Does anyone's doctor give them prescriptions for sleeping pills? I think if I could sleep I could deal with this better. But, I don't want to keep living like this. It is horrible and no life only pain.
:-( Is there a better pain pill you could take? My husband took sleeping pills for his pain and he was a zombie most of the day. Did you ever try Tylenol PM? That has a little benadryl in it, which will make you sleepy. I take one every night with an ibuprofen before bed and usually sleep 6 hours with no insomnia during that time. You can take two if you need it. My pain isn't so excruciating, tho. I'm sure you know this already, but don't have any caffeine after 2 pm....that includes tea and cola as well as coffee. I used to be an insomniac until my Dr told me that. If I do drink pop at suppertime, I'm up half the night! I hope you get some advice that helps :-)
I'm allergic to antihistamines. I stopped drinking soft drinks totally and if I do have a cup of coffee it is early morning in attempts to go about my day. It is the pain that won't allow me to sleep. So far I haven't been able to get anything for sleep from my Doctors. I am going to a new rheumatologist in Sept so I hoping she will give me something. If not I am considering going to the hospital and plead to be admitted so I can get this under control!
Moxie it sounds like something you may want to work with your doctor about. If your pain is that high is your disease under good control? If not adjusting the meds might be a good idea. I also know it is really important to maintain sleep hygiene though that maybe an old term for it. It means going to bed and awaking at the same time every day, developing a bedtime routine like bath, book and then sleep. No TV or laptops in the bedroom nor the hour before sleep. No caffeine after noon. Some form of exercise every day. I can't remember all of them. You might try Google. But do talk to your doctor as inflammation and menopause both cause some insomnia but there are things they can help you with.
It isn't under control and even tho I am calling the Doc office all the time to try to get another appointment or get one sooner it is fruitless. I'm an RN so I do know about all the sleep tips. I do appreciate everyone's input though so please don't take me the wrong way. I'm at wits end.
Aw, I'm so sorry! That's horrible! You have a hard job, too! My daughters are RNs and its such hard work! I hope your rheumatologist gives you something that works! Too bad you have to wait til next month to see him.
If you are in pain then sleeping pills may not work well or have an adverse effect on you. I know people on Ambien who are in pain can become very agitated and difficult to handle. Are you taking a NSAID yet? I take Naprosyn 440 mg twice a day with 1000 mg of Tylenol. It really helps the pain though the Bios and DMARDS slow the disease and help the pain the most. Is your PCP willing to start you on a DMARD until you get in with a Rheumy? Some people have also gotten their Derms to start them on the meds too. It takes so long to get in with Rheumies that PCP and Dermies are getting use to this request:-(
I take celebrex 200 mg twice a day and tylenol 500mg every 4 hours. I started taking loads of vitamins and the skin problem is now gone. I have lost most of my toenails and both thumbnails are gone. I also have been on a gluten free, vegan diet. I have been a vegetarian for years but now even more restrictive. Thanks everyone
I will call my PCP tomorrow and see if he is willing to do that
Moxie, several people here have had good experiences with amitryptilene at bedtime. It’s an old school anti-depressant which has sedation as a side effect. Taken at night it can help you sleep without the risk of forming a habit or becoming addicted. Docs aren’t usually as concerned about prescribing it as they are with prescribing sleeping medication.
Another anti-depressant used off label as a sleep aid is trazodone.
I know what you mean when you say you might be able to cope if you could just sleep. I hope you get some good quality rest soon.
I totally understand. I'm so tired from the pain but I'm up all night unable to sleep from pain and restlessness from the meds. I did get trazadone from my pcp .....it used to work but now also makes me restless. It may work for you. It's worth a try. I'm sorry your feeling so down. This disease and pain is new to me. I hate it
I took Nortriptyline.... Is that just another name for amitriptyline, Seenie? Anyway, it got rid of the neuropathy in my feet. Idk if it works for other pain. Just trying to help!!!! Yes, Ambrosia, it isn't fun! Hopefully you newer people to PsA will find a lot of help here. I've only been here since this spring and already got so much help and encouragement, it has let me know I'm not alone. I don't remember if you're on a biologic yet, but hopefully one will ease your pain!
