Strong painkillers

maureen_04

I am shortly due to have a medical assessment by ATOS.
I have completed the form, and got medical evidence from my GP.
I take strong painkillers for osteo-arthritis, Co Codamol and Tramadol. These make me very drosey and shortly after taking them I usually sleep.
My concerns are that ATOS may not be aware of the effects that these have and that I am considered suitable for a work group, What happens if I expected to attend meetings and fall asleep, it sounds silly but it is a worry to me.

Dunroamin

Are you claiming ESA just on the basis of taking these painkillers? Co-codamol is an OTC drug and many people (myself included) take Tramadol for arthritis and live a normal life. Neither of them is a particularly strong pain killer.

Have you checked with your GP regarding the side effects you're having?

maureen_04

Dunroamin wrote: »

Are you claiming ESA just on the basis of taking these painkillers? Co-codamol is an OTC drug and many people (myself included) take Tramadol for arthritis and live a normal life. Neither of them is a particularly strong pain killer.

Have you checked with your GP regarding the side effects you're having?

When taken together I think you will find that they can cause drowsiness, there is a warning not to drive or operate machinery when used, so clearly getting to places would be difficult without being able to drive. I have severe mobility problems due to having arthritis and being obese, so the painkillers are an additional issue.

mazza111

IF you get placed in the WRAG. Then the advisers I've found are pretty good. They understand the effects medication can have on you and will try to schedule any meetings to suit you. Maybe the first one will be at an awkward time, but I've found the advisers very forthcoming at the JC for this kind of thing. Or maybe I've just got a great adviser

I too am on cocodamol, and even if I don't think I need them at bedtime, I always take 2 as they help aid sleep. Whereas during the day, especially in the summer months when the weather is better, I can get away with paracetamol along with the anti inflammatory. I've tried tramadol one bad winter, lets just say I had loads of sleep on them, but it wasn't rested sleep. Oh the nightmares :rotfl:

mynameistallulah

maureen_04 wrote: »

When taken together I think you will find that they can cause drowsiness, there is a warning not to drive or operate machinery when used, so clearly getting to places would be difficult without being able to drive. I have severe mobility problems due to having arthritis and being obese, so the painkillers are an additional issue.

As someone that is significantly overweight myself, I am getting really bored of hearing this as an excuse for mobility issues. I know when I have put on too much when my joints start playing up, and I have two options - continue as I am and rely on painkillers, or adjust my eating habits to remedy the problem. I understand that weight gain can be caused by medication, other health issues etc, but the solution is still the same - change your eating habits, and as the weight starts to come off, increase your exercise.

I know it is not what you want to hear, I have used every excuse in the book for my weight in the past, but the simple fact is that it is making you ill. You need to make a change.

maureen_04

mazza111 wrote: »

IF you get placed in the WRAG. Then the advisers I've found are pretty good. They understand the effects medication can have on you and will try to schedule any meetings to suit you. Maybe the first one will be at an awkward time, but I've found the advisers very forthcoming at the JC for this kind of thing. Or maybe I've just got a great adviser

I too am on cocodamol, and even if I don't think I need them at bedtime, I always take 2 as they help aid sleep. Whereas during the day, especially in the summer months when the weather is better, I can get away with paracetamol along with the anti inflammatory. I've tried tramadol one bad winter, lets just say I had loads of sleep on them, but it wasn't rested sleep. Oh the nightmares :rotfl:

I agree, I have odd dreams too, it does prove that drugs can effect people in different ways, the previous poster appears not to have any sleepy effects. It is this that worries me about ATOS, they may not take into account that thing are different for different people. Do they take into account that people can't use public transport, so that limit's people ability to actually do any kind of work.
It's all a bit hit and miss, I don't want to be stopped by the police for driving while under the influence of drugs, as short journeys by car are my only method of travelling it is such a hit and miss situation. Does everyone have to have the medical, or are some people just accepted as unable to work?

