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The drugs don't work....

hankjam

hankjam

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07w532p/the-doctor-who-gave-up-drugs-episode-1
Pretty good, like his style.
Had a frozen shoulder and was pushed a wide range of pain killers, which really didn't do anything except bung me up...
It was only when the physio got hold of me and put me into places I never knew, in terms of short sharp shock, that things got better and they did.
Exercise is an excellent pain killer better than any pill.
 
I recently have helped set up a table tennis group for our community to help with social activity.

One gentleman said he suffers from pain in shoulder and I was concerned that he would feel bad afterwards..nope, it has helped.

I concentrate on using my arm and brain for my left side due to mastectomy (right handed) and it is improving my left side slowly.

Our age group is from 12 to 83 and for two hours each week and it is stimulating to brain but is also a distraction for the brain away from pain thoughts....

Physio is also a good option to avoid drugs. I have done this for years now.

Our GP Practice also has a GP that offers acupuncture and our CCG and pain management consultants offer good courses on pain management with proven examples where patients have come off drugs.

There are definitely alternatives to drugs.
 
This gels with my experience. In my thirties a small deformity of my spine was discovered which explained the chronic back ache I had been suffering from. I was given pain killers and sent to see the physio. After two months I was free of pain so they stopped the pain killers and I was told to carry on with the exercises. I have led a relatively pain free life since.

It seems the mistake I had been making was to rest my back when it hurt. It's counterintuitive to do exercises at this point but it worked for me.
 
I suffered a severe whiplash injury about 20 years ago when a car, going at 40 mph, went into the back of mine - I stopped he didn't! I still have problems but see an oesteopath every 6 weeks which helps. It's also knowing what I can and cannot do for example I cannot clean windows, look left for too long at junctions and at work I have a big 24" screen set at the correct height and a document holder that sits in front of me rather than the side. I still occasionally take ibrufen or paracetamol when I've done something I shouldn't have but generally work through it.
 
Even with neuropathy pain your brain is effectively rewiring itself to think of pain, pain,pain.. The pain is real..totally agree with tv show from my aspect, having your brain rewired with drugs will actually have a worse effect. So will reduction in exercise.
 
Not being allowed any thing stronger than paracetamol and them not having much affect any way I have had to learn to do without pain killers perforce.
 
JohnEGreen said:
Not being allowed any thing stronger than paracetamol and them not having much affect any way I have had to learn to do without pain killers perforce.
Click to expand...
My husband husband has the same problem - due to the heart pills etc he's on he can only have paracetamol which sometimes isn't enough but he puts up with it.
 
I have a theory about "painkillers"..
It's the equivilant of removing the "engine managment" or ABS warning light bulb from a car dash readout.
 
hankjam said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07w532p/the-doctor-who-gave-up-drugs-episode-1
Pretty good, like his style.
Had a frozen shoulder and was pushed a wide range of pain killers, which really didn't do anything except bung me up...
It was only when the physio got hold of me and put me into places I never knew, in terms of short sharp shock, that things got better and they did.
Exercise is an excellent pain killer better than any pill.
Click to expand...
I am paraphrasing but the Dr in this program did say that exercise resolves a multitude of issues. I know I am biased but my Physio wife resolves issue after issue (even I was sceptical at first, but have seen first hand the results in her patients); a recent one was a "health freak" who had seen a Dr twice with shaky muscles in both legs and arms - my wife "spent the time" to find out it was his 4 litre over drinking of water (on top of same day tea / coffee amounts. I believe Physio's are better on body matters for 3 reasons, 1 the initial training of Phyiso's and Dr's are similar, and 2, then literally Physio's specialise on the body (makes sense really as GP does mean General Practitioner). Lastly Physio's in private practice are empowered to spend up to 6 times longer with a patient than the standard 10 minute Dr consultancy. This post in no way denigrates the role GP's perform, but the results my wife gets are almost unbelievable as a muscular skeletal Physio at an award level in North East Essex.
 
Mbaker said:
I am paraphrasing but the Dr in this program did say that exercise resolves a multitude of issues. I know I am biased but my Physio wife resolves issue after issue (even I was sceptical at first, but have seen first hand the results in her patients); a recent one was a "health freak" who had seen a Dr twice with shaky muscles in both legs and arms - my wife "spent the time" to find out it was his 4 litre over drinking of water (on top of same day tea / coffee amounts. I believe Physio's are better on body matters for 3 reasons, 1 the initial training of Phyiso's and Dr's are similar, and 2, then literally Physio's specialise on the body (makes sense really as GP does mean General Practitioner). Lastly Physio's in private practice are empowered to spend up to 6 times longer with a patient than the standard 10 minute Dr consultancy. This post in no way denigrates the role GP's perform, but the results my wife gets are almost unbelievable as a muscular skeletal Physio at an award level in North East Essex.
Click to expand...

Completely agree with you.
My last physio was really impressive, did not rely on ultra sound, listened to what I say and sorted me out completely... and no drugs. We are lazy when it comes to our posture and as a result do things to our bodies that we really shouldn't.

Good on Mrs Mbaker.
 
My right shoulder had been giving me grief and I was taking shed loads of painkillers for it. A couple of NHS physio sessions to teach me the correct exercise with dumbbells and bingo, the joint is now support properly with no pain. Of course it meant doing the exercises for a few weeks, but the difference is staggering. and the bonus is I can paddle for miles without pain as well.
 
I just caught the last twenty minutes of the second episode of The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs program repeated on BBC1 last night. It was how he reduced the HbA1c levels, cholesterol and blood pressure of a group of patients by getting them to walk for 30 minutes five times a week. He showed that big pharma companies encourage GPs to push their products by subtle means like free food at meetings with their sales reps, and that the NHS was spending lots of money on meds that weren't necessary for conditions that could be controlled by simple measures like walking more.
It's worth watching. I'll have to watch the whole program on bbc iplayer or catch up tv.
 
I watched both the first and second programmes and found them really inspiring. Too often the first port of call is to dish out tablets without thinking through options. He also spent 30 minutes with each patient so that he could give them encouragement and guidance as to what may help and set up a patient group for the 30 minute walks which helped with the motivation. Of course it is impossible to do away with medication for all ills, but there is no question that sensible exercise and lifestyle can probably "cure" a lot of the issues that affect us with modern living. Great programme!
 
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