Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
I have been taking Vicodin for about 2 years {5/500 Tab}. It doesn't take much of the pain away, just eases it slightly. My prescription states to take it twice a day. I am only taking it once a day and wondering if anyonelse is using it and if it helps. I am always afraid of becoming addicted. Is there something that someone takes that is more effective. I am very sensitive to prescription drugs, and this the only one I take for FM. I take supplements and vitamins such as magnesium, 5 htp, L-theanine to name a few. Havent been taking them very long, so don't know if they are effective. Any input would be appreciated.
Hugs,
Sue
Check out the book at triggerpointbook.com. This book has made my life bearable. If you can afford it, it's well worth the money. Another great myofascial pain resource is triggerpoints.net that has the most extensive collection of referred pain and trigger point diagrams I've come across online. It's very self-explanatory so you should be able to easily determine if you have myofascial pain.
I've found using an electric percussion massager works the best in doing trigger point massage as it glides easily over my clothes, I don't have to look up the location of trigger points--if I come across something that hurts, I just massage it. I think the massager is the main reason I've had so much success doing trigger point massage as it enables me to keep my trigger points massaged without a lot of effort.
With the 5-htp, I'm taking a very high dose and it's made all the difference in my pain level. I had read that if you aren't getting enough vitamin B6, you don't dream, and I had stopped dreaming so I upped my B vitamins and am back to dreaming agin. When that happened, it reminded how Dr. Teitelbaum in his book From Fatigued to Fantastic says that fibro and CFS patients don't absorb nutrients properly. I think that is why I'm able to take the high doses of 5-htp and am doing better--I'm sure a certain amount just isn't asborbed simply because my body isn't able to absorb nutrients the way a normal person's would--hope that makes sense.
The other important thing to keep in mind about 5-htp and pain is that by increasing the serotonin levels in your brain, it keeps the pain neurotransmitter Substance P in check. When I read posts about people who can't wear a bra, be hugged, carry a purse and the like, I have to wonder if their serotonin levels are so low that the Substance P is running rampant making their life miserable.
You might also make sure your vitamin D levels are high enough. Years ago I read on a top health site that your body uses 2,000 IUs a day. Another thing I found out the hard way is that my body isn't able to produce vitamin D from the sun the way it should after I faithfully took it for several months, got my levels checked and then decided I was going to get it from the sun so I cut back on it, spent as much time in the sun as possible, and then had it rechecked by another doctor [changed doctors] 5 months later only to find that my vitamin D level was just over half what it was when taking the supplements!! I couldn't believe it!! Course I do live in Western Washington north of Seattle and we're as far north as Maine, but still.....
RosePark, your doctor is either misinformed or deliberately misleading you because he/she doesn't want to prescribe narcotics.
bnation, I'm curious as to what makes you think you were addicted. It that were so, you probably wouldn't have been able to stop taking them just because your prescription ran out. Addicts usually aren't that self-aware (at least in the beginning) and will often engage in risky or even illegal behavior in order to continue to score.
I think it's possible you're mistaking physical dependence, which could definitely be an issue after a few weeks of narcotics use, with addiction. Sounds also like you might have stopped "cold turkey" which is never a good idea - always taper off not only narcotics, but also other drugs on which you can form a physical dependence.
Also someone else mentioned they had built up such a tolerance to pain meds that when they went for surgery they could not knock her out.
We each have to do what works for us in dealing with pain.
Research and being informed is important.
There are other side effects to these meds and other reasons why doctors don't like to prescribe these.
Talk with your doctor and make sure you get all the reasons they may not want to prescribe them and they may find that you do needed them. Communication is important.
Hugs & Prayers,
Mary
We are all individuals when it comes to Vicodin. Use them only when needed you will probably be fine.
You really should talk with your doctor and see a pain specialist.
The pain specialist I see is good at telling what type of pain I have and what might work to relieve it but my body just doesn't respond to meds and I end up with the crappy side effects. Maybe you would have better luck.
Hugs & Prayers,
Mary
i think a PM doc is a fantastic recomendation. along with physical theripy, yoga, heat, massage and unltra sound i feel alot better
The thing is that even though you have arthritis, you also probably have some trigger points that are impacting it. My hubby has bursitis in one shoulder and tendonitis in the other elbow and finds that if he keeps the related trigger points massaged, his pain is much better.
With the 5-htp, I take up to 800 mg a day. I know that's very high, but I have horrific insomnia and that's what it takes for me to get to sleep on my bad nights. As I mentioned, I'm sure my I don't absorb some of it just like with the B6 where I wasn't dreaming when I used to dream all the time when I was younger. I start out with 400 mg after dinner, and then depending on if I can get to sleep or not, I'll take more as needed. I've found if I keep it around 800 mg a day most days my pain level is much, much lower.