Dunroamin

mynameistallulah wrote: »

As someone that is significantly overweight myself, I am getting really bored of hearing this as an excuse for mobility issues. I know when I have put on too much when my joints start playing up, and I have two options - continue as I am and rely on painkillers, or adjust my eating habits to remedy the problem. I understand that weight gain can be caused by medication, other health issues etc, but the solution is still the same - change your eating habits, and as the weight starts to come off, increase your exercise.

I know it is not what you want to hear, I have used every excuse in the book for my weight in the past, but the simple fact is that it is making you ill. You need to make a change.

Funny you should say that, I started a diet today because I'm going to do permanent damage to my knees if I don't.:(

Dunroamin

maureen_04 wrote: »

When taken together I think you will find that they can cause drowsiness, there is a warning not to drive or operate machinery when used, so clearly getting to places would be difficult without being able to drive. I have severe mobility problems due to having arthritis and being obese, so the painkillers are an additional issue.

I take a drug that combines paracetamol and tramadol and it can make you a bit drowsy but that doesn't mean that you cannot drive, just to be aware that your reactions might be slower. If it was making me fall asleep in official meetings I would definitely see my GP to look at alternatives as this would be unusual.

You may be eligible for ESA because of your arthritis but I think you'll confuse matters by thinking you can claim for taking a comparatively mild painkiller. Apart from anything else, why are you taking them if they're only making you drowsy and not dealing with the pain of your arthritis; I don't really think that you can have it both ways.

mazza111

My diet starts today too. I've put on so much weight since I retired from royal mail. Anyhoo. The OP really needs to decide for herself when the time is right to start to lose weight, it's not always easy, when exercise is limited. But she wasn't here to get advice on that It's time for me as I realised yesterday that even folding a basket of clothes was making my arms ache :mad:

However, my DD is also starting her diet on Monday, the only exercise she's allowed to do at the moment to assist her in losing weight, is an exercise bike. Suggested to physio about rowing machine, cross trainer, and also one of those vibrating machines. The answer was no to all, just the exercise bike. :mad: Mega peed off, I have 2 of them in the house and was planning on the 3rd. Was lucky enough to find an exercise bike/cross trainer combo on sale at Amazon. Guess what I'm trying to get at is, diet and exercise should be done with great care as it could make matters worse.

Maureen some people don't need to get a medical, some people do. Are you in receipt of DLA? Could you use some of that money to get a taxi to the meetings/medicals?

If you get placed in WRAG, it's important to tell them how the medication makes you feel. It's what I did, and they try to schedule my appointments mid morning, when I'm feeling at my best.


Dunroamin - GL with the diet, it's not easy!!!! Unfortunately the damage to my knees is permanent. But certainly don't want it getting any worse. Hence I start now!!!! DD is looking at surgery for one of her knees, but the more she can build her quads up in preparation for the surgery, the more chance she will have a successful op, as it's not a surgery that always works.

I have offered to cook her dinner every night. She can take control of breakfast and lunch. That way, she has to walk up to my house every day and walk home. Even on her crutches, that wee bit of exercise will do her good as it's more than she's getting at the moment. Then the following week she can start on the exercise bike. Sometimes slowly is the best way, especially with her condition

mazza111

Credit crunched, I think your post is a bit unfair, you have a condition that you manage, although in pain, you're coping. The OP is clearly not. Although weigh loss would most probably improve her condition. Remember, some people deal with pain better than others. Some people can afford to go to the gym, others can't.

My dd has one continuous dislocating knee, while the other pops when she walks, until she gets her braces made for her, there's probably not many jobs she could do in the mean time. And that's just the knees I'm mentioning, not to mention the other bits n bobs that's wrong with her. She's in a position where budget and lack of exercise means she's put on weight, but she has a mother to step in and take control, which she's now seen is possible, maybe I should have stepped in sooner, but I have my own health problems.

People who are struck down with illness quite often develop an eating disorder. A love affair with food so to speak. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't understand this the way they would understand anorexia or bulimia. I know boredom with me makes me overeat.

Again, the OP wasn't here looking for diet advice but how she would manage work focused interviews if she was placed in the support group.

pineapple123

If these painkillers are a worry to the OP and preventing her from participating in having a normal life as they get so sleepy then why havent they had the medicines reassessed.
Im sure its not just the work life being effected but social life too.