Best pain medication for sacroiliac joint pain

[forum contributor]

For those who take/have taken pain meds, what are/were you on?

I'm trying to find something for my sacroiliac joint pain, as nothing I take even comes close to touching it. Not even the hard stuff.

But I don't want anything habit-forming. I had a problem with that stuff and migraines.

Any advice? Suggestions? Experiences?

I can't sit, stand, walk, or lay down without being in such pain.

Starting physical therapy soon...

 

[Lisa5326]

I have taken vicodin/hydrocodone...and it barely numbs my abdominal pain. The side effects are more prominent than the actual pain relief, for me anyways.

Morphine on the other hand worked, but took a bit of it before the pain was gone....so if you can get a hold of something like that... edit: but duh that is habit forming...i'm no help!

Tylenol arthritis works for my mom and grandma for joint pain, i've never used tylenol cause it hasn't never worked for me for other things, I haven't tried it for joint pain yet...maybe i will.

 

[DanSJVDavis]

I've taken Hydrocodone. Percocet makes my heart flutter and a numbness/weakness in my left arm, so I can't take that one. Hydrocodone is okay, but of course, it makes you wonky. I had a spine doc give me Cyclobenzaprine, it's a muscle relaxant, but it puts me to sleep and I wake feeling groggy for the rest of the day. I haven't really found anything that really does the trick that isn't habit forming. I take booze for my muscle/joint pain lately.

 

[DanSJVDavis]

Tylenol arthritis works for my mom and grandma for joint pain, i've never used that stuff cause it hasn't ever worked. I think I saw on here that crohnies aren't supposed to take that though.

Hm. Wonder why. I was told that Tylenol is pretty much the only over the counter pain med that a Crohn's patient should take. Wonder what makes the arthritis version different. I've taken the arthritis version and it helped somewhat, but not a whole lot.

 

[Lisa5326]

Hm. Wonder why. I was told that Tylenol is pretty much the only over the counter pain med that a Crohn's patient should take. Wonder what makes the arthritis version different. I've taken the arthritis version and it helped somewhat, but not a whole lot.

Umm maybe I got it mixed up...I'll go look.

edit: ya I got mixed up, try TYLENOL arthritis! No ibruprofen for crohn's patients! Sorry!

 

[farm]

For those who take/have taken pain meds, what are/were you on?

I'm trying to find something for my sacroiliac joint pain, as nothing I take even comes close to touching it. Not even the hard stuff.

But I don't want anything habit-forming. I had a problem with that stuff and migraines.

Any advice? Suggestions? Experiences?

I can't sit, stand, walk, or lay down without being in such pain.

Starting physical therapy soon...

I'm on percocets now. 10/325. They help out.
Something that would probably be LESS habit forming would be darvocet or Tramadol. Just from personal experiences with them.
I think all pain meds have the potential of becoming habit forming, even OTC meds.

 

[DanSJVDavis]

Yeah, Tramadol wasn't bad. I do kind of prefer the Hydrocodone, but it was a feeling preference for me. I can usually work through the Hydrocodone, but the Tramadol kinda made me feel disconnected and unfocused. I don't like losing my focus. The back doc, I forgot had also prescribed me Tramadol. Also, I kind of had to take more of the Tramadol than prescribed for it to really help, but my back was real bad back then too. I had the radiating rib pain when I breathed or moved as well and the pain in my breastbone.

 

[NatalieMT]

I have previously been on Tramadol and for what you looking for it might be an okay solution. Currently I am on morphine too, it's not wholly effective but most of the time it enables me to be able to get on with my day. I'm only on a low dose so hopefully I won't experience any ill effects when I try to come off at in the future.

 

[SoCalWildcat]

I take percocet or oxycontin for pain. You need a lot of self-control to only use painkillers for pain however.

 

[soupdragon69]

When in for treatment under rheumatology for 2wks recently the pain team came to see me and along with pain med alterations they suggested I try a TENS machine and lent me one.

I find it works well for my lower back pain and also shoulder pain. For nerve, joint and muscle pain in conjunction with my pain killers.

