Bad pain - how do you cope?

[Gra]

Really bad gut pain this morning, driving me crazy.

When I get like this some days, all I can do is pace around, can't settle or get anything done. Pain not coming in waves, no vomitimg, so pretty sure I'm not blocked up inside. Still pooping. So I think it is just a bad flare. How do you cope when it gets this bad?

Currently taking Panadol Osteo (665 mg) two tablets eight hours apart (they are slow release, and coated to prevent damage to the stomach). but somedays they just dont cut it. Dont want to take anything that could give me constipation, been there, done that, and I hate it!

Currently have reduced my Preds to 3-4 mg per day, so not getting much help from that avenue. Cant wait to start on my Humira tomorrow, I know I am building up high expectations of what it might do for me, and probably shouldnt. But right now it gives me something to pin my hopes on.

Gra

 

[Trysha]

Hi Gra
Sorry to hear you are having a difficult time right now and hope it soon improves.
I usually find some relief with heating pads and trying to relax in a recliner,sometimes its slow but finally it gets better, takes its time though.
When I can't cope with it I call the GI for advice and sometimes he says to tough it out, other times he sees me to ensure there's nothing sinister happening.
Feel better soon
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha

 

[Rachel]

Yes, all I can do it lay on my back with a heating pad over my tummy and just wait. Peppermint tea sometimes helps too.

 

[2thFairy]

Same here.... heating pad, something warm to drink, and watch TV until it passes.

I sure do feel for ya, Gra.

 

[Sledderchick]

I do the same....... heating pad but I do put some sort or A535 for sour muscles on as well, I find this ups the heat value. I hope you feel better today.

 

[Ozboz]

Hey gra mate I'm in the same boat right now horrible pain and panadol isn't
cutting it try and get a script either for endone or tramadol thats what I'm on right now there a different strengths of tramadol I'm on the 200mg slow release one at the moment but im going up to the max dose of 300mg as this flare is giving me horrid pain i also lie in a recliner with a hot water bottle and that seems to work well hope you get some relied soon mate i know all about bad stomach pain

 

[NicoleKS]

Most nights these days I just lay in bed with a heating pad over my stomach and watch Netflix. (And cry. But that doesn't do anything for the pain of course. Ha.)

 

[moogie]

Hello there,

Pain...... it's like an old friend to me. Seems I've been in pain most of my life. It goes from the joints to the stomach to the anus to gas to everything. There are days when I think I just want to quit and give it all up. But then I would have to give up sex and that just won't do... hehe

All this to say I know what you mean. 2 months ago my doctor finally agreed to give me pain killers. I never had any and he always refused to give me some for my stomach. I forget what they are but the 5 mg he gave me don't do ****. After 30 minutes they no longer works. Hopefully he will give me something more potent next time.

When I am in real pain I lay down with a heating pad and I stop eating all together. I take ensure only and I do not eat another bite until I feel better. My doctor just wants to kill me when I do that. My take on it is that if I don't eat there is nothing to hurt the gut and hopefully it will heal faster.

Heating pad is really your friend. We should all have at least 2 at home. The second in case the first one kicks the bucket.

Good luck to you.

 

[2thFairy]

Heating pad is really your friend. We should all have at least 2 at home. The second in case the first one kicks the bucket.

I usually have three on hand at all times, plus portable ones that wrap around and last 6 hours. I have killed so many heating pads over the years!

 

[bettyboop12]

Co-codamol for me although I wish sometimes I had strong codiene just to make me feel wuzzy and spaced out so I don't feel the pain!

Hot water bottle on my stomach along with a few moans of "ive got belly ache" or "my bums on fire" usually helps! Some times letting it out verbally helps!

