Fibromyalgia Community

I am so sorry.. The guidlines they follow somewhat prohibit them from giving opiates for this problem. No matter what we take we are always in pain...and in that class you are looking to get hooked and then have even more trouble.

The feeling that it doesn't, in the long term help. I am sure that plus the federal watchdogs on narcotics holds him back.

If this was a disc in your back...MVA issues you would get more help. We still have a stigma about us. A disease that has no test for it, unusual fiindings on exam.....hits all different types of people at all ages....

I feel for the docs as much as I feel for us. I was so lucky to find my neurologist and be validated...actually she had to pound this into my head, I was in denial for a long time.

I truly can feel for you as all here have been at the bottom with pain on our backs...draggin this dragon around! I do so many head games to win a day of peace. Please make sure you are doing everything you can around the meds to be better.

It seems this is a mutifaceted issue that needs a mutifaceted fix. Our laws of pacing and arms staying home and hydration and heating pads to massages all play a roll in getting us a day of peace.

If in the meantime you are angry and frustrated with the doc you have, makes it that much harder to get better. Can you see another doctor? Can you go in saying I have these symptoms and I don't believe the label I was given, can you help me? Take a stance on their side and try a different path?

This is the worst part to this problem...the doctors fit and the meds that assist you. IT is horrible. I so feel for you and I hope they come up with the mix that works. I agree that narcotics (though you feel better at the time) is not the avenue we can use.

I have shared that those who's MD's get them on this and then to fentanyl are doing you no justice as there is no where to go after that....It is ssad that care isn't the same everywhere...that all know this and treat it the same, I guess this is because we are all NOT the same....my dysfunction is different from yours as is my abilities.

All we can say we share here is the pain and the hopes of doing the right things to lessen it and get a day to call our own.

I send you hugs and hope for some relief for you.

Hoping you looked through the toolbox and gained some new tricks to help. It is in resources under a caprice post as a link. Good luck, Nancy B

Hello....MiMi in NC....I have done a lot of research on the wrath of the dragon, aka FM....and all that I have read indicates that pain pills are NOT for chronic pain.....well....I think what we have is indeed chronic pain...and I happen to know that there are others tools that will help you cope better....but you have to figure out just which ones will do it...

I have had different health issues myself....had 7 hand surgeries, elbow surgery, cervical surgery, parathyroid surgery, 4 knee surgeries, 3 c sections, gallbladder surgery, hysterectomy and I am sure I have left out something...each and every time that I had surgery I was provided pain pills for a short time. I took them for even a shorter time...as my body does not like them...I do not remember anything when I take them and I hate feeling like this...now...I have no idea if other people have the effects as I do...but I only take them for the first couple of days after surgery...and then I take myself off of them.

I have read that a lot of the times the pain pills work for a very short time....(which is what they are supposed to do) and then a person needs more in order to take care of the pain...this is how most people get hooked on them, in the first place.

We, FMers, have to live with the pain every day....some days are better than others...but I think most of us deal with some sort of pain each and every day. As for me...I have learned how to control my pain by taking vitamins and supplements and doing other things as well...a heating pad is one, Stopain Spray, doing gentle stretches and/or exercises...(GENTLE, being the key word here)...drinking plenty of water and watching what I eat.

Personally, I do not think you will find a doctor who is willing to provide you with pain pills for something that regardless of what you do....is not going to go away....it is chronic.

I do hope you will be sure and ask the next doctor to check your Vitamin D level....which is important to a lot of people these days...low Vitamin D can cause some of us to have additional pain and it can also affect other illnesses as well. Now...with this being said....I will also tell you that you should allow at least 6-8 weeks of whatever you decide to try....as it might take this long to get the full potential effect of what it might do for you.

Perhaps finding a good doctor who treats and understand FM might also be a good fit for you as well.

Take care and good luck.


MiMi

Hello-

I highly respect both Mimi and Nancy. They have tons of experience and both have done a lot of research. But I wanted to relate that I have found much help through the use of opiates.

They are correct, though, that there can be problems in using opiates for chronic pain and that is tolerance. Your body will build a tolerance that may necessitate needing more and more for the same affect. That's where all of their suggestions come in: opiates should not be the only tool we use, if we use them at all. I have personally decided that I do not want to get on that ride, where I keep having to up my meds and end up on fentynal, like Nancy said.

I had to face up to tolerance this past year. I went and had an honest talk with my doctor. We decided that I would try a low dose of amitryptiline, which is an old antidepressant but at the dose I take, something for pain. I still have the same opiate prescription but adding something else to my tools has helped.

I also use muscle relaxers and over the counter sleep aids. I also exercise regularly and eat healthy.

I think almost all of us here have had to deal with doctors that didn't understand and seemed unwilling to help us. I can't tell you how much it helps to have a decent doctor.

FM is such a personal thing. Each of us has different issues and therefore we each need to make a personal decision in treatment choices. I hope you can find a better doctor and get some relief!

Thank you for the respect, but more I see you respect your meds.

It is not that you can't use them, it is that the need increases and you will get into trouble....there is a ceiling in that arena.

We try and use more non medical or mix of muscle relaxants and antidepressants and non narc pain meds.....and the many tools on the board here.

So if there is nothing else and all avenues are in use and you are in a good 8/10 pain...then maybe a short course would be helpful and during that time stretch the muscles more aggressively work the body through it.

When the course is over you may be in a better place.

Good luck to all.....Nancy B

Hi An_249845, Linda R here and I thought I'd jump in on this one with information I have gotten over the years. I can tell you that having had the fibro DX for way over 30 years and fibro for more than 40 I have never been offered opiates for the fibromyalgia pain. I have never ask either.

I have been Dx'd by Rhuemy's @ UCLA, Kaiser and at Vanderbilt. Each doctor has asked me how I am dealing with pain and I tell them I get by. Their reply is always: that's good because this is a long term medical conditon and anything we could give you you'd become adicted to them. That said I have done without and have never considered them.

I know that fibro symtopms and pain verry greatly from one to another. Fibro is not a One Size Fits All collection of conditions. So one of us can deal with the pain, as I do, without any pain meds, as do many here. While others have to have scripts for the pain. As you said you know your body, but opiates for the nerve pain can be controled, lessoned with non narcotic medications such as Gabapention, etc.

I do hope that you do not go onto opiates for your pain but find other less addictive scipts that can help you.

Sending gentle hugs your way, Linda R

Linda is right on....I would just change the word addiction. Addiction is when you want to get high and like the feeling....desensitization is needing to increase your meds for the same effect.

I had no result with a percocet i tried years back.....I treat the muscles. Using the relaxants and at night sparingly a valium (strongest muscle relaxant) amd the tramadol which has little side effects for me.

Nerve pain is a burning type.....gabapentin is a good med for this. I have tight bands of muscles so all the heat and massage and capsacian lotions help.

Itis not easy to get ypour toolbox together and it takes time. In saying time i will say you get used to having this pain with you all the time.

Geez I hope you figure you out. . Good luck, Nancy B

I also wanted to encourage the original poster to go back and look at other threads dealing with this topic. I know Dr. Pellegrino has also weighed in. I believe you can click on his name and all his discussions will come up.

Like I said above, I do use opiates but I did try other things first. I don't think I have so much the nerve pain as others, so gabapentin did almost nothing for me. And I have found that I have fewer negative side effects from the opiate than other meds I've tried.

Again, it takes a whole mess of tools for us to survive and figuring out what works is a large part of the battle!