Pain management Question

[Chicagotarsier]

OTC stuff is not cutting it. I got off Tramadol but unless I find an alternative I have to get back on the horse so I can sleep better.

I do massage and acupuncture regularly and codine related medicines do not impact me like they do other people.

Anything I miss as far as medication that I can try to avoid the opiates?

[pitweiler]

I get injections from my neck all the way down my spine which helps a lot. I'd try and talk to a pain management doctor. I'm not sure of any other alternative that would help you.

[The Deadlifting Dog]

OTC stuff is not cutting it. I got off Tramadol but unless I find an alternative I have to get back on the horse so I can sleep better. I do massage and acupuncture regularly and codine related medicines do not impact me like they do other people. Anything I miss as far as medication that I can try to avoid the opiates?

From what sort of pain are you suffering?

[Chicagotarsier]

Some of it is fascia stretching pain which I attempt to keep in check with the massages. The majority is back of neck base of skull pain...radiates to headache ...Dr estimated it is muscle related headache due to the back of the neck. I can feel the exact muscle on each side that hurts right around the pressure point at the base of the skull. Also just general CNS pain all over the body but advil tends to relieve this enough to fall asleep. The base of neck pain does not go away with advil or ibuprofen...only Tramadol in a "good sized" dose.

I am currently lifting Mondays and Fridays high volume GVT for chest and shoulders. The neck hurts day of and day after lifting at an 8-10 pain level. Three days after it drops to 4-5 with Advil sufficient to let me sleep.

[Mr.BB]

If it hurts why are you still lifting???

Let your body heal, stop lifting for a few weeks...

[Chicagotarsier]

I'll take a couple of lift days off and up the sleep. Have a strength goal to meet In January and do not want to derail that. I had planned to take the two weeks off before my next cycle to rest and recover but don't want to have a setback.

Have to remember that feeling 18 does not make a 40 yr old be 18 lol

[itsjayman02]

I'll take a couple of lift days off and up the sleep. Have a strength goal to meet In January and do not want to derail that. I had planned to take the two weeks off before my next cycle to rest and recover but don't want to have a setback.

Have to remember that feeling 18 does not make a 40 yr old be 18 lol

Im 47 and have had 3 operations two of which where back related.

Pain management didnt work for me but training smart did.

I dont squat or do bent over rows.

its better to take a few steps back than not be able to walk!!

[lovbyts]

Im 47 and have had 3 operations two of which where back related.

Pain management didnt work for me but training smart did.

I dont squat or do bent over rows.

its better to take a few steps back than not be able to walk!!

Pretty much same situation here. 2 back surgeries and on shoulder surgery. I still have to use opiates once in a while but nothing like they want me to or what most people do. I never did like tramado btw.

I have never taken pain meds due to being sore or muscle aches thus the saying no pain no gain...

[2iron]

I dont like tramadol either. It worked fine for pain but gave me the most severe headaches after.

[against_grain]

Opiates are a world of hell, from my experience any benefit they offer is very quickly outweighed by the fact that you build tolerance, and soon require that same dose to just "feel normal".

Withdrawal is PURE UTTER HELL, and many people start destructive paths of their life and career and this path often begins with legitimate pain med prescriptions. I recommend AVOID AT ALL COSTS, unless you are literally bedridden in the hospital 3X week by ambulance type of pain.

From a bodybuilding perspective, opiates totally crush your natural test levels, so it means TRT as well. They also slow your GI (digestive) tract and cause abdo distention/constipation.

Posting from personal experience and direct observation.

[human project]

OTC stuff is not cutting it. I got off Tramadol but unless I find an alternative I have to get back on the horse so I can sleep better.

I do massage and acupuncture regularly and codine related medicines do not impact me like they do other people.

Anything I miss as far as medication that I can try to avoid the opiates?

Opiates were hands down the biggest mistake of my life

[lovbyts]

Opiates were hands down the biggest mistake of my life

I am one of the VERY few lucky ones with opiates. I really do not have a addictive personality but have taken a few things in the past when I did feel the addictive pull so I stopped immediately. I dont fool myself by thinking it's impossible for me to become dependent.

I have taken hydrocodone off and on for years, mostly on and once in a while I worry the pain may not be real and only the body faking pain to make me take the meds but every few months I tend to go days and then weeks without anything becaue I'm pretty much pain free until I tweak something. It's not to hard to tweak something after so many surgeries and having a lot of scare tissue built up from years of abuse and damage. lol

My pain managment doctor and her assistance love me because I am the only patient who does not come in asking for me. I have been on exactly the same regiment for several years without an increase. Every time she is not in and I see an assistant they say I am their new favorite patient. lol

That being said, when I do tweak something fore times than not I use ice before pain meds and it usually helps quite a bit but you have to learn to do it correctly. 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, repeat at least 3x in a row and at least 3x a day.

I also find anti inflammatory such as diflocinac work very good for me and a lot of the time better than pain meds.