Has anyone just STOPPED medical pain releif for chronic pain, and/or replaced it with natural pain relief?

[PavlovtheCat]

In particular back pain joint pain, arthritis etc other inflammatory or degenerative conditions (not for medical conditions or illness that will worsen/eccelerate the ill or condition without medicine) that cause chronic pain where long term (often high doses of) painkillers are needed?

I am reading about long term use of NSAIDs increasing joint degeneration, increased tolerance/reduced effects of long term us of codiene/tramadol etc, not to mention the side effects of using and then coming off them after long term use. Steroid injections can increase joint degeneration too it seems. And generally having artificial chemicals in your body For significant periods seems unhealthy in itself!

I have been reading about use of glucosamine,omega 3, ginger, turmeric, oils in evening primrose oil, and other stuff to reduce inflammation. And exercise, mindfulness, meditation to cope with pain, myo fascia, release and other massage for releasing toxin buildup in muscles.

Has anyone swapped conventional painkillers for natural remedies?, either now or ever? What do you use/what did you try?

Or, Did you find you had to take some cnvential pain releif but could reduce significantly?

Pavlov, I've lurked on your previous threads and am sorry to read that you're still having to deal with your back pain.

I'm 13mths on from an accident in which I fractured my sacrum and slipped a lumbar disc. I've had chronic pain since, tried physio/pilates/walking/hydro to no avail, have a half arsed "probably SIJ disfunction??" diagnosis (after they've had to repeatedly manipulate my pelvis back into correct anatomical position) but am now waiting for a further 'gateway' referral to hopefully get passed to rheumatology or similar.

Work-wise I'm a student, and so have had to try and get by on paracetamol and rest where possible during term time as Tramadol kills my ability to think and speak (total space cadet, I literally stop mid-sentence and can't remember the most simple of things) and Diclofenac gives me digestive problems.

Running around after dc during the summer holidays means that I'm now back on Tramadol/Diclofenac/Omeprazole, and have just been started on Sertraline (anti-depressant) as a year into my pain journey and it's really starting to get me down.

Weight bearing through my pelvis (and particularly right leg) seems to be the problem, but it's impossible to avoid! On really bad days I've taken to using a walking stick.

My life feels so horrifically limited right now, I can't run around in the park with dc or lift her onto the swing when she can't get on, and we have to spend far too much time at home "resting" after I aggravate it on a day out.

I'm a lone parent, and whilst my family and friends have been very patient and kind I feel like I can't keep talking about it and just need to 'get on with it' but it's just not that easy. I don't think unless you've been in pain everyday for a prolonged period that you can really understand.

I'm 28 years old, and I don't really want to consider that this could be a long-term, rest of my life problem. I really do admire those of you on this thread who have already posted and have done, and are still doing, so well in such worse circumstances, and for such long periods of time.

Apologies for epic post... it was quite cathartic to get it out :)

pavlov ask your doctor for nortryptiline. Its amytriptiline without the side effects and is great for neuropathic/nerve pain

I've been out tonight and frankly i want to cry. I am in agony right now. All i want is to be normal.

sirchris I am sorry to hear you are in pain. Me too actually after a full day, but it was a good day and I need to just get on with it, but suffering now. I will speak to gp this week about nortyptiline, if it has limited side effects I am, at this moment prepared to try it! But, it is another drug, on top of others. If it works though and I can stop the others, I could accept one long term drug. That would be ok as nerve pain is so hard to manage without conventional medicine. Thanks for the recommendation.

I've also tried Alexander Technique, like Tgger, and found it the only thing to have worked for me in the 17 years of varying levels of pain due to pelvic mis-alignment/scoliosis. I last saw my teacher a good 6 or 7 years ago (she moved further away and I wasn't able to get to see her for various other reasons).

I've slipped back into my old, bad postural habits and now have OA in the hip, and it feels as if it's starting in my spine as well.

I'm definitely going to start with AT again - it's the only thing that's ever brought about any kind of improvement (tried osteo-, chiro-, physio-, Bowen, pilates, trigger point therapy, steroid injections). You really need to see a teacher in order to 'feel' how to use the technique (actually 'use' your body) properly.

Having said that, I do get some relief from exercise - but during flare-ups, like I'm having now, it's hard to grit the teeth and force yourself to do it. I've just started seeing a sports therapist who seems fantastic, and reckons he can 'prescribe' exercises to address the mis-alignment. I googled 'neuro-muscular technique' to find him).

I've read that a lot of people have so-called 'wear and year' showing on x-rays, especially as we get older - all of us have 'degenerative discs' - but clearly we don't all suffer pain as a result. This makes me think (possibly in a deluded way) that there must be a way of coming back from it, to some degree if not entirely.

Pavlov, when you mentioned lifting the 'dead weight' of your son, AT is what immediately sprang to my mind as a way of doing things properly to avoid injury. Or you could drop the naughty step, but that's a whole other thread!

at the naughty step! It doesn't work for him anyway. It is a probably a good a reason as any to find another way to work with him!

I have read about AT but not enough. I will look into it a bit more and maybe call a local practitioner for a chat.

STAT register here for finding a teacher. There's another branch of the therapy which is a lot more woo and less effective imo - can't remember what it's called - but the STAT is the oldest training organisation/society.

complexity that is excellent, thank you! I am going to read through and digest and implement as much as I can. It makes sense and seems so obvious when you read it, but I don't do it! I definitely do too much too quickly, and the first step, accept you have pain and move on, Love it! I think that is going to be a big step to take though, accepting is hard. Thank you for that link.

Interested to hear what people have said about the AT. Do follow a local practitioner on twitter but am slightly skeptical.

My reading of AT indicates it is possibly not realistic right now as it is best done very frequently in the first weeks. And at £.25 plus each session that is potentially £400 in the first month. Now its not that I am not prepared to spend money on my health. I will sacrifice other areas to get well again but I would need to do much more resaerch and hear many more success stories before I invest that kind of money.

I'd have to sell other body parts black market to afford that

well, seeing as i only have one kidney, i cant sell that really

I was told I'd need one AT session a week for the first few weeks, then about once a fortnight - up to about ten sessions. Then it's recommended you keep up as and when - once a month, say, or a few sessions every few months or so.

As I said, mine and the teacher's circs changed and it became impractical to see her. I did try another one but didn't quite gel with her - and you know that thing when you don't want to hand over your hard-earned cash to someone you don't particularly like?

Anyway, she's moved back again and I'll keep you informed how I get on!

oh absolutely, its the same as any profession, just because the technique works does not mean you have a good relationship with the practitioner, or that they are any good!

Yes, it is best if you can go twice a week for two weeks or so then once a week for as long as you can. It's expensive but it's like an investment. Sometimes places,teaching AT students need "bodies" to work on and will teach you for free,or a,lot less and some teachers are willing to teach for a bit less if you really can't afford it, I got a,shorter lesson for a bit cheaper when I started.

By the way I was hugely skeptical but was very lucky to have a fantastic teacher. AT starts,with acceptance,too really and also an openness,to change, something else not so easy.