Introduction: medication and side effects

Back pain since, 1990. Surgery: Discectomy 1990, Discectomy 1991, Spinal stabilisation 1997, Bone fusion 2003. Treatment: Epidural steroid injections. TENS. Pain management: Going on Expert Patient Programme. Current medication: morphine, codeine, tramadol. Past Medication: fentanyl.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP09 >> Medication was making him too drowsy so his GP tried acupuncture, which was effective but short lived

Back/neck pain since 1994. Spinal compression and arthritis. Surgery: Disc surgery in neck and surgery on lower back. Treatment: Epidural steroid injections. Pain management: Out-patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: rofecoxib (Vioxx), amitriptyline, tramadol for flare-up. Past medication: morphine (oral and patches).

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 20-30 >> Interview CP02 >> Experiences mild side effects and advises people to persevere as side-effects are often worse in the first month of taking a drug.

Multiple tests all negative. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, 1996. Pain management: In-patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: tramadol, amitriptyline, sertraline. Past medication: ibuprofen, paracetamol, diazepam

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP04 >> Advises people to tell their GP about side effects and emphasises that side effects can vary from person to person.

Multiple tests all negative. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Treatment: Physiotherapy Pain management: Pain Association Scotland Living with Pain course. Current medication: amitriptyline, quinine sulphate, diclofenac sodium (Arthrotec), co-codamol (Kapake), omeprazole (Losec).

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 31-40 >> Interview CP20 >> She was originally prescribed one drug but couldn't tolerate the side effects so was given a similar drug which gave her less trouble.

Abdominal/ Pelvic pain since 1992, Back pain since 1991. Surgery: Laparoscopy followed by Hysterectomy. Treatment: Epidural injection for sciatica. Facet joint injections. Pain management: Exercise classes for back pain. Medication: imipramine for pelvic pain, co-codamol for back pain.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP40 >> He has very few side effects from tramadol but had a very bad reaction to strong opioid drugs.

Abdominal pain since 1988, no diagnosis. Treatments: Nerve block to pancreas. Pain Clinic for medication. Current Medication: tramadol. Past medication: Tried stronger opioids could not tolerate side effects.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP18 >> Used to take her medication regularly but now is trying to regulate it herself and finds that difficult.

Back pain since car accident, 1978. Treatments: Facet joint injections, TENS. Current Medication: dihydrocodeine, co-proxomol, buprenorphine (Temgesic) for flare-up, diazepam for muscle spasms. Past medication: Diclofenac.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP24 >> Used to take medication but found it wasn't helping and now only takes any when her sleep is disturbed.

Back pain following injury at work, 1994. Treatments: Epidural steroid injections. TENS. Pain management: Graded exercise programme. Outpatient NHS Pain management programme. Current medication: Occasional use of co-proxamol.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP48 >> Prefers to not take medication because he finds they are not effective and he doesn't like the side effects.

Pain following myelogram (test) for disc damage in 1978. Diagnosed Arachnoiditis 1992. Pain management: In-patient NHS pain management programme. Current medication: None.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP28 >> After surgery she experienced withdrawal side effects because the medical staff had not picked up that she needed to restart her morphine tablets.

Neck injury during surgery (hysterectomy), 1993. Surgery: Cervical discectomy followed by microsurgery to release trapped nerves. Pain managment: Out-patient pain management clinic. Medication: morphine, co-codamol (Tylex), diclofenac.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP15 >> Finds that she gets a dry mouth from taking amitriptyline and has to use special toothpaste to protect her teeth.

Pins and needle, numbness and neck pain since 1996. Surgery: Neck surgery for cervical mylenopathy. Treatment: Physiotherapy before and after surgery. Pain Clinic given oral steroids. Pain management: NHS outpatient pain management programme. Current medication: gabapentin, amitriptyline.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 20-30 >> Interview CP23 >> Describes the side effects that she has with Neurontin (gabapentin).

Pain due to damage to spinal cord from Chiari I Malformation and syringomyelia. Pain started 1997. Surgery: Essential cranial cervical decompression and laminectomy, 1999. Treatment: Pain Clinic for medication. Current medication: gabapentin (Neurontin), dothiepin, tramadol.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 61-80 >> Interview CP41 >> She had to build up the dose of the opioid Oxycontin gradually to minimise the side effects.

Back and shoulder pain following fall at home in 1999. Spinal osteoarthritis. Treatments: Epidural steroid injections. TENS. Physiotherapy. Current medication: oxycodone (Oxycontin) Past medication: gabapentin.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP31 >> Changed to a different anti-inflammatory drug which doesn't attack the stomach or gut because she had developed irritable bowel syndrome.

Low back pain following injury at work, 1991. Current medication: celocoxib (Celebrex) Past medication: other anti-inflammatory.

Chronic health issues >> Chronic Pain >> Age 41-60 >> Interview CP27 >> Had an epidural, which helped him get back on his feet, but was put off having more when he asked about side effects.

Back pain since 1994. Treatments: Physiotherapy. Epidural steroid injections. Pain management: One-to-one counselling with psychologist. Current medication: Uses medication for flare up. Buprenorphine (Temgesic), co-proxamol, paracetamol, meloxicam, diclofenac.

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