I know everyone is different and the course of the disease flares and gets better. But in general, are you on pain medication daily? Just during flares? How much do you take?
My body has needed more lately despite the Enbrel, methotrexate and NSAID. To get the same relief I just need more but I hate the stigma of taking so much. I am up to 120 per month. I'm taking Lortab so it's not the most powerful but I don't want to step it up. I see my rheumatologist Tuesday to get Enbrel 2x a week rather than 1. Hopefully that does the trick.
I would be happy if lortab works for me. I am on a 100mcg fentanyl patch changed every 3 days, 60 mg extended release morphine 2 per day and 30mg oxycodone limit of 6 per day for my pain. I understand the stigma attached to needing pain meds. Others just don't understand. Unless you deal with pain everyday the way we do you can't understand.
Right now I take between 1 and many Tylenol-3 per day. When I get a bad flare I replace some of the Tylenol-3 with Percocet, taking 1/2 tablets as needed. In the past I have been on long release meds for a few years, but for now I'm finding the shorter release meds are more flexible for me.
I take tramadol sparingly. I've lived with pain for so long that I mainly take it when the pain gets to the point where it's bothersome or I can't sleep. My rheumy can't believe how little I take. I'm not trying to be superwoman - it's just that the longer you're on tramadol, the less it works, from what I've heard, and at this point it's my only option for pain relief due to other health issues.
I take the 7.5-500mg lortab generic. Awhile back, most days I used to get through without any, but now I need 1 and a half pills about every 6-8 hours, just to function. And I have no side effects of drowsiness or anything. I think my body has gotten so used to it that it just cycles it through. it only will work for about 1-2 hours total so i really dont bother unless I feel super awful. I am on Remicade and am about to start methotrexate. I have tried the lower doses of pain medication but it does nothing, my doctor also doesn’t like giving me a lot of narcotic pain medication and I don’t enjoy having to take it all either. My biggest problem, why I even bother taking pain meds if needed, is my hands. I get cortisone injections in my knuckles every few months but once they flare I can do nothing. I hope you get some soft of relief soon.
I have found Butrans transdermal patches that deliver medication 24/7 and lack the annoying side effects of oral meds. I've been on soma for bad muscle spasms as well and I take mobic, which is like advil every day. If my pain wasn't treated, I'd dig a hole and crawl into forever. Pain exhausts me and turns me onto someone I don't want to be. It takes away my appetite and desire to move. I hope this answers your question.