Fibromyalgia Support Group

since before my neck disc surgery they took me off my tramadol and skelaxin, now I wondered if I was going to go through withdrawls since I have been on them since January this year...but when I went through surgery they had me on the PCA pump and other meds, then the fibro attack came out in my legs and they addressed that as soon as it happened with valium, but then they sent me home with just the norco and valium and even at my week check up they continued it, I haven't had any fibro pains in my legs, some in arms, mostly in my neck, but he says thats from surgery...now I gotta wonder should I put myself back on tramadol and skelaxin or not or just keep going with what seems to be working better? But I young and what is my future to hold if I am on these meds now? I can only imagine when they no longer work and they have to put me on something harder...what to do?

It is a question we all face one way or another,I look at it like this,which way gives you the best quality of life?If what you are on now is working better and you have a better qaulity then if you werent and on a diffrent set of meds..I told my doc once wouldnt it be better to take one high dose pill then to take abunch of smaller ones?

we dont know what tomorrow will bring and if you can enjoy the now instead of just existing I would due it..when you have more pain you are also likely to take other meds to help get rid of it,and it also causing more depression and in turn more meds..so is it better to take what you are on? as for becomming immune sadly yes after time you will build a tolerance but you can adjust when that time comes..Im all in for the moment of life...I hpe that makes sence I think Im rambling,lol

Broken is right, fibromom--don't look at it like a zero-sum type game. New meds are being purposed, new discoveries made, new ways of coping...I'm in Stupidland today (FibroFog), but I won't be there tomorrow, which is what makes me able to cope with being Stupid today. On those high-pain days, when I'm in agony, I comfort myself by knowing it won't always be that bad, every day. Take each day only as that day alone is.

I look at it like: if you have a headache take an asprin, if you have a body ache, take what works, but what if what works for now is something the new rheumy won't provide...what works right now is 2 meds, not 10...it just so happens to be a narcotic and one they claim to have addictive properties, but would it really matter if they both had addictive properties if I am going to be on them all the time for the rest of my life anyway? Why are doctors so hung up on the whole "its addictive" hello, we have fibro, we will be on meds for life, we are med dependant, get over it and give us what helps us! Okay rant over...sorry....I am just going to have to be firm and if all else fails, go back to my pcp...who knows maybe I should just let him take over my fibro treatment, has anyone else done this?

Ranting is okay we all need to do it once in a while. My pcp is the only doc I see for my fibro care we discussed my being referred to a rheumy but decided that he would not be able to do anything for me that my doc wasn't already doing. My doc works with my neuro really well and keeps up with other overlapping illnesses just as well. I agree with you that docs worry too much about us becoming "addicted" to meds. I believe that you become addicted to pain meds if you don't have a need for them. Then you are taking them just to get the high from them, people who have a need to relieve pain don't get high they just relieve their pain.

Hi all, Had to reply to fibromom I agree so much with what you are saying I've been taking fentanyl patches for over 5 years and have to say that I've tried a lot of med like most of us and these are the ones that are most effective for me, as soon as I either forget when I took them (stupid day)or dr tries to bring down my dosage then all hell brakes out, I cannot function without them, and yes they are very addictive, well then find us something that will help releive the pain as well as them and I'm game to get on board, but like my family dr, after my last operation for total hip replacement kept on trying to change the dosage from 75 mg to 50 mg and instead of every 2 days wanted every 3 days well I tried and he plan backfired and it took me at least 4 months to come back to a time where Im at peace and can at least function on a daily basis. I take lyrica 800 mg a day, fentanyl patches 75mg every 48 hours, 20mg a day of citalopram plus other to make up the cocktail, and yes I would love to get off of all these meds but at this point as soon as I have any kind of change i almost get the bends, I have cold sweats, which are the worse, and I would love not to have fibrofog, most days I have trouble formulating a complete sentence, lucky I have a couple of good friends plus my daughter and hubby that came to understand my language, I'm sorry that I just vented this way we were here to help someone else with questions they had about drugs, but it upsets me so much to be known as almost and addict, but what can I do.the docs are the ones that give us these meds in the first place and then they wonder about addictions, well dahh, anyway I'm sorry I went off again, very painful day and lots to do. Hope everyone has a great painfree day. Hugs.

Don't worry about a thing Chocovan, vent away, because you are right, we are told to listen to our bodies, but then we do and "know" what works and what doesn't and they tell us well "that's addicting" I don't want you on that! Well excuse me, but why the HELL am I here right now and why am I paying you? I don't recall being "stupid" a symptom of fibro, which we clearly are not! I just don't get it, who gives a shit if its addictive, we "have" to be on something so if it works give it to us, thats all I am saying...dang, another rant...I guess that's just yet another thing we all have in common everyday....LOL

I just want to be as painfree as possible....jeez

faieriemama, let me tell you this, I still have oxymorophone or however you spell it from 2 years ago, its like when I feel like I don't need it i put it aside, if I really wanted to be an addict, I don't think I can, I just don't have that personality, but I am so tired of being judged like one...

we have said this before there is a big diffrence between dependent and addicted..most all of us are dependant,and I except that. I made the desision that I personally just want to make it through a day so what ever gets me there is it...

If you feel comfortable with the other doc ask him/her if they would take on your case..

good luck

and honestly I stopped caring what others think of my meds any more, if they were me they would be on them to

Fibromom,

I would think that since you were put on a med it would take care the affect you were getting from you old meds. So I would not think you would have a withdrawal. Because your system is not going without. If the new meds are working stay on them. I also was on tramadol for 2 years, had a reaction to it this. And I really felt like it was working for me. But hold on to them you may have to go back.