The Occupational Therapy department also taught me retrograde massage to help with fluid retention and relaxation sessions to help relax my muscles due to tensing up in pain etc.

 

[beth]

I've just got Tramadol from my GP today for my jaw and shoulder pain. Seems okay, whilst I can still feel the pain, it's kind of far off.

 

[SpoonNinja]

you guys are lucky man, none of my drs will give me any pain meds when im in aflair, they say if its bad enugh i can go to the hospital, but the hospital wont admit me or give me pain meds for crohns symptoms, so im s.o.l when i need something fo pain, i have to use tylenol but now my nurse told me i cant have a lot of that because of the acetophetomine so yeah, any ideas on what i could do to get my drs to give me something for relief? ive tryed everything, sorry to steal the post lol it just made me think of it...

 

[NatalieMT]

My GP was always really sympathetic about the pain I was in, she always said she could see I really was hurting. So I suppose it wasn't a problem for her to prescribe pain relief straight off. Do you know of any doctor that you've seen that has been particularly sympathetic or understanding? Perhaps they'd be the person to ask.

I ended up on morphine however through pain management. I was admitted to hospital in April, given IV morphine at the time and they thought it was a good idea to send me home with prolonged released MST, I go back every couple of months for them to review it on an outpatient basis. You could ask your gastro to refer you to pain management? They may not want to prescribe anything either but it's worth a chance and they may have some useful suggestions. I know my gastro isn't particularly keen on morphine because it has the effect of slowing down the bowel (positive thing for me because I often don't use the bathroom as much now!) but has said they wouldn't ask me to stop taking it until things are more stable.

 

[ITSMEAGAIN]

i've used tramadol, and nabilone (it's a synthetic cannabinoid) and found that neither worked very well. both gave me a floaty head feeling, and the nabilone lasted far to long. 12 hrs usually...hard to work stoned.
To be honest the only pain management i have found to work and that i trust is Marijuana.
I smoke very little ( can't seem to shake the stigma that i may be a druggy, yet i take more pills then my 74 yr old mother). A gram lasts me literally a month or more.
But until the government makes it easier to get that stuf prescribed i will have to hide in shame.

 

[JillianB82]

My vote would be vicodin if you can get your hands on it

 

[beth]

My GP has been reluctant to give me heavy duty pain med's in the past because the only option has been opiates. But I think I pushed the right triggers yesterday:

1) it's Crohn's related arthritis - because it came back after stopping azathioprine

2) I was taking paracetamol and codeine which didn't do the trick until I had a couple of whiskies. I know he doesn't like me doing that, and he knows I can be trusted with addictive meds as I have temazapam on my list of repeat scripts. So I admitted it.

If your doc's are not helping you, or at least trying to work with you and explaining properly why they can't help, you need a new doc!

 

[SpoonNinja]

well, im alergic to morphiene so anytime im in the hospital they have to give me diloded which i think is about the same as morphine and i dun no if i can get a pain management thing cuz i have medicaide so i dun no if they would cover it and my gi says any narcotic pain med is bad for a chrohns patient and i shouldnt take it unless im in for surgery or something severe, he's an ass. and my primary dr is to he gets on me about my weight and literally calls me a fatty because ive gained 20lbs since being on prednisone, im looking for a new dr now, hopefully they will b nicer but my options are limited on medicade, so im hoping that the remicade keeps doing its job so i dun have severe pain so i dun have to worry about trying to get relief ugh so annoying lol

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

I take Tylenol for Arthritis, probably more often than is really good for me. I should get after my GP to help me out. Wicked bad pain in sacroilliac joints.

I think the difference between regular Tylenol and Tylenol Arthritis is that the later is enteric coated, so it has extended release.

I found physio helped a bit. I do my stretches every morning and that helps ease the muscular pain. Try to keep limber through gentle exercise.

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

Oh, and thanks Jan on the Tens Machine tip. I googled the word and found out what it was. My physio sessions partially consist of time with one. I never knew what the dang contraption was called. I'm going to look into getting a small one for myself.

