Pain meds for fibro

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CSS

New member
Joined
Apr 30, 2020
Messages
3
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
10/2009
Country
US
State
TX
Anyone else use pain meds as in opioids for their Fibromyalgia? It's the only thing that has given me some relief but new pain Dr is suggesting that either it doesn't exist or I need a therapist and I should swim...which I already do. I'm feeling down now about this recent visit and not sure what to do or who to turn to.
 
Personally, I would strongly advise against opiates. They have become harder and harder to get and you may not be able to get them at all if your doctor says your pain doesn't exist. Opiates are great at first, but the problem is your body gets used to it and it doesn't work as well any more, so you have to take more, and this goes on until you are addicted.

Try other things, and remember also that your mental attitude, exercise, and diet are very influential on Fibro.
 
You are probably exactly right. I guess I am so used to feeling better using them. I definitely realize the many reasons for not using them but I've lost some confidence in mustering through 'on my own'! If you have any other advice, please send my way and thank you so much for responding to my conversation. CSS
 
I have ALS and fibromyalgia. I'm in a lot of pain but can still walk. Muscle relaxants help me a great deal. I take Tylenol and do have a prescription for Oxy but only use it for breakthrough pain. I haven't used it in a month.

Some of the things I do think help are Charlotte's Web CBD oil, medical cannabis, lots of magnesium, both oral and topical. and warm showers before bed. I also have a lift chair that has a heating pad on it and use a heating pad on my lower back each night.
 
You are probably exactly right. I guess I am so used to feeling better using them. I definitely realize the many reasons for not using them but I've lost some confidence in mustering through 'on my own'! If you have any other advice, please send my way and thank you so much for responding to my conversation. CSS
You can do it. You can do this without using highly addictive medications that are much worse for you in the long run that you can even imagine.

You need to put your mind to it, though. That's really hard to do. I know, believe me. but if you come here you will find a lot of support and kindness from other people who are going through the same thing.

Here's what I know helps me:
(Not all of these work all the time and some work only for certain kinds of pain and not for others. You gotta experiment because what works for you will be different)
--medical cannabis (I know this is not available in TX, but I am mentioning it because it's made a huge difference for me)
--heating pad
--relaxation techniques
--the combination of a muscle relaxant called Baclofen with Advil
--The use of a TENS machine
--Getting enough sleep (for me this means 9 hours)
--Pacing myself through the day - giving myself permission to sit down and rest after doing one thing, then get up and do another
--Doing my very best to maintain a positive attitude.
For me a lot of this is remembering every single day how rich and fortunate and privileged I and most of us in the country are because we have enough food to eat and a place to live, and clearly everyone on this forum has internet access. that is more than 95% of the rest of the population of the world has. Hundreds of millions of people will never even have a glass of clean water to drink in their lives. And you better believe that many of them suffer greatly from health problems for which they have no medical help at all. Remembering how lucky I am doesn't make the pain go away, but it reminds me I am grateful to be who and where I am, and it puts it into perspective which helps.
--Getting enough exercise. this is crucial!
--eating a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, protein in good proportions. Whether you are vegetarian or not is an individual thing, just eat healthy and cut way down on or remove sugar entirely.
---avoiding alcohol
---avoiding stress as much as possible. I cut people from my life who caused me undue stress, and have never looked back!

Most importantly, don't allow yourself to go into thoughts like "I'm so over this". Because you aren't over it. Unfortunately, you don't get to be. You will wake up tomorrow and still have pain. So, I have found that to the degree that I can manage not fight it, get angry about it, get frustrated, or let it ruin my day, to the degree than I can simply accept what is, that is the degree to which I can make myself feel better even when in pain.

Try to take responsibility for this for yourself instead of depending on heavy drugs.
I was where you are. The pain I felt I thought was unbearable and I took opiate medication to deal with it and used that as my way to get through the day. I learned that is not a good way to do things, and I decided to do it differently. The pain actually is bearable, and I can handle it in healthy ways. Now, three years later, I have far less overall pain and I manage what I have without the terrible emotional toll that it was taking on me when I was always fighting it.
 
You can do it. You can do this without using highly addictive medications that are much worse for you in the long run that you can even imagine.

You need to put your mind to it, though. That's really hard to do. I know, believe me. but if you come here you will find a lot of support and kindness from other people who are going through the same thing.

