Thank you for the reply! Those are the stories that I keep reading about that make me not want to start it. I so badly want relief but I'm scared to death it won't work and I'll be taken off it and have the terrible withdrawal. What if I lose my insurance or don't have money to pay for it are questions I keep asking myself. Someone said they were only on it for 10 days and they had withdrawal. I have experienced Vicodin withdrawal, after being on it six weeks, and I thought I was going to crawl out of my skin. I would do anything to avoid those feelings again. Starting this medicine is all I can think about and just don't know what to do. The dr I saw was a dr in family clinic and since I just got insurance, I have been untreated since it began a couple years ago. I'm to the point I can't walk at the end of the day. I don't have a 'family doctor' so I'm not comfortable discussing my concerns with him but know I need to. I picked up my script yesterday and just keep looking at it..... sorry for the soap box but I'm just so confused.....
Chronic pain is so very difficult. I have several other chronic issues in addition to FMS and really understand how you feel - you hear differing views on a medication and really want to try it but yet are nervous about the side effects and so on. Like you, my day usually ends about 3:00 p.m. as the pain becomes too much and I must lie down. In fact, there is a mattress on the floor downstairs in front of the TV for me as I cannot sit very long.
I've got herniated discs and stuff that really cause lots of suffering.
BUT I made a conscious decision three years ago to not rely on meds and to take control of me myself. It was very, very difficult as I had what is called fear avoidance (not doing things as I worried about what would happen if...). I also decided to not allow the pain to control my life (it was all I thought about for a couple of years) and it has really been liberating. Sure, the pain is always there, sleep is rare, etc. but mentally it was a huge breakthrough. I had to work on banishing pain thoughts from my mind and switched from MY pain to just pain.
Now, after trying tons of meds unsuccessfully, I am ok with it because it no longer has me in its grip. I try to live and enjoy things in spite of pain. It sounds crazy, but it actually can be done. Distractions really help such as engrossing books.
Is it possible to get a family doctor? Here in Canada things are far different. My doctor just moved to South Africa so I saw my new one for the first time last week. NOT impressed.
My other doctor was so great! I know finding a doctor is far easier said than done.
Please hang in there - you are worth it! Try immersing yourself with positive thoughts today - perhaps a bath or relaxing music. Maybe even spoil yourself a little with a treat.
It is hard not to count on meds to be the answer but once you are out of that rut, the freedom is really amazing. I no longer feel like a slave to dwelling on pain!