I take oxycodone, throughout the day and night. But the dr. doesn't allow for hydracodone anymore and I need it for breakthrough pain. I do take low dose of oxy, 15, and 5 when needed. It helps a lot and I don't know how I'd live without them. We need pain relief. I also do pilates, trying to keep some strength.

My bones have repaired themselves a bit, since I've been eating sardines. Cheap and healthy. That's what I do.

Dang, gal, if you're in pain - and it will be with you the rest of your life - what do you care if you take something every day for the every day pain? I take 2 different meds for the pain and have another as a bedtime backup if the pain is really intense.

As to the others, you have to find what works for you. I was given Lyrica and ended up in the ER the next day because I couldn't wake up. Seems I'm allergic to that. The Cymbalta - no problems. What works for one may or may not work for another. In a way I feel sorry for the physicians who are tossing a coin in the air to find what will help.

And, of course, there are those whose pain can be handled with natural remedies. Who knows?

Find what works and forget worrying about being on it for a long, long time - you're going to have the fibro for a long, long time!

I've been taking Cymbalta for depression for as long as it's been out. Then it was approved for use in fibromyalgia pain. And I have very little pain.

When I have break-through pain, I take an Ultracet (tramadol with Tylenol).

I've read that opioid drugs don't work on fibro pain so I've stayed away from them. But if they work for you, by all means take them. Don't feel guilty about trying to feel better.

I don't know who in the world started the "opiods don't work for fibro pain" lie, but obviously it wasn't anyone with fibro! That statement really makes my blood boil!

Aberlaine, I wasn't referring to you, but to the so-called research that came up with that statement.

Hi,I just wanted to let you know that you should never let guilt keep you from doing what you need to,to feel better.I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 09',at which point my mother told me that my aunt also had it,but that she thought she was only doing it for attention.My ex-husband who I was with at the time,told me that I used pain and anxiety as an excuse to get out of doing things.Consequently,I stopped seeing the neurologist that was trying to help me and have been living in pain and frustration ever since.I started drinking alcohol regularly,and it wasnt until recently when I was diagnosed with an annular tear and protruding disk in my lower spine that I was prescribed pain meds..percocet,that I have had any real relief.Ive been doing research on Fibromyalgia,and realized that alot of the problems Ive been having are due to the Fibromyalgia.So Ive lived with pain and alot of other things that I didnt need to,because other people made me feel guilty about what I had going on.So if the pain meds help you,then dont worry about what anyone else thinks..Good luck

I would like to add that it is extreme pain which clouds the mind and getting pain relief clears the mind. When pain takes over, it impairs rational thinking.

Intense pain seems to absorb any side effects one might have from a medication. This my experience.

I'm with you Lizzy on that blasted rumor. To hear people repeat that, especially our doctors just compounds the difficulty we already have getting adequate treatment.

There may be a few Fibro patients that don't seem to get relief from Opiates but the majority of us get a great deal of relief and it keeps us sane.

Plz dont ever feel bad at what you have to take or what is working for you we might all have the same condition but bodies are different when it comes to meds. and vitamins. So stay with what helps and dont worry about it.

Unfortunately, it is a group of specialists in fibromyalgia that say that. From my own experience I can't imagine why. Recently, given the opiate hysteria, I have been trying to stop taking codiene but I haven't been able to get enough relief without them. I use both alternative medicine and prescription medicine. I'd like to use the least amount of prescription meds that i can, though.

I too have been on pain meds for the past 2 yrs, hydrocodone twice a day. I take it for a bad back. When diagnosed in may with fibro, I was afraid the doctor would stop them and put me on meds for fibro instead. He said the meds out there for fibro didn't work so well and if the pain pills worked for me I should continue with them. They truly do take the edge off the pain in my back and the fibro. Pain is still there but not foremost in my mind. I live in Florida where restrictions got tighter and I began to feel so much quilt for taking them. I went through a lot of depression and inner turmoil but only I can judge my pain and make the final decision. Good luck to you.

The "opioids don't work for Fibro" crap came from a research paper that unfortunately was presented at the 2011 American College of Rheumatology conference. It didn't actually say they didn't work - what it said was that brain scans showed that the opioid receptors of people with fibromyalgia are engaged so they conjecture that means our brains wouldn't be able to process the opioids and benefit from them.

So - our brains work just like normal brains, right? No. Duh.

But it gave a lot of doctors ammunition to stop prescribing narcotics for fibromyalgia.

I had a chance to send a direct message to the researcher last year by someone who was meeting with him. I doubt she repeated my words verbatim because I wasn't too "polite."

Yeah, what everyone else said! I too have felt the guilt and at one point decided to wean myself off pain meds. That won't happen again!
I take Tramadol and Vicodin as needed. I am on low doses of both and I am not addicted. I am dependent though as I would just lay down forever if I had nothing to take the edge off of the pain. Try not to let the remarks get to you because if you are getting by with your current meds then by all means LIVE!
Amy

My doctor and I talk about the meds from time to time and I always tell him I'm "addicted" to PAIN RELIEF. If they took my meds away tomorrow I wouldn't be in withdrawal because I don't take enough for that - I'd just be in misery.

Everyday I cry because I hurt so badly and my quality of life is so not good. After I cry I feel a little better, I guess it is the dopamine that is released from crying....I want to do so many things and my life is limited by the fibro. It runs my life, it colors what I do, where I go, how much time I spend doing housework, building things, sewing, painting, walking, shopping, reading, spending time with my grandkids....everything. I can't even stay in bed very much because it hurts so much, so I get up and hurt. There isn't a day goes by that I do not consider ending my life and often pray this will be the last day I am here. I have had fibro for over 20 years...I have used a variety of meds, exercise plans, diets, and some help for a while but never a cure. If only....I am glad you have found a pain med regime that helps a little. I wish I could be more upbeat but I guess today isn't that day. Maybe tomorrow...know that I understand how hard it is to have this disease. I am truly sorry for your pain.

I haven't been taking anything lately, Tired of the side affects. I haven't been hungry for weeks, I have to force myself to eat. All because of the last medicine I tried. I wake up to a stomachache everyday. I do still take trazodone at night, but I haven't been able to sleep much, anyway.
I have never really been able to take a medication on a regular basis without terrible side effects.
I used take muscle relaxers regularly, but they were not really helping through my flare up. Now I don't want to take them because my vision has gotten better, they cause blurriness.
My flare up finally went away, Just "Normal" pain now. But my back is so bad I can hardly do anything.
I have had this for over 10 years. I don't know what to do anymore.
I have Nucynta, which usually helps, but it is so strong that I can't function and it makes me feel so "Out of It" not to mention the stomach problems it makes worse.
All the time I see everyone posting things that they do to help. I have done all of these things. It may help for a small period of time, but overall nothing has ever worked for more than a couple of weeks.
Sorry to go on and on. Having a bad and frustrating day.
I think if your meds are helping in even a small way, you should not feel guilty. Everyday I wish there was something out there that would just help for a day. I think as people with Chronic pain issues we understand the medications better and are careful to know what and when to take them. I think as long as you educate yourself about the medicine you should not feel as though you are doing anything wrong.
There is no reason you should feel guilty for wanting to have a better quality of life!