Pain Management

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

I have a friend that needs some help. These are her circumstances:
She is currently trapped by financial reasons in a home with mold that can't be controlled. She is highly allergic to mold, which wreaks havoc with her rheumatoid arthritis. She is in constant pain, but cannot take opiates or NSAIDs due to other medical reasons. Tylenol is about it, and it ain't cutting the mustard.

Does anybody have any alternative (I'm think like herbal) methods they could suggest?

[thyme4change]

She needs to get out of the house at any cost. Can she rent a studio apartment near-by where she can at least sleep?

Why can't she walk away from the house - declare bankruptcy - anything. Your health isn't worth whatever money she has tied up in the house.

[thyme4change]

Can she see an allergist about medication to control the problem, instead of focusing on the pain?

I know they have made great advances in using steroids to change the reaction to certain triggers, but in that one sentence I've told you just about everything I know, and I won't even really stand by it. So...it might be a lost cause. But, what the hell. It is better than doing nothing.

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

The place she is in is a rental, and it's in a foreign country where not much else is available and mold is everywhere. She's trying to save enough to return here, but her OOP medical costs are pretty high. She's pretty much tried everything known to modern medicine, with poor to mixed results. That's why I'm asking about non-traditional approaces, sometimes the strangest things actually work for some people.

[thyme4change]

This message has been deleted.

[thyme4change]

How much does she need to return home? Just fire up a credit card and put your shit in a box and get on a plane. Default on any debt incurred in that country for medical reasons, and pay it up later.

That is just me. I put my health before everything, because I know that your health effects everything - your earning power, your marriage, your children, your friendships, your mood.

[Wizard of Id]

Jul 8, 2011 15:39:38 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

She needs to get out of the house at any cost. Can she rent a studio apartment near-by where she can at least sleep?

Why can't she walk away from the house - declare bankruptcy - anything. Your health isn't worth whatever money she has tied up in the house.

I agree. Mold can have devastating effects on a persons health. She need to get out of the house. If she is a US citizen the US embassy may be able to help her get out

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

The first thing I would wonder why she cannot take NSAIDs. Since they're the major source for alleviating inflammation, then I'd try working around this issue. If it's because of stomach issues, there are some NSAIDs that are coupled with another drug that protects the stomach.

Can she take aspirin? That has more anti-inflammatory activity than tylenol does.

Tramadol is not considered an opiate for the most part, but it works well for some, not so much for others.

If you want to go a totally non-drug route, her best bet is to try omega-3 FA. There have been some reports that they can alleviate inflammation. While I did not have RA, my arthritis in my hips was pretty severe and I found that there were some things that I could do to help. Exercise was useful, as was using a heating pad. I also put a tempurpedic mattress topper on my bed that helped quite a bit. Finally, using walking aids (if she's not already) will take some of the stress off the joints.

[pig]

I make no claim of validity:

arthritispainreliefinfo.net/ayurvedic-herbal-remedies-for-arthritis-joint-pain-relief