Fibromyalgia -- Need help on how to handle severe pain

Thanks for your comment, it's good to hear from you. I wonder why your doctor was reluctant to let you try gabapentin. It's the first thing my former doctor prescribed for me after my debacle with duloxetine, which had me pacing in circles and banging my head on the table as I was trying to slowly taper off of it; my life is so much better and easier with gabapentin, although still far from perfect. I can relate to what you say about living in the meantime with the lower-level pain: something that's become a regular part of daily life forever. Knowing that it's a chronic condition that I'll live with for the rest of my life has caused me to see myself as an "old person," as you say I'm much younger than you. I do have to wonder how I'll feel when I am truly "old" like my parents who are in their 80s. Do I really want to live that long? Fibromyalgia is just one of the issues we deal with, besides the cancer and other stuff that's already on our minds as we get older. I hope you're having some success going along with the treatment of the effects of the arthritis and especially with the upcoming hip surgery, that is a big step; my best to you.

I am 73, diagnosed with Fibro almost 2 years ago. I believe it was triggered when I got Covid. I don't want to take Cymbalta or Lyrica because I heard they don't help that much, have bad side effects, and have terrible withdrawals. How much Gabapentin do you take and how much does it cut your pain? My PCP is very reluctant to prescribe any pain meds. Cyclobenzaprine helps me get to sleep but he only allows a few pills, last time only 6 doses. I've read some Fibro patients take Tramadol but I am sure he won't consider that. I saw a pain specialist who wouldn't even prescribe it for me, or any other pain meds. My flares have gotten so very painful it's hard to function at all, and they last about two months.

Thanks for your reply. I don't think I mentioned it, but I'm also a cancer survivor and went through chemo, but am now almost 2 yrs out of chemo and am doing fine.

I think my doctor doesn't think gabapentin will be helpful for the pain and he mentioned the difficulty getting the dosage right without causing more problems. But, I'll send him a message and push back. Also will ask him to refer me to someone who can treat the FM/pain.

A lot of my pain is caused by everything tightening and inability of the muscles to relax - especially overnight. It's more than the usual morning stiffness and it appears to be nerve-related, thus the gabapentin is on my list to try - per my oncologist and sleep specialist.

All the best to you - hope you find some answers and effective treatment to your situation.

Can you recommend a good Dr in the Twin Cities metro area that helps with your Fibro? I can't find one. I even went to a pain clinic that had Fibro listed as something they treat, but it wasn't the case once I got there. My PCP isn't helpful in helping treat my pain. He tells me to see a specialist, most are booked up for 3-4 months, and they refer me back to my PCP.

I really am baffled by your doctor allowing just six doses of the cyclobenzeprine. What is he afraid will happen if you were to be given a prescription for a nightly dose? That's what was prescribed to me when diagnosed a millennium ago, and I have take the cyclo along with the three other prescribed meds (for other medical reasons), along with the alpha lipoic acid and magnesium supplements. When first diagnosed, I was also prescribed amitriptyline but had to drop that, continued with just the cyclo. BE AWARE: Tramadol is a pretty strong medication, which is contraindicated for patients on cyclobenzeprine. I know, because as I reported elsewhere here, the rheumatologist who had diagnosed the fibromyalgia prescribed the combined Tylenol-Tramadol, telling me it would help with the painful flares. What hallucinations! After just ONE dose! So please keep that in mind. No tramadol along with cyclobenzeprine. As for for the other "doctors" who won't address your pain situation: All I can think of is that they are put off by the specter of possible lawsuits. But they don't have to prescribe opioids or other addictive drugs. I really feel for you, that your doctors lack compassion and education on the dynamics of pain and how to address it. I so wish I could help you locate a competent medical team...🙏🏽💖

Hello, unfortunately I sent you a very detailed response to your inquiry but for some reason it did not get printed. My apologies but I simply don’t have the health and stamina to write it again. That really upsets me spending that much time only to have it disappear!
My overall suggestion was to see other physicians, especially in the area of pain management.
After being diagnosed and treating my Fibromyalgia for over 32?years, Opioids have been the most effective by far in managing my chronic pain,
They’re not the EVIL doer they have been irresponsibly made out to be. They exist for a reason. They work well when nothing else does.
Best wishes and good luck on your life journey.
GODSPEED

Hello and I'm sorry you've found so little help with the flares! My dosage of gabapentin is 1200 mg daily and I've never had any problems with side effects, other than sleepiness, but even that regulated pretty soon once I became used to the medication. Much better results with the pain without the dreadful side effects I had with Cymbalta. I'd say it cuts my pain on most days by about 75% but not always, especially during the Minnesota winter. But I've talked to plenty of people who had very little luck with gabapentin so if it doesn't work it would be one more disappointment for you to have to contend with, but I guess how do we know until we try. Oh, and the gabapentin really helped me to sleep better too, as I see you've mentioned sleep. What was your pain specialist willing to do for you to help address your pain?

I'm in the outstate area, closer to Rochester so that's where I went when I found out I had fibro. Sorry I can't refer you to anyone in the Twin Cities metro but I would hope up there you'd have better luck than down here. Sounds like the pain clinic are leading you and others down a false path of disappointment. I do recall having to wait 6 months to be seen at the Fibromyalgia Clinic in Mayo so maybe all the specialists are this way now. Are you able to see another PCP or would that in itself be a 3-4 month wait? I wish we all had better options, so frustrating.

I too am in outstate Minnesota, have chronic pain issues and have no solutions.

I do see advertised on the MSP metro TV stations a "Nura Pain Clinic" - I know nothing about them other than they advertise heavily, have multiple locations and claim they can help difficult cases.

I also know that Allina Health has orthopedics and pain management specialties in Faribault - I've not yet tried them either.

All the best.

I went to the Nura Pain Clinic in Coon Rapids MN for neck pain and headaches, before I got Fibro. I was not impressed. The room where I met the Dr was very dirty. The only thing they offered me was nerve ablation, which I thought was a severe first step in treating my pain. Maybe you have different issues and they can help you. Later, for Fibro, I went to Twin Cities Pain Clinic. They signed me up for medical marijuana and prescribed low dose naltrexone, both of which aren't helping me. Dr said they don't prescribe medications for pain or Fibro. They are more involved in "procedures", injections etc.