Mike

[madamwhiplashk]

The other day we was talking about diclofenics and you mentioned that they are the only thing that really helps you. I told my dad that and he wanted to give them a try. He said hes had them before and was fine with them, he took a strip of mine home and within a few hours of taking 1 his pain in the knees was going down, the swelling had also started to go down quite quickly. By the next day he was able to bend his leg at the knee, something hes not been able to do for months! he was so much happier in himself and could even walk to my house(which is only about 8 doors away). Well hes had the results of his INR are its gone up to 8 and the doctors are refusing to give him any on perscription and i cant risk giving him any because i would feel to guilty if anything happened. What i wanted to ask you is are you on warferine as well? im sure i read that you are but i mihgt be just getting confused. He ran out last night and i nearly cried seeing him today, he can hardly walk again and every step hes wincing:-( I think there is some cream that contains diclofenic so im going to buy some of that for him tomorrow to rub in and hopefully that will help a little bit. The doctors that my mum and dad go to are really bad and im just wondering if its them being awkward and not letting him have them or wheather he really shouldnt be having them. I know when i had my hysterectomy i was on both but it was only for a few days.

Sorry for waffling on but i thought i best explain it as best i can:-)

[*fuzzypeg*]

S'cuse me for butting in Kay, I'm on warfarin, my INR range has to be between 3 and 4, but medication can affect it. When I first took amitriptyline, my INR shot up, so the Dr. simple lessened the dose and I had to have regular tests until it got steady again. I started taking statins a few weeks ago and the Dr. wrote it in my yellow book so they'd know when they tested me. I only went to the vampire room yesterday, 3 weeks overdue, but I have a good reason which I'll tell them if they have a go at me, X-( so it's very easy to adjust the dose and it's cr*p that the Dr.s not letting your poor Dad have any - unless they badly interact with the diclofenac or any other medication he's on. I'd be surprised if it did though as it's only a nsaid painkiller like paracetomol, though stronger and it's often given after operations to ease pain.

I expect his Dr.'s got the hump because no one's supposed to take any other medication except for what's been prescribed for them personally, because of possible side effects/interactions. Has he ever had stomach problems? Things like ulcers can cause complications with most nsaids, making them worse. Questions need to be asked and explanations given. Or maybe even a change of Dr.

It was (or still is?) Marko who's on warfarin I think.

Gentle ((((hugs)))) for your Dad x

[repairexpert]

Diclafenac are good. We had to go out shopping yesterday morning and I knew I'd be walking around all morining so I took one the night before and one in the morning. I had no pain yestarday at all and still have none now over 24 hours later. I intend to see how long they last and what level I need before seeing the doc. He's very good and very sypathetic, and I'm sure he'll let me have some more if I need them. I think they had a bad press a while ago; not sure why though.

I d hope they let your dad have some more Kay; he obviously need them. Let us know how you get on.

No I don't take warfarin; think that was someone else on here. I do have one soluable aspirin a day though which thins the blood a little.

[repairexpert]

Just done some research on Diclofenac...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diclofenac

You won't understand all that page unless you're a Pharmacist, LOL but some interesting notes there as well.

If you're a Vulture then Diclofenac is definitely not for you, LOL.

If they won't let your dad have the pills Kay you could try the low dose cream; "Voltarol Pain-eze" (according to Wiki) an over the counter remedy; it may work for him.

As we know all drugs have side-effects but in my mind it's all about quality of life; I'd rather take a few years off my life being able to walk than crawling around on my hands and knees in pain till the end. At the end of the day it's a personal choice.

There is an alternative to Diclofenac mentioned here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meloxicam

Not sure if they use it here though?

-- Edited by repairexpert at 05/05/2011 10:01 AM BST

[madamwhiplashk]

Thank you both so much for all your help and advise!

My dad has been on things before that has changed his INR results but like you say Anne its easy enough to change the dose which is what they normally do. I think its the stupid doctor, we all used to be with them but its only mum and dad thats stayed. They are useless and its that surgerys fault that me and my dad ended up nealry dead because they wrongly diagnoised us(different things though:-p) Im going to try to get them to change, been there 33 years though so its just they are used to it there.

I will try to get some of that cream Mike for him tomorrow, he will try anything at the moment. I know people shouldnt share prescriptions but seems hes had them before and he was in so much pain i couldnt say no to him. I think dad would be the same as you and would prefer to be in less pain even if it meant a few less years. At the moment he cant do any of the things he wants to:-(

So thanks again you 2, im going to pass the links onto him so he can have a read up too, and i'll get the cream tomorrow. Will let you know how it goes:-xxx

[madamwhiplashk]

Just reading back though all that(thats 1 thing i hate about the new groups is that you cant see it all as youre posting, and i keep forgeting bits!)

He doesnt have any stomach problems, so that shouldnt be a worry. I have just ordered some more on my repeats and thats gone through ok. I know if he asks for some i not going to be able to say no, not when i see what pain hes in even if it means me having less. Maybe if he only takes 1 a day seems your tablet  lasted a long time Mike. Dad has his INR done every week so if theres another major change they will reduce his warferine anyway(like they do)

I will get him to give the cream a go 1st though, that might make a difference:-)

[*fuzzypeg*]

When I'm replying to a post I might forget, I open another tab/window so I can flip back and forward to it.

[madamwhiplashk]

Thats a good idea Anne, its so bloody annoying isnt it!

