[Hope4]

I am in sever chronic pain. I can not take anti-inflamitories / /NSAIDS for other medical reasons. I have tried vicodin, tylenol #3 and Darvoset. The first two do nothing, the Darvoset at its highest does just barely helps, but not enough. I am getting bounced around with refferals within my insurance plan and everyone I see says they can not treat the kind of pain I have, that I need a pain clinic. I went there and they said they will only do injections into the joints and that is all they do, so prescriptions or pain management. I feel like I am stuck. I have called all the dr's office, been to the urgent care and the pain dr, called my medical group and called my insurance - everyon tells me to talk to someone else!!!!!!!!! I am in so much pain and frustration. So, I was wondering if anyone knows anything else that might help me. The pain is from osteoarthritis in my hips.

[Smudge - ward]

Di-morphine, better known as heroin is the best pain killer, it is available on prescription in the UK and most of Europe, usually for end stage cancer but if your case is severe enough you may get it.

[bmac]

Of course, there are many other pain medications out there. Percocet, Dilaudid, MS-Contin, Fentanyl patches.....many, many. Are you a candidate for hip replacement? That would be a much better option than just taking drugs. Your hips are just going to continue to deteriorate. They need to be replaced. You really need to talk to your orthopedic doctor or get another one to discuss this option with you.

[elena L]

sounds like you need a pain management specialist. OA in your hips can usually be managed by a rheumatologist, but if traditional Nsaids and weaker analgesics like Darvocet are failing you, then you must consider another more appropriate specialist.You might be better off with trying the injections and seeing how they work for you before graduating to stronger narcs. I assist a rheumatologist, and in our experience, first we do shots or oral pain meds, and then the patients are usually referred to pain management. Worse case scenario, but BEST solution? Hip replacement! New joints might be in your future if no one can manage the pain properly. Good luck.

[tammy]

darvocet helps more than vicodin? well, ok..i guess...listen, narcotic pain relievers are not appropriate therapy for osteo arthritis...that's why they won't give them to you...do the injections...or give up the drug-seeking behavior...docs are trained to spot that, you know...best of luck, tammy

[nursey]

I'm a nurse. I'm so sorry to hear this. I can give you some names of medication but you need the doctor to agree in order to get the prescriptions. I would continue to inform him of the pain and request for something stronger. The reason why the doctor don't give you anything stronger because of the high rate of dependency, nevertheless, you need relief from your pain. I would recommend T#4 (Tylenol number 4) or Oxycontin. I think that even a patch would work as well. I would attempt to see someone from a pain clinic and/or request for a different doctor who will listen and help you be pain free. My heart goes out to you and it's a shame that you are suffering like this. Please don't give up, keep bugging them until you get results, I know this can become difficult. I am also a Christian and I will be praying for you. Take care and all the best.

[Rachel L 5555]

Percocet is a stronger narcotic than any others you mentioned, It should do the trick.

[pammi]

We have similar circumstances email me and we can compare notes and don't listen to ANYONE who calls you a drug seeker. I have over 12 forms of arthritis im38 have had arthritis since birth..I'm on methadone and morphine and have numerous other meds every joint bone muscle tendon ligaments etc are affected I was labeled disabled fully at the age of 17..it took me years to find help but it is getting easier. try a good pain clinnic research them first because you don't want to get caught up in one that takes the meds away and doesn't give them back. I was told at the pain clinic same as you

[Keko]

I use a chiropractor, massage therapist and the information from the book (bottom). I suspect if the chiropractor could get you aligned and you were taking things like glucosamine and condroyton and/or sharks cartledge you would be able to rebuild the cushion that keeps getting worn away as fast as you are building it because of being lined up again.Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas (natural muscle relaxers) daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.The cure - start with a professional massage, you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. The place where the skull connects to the spine press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.