Favorite OTC Meds for Chonic Pain?

[Mary Kay]

My mom is 85 and is in very poor health, the Doc gave her pain meds for her back (osteoporosis). She has become very thin and frail in the last couple of months due to thyroid problems. They can't get her meds stabilized. Meanwhile her reg. Dr. took her off her pain meds because they are worried about an overdose. (because of her weight and other issues).
I need recomendations for good pain meds OTC.
We have tried the obvious, Advil, tyenol, aspirin and motrin..nada.

 

[Jules22871]

What about getting her on an NSAID, like naproxen, which is the same thing as Aleve. Perscription ideas might be Ultram, which is a non-narcotic anti-arthritic. Or possibly Diflocanac (sp?) which is also non-narcotic but you have to watch because it thins the blood. I hope you can find something that helps her soon!

 

[Willowsong]

I had a back injury years ago - and being work related ended up seeing about 10 different orthopedic surgeons. The *only* thing that they all agreed on was ibuprofen - and it has worked for me for years. Whenever I have a flare up with my back - I start on prescription levels - and continue it for 10 days to 2 weeks. Ibuprofen used over time acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Anyhow - I use 800mg (4 tablets) 3x per day. I know some folks that have had the same success with Aleve - but I don't know the prescription mgs for that.

 

[Mary Kay]

I had a back injury years ago - and being work related ended up seeing about 10 different orthopedic surgeons. The *only* thing that they all agreed on was ibuprofen - and it has worked for me for years. Whenever I have a flare up with my back - I start on prescription levels - and continue it for 10 days to 2 weeks. Ibuprofen used over time acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Anyhow - I use 800mg (4 tablets) 3x per day. I know some folks that have had the same success with Aleve - but I don't know the prescription mgs for that.

What about getting her on an NSAID, like naproxen, which is the same thing as Aleve. Perscription ideas might be Ultram, which is a non-narcotic anti-arthritic. Or possibly Diflocanac (sp?) which is also non-narcotic but you have to watch because it thins the blood. I hope you can find something that helps her soon!

Ok! I will try both of them Naproxen and Ibuprofen. I think we have them here. Just in 800 mg doses? I might try her on 600 to start. We tried Aleve, but just one low dose at a time. Maybe if I double up if the IB doesen't work. She hates taking big pills, she has a time with swallowing. Thanks for the ideas.

Sorry for the quotes, I was tyrying to only quote a small bit of your posts. I was also was trying multible quotes. 1 out of 2 I am afraid.

 

[Jules22871]

800 mg is one of the prescription dosages of ibuprofen. I have seen 1000mg but that is rare. If I"m not mistaken, and I could be, the over the counter Aleve is about half the prescription dosage but I would double check with her doc to be sure. You could try the aleve and use the ibuprofen for breakthru pain since it can be taken at closer intervals than aleve can. But please give her doc a call to be sure since she is 85 and so thin.

 

[Mary Kay]

Jules! I am sorry for not responding. I was waiting for her Dr. to call back. He said to start her on 400 and see what it does. (IB)

We have bigger fish to fry right now.

Mom's mind is slipping away inch by inch. Today she decided she wanted to go home because she is homesick. Mind you, all her furniture is up here! most of it anyway, 2 rooms of mine are in storage.

Mom cannot live alone ever again. My daughter is renting Mom's house as a favor to me for reduced rent. But she would kick daughter out in a heartbeat and try to live on peanut butter sandwiches..that's all she can make. She can't even open a jar or bottle with her arthitic hands.

It will pass in a day or two and she will forget all about it. Until that thought gets stuck in her brain again next week. it's like a hamster in a wheel, round and round on the same thought, day after day. Then Poof! It's gone and a new one takes it's place.

 

[Jules22871]

I am so sorry to hear that MK. It has to be hard on you and her. I remember when my grandmother started slipping and it was hard on all of us to just sit and watch it happen, knowing there was nothing we could do about it. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

 

[greyeyes]

Mary I too am sorry to hear about your Mom. My MIL at age 84 is in the moderate to severe stage of dementia/Alzheimers. We just had our turn with having her live with us a few months ago. Wanted to let you know that from all of the research I've done on it and all information I received from her doctor, an uncontrolled thyroid problem can play a very large role in memory problems. It's too bad they cannot get that under control.