Hi Grandma J. I just started enbrel about 6 weeks ago. The stiffness is so much less but the pain is not gone. I know it can take some time so I'm hopeful!
Hello everyone,
thank you for the warm welcome
- I need advise for pain, as I'm sure a lot of people do. I am not sure if I am typing this in the correct location but anyway. Ever morning when I wake up I am unable to walk due to pain I was hoping someone would be able to advise on what pain medication they use to help them get out of bed.
- I am currently taking targin twice a day, Panadine forte, nerofen, Panadol esteo, started metoblastin, on amitriptyline for my back, what else can I take. I usually take at 6am Panadol and nerofen, nerofen at 10 am and by 12 noon I can move without serve pain. What do people do? Can you go back to work? like a lot of people on here I am an RN as well and this has just hit me out of the blue one day I was unable to walk due to serve pain and psoriasis arthritis is what I have been diagnosed with, You go and tell a doctor that you are in 10/10 pain and cannot walk and I don't know if its because they don't believe you or what but the care is not there. I Don't know anymore How are people living with this?
Hi Moxie, I was in the same place as you absolutely desperate for a good nights sleep. My rheumy prescribed just a very low 10mg dose of amitriptyline a couple of hours before bedtime and it was amazing. It helps with pain relief, makes you sleepy and most importantly for me helped me get back to sleep if I did wake up. I took it every day when I needed to, basically while I was waiting for DMARDS and biologics to work, and now I only need it for the odd night here and there. That is what is so perfect about it for me, it's not addictive or anything nasty and you can dip in and out as needed. Well worth asking your docs, they may well be more willing to prescribe this than a sleeping pill or stronger pain relief.
I can also vouch for amitriptyline. It helps a bit with pain and as the others have said it makes you sleepy. When I was in such severe pain as you are describing my doctor bumped it up to 25mg. It was a bit too potent for me though, I fell asleep in the movie theater when hubby and I had a date night, slept through the whole movie!
Tylenol is absolutely worthless if you ask me. Especially if symptoms are axial. Narcotics help with sleeping initially, but stop working. If you are depressed I'd consider an antidepressant first, if you are depressed. I've done or taken several sleeping pills, all with the same result - work initially, then stop working. I have noticed that the pain and stiffness is Worse in the morning after taking them. Who would have thought not moving around at night would cause so much pain. To keep a long story a bit shorter, there is a new sleeping pill that came out. I'd acquire about that one. Any GP should be able to get you a month supply. Anymore and you would need a specialist. Again, I have been on lots of sleeping pills and all of them have been rubbish in the long term.
Trishey47...you sound just like me. I am in tears every morning....every single morning. I do still work and work power weekends. It is very difficult to do but I have to as I am a single parent of a special needs child. I also take wellbutrin and I wonder if I can take amitripyline with that? Trishey, I keep tylenol and celebrex at my bedside so I can take it an hour before I get up. It is just too painful to move until that kicks in. If it weren't for my family, I would opt out of all of this.` From listening to others here...it does appear that it does get better. It must be the newness of it for us as patients as well as our Doctors who are not use to us being so vulnerable...so in a sense it is new for them too. Once the correct treatment is found I can only hope things will be better. Mine is also symetrical.
Wow, I am so sorry that you are hurting so much.
For immediate pa, you might get your doc to try one of the drugs mentioned or even try Lyrica or gabapentin. I am on lyrica and it helps immensely with pain. For sleep, trazadone works, but makes me dopey in the morning. I used melatonin for a long time. It worked very well with no SEs. Those are all things that the PCP should be fine prescribing.
It does get better.
I noticed a few people mentioned amytriptaline--I have been taking it for several months and it has helped alot. One of the doctors that I work with likes melatonin (herbal product) and hydroxytryptophan/also called 5HTP (its an herbal also-its made of the stuff in turkey that makes you sleepy). Of course-always check with your doc first before you take something.