Fibromyalgia Support Group

I have been having a really hard time latly with pain, not only from fibro, but from my siatica and muscle pain (from a sourse yet to be found).The clinic that I go to does not like treat any non-cancer chronic pain with narcotics. My doctor told me that narcotic pain medication is not appropreite for fibromyalgia pain. I was wondering if this was true because many others I know with the condition do well on it. I don't want to be a "drug seeker" or "doctor shop", but my pain is unbareble at times. He sent me to the pain clinic who told me to quite taking all my meds. After stoping tylenol and ibuprophen my head aches did get allot better. But what do you do when your in pain and there is nothing you can take? I think I've gone threw every antidepressent, muscle relaxer, non-narcotic pain reliever known to man and I need help. I also have been trying every nonpharmalogic intervention I can think of, exsersies, warm water, heating pads, alternating rest and activtiey, massage, ... I'm scared to even bring up the word "pain" to him, because I already know the lecure coming. I can't make him understand that its not "narcotics" I'm after, it pain relief. Is my doctor right? Will pain meds be detramental to me? Or should I find a new clinic?

Are you on any meds for fibro?? Savella or Cymbalta or anything?? If you go to a pain clinic they should point you in a direction. May also need to find a doctor who believes in Fibromyalgia!! Good Luck!

Tammy

Hi Brixey,

I'm kind of new too and want to say hi and welcome you to the junction. It's an awesome place to find support and great friends. I hope you will like it here!

I'm not a doctor, so I don't want to comment too much on meds. But I do know that for me it was important to get a doc that was very familiar with fibromyalgia. I agree with Tammy on that one. I was seeing a sports med doc before, and he didn't acknowledge fibromyalgia as a legitimate diagnosis. In all fairness, this was a long time ago and lots of docs were in his camp. He was into "just take pain meds and live with it". He even said as much. (The toad....oh, did I type that out loud?)

I can't remember how I found the Fibro specialist, but boy what a difference in his methods and his entire attitude!! He is a rheumatologist (if I spelled that right??). But he is also a rheumatologist who specializes in Fibro. Never be afraid to shop for a good doc!! They work for you!! Interview them and find out as much as you can about them before you "hire" them. (I'm not sure you can ask to interview them without a first visit, but I'd find out what I can and interview whoever does the phones for them.) There are all kinds of meds that are specifically for Fibro now. They are finding out all kinds of new things every day. I think the leaders on this site can help you with how to search for a doc. I'm not sure about that, but I know they are super helpful and willing to do what they can for you.

I hope you will stick around and enjoy the friendships and support on the site here. I can attest to the fact that knowing you are not alone is about the best medicine there is!

Take good care of you! You deserve it!

Katie

I had a PCP that was telling me my pain was all in my head and that if she had not been treating me for so long that if I went to the ER they would think I was just looking for pills. Needless to say this PCP did not believe I was in pain even though I have had problems from every treatment I have received including physical therapy.

I did find other doctors that say I do have a medical condition that causes my pain, fibro, neuropathy, tendenosis, myloperipheral disease, not to mention the headaches. The group the new PCP is with does not allow their doctors to write out pain meds.

My rheumatologist has placed me on cymbalta, I am taking several other medications and the only thing that gives me relief with the headaches is Darvocet and it is now taken off the market. So all the other medications I have tried, tylenol 3 doesn't work, tramadol, causes more headaches, percocet hives, I have had problems with everything but the darvocet now I am without anything to help with the headaches. I am on topamax it doesn't seem to help. Not to mention I have a narrowing in my neck that contributes to the headaches along with the fibro. The response I get is to do the stretching, however, when I am unable to place weight on my hips due to the pain and unable to walk how am I suppose to do a stretching exercise when I can't do anything but cry in pain. I don't think anyone really understands the amount of pain a person is in when there isn't a surgery, injury, or something visual that they can pinpoint as the cause of pain.

Have you tried Excedrin Migraine? It is over the counter and when I went to the doctor for something heavier for my migraines several years back and he asked me to try it first I thought "Yeah, right! Let me get this out of the way so I can get to something that will really help." I have never needed to go on to anything else and my headaches were the type that I had to get into a quiet dark room to lie down with a bucket beside the bed because I WAS going to start vomiting before it was over. I'm not sure this will help you but unless you've already tried it or can't take it for some reason maybe it would be worth a try.

That works for me too. I'm the same way with light and noise and vomiting. It sucks but the Excedrin Migraine helps a lot. Ditto on that!!!