Another thing is high cholesterol because the plaque that builds up in the arteries also builds up on the neuro transmitters in the brain causing a "short circuit," so to speak.

The "I want to go home" is pretty much one thing all AD patients have in common. Even those still living in their own home with a caretaker will say that too. When MIL would start on that subject, which usually occurred when it would start reaching around the late afternoon time of day and is referred to as "sundowners," the only thing we could do was to get her mind in another direction even if it was to put on some music that she enjoyed from her era or take her for a short ride in the car, even if it was just around the block.

Debbie

 

[Mary Kay]

Yes her Dr. said some of the slippage was due to thyroid. But she can't stabalize enough for the pills to do any good. She has past the days of killing the thyroid, she can't lay still on a bed to have radiation, it hurts her oft cemented and fractured back.

She has been slipping for years, long before her current tyroid problems.

I have a shelf that goes all the way around her room about a foot and a half below the ceiling. I have it lined with 8x10 pictures of her life and family. She has old movies, music and lots of albums. A lot of places say pictures, music, smells and old movies will help her to recall her life and keep up with "now"

We often check out her perfumes, she has some very old ones and they remind of of times and people in her life.

Her pictures are side by side depictions of old photo's and the most current of each person still living.

I once worked in a senior living home and yes, I do recall them being homesick. The difference is that she is here by her own choice. She could possibly get an attorney, she would lose and end up in a home, but it would be ugly.

She is given 3 meals a day and dessert and waited on, she can get up and go to bed as she pleases. She has input on meal planning and can even 'help" in the kichen when she feels up to it. I just don't understand why she wants to sit alone in a house with no one to help or do for her. No one to talk to or care what happens to her..I don not want to get this old!

 

[BARENETTED]

Mary - you have your hands full. I understand completely.

My Dad is 93. We wanted him to go to an assisted living facility when Mom passed. He refuses. He does not want to leave his house. There are 5 of us that share the caretaking, cleaning and cooking. His mind is not perfect, but thank God - not totally gone. We have a woman living upstairs from him who is just our 'eyes and ears'. We give her cheap rent and it helps all of us out.

If we didn't feed him, he would live on junk food. He will not do anything for himself. He spends most of his time sleeping or staring at the walls.
I can't get him interested in anything. He will not even turn the TV on.

I have lost track of the number of times he has fallen, because he refuses to use a walker or a cane. He must have rubber bones. He never breaks anything, but ends up in pain. We always use ibuprofin, which BTW, is the same thing as Motrin. If we use anything stronger, he gets groggy and will fall.

I feel as you do. I do not want to be that old. Mom has passed and so have all of his friends. He is just so alone, it is pathetic.

 

[greyeyes]

I know how you feel. What I had to keep telling myself while MIL was here was that everything she said and did was not "her." I know she would not have wanted to be living this way. It's a horrible and sad situation with no resolution until the very end.

When she left here, I told hubby that usually, when we've had company, or even one of the grandkids spending the night, the house seemed empty after they left. When MIL left, I didn't have that feeling. There was no bond. Basically it was a human body that was existing in daily life.

One time I asked her why she kept repeating the phrase "I want to go home" all of the time. Her answer was "it's the only words I can think of to say right now." Like she knew those words would strike up a conversation because one of us would always respond to her when she spoke.

Hubby and I have talked to our kids about the possibility of something like this happening to one of us. We wanted to be sure to let them know they are "off the hook" and that we do not want, nor expect them to try and care for us.

 

[Jules22871]

MK, I didnt think of this until now. Have you had her blood oxygen level checked lately. That can often cause some extra confusion in older folks.

I'm with you all on not living that long. I know the shape I'm in now and I know I'll only get worse and have more pain and I just can't imagine living another 20 or 30 years like this and getting worse as I go along. It terrifies me.