‘What am I actually taking?’ – managing your chronic pain meds

If you’ve been living with chronic pain for a while, chances are you’ll have accumulated enough pills and potions over the years to rival the local pharmacy. I know I have! 

Particularly back when I first started out on my chronic pain management journey, I tried and tested any medication my doctor would throw at me. That’s the trouble with chronic pain, it’s a lot of trial and error and ‘give this a go and see what happens.’ 

Unfortunately, this meant I had to learn a few lessons the hard way! The most life-changing of those lessons was recognising the importance of understanding exactly what I was putting into my body and the impact it was having. 

Because let’s be honest, most chronic pain medication does what it says on the tin… and some other stuff that it definitely doesn’t say on the tin, unless you read the small print, of course. Let’s explore: 

Now, we’re not talking about well-known side effects here. We all know to look out for that nauseous feeling, a bit of dizziness, feeling more worn out than usual. Those are the medication side effects we expect. 

What I’m talking about are the side effects that can have a much bigger impact on your life and your chronic pain condition itself.

Take Gabapentin, for example. 

What is it? 

You may have come across gabapentin if you suffer from nerve pain – it’s a common drug that changes the way nerves send messages to your brain. 

It’s effective in reducing pain, but did you know it can also deplete your stores of Vitamin D? 

And, of course, depleted Vitamin D leads to muscle and bone pain and fatigue. Not ideal when those were the symptoms you were trying to manage in the first place! 

Venlafaxine is another example of a chronic pain medication that does a bit more than just reduces pain. 

Venlafaxine is an antidepressant that also works as pain relief – a good go-to for symptom management if your chronic pain is also impacting your mental health. 

But at the same time as reducing feelings of pain and depression, venlafaxine can also increase fatigue, a symptom that can make chronic pain feel all the more debilitating. 

Chronic pain medications can work wonders when it comes to managing your symptoms, but it’s important to understand exactly what you’re taking to help avoid inadvertently aggravating existing symptoms.

If you’re considering trying medication to help manage your chronic pain condition, remember to: 

• Always do your research before taking anything new – knowledge is power!
• Discuss any new symptoms or side effects with your doctor ASAP.
• Be open to trying new medications and therapies to help find a treatment strategy that works for you.

Whether you’re currently navigating the world of chronic pain management and want to give something new like BEMER® or CBD a try or simply need some support in managing your chronic pain, please do not hesitate to get in touch.