Why isn't my pain medicine working?

[Anonymous]

I take Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen for chest pain and joint pain. I do NOT take them together- I switch them.
My doctor said the chest pain isn't heart related, yet I have it everyday so I have to take the pain medicine everyday.

The pain comes back the next day :-(

[jmr2191]

Your predicament is more common than you might think. When tests for basic causes or general functional assessments come back normal, it's easy to assume that it's purely stress-induced and treatment resistance usually indicates a less-common cause. The question is what the underlying physiology is. I'd get a referral for a rheumatologist or neurologist and have an Antinuclear Antibody screen, CBC, urinalysis, nerve conduction test and a chest CT scan performed to do a more in-depth cover of the basics. Could be fibromyalgia, SLE, Sarcoidosis, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, polyneuropathy, systemic vasculitis or amphetamine/ibuprofen/other pain medicine toxicity. Just a few possibilities off the top of my head using only what you've stated above.

[MrHitch]

Believe it or not, 70% of chest pains are actually gas/acid related, 20% are lung related and only 10% are heart related in your age range. So, try eating bland food for a while and eat light, take something for acidity and gas, see how it feels, also, are you a heavy smoker or drinker? That could be your problem as well.

Also all the medication you are taking is hard on your liver, this might be causing that as well. Try taking Omega-3 caps, see if joint pain reduces.

[UberTroll]

Pain medications don't treat the cause of the pain, they just block the receptors in the brain that signal your body to feel the pain. So after the medication wears off, the pain comes back. You need to figure out what's causing the pain if you want to truly treat it. I'd suggest getting a second opinion from another doctor.

[Asker]

That's what I've been doing, but they keep saying "I'm too young" and "Not to worry about it."
Almost every doctor I been too said it's either costochondritis or muscloskeletal pain.

[Asker]

Or acid-reflux.

[Asker]

It's going to take like 10 more doctor appointments to find out what's causing the pain, and I'll be going back to college this month. Won't have time to keep making doctor appointments.

[AustinMan]

I would suggest getting a second opinion. It sounds to me like something's wrong that needs to be addressed.

[yaddayaddayadda02]

What did he say it was related to if it wasn't heart related? How long has it been going on?

[Asker]

*She* said it's either costochondritis or muscloskeletal pain. The pain has been going on for almost two months.

[yaddayaddayadda02]

Can they give you prescription meds? What dosage did SHE tell you to take?

[Asker]

The tylenol, ibuprofen, and naproxen are all prescription meds.
Tylenol: 650 MG
Ibuprofen: 600 MG
Naproxen: 500 MG

[molan]

If it's muscloskeletal or costochondritis pain, you need anti-inflammatory medications like acetaminophen or opioids. Analgesics alone won't do.

[yaddayaddayadda02]

Try taking a naproxen in the morning, then one of the ibu's 4 hours later. See if that helps.

[yaddayaddayadda02]

Naproxen is a NSAID, as is Ibu.

[Asker]

Isn't Tylenol and Acetaminophen the same? And isn't Ibuprofen an anti-inflammatory drug?

[Asker]

And I'll try it.

[yaddayaddayadda02]

Yes, Tylenol and Acetominophen are the same, and both really just are useless. I sad Naproxen and the Ibu, not the Tylenol

[Asker]

Ok I hope it works. In the meantime, I'm going to make another doctor appointment.

[ironeddie]

Well anything I've heard/read about costochondritis, is it will eventually go away on its own. But it MAY take a few months. So you might be taking these for a bit. Do you have a follow-up appointment with her?

[Asker]

I have to make a follow-up appointment with her because I went to the ER three days ago.

[madhatters4]

@molen. naproxen is an anti-inflammatory.

[molan]

You do realise that pain medication, while helpful, often cannot provide complete relief of pain, it might just reduce it?

[quadospharmacy]

cause that's not the real stuff hit me for real shut