Dad has decided to just try taking 1 a day and see how that goes, if he can cope with just that we will be able to get by:-) Hes seeing a different doctor next week but their surgery is run by the same attitude doctors. Im trying to get them to swap doctors if they can:-)

[*fuzzypeg*]

There should be loads of surgeries where you live Kay. Ask people you know locally what their Dr.'s are like. That's what I did when I changed surgery. 🙂

[madamwhiplashk]

There are loads here Anne, i can think of at least 4 straight away within yate, the best thing i did when i moved was to change surgerys. The only thing thats keeping them there i think is its just over the road(about a 3 min walk) but dad cant even walk that. I think the surgery im at is brilliant, feel really looked after there, and i can always get a same day appointment if its needed, its hard to get a same week appointment at dads surgery:-p

[*fuzzypeg*]

Don't they have anything like neighbourcare there Kay? We have here, volunteers drive people  to appointments, among other things they do, like shopping for disabled or elderly people that can't do things for themselves.

[madamwhiplashk]

Ive never heard of that Anne, something i will look into though. I think because my mum dos most things(shes a young 61 year old) they get no help. But mum wont drive anymore, and its something that dad really shouldnt be doing and to be honest there are lots of times when he cant drive anyway. Luckily we only a few doors away so we are always around to help. I get mum to give me her shopping list and i do it on my tesco delivery, then steve nips her stuff up to her when it comes. Its little things like that that help them out. I will have to get and look to see if there is any help they can get:-)

[repairexpert]

I hope the one a day tablet works for your dad Kay; it certainly does for me. I don't get any pain at all at times and at other times it way in the distance. The problem I have now is learning not to groan when I get up, LOL.

I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon with the doc, so fingers crossed he's going to give me some more of those pils or at least an alternative. I can do the gardening and walk the dog now without pain; it's like a different life.

Let us know how you get on; let's hope you can swap your dad over to a different surgery soon, one that's more sympathetic. I think it's easier to do now as long as you find one that has vacancies. After all our friends from the Eastern block seem to just walk in and get registered straight away so why not us. 😉

-- Edited by repairexpert at 05/10/2011 8:05 AM BST

[madamwhiplashk]

Hes getting on quite well on the 1 tablet Mike!:-D At least he can potter about a bit better now and his knees are nowhere near as swollen. Hes not in such a bad mood either which is a relief to my mum:-D

Im glad its working for you too, my dad does that groan when he gets up too!:^O

I think the best thing is for them to change doctors and i showed mum the website to my doctors, i can book appointments and repeats all online which dads surgery dont do, even little things like that help me out, saves me having to talk to anyone on the phone!:^O so it'll all be better for mum and dad too

I hope you get the tablets or like you said at least a alternative that are just as good. I had no trouble getting mine today, but im waiting for it!:-p

[whatsmarkodoing]

just read this thread and yes Anne i still on warfrin 4mg a day at the mo  but any antiinflamitry  tabs like diclofenic or iburifen are a no no whilst taking them and you cant have cranberry juice either and i got a dvt stocking still on as my leg is still swollen . it was 2 inches thicker than the other 1 .and it aint gone down that much.

[madamwhiplashk]

Make sure you mention that its not gone down marko when you next see someone, better safe than sorry:-)

Dad has his bloods done every week anyway so if the tablets do mess it up again they will just adjust his dose, it never seems to stay the same longer than 2-3 weeks anyway. Like we said though after a operation even if you get warferine they still give diclofenics out, i suppose its cause they keep a eye on you in the hospital, hes in a lot less pain at the moment and thats all he wants for now:-)

[*fuzzypeg*]

I think we ought to rename this group to 'welcome to the scrap heap'. 😐  We're (nearly) all falling to bits.

I hate those stocking thingies. I have to put them on the residents who have swollen or problem legs and it's such a fight. Camels and eyes of needles spring to mind. Is there an easy way of doing it Marko? I really lose my patience with the bloody things. It takes me ages and we don't have ages, it's a constant game of beat the clock at work.

[whatsmarkodoing]

i just cruch it up  between thumb and fingers and then pull it over my foot and then  up my leg ....but yes it was a struggle at 1st ...i call it old git syndrome...lol

[repairexpert]

I think we ought to rename this group to 'welcome to the scrap heap'. 😐  We're (nearly) all falling to bits.

I hate those stocking thingies. I have to put them on the residents who have swollen or problem legs and it's such a fight. Camels and eyes of needles spring to mind. Is there an easy way of doing it Marko? I really lose my patience with the bloody things. It takes me ages and we don't have ages, it's a constant game of beat the clock at work.

Yes 'welcome to the scrap heap' is a good title.

Yes the socks; there's an easy way. Turn the toe section (about 3") in side the rest, slip over the toe and pull the rest over and around it. 😉

Will let you know how I get on at the docs this afternoon.

[repairexpert]

Back from the doc now folks; he's a very symathetic chap, even had a chat about my hobbies and my job before I retired; felt guilty with other patients waiting, but a lot better than some of the others who try to get you in and out of the surgery in less than 2 minutes and won't even discuss your problem. There is one there like that; saw him see 3 people in less than 5 minutes once.

Well he gave me Meloxicam 7.5mg in the end as there's less side effects than Diclofenac. Said he wouldn't like to see anyone on 3 a day of those for years but I could have probably got away with 1 a day. Gave me the alternative to be on the safe side. I can take 1 or 2 with my evening meal. Have to see him in 3 weeks and let him know how I'm getting on with them. Hope they work as well as the Diclafenac. Will let you know.

Perhaps the new doc will let your dad have some of those Kay. 🙂

-- Edited by repairexpert at 05/11/2011 4:14 PM BST