General Medical issues thread

[Seat0B]

Today MrsP went in for the cognitive drug trial medical review, eligibility criteria check, & cognitive assessments. I might have indicated previously she had been accepted. Not the case. Today's battery of tests were to determine if she fitted the trial criteria. She does, and has now been formally accepted into the trial. It is a double blind study for 40 weeks and then she will be offered to be rolled into an open-label extension phase where she will be on the actual drug. So in the first phase she has a 50% chance of recieving a placebo or 50% for the drug being reviewed. The chances this drug will work are probably slim, but if you are not in the game you can't win a prize, so we have our fingers crossed.

I hope it goes well for her @prozac

 

[drron]

So, visit today, he said basically nothing wrong with the mechanics of my knee, said the meniscus tear wasn't worth worrying about, I have a little bit of arthritis.
When I asked why I was in so much pain and could hardly walk, he put it down to overuse and carrying my camera bag. I really don't believe that as it was hurting weeks before I left and I nearly cancelled.
Oh well, he is meant to be one of the best, if not the best Knee/hip person in Canberra.
He suggested I go and do the GLAD programme and go to my GP if I am still having issues. Honestly, I feel like I wasted my time, I think I have a very high pain threshold, so I was surprised to be in agony even though I was taking anti inflammatories and panadol osteo.

The problem may not be the knee. Pain in the knee can be referred pain. A common culprit can be the hip. But when my knee pain got suddenly worse it was in fact the first indication of my spinal canal stenosis. Even a simple xray of the hip and lumbar spine may give an answer and then the appropriate scan done.

 

[JohnK]

Tramadol is less problematic but same precautions apply.

So even though Panadeine Forte x 2 works perfectly for me but I have stopped trying to get it. That may well be what the government wants but it's not good for me as Im in constant pain. Forget Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, they do nothing.

My right hip has been really bad with nerve pain down the leg. I don't want to take painkillers or Lyrica/gabapentin. I have taken Tramadol 100mg and it provides temporary relief but doesn't really improve symptoms. Prednisolone 20mg-25mg has been ineffective which surprises me but I don't want to be on that long term either.

I tried Mobic for around 1 month. Did nothing for hip pain. Last night I had Naprosyn SR 1000 and there has been some improvement. Naprosyn scares me as it can rip the stomach lining but for now may have to do. I need to research and try various medications with GPs blessing. Im not wasting time with rheumatologists as last ones said my issues are mechanical and refused to schedule follow up appointments.

I can try Celexocib 200mg as that has helped my wife with her lower back pain and hip pain.

Not fun getting old.

 

[drron]

If the pain goes down the leg when the hip pain is really bad it sounds very much like sciatica which is due to nerve compression I know you have a bad back which often is the cause of sciatica. As it is a nerve pain simple analgesics an NSAIDS will not work.
The suggested treatment these days is Lyrica but I also didn't want to take that so I use amitryptiline at night only. It does cause drowsiness but as I only take it at night it just means I sleep better. not advise if you have glaucoma or prostate. I do get a dry mouth at times from it but that is much easier to deal with than pain.

 

[JohnK]

If the pain goes down the leg when the hip pain is really bad it sounds very much like sciatica which is due to nerve compression I know you have a bad back which often is the cause of sciatica. As it is a nerve pain simple analgesics an NSAIDS will not work.

Not just lower back issues, have Osteoarthritis in both hips and the right hip is now worse.

I have seen what Lyrica does to people with both dad and more recently wife. It worsens their depression to the point where they are no longer logical. I do not want to go through it.

Close to 30 years ago very good ER doctor from Prince of Wales hospital used to help out my then GP when he was on holidays. He knew my chronic issues. He told ne that Tramadol was going to be what I needed towards end of life. Im trying not to use it too much so I can save it for when pain gets bad. Hopefully don't get there but may need 200-300mg per day.