[legzzalot]

The doctor finally gave me a med that actually works!! So I thought I would share.

Voltaren--> About 2 hours after my second dose I was walking around the house and realized my ankle was not popping every time I took a step and the pain in my ankles and knees was gone!

Pain in the back is still there but not as intense. For some reason the other NSAIDs didn't seem to work at all.

This is the first time I have been impressed with a medication. It doesn't give me the tummy ache that I get with most pain killers, and it doesn't knock me out. Feels like the swelling has gone down in the joints.

It is starting to wear off, but the pain that was a 10 this morning is now around a very manageable 2.

[tkrik]

I just tried this too about a couple of weeks ago, maybe more. It worked on the tendons that were being pulled from the spasms.

My PCP gave me a sample. I'm hanging on to that baby. LOL Although, I wondered where I could get more of those vellum pads. I guess if I ever ran out, I'd use a tsp or something to get my 2 or 4 grams. LOL

Glad to hear it worked for you too!

[legzzalot]

You know, I was talking a friend of mine and she says they make a gel! Her mom uses it.

The down side, they only wrote the script for 10 days with no refills.... Could be because I have a habit of not taking med that don't work. I am hoping htis isn't one of those thins where I find something that works and then they tell me I can only take it for a week and then I have to stop.

I was just surprised when I looked this up after I got it filled that it was another NSAID, and I figured like the last 3 they prescribed it would do nothing unless combined with other meds.

DH2B did point out that I have been a little spacey this evening, a little more loopy than usual... but it could be the lack of sleep. I haven't slept more than 4 hours a night since Christmas time, plus the last two weeks have been full of stress, and even if it is the med I would rather be loopy than in pain.

[Judy2]

Thanks for the tip on the Voltaren, leggz! Is it a patch or what? So glad it's working for you and pray that it continues. I'll mention it to my neuro or pcp -- I'll take loopy over pain any day!!

[barb02]

I tried voltaren (gel that you applied with appplication pads) and after a few days, I begin to have stomach issues They gave me a prescription for one month so I ended up giving it to my pcp to see if they could use it. I was surprised that she actually took it.

[legzzalot]

Mine is a pill...50 MG 2x a day. So far so good! I love it. Told DH2B he should talk to his doc about it since he has the blown knees, steal rod int eh leg, and a lot of arthritis pain (we are both falling apart). Yeah he has a 30 day supply with 3 refills left in the bathroom except his was 3x a day.

He stopped taking because it tore his stomach up too.

So far no tummy issues to report. The improvement in joint mobility is amazing.

[tkrik]

Legz - I too had the gel that you rub on. That's what I thought you were talking about when I posted about the vellum pads. LOL You measure the gel on the pads (2 gm or 4 gm).

Even though the gel is topical it is still absorbed in to your system and can have the same side effects as oral medications (as Barb experienced). My PCP gave me a sample size one so that was good. For the 2 times I used it, it worked well. I ended up just trying to deal with the pain as it was caused by muscle spasms pulling on the tendons in my wrist and elbow. It's all good now and I am keeping the Voltaren on hand.

[peaceofmind]

I'm in the middle of doctors trying to figure out what is wrong with me.
My rheumatoid factor level was high when they tested my blood but the rheumatologist I went to doesn't think my joints are swollen enough to be RA.
My bones crack often in my feet, it hurts to get up out of a chair and to climb stairs.
My hands hurt all the time and are swollen but not to the doctor's satisfaction.
I'm also postmenopausal at 38. I think a lot of this is due to the fact that I take lithium
for bipolar.
My grandmother had MS and the rheumatologist thinks I could be at the beginning of MS possibly.

I have pain all over my body of varying degree and I really think it could be RA.
Do any of my symptoms sound like RA?
Any input would be appreciated! Thank you.