Connect
← Return to Fibromyalgia -- Need help on how to handle severe pain
Discussion
Fibromyalgia -- Need help on how to handle severe pain
Fibromyalgia | Last Active: Oct 29, 2023 | Replies (156)Comment receiving replies
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.
Replies to "Thanks for your comment, it's good to hear from you. I wonder why your doctor was..."
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.
Connect
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.