Fibromyalgia Support Group

My Fibro has been in a big flare up for the last 3 weeks. I am taking Neurontin 300 mg. at night. I just started that. I am waiting for an approval for Lyric. I also take 120 mg. of Cymbalta and 100 mg. of Seroquel at night for sleep. I am on Flexeril 3 times a day. Just went of my second round of steroids.

I used to be on lots of narcotics and my body and depended on them. Some say I was addicted. My Dr. will not give me any narcotics because he says I have an addictive personality. Oh I also have anxiety which I take Ativan for. Since I can't get my pain under control my anxiety goes up and I end up taking more Ativan. When I run out of Ativan I am in bad shape. Last time I had seizures and had to be put on life support. I was in the hospital for a month without getting out of bed. I have no memory of any of that. After the month in the hospital I had to go to a PT rehab place. I slept there. It was awful. I had to learn how to walk all over again. After everything that happened to me I can't get any relief from my Fibro pain. I am not sure what to do. Any suggestions?

Welcome... If your body is dependent on a drug that is addiction... I do take narcotics for my fibro symptoms, but there are many, many people on here who don't and take herbal supplements and things.

The only natural things I can suggest for you are ice, a heating pad, Ben Gay or Myoflex(both are basically the same) and to check out some of the over the counter things at the pharmacy for pain.

I am sorry you have to suffer this way. Maybe you need to see another doctor....

Hi tdecker68,

Thanks for your comments. I have been taking dietary supplements. Natural things. I use a heating pad and live in the tub. I even have pain patches. Nothing really helps me. I am going to see a pain Dr. I don't know if that is a good thing or not. I guess it wouldn't hurt me.

Your body might be dependent on the meds but that doesn't mean you are an addict. I would really think about going to pain specialist. Have you ever thought about medical marijuana? Maybe jump in on the conversation to find out some info. They seem to know alot about it. A friend of mine uses medical marijuana for his joint pains and anxiety because he is so sensitive to meds.

There are alots of books on the natural pain relief. I hope you find some relief. If you need someone to talk to feel free to pm me anytime

I'm an alcoholic/addict and I can't take narcotics for my pain. I take Lyrica 150 mgs and Cymbalta 60 mgs, and the combo works well for me. The pain doesn't go away completely, but it takes the edge off.

Some say you were addicted...Do you believe you're an addict? If so, you should probably stay away from medical marijuana.

I know how challenging it is to manage pain without narcotics. Take it one day at a time. You'll be in my prayers.

I've heard of the medical marijuana. Does it make you have the munchies like the stuff you smoke does? ( I was a flower child in the late 60's early 70's) Just curious.

Jan

I am so sorry you have to suffer. I went without any medication of any kind for a year because my insurance didn't think fibro was a real condition. I live in another state, and have a new insurance now. I am now taking lyrica, which helps a little. Before the FDA approved it, my Dr gave me Klonopin, Flexeril, and darvon in a really dose. That was the best combination I ever had. If your quality of life increases when you are given narcotics you are not addicted. Less than 1% of all patients who are given narcotics for chronic pain ever become truly addicted. And the body reacts very well to them. It does not harm your liver or kidneys. You should read The Fibromyalgia Advocate and The Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Survival Manual it is written by a lady who used to be an Emergency Room Dr. She explains about addiction in it. And maybe you should see another Dr.

Oh yeah the Dr. that wrote those books I recommened also has fibromyalgia herself

I found this article at http://www.choosehelp.com/recovery/in-recovery-and-in-pain- should-you-take-addictive-pain-pills/

Addictive pain medications pose a real threat to anyone in recovery, but then, so does chronic and untreated pain.

Narcotic pain pills (hydrocodone, oxycontin, Ultram etc.) work well to relieve serious pain, they are also very addictive if used improperly, and the risk of addiction increases dramatically for anyone with a history of substance abuse.

For someone in recovery from addiction and in serious acute or chronic pain, this combination of efficacy and risk poses a real dilemma, and although no one wants to gamble hard earned sobriety, neither is living in pain an acceptable option.

So what to do?

In years past, the answer given at 12 steps meetings and by doctors was, "tough out the pain, and don't risk an addiction." Times and have changed, and medical opinions have too, and most doctors will now recommend potent analgesics to anyone in serious pain, regardless of their past.

Although pain medications with a high abuse potential certainly threaten sobriety, so too does chronic pain, and unremitting and untreated pain can lead to psychiatric distress, and often to relapse. Asking someone to just "tough it out" doesn’t seem an acceptable option anymore.

Unmanaged pain reduces quality of life and threatens sobriety, and so pain should not get ignored; yet this does not automatically mean that narcotic analgesics are needed. Many pain-patients learn techniques, such as yoga, meditation and breathing exercises, that when combined with over-the-counter pain relievers (Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen) offer acceptable pain relief, with no risk of addiction.

For others, only potent drugs will offer any real respite from serious pain, and although behavioral pain management techniques can offer some relief, narcotic drugs are required. For these patients, drugs should be used, but only in a very controlled and limited manner.

Hi everyone,

I am waiting to get into the pain clinic. Hopefully I will hear from them this week. Since I was on pain pills and got depended on them my Dr. won't even budge on the idea of giving me any. I could change Dr.'s but that Dr. will want to see my old files and see that I became depend. He probably wouldn't write a script for pain then. It is so hard to conceive that doctors will let their patients have so much pain and not do anything about it. Except for giving me Neurontin which has not started to work yet. I heard about the pot thing. I don't think my Dr. would go for that. I don't even know if it is legal in MI. I wouldn't want to smoke it tho. I would have to find another way to consume it. I just want out of this pain. This flare up is going on a month now. Life is very grim for me right now.