Rheumatoid arthritis and no pain killers.....?

I have had RA since 1982 but it was serum negative and in the last twelve years it has now become RF positive and I am sure this happened sometime in the last two years. Not tested from 1996 until I pleaded the other week.

My feet are really painful and the joints are going in different directions and the muscles that the toes lie on is red and horrible. My hips, sacrum and lumber area of the spine feels really tight and as if it does not want to move and when I walk is painful and feels as though it is going to let me down, and my fingers are getting worse.

Point is I can't have any pain killers cos of allergies. The GP even said that this was so on Thursday.

I can have half a paracetamol every four hours and that is it. Nothing else at all.

Question is this....can anyone suggest anything else?

I have an ND and a PhD for Immunology and I can't think of anything. BUT when you are the patient often you can't see the wood for the trees.


If you are reading this and not in the UK have you any pain killers in your country that are not steroid or aspirin [NSAIDS] based. That I could ask for, my GP has drawn a blank. Herbs not aspirin [salicylate] based

Thanks and please help me.

G in the UK

I am so sorry to hear of your predicament. However, you must insist that you are referred to a Consultant Rheumatologist at your nearest hospital.

The Rheumatologist will assess you and with the collective experience in the hospital they will find something to alleviate your pain. There is no point in continuing on an inadequate course of care.

I wish you the best for your future and I know that you can get yourself sorted when you are put in touch with relevant consultant. There is help for you so please return to your GP and ask for an urgent referral.

With best wishes,

Don't mean to sound bad, but I know someone with RA that found mild hash cookies helped well and had less side effects that their prescription meds.
Also had a bit of an anti-inflammatory effect, but only use a small amount, not enough to get high.

how about Vicodeine? That's Paracetamol + Hydrocodone. That might help. It's not an NSAID. Hydrocodone is a derivative of codeine, so it's a regulated drug. That's all I can think of in your condition.

What's your anti-RA meds? Etanercept? Infliximab?

Frankly there are plenty of narcotics that are not mixed with aspirin. Codeine as an example can be purchased with aspirin or mixed with something else. It sounds to me that you are getting some bad advice.

Sorry to hear that.

So no NSAIDs, such as diclofenac, are allowed?

what about co,codomol or ibuprofen ?
you have my sympathy i also have arthritis

hiya I'm sorry to hear you are in so much pain,i take m.s.t. tablets that is morphine.it is very strong.i take it for my spine,i have brittle bones.and that is very pain-full,and can't walk( in a wheel chair).ask your dr if you can be monitored,you have to go into hospital for a few days, to see if it reacts bad on you.its worth a try,i could not cope if i could not take mine. i wish you to be pain free.good luck.let me know how you get on.xx

This may sound strange to you, but you did post the question in the "alternative" section...
When my internist and an orthopedist could give me no plausible reason or treatment for the progressive pain in my joints, I went to a chiropractor who also practices naturopathy (diagnosing and treating conditions naturally). She said I have parasites that are causing my pain. I had never heard of such a thing, so I went online to investigate. Much to my surprise, there are many sites that address that condition. Seems that many cases of RA and related conditions have been reversed by getting rid of intestinal parasites, some with conventional meds and others with high-end herbs and supplements.
I have just been diagnosed and haven't started my therapy, so I can't personally vouch for it, but it might be worth checking out for yourself.