Arthritis pain, need suggestions on what to take/home remedies/anything to make the pain...

The weather here literally has gone from 98 degrees outside two days ago to 52 degrees today. I can barely move. I have osteoarthritis in my lower back and most of the cartilage in between the bottom of my spine and my tail bone is gone. My muscles are also spasming. In fact as I sit here at my desk my lower back is going nuts. My knee and hips are aching so bad as well. I've tried a heating pad, it's not helping. I'm too afraid to take aleve and tylenol is a joke. I'm practically in tears. I'm looking for anything. Any suggestions, home remedies, ANYTHING. Thanks so much.

I feel for you, I have that same weather and the same pain.  I take Fexeril when the spasms are over the top bad, as for my normal routine believe it or not walking helps me, I go for a nice leisurely long walk, I don't take nsaids, I hate living in chronic pain it sucks.  Good luck.

My surgeon allows Nsaids for his patients as long as they don't have an ulcer or are preulcerative. I have taken Advil for 11 yrs now post op and have never had a problem. Many docs have reversed their "no nsaids" stance once liquid gel forms of the mediciines have come out. My surgeon recommends take it only on a full stomach, only for short periods of time-after dental work, sports injury, arthritis flare up, etc. I've taken it and so have my post op friends. We dont' have a problem with it or with ulcers or anything. Many post ops need the anti inflammatory properties - you may be one of them - for chronic pain. My friend takes hers with yogurt, I take mine after a meal. Tylenol won't work on arthiritis symptoms and with the warnings about new post ops and liver damage I've always been leary of Tylenol. Advil works for me, I've had surgery pain (knee), sports injuries and lately arthritis. It works well, I dont' take it every day and have never had a problem - as most post ops don't. Check with your doc if you want to make sure but with chronic pain and inflammation you need something that an Nsaid can provide.

Jen 12 yrs post op RNY

You can see your doc Monday and get a muscle relaxer like Flexeril for the muscle spasms.  You can ask about trying something like Tramadol for the pain.  I know that doesn't help right now.

I take turmeric for inflammation, which is an herb available in capsule form.  It doesn't help immediately like Aleve does, though.  It took about three weeks before it started making a difference for me.  But that is something to consider.  It is contraindicated with certain medications so do some research on it first.

For immediate relief, I don't know what to suggest other than heat and Tylenol, unless you have any type of pain meds available.  Or if you feel the pain is bad enough that it's worth the risk, some NSAIDS.

Thanks for the responses. I think I'm just going to take an aleve at this point. I feel sick to my stomach and have no appetite. My only other option is the ER and yeah no thanks. I'm going to try to eat some yogurt and take an aleve.

I consider NSAIDS as an "emergency" measure that I will use if the situation warrants. Like after a root canal, I can't get relief from narcotics, because it's inflammation that is causing the problem. I also have an NSAID I use for migraine. My general rule is 1 NSAID once in a while (like in a month) and it's likely okay. 2 NSAIDS within the same week means I'm at high risk for gastric distress. 3 NSAIDS in a week, and I just assume I have an ulcer. MY PCP and I discussed this, and he said that while there are some limited diagnostic tools available, since an EGD is not easily accomplished even impossible, we could go the expensive alternative route, or we could just assume that it's an ulcer, and take a 3-month or 6-month course of meds. When my stress levels are high, even one dose of an NSAID can do me in. Since I am under a permanent level of high stress, I've started to take OTC Zantac. It's about $6 for a 90 day supply through Costco. But I don't use NSAIDS even with that daily regimen because there is so much risk associated with a bleeding gastric ulcer. 

Now some folks can take NSAIDS with no bad side effects, but since it's a systemic issue, in the blood stream, and not because of actual contact, there is a high level of risk in taking non-oral nsaids even. I was always sensitive to them, and so I avoid except when nothing else takes the pain away for a very very bad migraine. 

Honestly, over the years I have tried everything from muscle relaxers to time release morphine and most things just masked the pain. About 3 months ago I found a Chinese Dr. and started acupuncture, and for the first time in a long time I have had some relief. I am not pain free, but it has improved about 70%. 

I know it won't help right now, but my doctor gave me a combination of tramadol and Voltaren Gel. I get some relief when I use them together.

Voltaren is an NSAID. Just thought I'd mention that. My worst gastric upset from NSAIDs was from a patch, second worst was from IV NSAIDS. 

The Voltaren gel is a topical NSAID applied to the skin. My doctor says it does not cross over to the system and is therefore safe to use after RNY.