What are the side effects of the Celebrex. Has it been out long enough to determine how safe it is for long term use? I have had the normal "rheumatology" results, yet x-rays and CT-scans confirm the fusion of my lower lumbar to the sacrum, an auto-immune response from arthritis, Chrohn's, who-knows what?? Obviously any type of immune disorder is very complicated to diagnose and is a major part of my fear and stress. I hope one of those disorders including MS is not what you are facing. I have been to a PT for my lower back pain, but it did not assist with the right side pain. It did however help after two to three weeks with the sciatic pain I had running down both legs. This caused pain from the hip all the way down to my feet, along with various types of shooting to numb, tingling pain. The PT also worked on a misalignment between my shoulder blades that was causing pain to radiate down my arms. Maybe you will find more relief after more visits because PT is not an overnight cure. Sounds like for now though you need to take that Celebrex. I know it's hard to think about having to take something for the rest of your life, or facing repeated surgeries, but hopefully doctors will continue to come up with new and innovative treatments in the future. They are just so far behind when it comes to understanding women's health issues. I still am having trouble deciding when is it time to try another PCP. There has been alot of conversations about this recently on the forum. I just want to make sure I give this individual a chance to follow through on all avenues before I have to start all over with another doctor (again). Mine is responsive when I am in her office, but lord is it hard to ever get into her office, or a return phone call ( or something for the pain) At least I will be on vacation next week which will help me not think about how long I am having to wait on Doctors. Sorry I am rambling. I hope you do have a better night. Take care Ginny
At Thu, 29 Jul 1999, smithy@maine.rr.com wrote:
>
>At Thu, 29 Jul 1999, Ginny King wrote:
>>
>>Chris,
>>
>>I am soooo happy to hear you are doing well. I sure hope this keeps up
>>for you. It is encouraging to me that there is a light at the end of
>>the tunnel and that all these test may not be in vain. Take care. Ginny
>>
>>At Wed, 28 Jul 1999, chris smith wrote:
>>>
>>>Hi everyone:
>>>I reported about a week ago that I had started celebrex (Sat July 17th)
>>>and that it helped, but not eliminated my pain. What it did eliminate
>>>was the abdominal/pelvic pain in the right lower quadrant-this
>>>disapeared about 4 hours after the first dose. This is the same pain
>>>that disappeared for 3-4 months after each lap. (at the time of the
>>>laps I didn't have hip or back pain) As this past week wore on I got
>>>better and better and on Sunday I have to say I felt 100% normal! Even
>>>the hip and back pain was gone. It was unbelievable. I then stopped
>>>taking the celebrex because I knew I was going for a PT evaluation and
>>>besides feeling like a fool going in completely painless, I knew I would
>>>not be able to accurate evaluate anything the therapist was doing to me.
>>>I skipped the Monday am dose and by noon i was in pain again. The PT
>>>therapist told me that when celebrex works, it works very well. I agree
>>>with that.
>>>The PT evaluation was today and I had no idea what to expect. She
>>>evaluated my pelvis/hips etc. She told me that my pelvis was out of
>>>line and that when she was doing the manipulations she felt the right
>>>sacroiliac joint pop and slip a little. She also worked on my coccyx,
>>>which has been hurting. She said that was also out of line. Then she
>>>told me that today's session might have cured my problem! I was polite
>>>but thinking to myself, I don't think so! But when I left that office I
>>>was relatively pain free and remained that way for several hours. When
>>>I tried to go to sleep, I lay on my right hip in my usual sleeping
>>>position and the pain was back! She warned me that this might happen and
>>>so I have another appt on Thursday and several next week.
>>>So at this point I am more and more convinced that my present pain is
>>>not due to adhesions and there is some doubt that it ever was, but over
>>>the course of 2 years it is hard to say for sure. I certainly had
>>>adhesions when they did the laps.
>>>Since this is an adhesion discussion forum, I'm not sure I even belong
>>>here anymore, but I would like to encourage everyone to keep an open
>>>mind about the cause of their pain. You might have adhesions, and they
>>>could very well be causing your pain, but they might not be, or might
>>>not be the only reason for your pain. As confusing as this is, I think
>>>it is true. If I hadn't gone to the colo-rectal surgeon I wouldn't have
>>>been directed (by him) to the bone/joint source of the pain because my
>>>pcp still maintains it is either my bowels, or the adhesions, or some
>>>combination of both. However, he is not aware of my reaction to the
>>>celebrex yet, or the PT, so I don't know if he will change his opinion
>>>or not.
>>>
>>>Chris S.
>
>Hi Ginny:
>I'm not so sure how well I'm doing, just that I seem to have found pain
>relief. I still have no idea why I have pain, nor do my doctors, and
>they may never know (or care).
>At this point I am wondering, do I have to take this drug for the rest
>of my life? If not, how long? This scares me. It's just a little less
>scarier going through it without being in pain as well!
>Last night I felt so awful I had to start the celebrex again and just go
>through the pt without the pain as an indicator. I couldn't stand it
>anymore, knowing that relief was sitting in my kitchen cabinet. I feel
>better this morning, but I know from experience that it takes a few days
>for full effects. Funny, the right quadrant abdominal/pelvic pain does
>not seem to be much of an issue right now, it seems more like the back
>and hip pain is greater. I also had stabbing pains in my feet and hands
>last night, very similar to an illness I had about 10 years ago, cause
>never found, which eventually disappeared. My MRI shows inflammation in
>some of my spinal facet joints, but why? Rheumatology screening tests
>are negative (lupus, RA, etc) but I have an elevated gamma globulin
>which the lab diagnoses as "chronic immune process", which I have had
>for at least 25 years. I am having a really hard time dealing with the
>heat we are having here. My husband agrees it is hot, but says it must
>be me, as its not that hot! I know diseases like MS are exacerbated by
>hot weather, are other "immune processes?" My pcp (an MD), who insists
>the problem is not rheumatological and that it is either adhesions, or
>bowels, or some combo, sends me to a pain clinic (because he is
>otherwise stumped) on July 16th where I see a DO who recommends
>osteopathic manipulations, pt, celebrex, and possibly steroid injections
>(for the inflammation my pcp doesn't think I have.) Knowing my pcp's
>opinion, the pain clinic doctor tells me it is going to be my pcp who
>will manage my care. (good luck, chris) Add to this that I haven't
>spoken to my pcp since I went to the pain clinic (okay, it was only 2
>weeks ago but an eternity when you are feeling lousy) and I believe he
>hasn't read the report of the MRI and was going by what I told him (it
>was normal, which is what his nurse told me, but I found out at the pain
>clinic that this was not the case). Confused yet? I feel like I've been
>abandoned to manage my own care while my pcp goes on vacation (I know,
>there is always coverage, but do you think I would ever involve another
>doctor in this convoluted mess?) I was the one who called him up and
>requested the celebrex (you've heard that story) and then when I didn't
>hear anything from his office, called and requested the pt while he went
>on vacation. He comes back next week, and yes, I will be on the phone
>with him. UGH.
>
>Chris S.