I am in so much pain. I have a migraine too. I want to die.

[BlameItOnTheCuervo]

Let me make this v clear, I am not suicidal. I am, however in a shocking amount of pain. My joints are killing me (suspected RA), I have a migraine and I feel sick. I just want to not hurt. Just for one day.

[Saltire]

Well if your migraines are anything like the ones I get, looking at a pc/mobile screen won't help!

Heat and ice alternate over the joint pains, what painkillers do you have?

[RandomMess]

How horrible, have you got an urgent referral to rheumatology?

As for migraines they are just plain evil, can you go lay down and try to sleep for a bit, I find listening to the TV quietly whilst in the dark in bed helps me snooze.

[SummerRain]

Neurofen plus... The codeine will help with the migraine and the ibuprofen with the joints.

[maytheoddsbeeverinyourfavour]

When pain relief are you currently on? And yes to the dark room and no screen for the migraine!

I know how awful constant pain is, I haven't had a day without pain in five years but the right medication can really help and it's also so important to take care of yourself in little ways, eating well, drinking enough and plenty of rest

I hope you start to feel better soon

[Saltire]

I have an abundance of painkillers, but you also need plenty of rest with constant pain and illnesses that cause it. For the migraine you definately need to be in a darkened rooom, I find that a very cold flannel on my brown sometimes help

[BlameItOnTheCuervo]

I take tramadol, 2 every 4hrs. Can't take ibuprofen though, because it wrecks my stomach. I'm going to go back to bed, I think. I see a rheumatologist on the 19th, thank god. I've been like this for 4yrs now, its progressively got worse, especially in the last 6m.

[LostInWales]

Cuervo, I feel your pain, literally. I have severe OA in my spine and some blood tests point to RA as well. I am sitting here on a little happy cloud of tramadol as DH has taken over for the day as I don't tolerate the side effects very well (that's not true, the side effects feel lovely but are not conducive to looking after three mad boys!). I've wrecked my stomach with NASIDS as well. It's so hard being in pain all the time, people who aren't don't have a clue, a load of my friends have just got really into running and it makes me HATE them when they go on about it (not very nice of me I know but I would like to walk somewhere!) Sorry your head huts as well, I'm sending you some lovely warm painkilling vibes over.

[maytheoddsbeeverinyourfavour]

It sounds like the tramadol is just not cutting it for you keep going back to the doctor or the pain clinic until you find something that works, there are lots of other options and lots of stronger painkillers, it's trial and error to find what works for you. Have you also had proton pump inhibitors to help with the ibuprofen and other NSAIDS? I take omaprozole to help with stomach issues so I can continue to take ibuprofen

I found tramadol nice but not much help, do you have anything you can take when the pain gets really bad? I've also found that amitriptyline helps a bit and it can also prevent migraines

[LostInWales]

Also I was talking to my GP last week and there are some pain killing patches out now but you need to have them prescribed by a consultant first before GP's are allowed to carry them on. Ask about them when you see the rheumatolgist, I was wondering if there was an ibuprofen type patch as this would avoid the stomach.

Do you take anything like Omeprazole? It might help you tolerate NASIDs. There are lots of great drugs around for RA so don't give up hope and as maytheodds mentions there are also pain clinics, they are the experts. I am trying to get referred to one but they want to explore surgical options first I think I'd rather give that a miss myself!

[Saltire]

Is it possible that the tramadol has given you the migraine?

I cannot take it as I get horrible "acid trip" like hallucinations.

Amitryptiline will help, and may helpw ith the joint pain too and help ease your sleep, but don't let them put you on too high a dose. i take 20mg every night.

[Japple]

There are 7 "Triptans" that are available to you-for the "abortive" phase of your
Migrains; imitrex,mexalt,zomig,amerge,relpax,axert and frova.Try each of these first,before trying the "Ergotamines"... They are: DHE,migraral and genmidrin.

[Japple]

Just remembered, When I thought I had RA...(because of massive pain in my
left hip and finger joints and sometimes my shoulder) I marched into the Doc's
office and told him I thought RA was hitting me.He ordered a blood test, and I
didn't have RA...I had the Common Osteoarthritus.I do slow easy stretches each
day,take over the counter pain killers if I am having a bad day,and Ben Gay Rub
is my best friend.I have walkers,and a wheelchair for the Really bad days,and I
had to handicapp equip my entire house.My other best friend is my LazyBoy.If
I am hurting so bad that I am a cross,old bear...I drink a diet coke and a pony
of whiskey and kick back on the lazy boy for awhile.Really helps the old pain.

