What do you take for muscle pain?

[SaraM]

Right now muscle pain is my worst symptom. I have tried vicodin, tramadol, flexeril, gabapentin, cymbalta, baclofen, mag, cal, 5htp, tryptophan, hormones,anti fungals, B12 protocol, exercise, diet, ...., but none of them really works for me. Is there anything else I can try ?

 

[adreno]

Ibuprofen, curcumin.

 

[Calathea]

Co-codamol taken with diazepam; neither works alone for me. Strong side effects and fairly addictive meds, so I don't use them often. Have you gone through the various combinations, as well as trying drugs singly? Sometimes they work in combination where they didn't work singly.

Right now I'm using an anti-inflammatory (Voltarol) patch when my shoulder's bad, which works fairly well and doesn't give me side effects (I can't take anti-inflammatories orally at all). Plus the usual non-drug treatments: heat, tiger balm (not together!), Miracle Ball Method for gently relaxing muscles, spiky massage ball in a sock for getting to trigger points.

 

[SaraM]

Adreno, I have tried both and felt no difference.

Calathea, I have never tried meds in combo, and easily experience severe side effects on just one of those I mentioned before.I used to take voltarol with good results before I was hit with Fibro , and I think I should try it again soon.

 

[Calathea]

With the ones you've tried before, would it be possible to try any of them in combo at lower dosages, and are the side effects something you can work with? I can get away with lower doses than I expected when I combine those two. Admittedly they can still conk me out, plus the constipation and so forth, but you might find that the less heavy-duty meds work for you in combination. Maybe start with the ones which are relatively easiest to tolerate, or are you really unable to handle meds at all?

 

[mellster]

You could give guaifenesin (mucinex without any other cough med in it) a shot.

 

[SaraM]

Calathea, good point on low dose combos. Meds like cymbalta, gabapentin, or flexeril are like poison to me , even at a very low dose. Others like baclofen have no effect at all.

Mellster, I just took one mucinex tab. I have taken mucinex here and there for like a week or so, but really can't say how effective it is.

 

[Calathea]

Maybe the baclofen will work combined with something else? I use the diazepam as a muscle relaxant in my blend, after all.

Gabapentin is evil stuff, in my opinion. I'm still recovering from coming off it.

 

[SOC]

You could give guaifenesin (mucinex without any other cough med in it) a shot.

And here I've been wondering why I sleep better when I take guaifenesin. I didn't know it acted on pain. Do you know what the action on pain is?

 

[mellster]

Sara, I think you have to take it consistently in multiple (low) doses throughout the day and for some time to get the best effect. It is a mild muscle relaxer and there is also the claim that it specifically helps with fibro pain due to removing (calcium) deposits, but that is more anecdotal though many swear by it. The upside is though that it is very tolerable and close to side effect free for normal dosing. Also the syrup might be a bit more effective, esp. if you let it linger a bit so that some gets absorbed through other lining before reaching the stomach. Good luck!

 

[Crux]

Hi SaraM ;

I take potassium for muscle pain. It works quickly for most types,within an hour. But for my stiff neck, it's taken a couple of months. So, it may take some time, but it could possibly help.

 

[penny]

I second the combo approach. I don't think the stuff I take would have, individually, helped nearly as much as they do together. They all seem to chip away at different parts of it.

I know we're all different, but for what it's worth, I think what helped my muscle pain and cramping was a combination of magnesium, baclofen (which I think helped a little with sleep too), aleve twice a day everyday, regular warm/hot baths with a healthy dose of epsom salts (more magnesium), massage, LDN, and cutting out/avoiding supplemental calcium/vitamin D. I also think too much caffeine (more than a couple of cups of green tea) can build up and cause an increase in muscle cramping for me. All of these seemed to help but the effect was pretty slow for most of them -- especially those working on the cramping component of the muscle pain.

 

[SaraM]

Calathea, Will ask my doc for Diazepam to use as part of a combo. You are right about Gabapentin. I had a very strange feeling on it, as if my brain was coming out of my skull!

Mellster, I was taking mucinex in frequent low doses.Will keep taking it although it has a calming effect on me which I do not like.

Hi Crux, I am also taking potassium.

Penny, I too feel worse on vitamin D, and caffeine. LDN used to be the best thing, but it stopped working very soon.Will try to find a good combo.

 

[Gavman]

Can i go a bit left field and ask what your relationship to pain is, Sara?

 

[Valentijn]

How much B12 did you try, and what form? 2mg/day of hydroxyB12 was enough for my pain in the past.

 

[SaraM]

B12 , 2- 30 mg is fine, but it helps with the burning pain, not the severe muscle and bone aching pain .

 

[Otis]

Funny, I was going to make the same post. My muscle pain (worst in my quads) is to the point that walking/standing is becoming very, very difficult.

I'd be careful with diazepam as benzis can be terribly addicting for some but I have taken it occasionally with reasolable help. Unfortunatly I'm way beyond that now.

Any other ideas would be appreciated - I'm going to some baclofen and order some mag. as my legs are screaming.

 

[heapsreal]

I have found tramadol best for general muscle aches as well as nerve type pains but doesnt help me much with headaches etc. I use valium occassionally for sleep but i also havent found it very helpful for muscle pains. Lyrica is another that i have found helpful and also helps me sleep too.
Baclofen is worth a try, cheap too.

cheers!!!!

 

[SaraM]

Otis, for me staying away from some foods(very acidic ones like coffee,eggs, and citrus fruits), and taking potassium, cal, and mag before going to bed help to a certain extent. Taking minerals during the day makes me very sleepy.

Heaps, Meds like tramadol sometimes help, but I feel drugged on it. No matter what time of the day I take tramadol, I experience severe itching all over my body while I am asleep.

 

[Otis]

I have found tramadol best for general muscle aches as well as nerve type pains but doesnt help me much with headaches etc. I use valium occassionally for sleep but i also havent found it very helpful for muscle pains. Lyrica is another that i have found helpful and also helps me sleep too.
Baclofen is worth a try, cheap too.

cheers!!!!

Heaps,

Thanks for the input. Tramadol don't help me unfortunately. Stronger narcos do help but I'm at the max I really want to take. I take Lyrica for sleep but I get tremors in my limbs if I take it during the day too. I tolerate gabapentin better, it just doesn't help as much but I think it's going have to go into the daytime mix.

Take care,
Otis