others for diabetes where can i go from here don`t get much relief from my meds i dont know which way to turn
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,761 Championing
    Great to meet you, @raymo69! Have you been referred to a pain clinic?
  • raymo69
    raymo69 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
    yes for 9 weeks injections in my spine over 3 years,corset you name it pippa i have tried it its making me so depressed
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,761 Championing
    Oh I'm so sorry to hear that @raymo69, pain can feel like such an isolating experience and I'm really sorry to hear it's getting you down. I'm tagging in our lovely chronic pain advisor @ClaireSaul in case there's anything else she can advise. 
  • raymo69
    raymo69 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
    has claire saul gone to the moon for her holidays, only kidding, i have had no feedback on my original question thanks

  • Topkitten
    Topkitten Online Community Member Posts: 1,273 Trailblazing
    If Codeine is ok then Dihydrocodeine is stronger than Cocodamol. Amitryptylene is the most common nerve pain treatment and most GP's begin with it. Alternatives to Amitryptylene are Nortryptylene, Pregabalin, Gebapentin and Duloxetine, all these work differently with different people and side-effects are common to all nerve pain treatments. Oramorph is fairly strong and Tramadol is actually weaker to go stronger would mean Buprenorphine (usually in patch form though can be as tablets). The hospital (usually via the Pain Clinic) can arrange spinal injections of either pain killers or anti-inflamatories (usually Steroidal) which have very variable results.

    I do not know how any of these react with Epilepsy so you would need to speak to your GP about them. Hope this helps at least by giving you something to discuss with your GP. However, if you can stand it, you might want to try leaving off one or other of the medications to find out which is the most effective so you can help guide the doctor to whichever helps you the most. The problem is that it can leave you struggling and is best done when things aren't so bad.

    TK
  • raymo69
    raymo69 Online Community Member Posts: 10 Listener
    iv`e had  Amitryptylene ,injectionsin my spine, taking tramadol now and pregablin serterline150mg to no real effectoh i did a 9 week session with the pain clinic but thanks very much
    for your help,Ray

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