Hello @vll57, welcome. Thanks for joining the conversation. That all does not sound fun and I'm so sorry you have a full plate of "chronic" to manage. You are not alone.

It's great you find ease through massage therapy. That's a bonus! Pain meds...ugh, not always the answer all of the time, especially for conditions like fibro which are central nervous system based. I have Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS) and have learned to manage flares through cognitive behavioral therapy, physical activity, decreasing and/or omitting certain meds which for me were counter productive. I'm sure you find that moderation and modification help to prevent pushing and crashing. Plus the important stuff like proper sleep hygiene and healthy diet. It's pretty wild how our whole being must be invested to manage chronic as best we can. Treating the whole person is a must for success. I learned that the hard way by not doing it for years.

Here's something I'd like to share with you - a video presentation from Mayo Clinic's Dr. Sletten presenting on central sensitization and ways of managing chronic conditions. This man taught me a lot. Maybe you can find some Easter eggs with in that might help you.

What other ways in addition to massage therapy have helped managed your pain? What do you do for distraction and positive feelings?