I have severe migraines too and my gen prac asked me to try vicoprofen. It is a mix of ibuprofen and hydrocodone which is a synthetic drug which can come from codeine and one other thing I've never heard of. I had tried vicoden and it did not work so I did not think it would work, but it did, sometimes I have to take stronger meds like stadol, but most days it works. the doc said it is something with how it combines and if you take ibuprofen and hydrocodone separately at the same time, it does not work the same way. It comes in generic. Take care, deedee

My prescriptionis called hydrocodone bitartrate and ibuprofen 7.5-200 tablet (this is from the bottle in case someone else would like to correct me) I only posted this to be helpful. I am not a doctor and only a doctor can prescribe this.

Post edited by: DeeDee48, at: 01/03/2011 04:50 PM

Hi Brixey 21,

I don't think I have had the chance to welcome you. It's a pleasure to meet you, but I am so sorry that you are suffering so much. I have fibro and a host of other health problems, but honey, I would first recommend you find another doctor, perhaps a rheumatologist that believes in fibro. You can call the doctor's offices and ask if they believe in and treat fibro. When my rheumatologist left the state, she recommended another rheumy and before I made an appointment, I asked if she believed in and treatd fibro. I was very lucky. She turned out to be a great doctor, and have changed meds for me until we found something that worked. I really am very happy with her.

I too have migraines and I agree with those that use Excedrin Migraine. My sister who is a nurse told me to try it. If you take it as soon as you feel the migraine coming on, it works great. I usually keep a small bottle in my purse in case I feel one starting. I too suffer from the headeaches that mean going to bed, dark room, no noise, and vomitting. If you haven't tried them already, I would recommend like the others that have recommended as well, Excedrine Migraine.

I hope you will make yourself at home here and become a member of our "family" here. You will find a lot of fine people with good advice, understanding and caring here. I look forward to getting to know you better.

Welcome Hugs~

Christine

Brix, WELCOME! What you need to do is find you another doctor, Rheumy. Sounds like you are going through what I did for so long. It's time to find another doctor to help you. But, when you call a Rheumy, you need to ask them if he/she treats Fibro. Many don't. Your pain is real and don't let them tell you it isn't. Don't stop looking for that one doctor that will help you. As for Med. I use to be on alot of meds. But, when my insurance ran out and I was out of meds. I decided to only take what works. I have really bad Migraines to and the only thng that I have found that works for me is Amitriptyline and yes, I get that one and Neurontin from my Rheumy. I have Tramadol to but, only when I need it. What works for me is warm baths, showers and heating pad.

You have to find what works for you. We can give you advice and help you when you are at your whits in but you have to do it for you. Each one of have or are going through the samething. It's OK feel like you want to give up but we don't allow that here. As long as we are here to hep. all you have to do is ask. You are not alone with this. Just ask and we will be here for you. Again, WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY! Just PM me and I will help you anytime. God Bless You. shortstuff

Hi all! I have to say I am jealous that Excedrin Migraine is so beneficial to so many of you! I have to take injections to abort a Migraine! I go to the Jefferson Headache Center in Philadelphia, one of the countries top Migraine and Headache hospitals. I have run the gamut of drugs when it comes to Migraine.....but Fibro is another story, which is how I ended up here.

I was diagnosed by a Rheumatologist about a year ago but here lies my question: My doctor TREATS fibro but does that mean that he BELIEVES in it?

I seem to be running into the same problem as brixey and other members where any time I bring up the possibility of narcotics or even ultram, he shoots it down. I went to a "pain management clinic" but all they do is chiropractic and acupuncture. The acupuncture actually worked quite well for the fibro, but, like everything in my life - every time I went - it would trigger a world class Migraine. So, I was upping my Migraine frequency, using more triptans, spending lots more $$ because the acupuncture was out of pocket at $75 a session, 3 X a week, plus then the extra drugs for the Migraines, and yada yada yada. So that had to stop.

So far for Fibro I have tried Cymbalta - one dose put me in the ER so we won't be trying that again. Savella, which worked ok but caused me to end up with Atrial fibrillation that we are still trying to get under control. Lyrica that did nothing at all, and don't forget those good for nothing lidocaine patches!

I know with Migraine there are over 100 different medications that can be used as a preventive (I used to be a moderator on a very popular Migraine forum, I am very well versed in Migraine disease.....but fibro is a whole new ballgame!) is this the same for fibro? Is there a lot of different drugs besides the top 3 that can be scripted? My doc mentioned Amitriptyline, I was on that for Migraines before and had bad side effects so that is a no go. Also is it hard to find a pain management clinic that will treat fibro? I am not having much success....

Sorry if I have totally hijacked your post - I did not mean to. I am just feeling like every time I go to my doctor I get nowhere fast. I never seem to get any answers, no new meds and I just keep feeling worse.

Thank you to everyone who reads this - I am really enjoying looking over this site. This is the first forum I have found just for Fibro and not just chronic pain so I am very excited!!! Thanks again.