Painkiller alternative?

Acetaminophen. When I’m hurting enough to interfere with other activities, I take some.
For the last few days, I was sore in this knee, that thigh, sort of thing. Last night, around 3 AM, my knee hurt so badly I took a gram of acetaminophen, then when I got up, a celebrex. This afternoon I sorted out that I mess up my knee with the breast stroke, so maybe if I stay away from that it will heal. Meanwhile, what would you suggest for when pain is severe enough to prevent normal activities, such as sleeping?

Hi David,
As a fellow electrician I know the abuse we put our bodies through on a constuction site. It’s funny, when an athlete reaches their 40’s they are considered done meanwhile we are expected to be in our prime. I know a lot of guys on the job site who have had their knees scoped and said it helped. Have you looked into it at all or at least physio. I tried accupuncture for my knee and maybe it was placebo but I found it helped a bit(temporarily). I’m currently seeing a pain doc for my headaches and he performs nerve blocks and botox. He also wants me to try some sort of meditation called “mind body training” which sounds a little strange but he said he gets better results than meds. He told me to stay away from opioids, it’s a road to failure. In the mean time I rub something on my neck called biofreeze, there is also another product called medi stick which I haven’t tried yet.

Good luck,
Steve

Hi David,

Here’s what Silver has to say about it in his fact sheet:

Painkillers used for other pain conditions

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It is worth stopping painkillers even if used for other pain conditions such as arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, etc. This is because chronic migraine typically amplifies other types of pain. The mechanism for this amplification is called “central sensitization” and is the reason why migraines may amplify other normal sensations and make them less tolerable (migraineurs often experience central sensitization when they become less tolerant to loud noise, bright lights, smells, or experience odd sensations in their face, scalp or limbs). Most patients find that withdrawal of painkillers may initially exacerbate pain from these other conditions. However, with successful treatment of chronic migraine, this usually results in no long term worsening of these other pain conditions.
Other pain strategies may be suggested by your doctor. Common examples may include use of glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis pain (it typically takes a month to start working).

Chronic back pain may be helped by daily extensor stretch exercises, Pilates stretch and relaxation classes, regular swimming. Neuropathic (“nerve”) pain may be helped by taking specific neuropathic pain drugs regularly. Some types of pain may be treated by one-off procedures such as nerve blocks.

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Not sure if this is useful. S

Steve – I sent you a PM a while back but think it probably slipped under your radar.

You mentioned once that you used Propecia and your head symptoms began. This is exactly what happened to me in 1997. Though it hadn’t evolved into MAV then, it produced my first long-term chronic migraine cycles that would last for about 6-8 months. Neck pain, head fog, lethargy and low mood.

Did you get a similar effect?

Thanks … Scott

Thanks, Steve.

Yep, I got a lot of benefit when the one knee was scoped; the other, the doc told me when I returned, has no ragged tissue in there to scope. Can’t feel too sorry for myself; my best bud has a whole lot of knee pain, but wants to wait till he’s a little older before having his present prosthetic knees replaced, so that he has a chance the new ones will last out his life.

I’ve done a fair bit of mind-body work, meditation sorts of things, and sure, while I don’t know what particular shtick your doc has in mind, not a bad idea to check it out.

Funny thing, these past coupla days I have been thinking about talking to a physiotherapist about avoiding harm while swimming. Until this week I would have said that the stroke most likely to result in my overdoing and hurting myself was the butterfly, but I know better no-oww.

I’m rather glad that rain’s forecast for Tuesday, Steve; I have a heavy-up scheduled.

Scott, I have paid close attention when you and others posted material about avoiding painkillers. Here’s a complication. My sweetheart urges me to be less stoic/hard-assed, and she brings up the idea that if I take a gram of acetaminophen (Tylenol) when I start hurting, it may nip the problem. If I put off medicating, I may need to take a stronger painkiller and anti-inflammatory later on, and take it longer. Last night, when the knee spoke to me loudly I tried icing the knee and heating the leg, and then went ahead and took another celebrex. This morning, no prob–and I’ve taken it relatively easy. I hope that means tonight I can sleep without an NSAID.

How does the idea of early medication being beneficial fit with others’ experience?

Hey David,
My husband says that stroking breasts make him feel better too! :shock:
sorry about your knee. I have a shitty knee too, the right one, hurts most of the time.
jen
xx

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Hey David,
My husband says that stroking breasts make him feel better too! :shock:

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:lol: Just yours or anyones??.. must be interesting for onlookers when he gets a pain in public.

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My husband says that stroking breasts make him feel better too!

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I vote we make this the new first line therapy for migraine prophylaxis. I plan to submit this to the IHS and have it mandated. Feel an attack coming on in the street? Find the nearest set of breasts and flash your special migraine card to gain access. Somehow I think the prevalence of migraine among men would sky rocket. :lol:

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My husband says that stroking breasts make him feel better too!

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I vote we make this the new first line therapy for migraine prophylaxis. I plan to submit this to the IHS and have it mandated. Feel an attack coming on in the street? Find the nearest set of breasts and flash your special migraine card to gain access. Somehow I think the prevalence of migraine among men would sky rocket. :lol:

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Once or twice while at work I’ve complained that I’m in need of a massage. Every time the guys offer to assist and suggest that I probably carry a lot of tension in my boobs. :roll: Bless. I’m sure that’s technically sexual harrassment but it just makes me laugh.

P.S Scott - you could try testing this ground breaking new treatment at round two of the Bondi Beach Babe thingy. :lol: