alot of pain

[jack2009]

my husband gets pain so bad that it makes him cry sometimes. he is a big man and he has had every kind of pain medi,cation that he can for pain. he also takes methotrexiate shots, nothing seems to work. he has worked at a battery factory for 30 or more years.  what i was wondering is could the lead in the plant have anything to do with this. we don't know what to do. rumatiod arth. is what they diagonised him with.


This discussion is related to RA.

[txsilver]

I am so sorry to read your husband is suffering.  What other medications besides MTX is he taking?  How long has he been on MTX?  Is he taking anything for pain?  I know that my pain from RA took on a life of it's own and took time to get under control.  How long has he been diagnosed with RA?  What other meds have been prescribed to control the RA?

[jack2009]

he is on oxycodone .  he is suppose to take 1-2 every 6 hrs.  he takes 3-4 every 3 hours, and all it does is helps him sleep for 20-30 minutes, then snap he jolts out of it, and the pain is full force, he hates taking anything for pain , it just dosen't relieve him at all.he is on metotrexate one injection a week, prednisone. 5 mg + 2.5 mg. losec for stomach, celebrex, citalopram cause he feels like giving up folic acid, and premium fish oil. he already has been on every kind of pain relief.  i am not use to my husband being like this. this is the 5th year. we just don't know what to do anymore. this man did everything, went to work, then came home and worked on our home. he loved outdoors , life in general, now he is giving up. he comes home from work, and usually goes to sleep, just wants the pain to go away. when he has a few days without pain, then he sleeps. he works in a battery plant and i have been worried that the lead may have something to do with the extream pain, but no one answers me,. we need help so bad. i wish i could take his hurt away

[txsilver]

Sorry for not addressing the question of lead directly before.  So much in your post caught my attention that I failed to write to that subject.  High levels of lead can cause pain symptoms.  Has your husband been tested for lead poisoning?  If not, get the doc to run that test.  If so and the levels were normal, you might investigate other options for managing pain such a tens unit.  This is something you wear that sends impulses that block the pain.  Has your husband tried Neurotin?  It is a seizure medication that works on nerve pain.  It provides relief to some people who cannot get relief any other way.
What about topical treatments such as biofreeze or heat wraps?  Do they provide any relief?  Has he tried accupuncture or therapeutic massage?  While they do not take the pain away, they do help reduce the pain and improve one's ability to function.
I wish I had a magic solution for you.  I know how I suffered until I got things under control and cannot imagine it going on this bad for 5 years.  Please keep us posted and let us know what treatments he tries and the results.  We will be here to provide help, support and compassion.

[jack2009]

we have tried it all.  i own my own tens unit as i had tmj many years ago, and it didn't work either. we have tried cold, heat, we have tried just about everything. his next visit to the specialist they are going to try a inhubiter to try and block it.  he has his lead checked, and has been off work because of it.  i guess i was just hoping that the lead added to it, so he would leave there, and would get better. by the way it sure is nice to talk to someone that understands, as family and friends hear arthritis, and think oh well. they don't understand the strength of it. today the pain has moved to  his hips

[txsilver]

A lot of us are here for the very reasons you mentioned, the general impression of arthritis is you take some aleve or tylenol and go play tennis because of the commercials.  How I wish that were true for all of us!  
I am glad the docs are looking at an inhibitor.  Do you mean the implant?
I gleen that his lead levels were high and that is why he is off work and you were checking to see if that was a contributing factor.  It certainly could be contributing.  
I wish I had something more to offer, but it sounds like you are on the right path.  I will keep your husband in my prayers and hope he gets some relief soon.  Please keep us posted.