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

http://www.istop.org/

Here's what I get done by my physiotherapist as well. It's called the Chan Gunn Technique, and it's essentially a type of acupuncture. It's really helped me with back pain. I haven't had it done for about a month or so (I've just had a large cyst on my back surgically removed). I think I'll start up again.

 

[bella_sky]

I take Fioricet if needed, but it barely touches the pain. I am the same, very scared of being addicted to something stronger even though the pain is severe. Been to the ER a few times. Addiction runs in the family, so far I've been one of the few to really make it in this world until CD hit me. I will get into remission and beat this CD into a pulp. We all need to beat this and get better before hope is lost, we need hope, I need hope without meds.

 

[seaofdreams]

Sorry, i don't mean to hijack your thread a little but i'm curious about Crohn's and using codeine. At the moment that is what i'm using for pain but i haven't thought to ask about how safe it is for me to use, i only just found out that ibuprofen is unsafe for crohn's sufferers. What are everyone experiences/thoughts with codeine?

 

[seaofdreams]

The only problem I seem to have with Codeine is that if I take more than 2-3 in a day, I get terrible headaches and nausea.

 

[Peggy]

I use Tramodol and cocodamol, recently GP gave me some diazepan they do help me to sleep. hope you feel better soon. Peggy

 

[forum contributor]

Sorry, i don't mean to hijack your thread a little but i'm curious about Crohn's and using codeine. At the moment that is what i'm using for pain but i haven't thought to ask about how safe it is for me to use, i only just found out that ibuprofen is unsafe for crohn's sufferers. What are everyone experiences/thoughts with codeine?

Feel free to hijack!
I don't mind at all. I'd rather other peeps get answers as well!

 

[forum contributor]

I use Tramodol and cocodamol, recently GP gave me some diazepan they do help me to sleep. hope you feel better soon. Peggy

Thanks, Peggy.
How does the Tram work for you?

 

[NatalieMT]

Shantel I think the issue most GIs have with painkillers is that a lot of the stronger types can slow the bowel down. Sometimes that can have an undesired effect also I suppose...

I'm back on Fentanyl patches as of yesterday after a really depressing appointment with pain management, smallest dose patch is stronger than the MST I had so I'm hoping for a better effect. I've previously been on Fentanyl and didnt have any problems so *fingers crossed*.

Santos have you had any luck with anything as of yet?

 

[forum contributor]

Hey Natalie

I went and got some Move Free and so far, the sacroiliac thing has been better.

Still having a lot of pain in my stomach, but I'm seeing my doc tomorrow, so I'll bring it up w/him then.

Do you get a lot of relief w/the Fentanyl?

 

[Lisa5326]

Good good glad the joint is better, joint pain really sucks I am finding...mine actually hasn't been too bad lately. The sac pain, do you feel it in your back, butt, legs or hips more?

 

[forum contributor]

Figures, I posted earlier that it's been better, and now it's hurting tonight. Blah.

It's in my lower right back, right hip, and groin area. It's so stupid and I wish it would just die.

Happy yours is better!!!!

 

[since 1985]

I have the muscle/joint pain from Crohn's well, & doc says fibromyalgia too so I'm generally achy all over. Just started Tramadol but not too thrilled so far. I also take Lyrica for the fibro. Alcohol is the best pain killer I've tried but last night had either 1 too many or it was just a bad night because today has been one gut-wrencher of a day. I tried to alternate water with my drinks last night to keep hydrated but today was just awful. (I didn't mix the Tram with it, didn't take it yesterday at all).

Tylenol (extra strength of course) doesn't work much but I often take it.

My gut is pretty much in remission but I guess always silently working in the background to screw me up as I figure if the Crohn's wasn't active then maybe the back/neck pain wouldn't be active either??

I've been fighting CD since 1985 and don't know what to do next. I'm already chronically depressed (the CD causes the chemical imbalance so I'm told) but with all the psych drugs I'm already a tired out zombie half the time and want to sleep until noon every day.