Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Lidoderm Patch

Hi
Lidoderm patch is Lidocaine, and is NOT a steroid.

Janet

What janet said.

i tried it, didn't work for me. but i wear a flector patch (an nsaid, dichlofenac) over my SI joint and that helps a lot. not perfect, no match for a big flare, but good for the day to day.

The nsaid patch lowers the inflammation. the lidocaine patch i believe is just for numbing the pain some. I wanted to lower inflammation, figured that would relieve pain better, hit the source of the pain.

Agree. Agree. I keep Lidoderm patches. I use them at night and they help dull the pain to where I can sleep better. My husband uses them occasionally also.

They are very expensive if your insurance doesn't cover them.
I didn't realize how expensive until I saw how quickly they are putting me in to the gap coverage with Medicare D. I wouldn't have bought them if I had known. I have used them a lot of years but this year is different. Like a lot of Health Care changes.

Hope you are having a good day.

Possi

What's Insurance? lol.....

good to know that IF things change. What I had was actually given me (5 pads) to try. They appear to work in different areas, some better at night and some better during the day.

My Doctor was going to see if he could acquire some for me but that was three months ago and nothing as yet

sorry to hear that about your thoracic spine.

I have a number of different kinds of ice packs.

One that I have is the soft gel ones that PTs use. Mine are from colpac and I now buy them directly on line (1/2 the price as when i was buying them from my PT's office). My favorite is the 11 x14 rectangular one. I also like the neck one to throw over my shoulder when my neck is really bad.

I also have one called "peas" from CVS. its a bunch of the harder solid "blue ice" in a few different sizes and shapes.

If I lay on a soft gel ice pack with a harder "peas" ice pack under it. the soft one cushions the other. and the peas one stays icy for most of the night.

or i use just the soft gel ice pack and when i wake in the middle of the night, i go get a new one as it doesn't stay cold for too terribly long.

i also put a cloth in between me and the ice packs so i'm cooling the back down without making it too cold usually.

i'll sleep flat on my back with those ice packs under me when my back is really bad.

when the ribs were subluxating and i had rib and shoulder blade (with nerves in between) pressing on one another, especially when i sat or laid on my back, the only way i could sleep was to numb that pain out with ice packs. thank goodness for ice!

i can't sleep on either side because that bothers my SI joint.

and laying on my front (with neck to the side) is just awful on my neck.

on my back is usually ok, but sometimes had to do it on ice.

ice has been my steady companion for the last 15 years.

heat too some, but it doesn't do anything for the pain or inflammation and makes the inflammation worse. but its good for muscle spasms and loosening up joints.

Yes the Lidoderm patches are Lidocaine and go down 3". I always have 2 boxes on hand for any of my aches and pains or my husbands. They work but not for Fibro. Ice and heat too help.

Girl maybe you are in peri-menopause and are already getting the sweats. The sweats could also be caused by disease activity or medications. You can't win for the losing dawg gone it!

I sure hope you get on disability so you can get your health insurance soon.

(((((Hugs))))))