Thanks so much for these suggestions

In August I'll be 76, and fibromyalgia has been with me for forty of those years. I have other much more serious health concerns as well (all with their own parameters of pain), but will comment for now just on the fibromyalgia.
I'm highly sensitive to so many prescription meds, so the only pain med that my primary said I can take when I determine that I "just gotta have something" is Aleve. I have GERD and other GI issues, so I take ONE Aleve, ONLY when it's absolutely necessary. Along with a heat pad rotated to body parts and engaging in mental imagery exercises, pain dissipates to a degree so that I can manage. Cannot and will not take prescribed drugs like gabapentin, Cymbalta, etc due to having had such terrifying experiences with any such (and related) meds. Definitely MOVEMENT helps, but due to other problems, I've had to curtail use of exercise equipment. I've been on flexeril for just about 4 decades. Thankfully, I am not in 24/7 fibromyalgia pain, but do have pain from other issues that fill in to keep me company and challenge my mental and emotional health. But the fibromyalgia in and of itself is a nasty devil indeed😈. A neurologist prescribed Voltaren years ago and I did try it but it didn't really help since I would have had to literally slather it on my entire body. When I learned of its connection to creating issues with the liver in particular, I got rid of it. The idea of applying it as you do (so liberally and so often) is concerning to me. Do your primary as well as your rheumatologist agree with how you incorporate Voltaren into your routine for dealing with pain? Just a thought, not a criticism.

Right now it's 3:14 AM by the time stamped on the upper right hand corner of my computer screen, and I've been awake since just after 2 AM. Pain from polymyalgia rheumatica is what woke me, and rather than stay in bed with the waves of pain, I came downstairs, walked around to stretch, and then decided to check my Mayo Connect. I just happen to have had my attention taken by the fibromyalgia question/discussion.

What else do I include when the nasty Pain Devil persists on challenging my days and nights? A hot shower, setting the shower head to pulsating massage. Feels so good, and does "release" the pain grip. Also stretching exercises, including in the evening (as an assist within bedtime routine). And "naps" when and as needed! The imposed fatigue and overwhelming ache makes it a must-do in order to help me cope. I listen to my body. I don't over do naps, though. I literally have to force myself to emerge from that "nap" (albeit gradually, not abruptly), get up and moving (although slowly at first), and then engage in must-do activities like laundry, meal prep, sweeping and dusting --- all chores that need attending to ANYWAY, but each helps me feel more control in my life instead of allowing pain to control me. I don't engage in all of them, just tackle what I can and what most needs attention. I play favorite CDs with music from my adolescence, which invigorates my spirit and can conjure happy memories. Sometimes classical music if preferred.

While pain has indeed been with me for years in many forms, my focus is in not letting it define me, but rather I acknowledge it in its various forms and have learned to work within its impositions .

Bottom line: We each have to be willing to explore ways to cope with what life has presented to us, and as unique beings, what works for one person may not necessarily be viable options for someone else.

Wishing you and others on this site peaceful days and nights, and spans of time without
pain.😊