[BlameItOnTheCuervo]

The tramadol "works" but I feel really spaced and floaty. I think the migraine is caused by my neck. Its seized up and has a knot/lump at the base of my skull.

Tbh, I can't wait to get a diagnosis, It started with a lump on my rib and was misdiagnosed as teitzes. I've tried stomach pills but it didn't work.

[BlameItOnTheCuervo]

I have had blood tests which came back normal, but liuckily I took pics of the joints swelling up. Doi you have low bone density

[susiedaisy]

Can't help with the RA sorry, but as a long time migraine sufferer I have found proprananol a godsend they have all but eliminated my migraines and I was having them weekly, it was dreadful, also cranial osteopathy once every six weeks have help a lot as well. Hope you feel better soon.

[noddyholder]

Syndol is great for that sort of pain as it has a muscle relaxant in it and it really works plus stops you feeling sick HTH

[Japple]

...My bones are in pretty good shape for the mileage I have put upon them.In
the hip,xrays showed that the "cushion"cartiledge was worn down to a few flakes...so I had the area "shot" with the cushion fluid.Much better now.The extra 35 pounds I carried for 30 years helped keep the bone stronger-more
weight-bearing ability.No thin,brittle bones here.Jill.

[Elibean]

For the migraine.....take an aspirin (as it thins the blood) if you can, and drink lots of water. If I do this at the start of a migraine, it really really helps.

If it still hurts, I then take anything with codeine in it (Nurofen Plus, Codydramol, etc) and try and lie down and relax/sleep for a short while.

Sounds awful, and worst part of any condition is pre-diagnosis....hope you get one soon xx

[Tuttutitlookslikerain]

I had to stop taking Tramadol because it was giving me migraines. I was getting about 15 a month. Now I get 4 or 5. I am in massive amounts of pain, but I really couldn't cope with the migraines.

I take Triptans for migraines, but one thing that really works is dissolve 3 aspirin(if you can take them) in a small glass of coke. It was recommended by a professor at the London Migriane clinic, it is really effective.

My joints swell too, are absolute agony, but they don't know why. They did every test going but couldn't work out why. They say I have fibromyalgia. I have recently changed my meds from Pregabalin to Gabapentin and that has reduced some of the swelling.

I hope you feel better soonxxx

[YouBrokeMySmoulder]

Is there anyone you can send out to the chemist for some imigran? They will have to fill out a form and it is extortionate but they really work for me.

[RandomMess]

Get psoriatic arthritis checked out, very similar symptoms to RA but unless you have psorasis it is easy to miss as not readily known about.

[BlameItOnTheCuervo]

Oih, I do have gutate psoriasis.

Iwe live in a village and don't drive, which is usually ok but times like this its a bummer.

[LostInWales]

YY psaoritic (?sp) a good one then, you'll have a massive long list for your first clinic appt from the people who live in your computer

We need a thread where we can complain about the fucking unfairness of bodies that hurt! Although I would just like to report a relatively pain free shower/hair wash due to the lovely tramadol, I did spend rather a long time staring at the water coming out I the shower head though .

Someone mentioned Syndol, that's a really good one too. I don't have migraines but I take it at night sometimes and it helps with muscle cramps. Also I am sitting here with three lovely warm wheat bags in various places and I'm sure they help.

[Saltire]

tuttut - I have Fibromyalgia and as far as I know it doesn't cause joint swelling (I might be wrong) however it can cause Migraines.

[RandomMess]

BlameIt - sounds completely likely that it is Psoriatic Arthritis, there is no definitive test for it but shares strong similarities with RA but of course with a negative blood test. The good news is that there are several drugs to try and once a flair up (when you are in agony and exhausted all the time) is controlled you can have long periods of time without problems.

It seems very common that people struggle to get diagnosed with it though, as you have psorasis you are more than likely to have low vit D levels so having a prescription of that can help too. Currently dh is on naproxen (anti inflam), Omeprazole (to tolerate the naproxen), paracetamol, Vit D and some "toxix" immunity NSAIDs to treat the psorarsis and PA - early days yet on that though.