 

[SusanB]

when I get really bad pain I head to emerg and get IV fluids and some pain meds. In a few hours I'm back home feeling alot better

 

[acheallova]

Heating pad on the back while i curl into fetal position and rock myself into a happy place is all i can do. I mostly push through until i collapse or end up in hospital. Don't eat and try to drink for hydration but sometimes just need to look into the eyes of my family and stay strong so they don't know mommy's hurting. Hang in there! - hugs-

 

[UncleChuckSucks]

When I was still working in an office and couldn't show weakness during the day, I would put on these noise cancelling headphones when pain would wash over me the worst, go to the nearest song on my ipod, and tell myself that it was only 3:32 long and I could make it through anything for 3:32. I would focus my entire being on listening to that song and just ride the waves of pain like I was surfing or something. When three minutes and thirty two seconds was over, I knew I had accomplished something. I had not gone crazy or died in those three minutes. So I told myself I could make it through another three.

I'm sorry you have so much pain. I hope it gets better, and soon. Until then, maybe try just taking it a minute--or three minutes and twenty two seconds--at a time. Drawing or listening to music, anything that's soothing and maybe a little fun, helps get my mind off things and feel like I'm creating something that's good for me. That kind of expression helps me sometimes, plus it kills time.

 

[fromthegut]

Really bad gut pain this morning, driving me crazy.

Cant wait to start on my Humira tomorrow, I know I am building up high expectations of what it might do for me, and probably shouldnt. But right now it gives me something to pin my hopes on.

Gra

I have a friend who takes humeria and it helps him. ! I pray it works for you. For me Alternative / Complimentray ans peace and quiet helped ! .. Actaully I am needing a little get away right now. Had too much stress lately

 

[NicoleKS]

when I get really bad pain I head to emerg and get IV fluids and some pain meds. In a few hours I'm back home feeling alot better

I used to do the same but these days I just try to manage it at home and avoid the ER unless I think there is something else going on--like some sort of obstruction.

 

[KRT]

I usually end up in the ER...pain meds, zofran, antibiotics, fluids and most of the time they have admitted me. I too have used a heating pad.

 

[Angie1]

I use a hot water bottle on my stomach, sometimes two one on stomach and the other on my back, I try to do relaxation techniques. Pain almost every day.

 

[scoutfinch]

:ghug: Hugs to everyone.

I came to the forum today to post the same question as Gra. Been in a crazy painful flare for the past..forever...but the past 2 months has been excruciating pain every single day. My considerable pain tolerance is quickly eroding.

Sleep helps (although getting back to sleep after waking up middle of the night with sharp acidic pain is almost impossible - you just lie there, curled up, and suffer), and watching what you eat can help avoid some types of pain (assuming you have an appetite at all). Sorry be a Debbie Downer, but it's really difficult to be positive when it's just constant pain.

Gra - I truly hope the Humira works for you. Remicade worked well for me for a few months - and it was amazing, no pain and it was like I was alive again.

 

[KRT]

So, Scoutfinch...I've been on Remicade for a few months..it helps...but does it stop working with most??

 

[Ozboz]

I just bought a tens machine for my pain I'm using it for my crohns pain and for my ankylosing spondilitis which is a form of arthritis from crohn's there is also another unit called interfential pain releif I didn't buy mine from this site but bought it locallly here in australia but have a squiz at this site and there are information instructions on the site please have a look may bebefit someone hopefully

https://www.tenscare.co.uk/index.php?action=products&product=3

this is the unit I bought for anyone intrested the other one was not in my budget
http://www.tenspainrelief.com.au/tensstore/product.php?productid=16139&cat=252&bestseller=Y

Guys please google and do some research on tens pain releif or interential pain releif I beleive it may benefit us in some ways

 

[scoutfinch]

So, Scoutfinch...I've been on Remicade for a few months..it helps...but does it stop working with most??

I'm not an expert on Remicade fail rates - nor do I think there can be any true scientific studies done on that matter - but for me personally the Remicade is failing hard. I've been on it for about a year and a half and the efficacy of the drug started going downhill about 6 months in. At that point we upped the dosage, which provided very little improvement. After another 6 months of gradually declining efficacy (drug wore off much sooner than 8 weeks), we increased the dose frequency to 6 weeks, then to 4 weeks, then we upped the dosage to the highest limit - 10mg/kg. Still, the efficacy continues to decline. It's at the point where it works well for about a week before quickly wearing off. I'm currently considering switching to Humira.