Here's what I know helps me:
(Not all of these work all the time and some work only for certain kinds of pain and not for others. You gotta experiment because what works for you will be different)
--medical cannabis (I know this is not available in TX, but I am mentioning it because it's made a huge difference for me)
--heating pad
--relaxation techniques
--the combination of a muscle relaxant called Baclofen with Advil
--The use of a TENS machine
--Getting enough sleep (for me this means 9 hours)
--Pacing myself through the day - giving myself permission to sit down and rest after doing one thing, then get up and do another
--Doing my very best to maintain a positive attitude.
For me a lot of this is remembering every single day how rich and fortunate and privileged I and most of us in the country are because we have enough food to eat and a place to live, and clearly everyone on this forum has internet access. that is more than 95% of the rest of the population of the world has. Hundreds of millions of people will never even have a glass of clean water to drink in their lives. And you better believe that many of them suffer greatly from health problems for which they have no medical help at all. Remembering how lucky I am doesn't make the pain go away, but it reminds me I am grateful to be who and where I am, and it puts it into perspective which helps.
--Getting enough exercise. this is crucial!
--eating a healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, protein in good proportions. Whether you are vegetarian or not is an individual thing, just eat healthy and cut way down on or remove sugar entirely.
---avoiding alcohol
---avoiding stress as much as possible. I cut people from my life who caused me undue stress, and have never looked back!

Most importantly, don't allow yourself to go into thoughts like "I'm so over this". Because you aren't over it. Unfortunately, you don't get to be. You will wake up tomorrow and still have pain. So, I have found that to the degree that I can manage not fight it, get angry about it, get frustrated, or let it ruin my day, to the degree than I can simply accept what is, that is the degree to which I can make myself feel better even when in pain.

Try to take responsibility for this for yourself instead of depending on heavy drugs.
I was where you are. The pain I felt I thought was unbearable and I took opiate medication to deal with it and used that as my way to get through the day. I learned that is not a good way to do things, and I decided to do it differently. The pain actually is bearable, and I can handle it in healthy ways. Now, three years later, I have far less overall pain and I manage what I have without the terrible emotional toll that it was taking on me when I was always fighting it.
thanks so much. You're a wonderful inspiration and I am slowly weaning myself off the opiates. I am very lucky in so many ways and that helps so much. After reading so much about stress being a factor, that has encouraged me to make some additional changes. This forum has been a blessing...why didn't I get on sooner?!
 
So glad that I could help in any small way. :)
 
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I’m not where you are. No Amount of self talk eases pain or helps. I just battle on. In agony.
 
I do much or less most things that you ve all aforementioned yet I experience some days or nights even worse when I can't do anything else but thinking of the pain.I try so hard but I want only to cry because of the tremendous pain I feel. I don't wan t anyone near me I feel desperate. I think there's nothing wrong with feeling like this even if you re privileged-pain has to do with everyone. On the other hand, it s a good idea to feel grateful for everything positive in your life and opt for positiveness. You need to battle with yourself when this pain overwhelms you. Gratefulness is nice as well as helping others probably less priviledged or just people in need. Take a deep breath and keep trying to be your best self version,a nice human, a kind person. Even when talking to others like via this forum for example and encourage them is helpful and makes you feel less lonely or desperate when all these moments come towards you! Thank you all because it s of high importance to feel that you re not alone!
 
I’m not where you are. No Amount of self talk eases pain or helps. I just battle on. In agony.
This is not about "self talk".
Of course you cannot just talk to yourself and make yourself feel better!

You have to take action. It helps a whole lot to have some form of positive attitude toward things, but that is not even necessary. Taking charge and getting exercise and doing the other (non-drug) things that can make a difference is what is needed.

I would never suggest to anyone that they try to "talk" themselves out of the pain.
Maybe if you try to stop thinking of it as a battle it would help. this is your own body you are talking about. It cannot help that it developed this problem. Your body doesn't want to have this problem. If you have the attitude that you are in a battle, then you are battling with your own body and that doesn't make a lot of sense.

Instead, try to take the best, most kind care of your body you can, and that means rest, sleep, good food, and exercise, and avoiding things like sugar and alcohol and a sedentary lifestyle, all of which are guaranteed to make it worse. Concentrate on what you can do, not on what you can't. And start taking charge. Not in a battle sort of way, but with the attitude that your body is hurting and you want to help it to feel better.

Believe it or not, sometimes it has helped me to think of my body like a pet. I love my pets, and would always gently do what I could to make them feel better. So, think of your body as a soft and vulnerable and good thing that needs tender care, and do what will make it feel better.
 
I love your attitude. Being grateful truly is an amazing “medicine.”
 
It's good medicine, for sure. And we all have a lot to be grateful for. Hundreds of millions of people have it worse than we do. I never forget that!
 
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