Hi, Melissa, and welcome! I'm so glad you found us and joined in. I'm so sorry you are having so much pain. There are things you can do to help yourself without taking narcotics. I don't use narcotics. I use ibuprofen with food (600 mg every six hours around the clock) extra strength Tylenol (1,000 mg as needed but never take over 4,000 mg in a day), malic acid/magnesium supplements, and vitamin D3 supplements. These help with pain and fatigue.
I also do stretching exercises and gentle exercises. This really helps with fibro. I usually feel less pain and have more energy after a good walk. Gentle exercises are very good for fibro. Walking, swimming, water aerobics, yoga....these are gentle exercises. If you have been sedentary, you might have to start out slowly and work into a routine.
Hot showers and moist heat feel wonderful. Many here have a Bed Buddy. You can find these at Walgreen's and other places. Or, you can make your own by taking a tube sock, filling it 2/3's full of raw long grained rice and tie a knot at the end. Pop it in the microwave and it gives off moist heat due to the moisture in the rice. OOOhhh, that does feel good!
Gentle massages help, too. I see a massage therapist once a month and she is well worth it. You need a therapist that knows how to massage a client with fibro. Here is a good link to find a massage therapist that is educated in dealing with fibro clients. The members of this organization have to take continuing classes and keep up to date on techniques and how to massage people with various illnesses. If you are interested, you might find one close to you.
http://www.amtamassage.org/findamassage/index.html?utm_source=%2Ffindamassage%2Flocator.aspx&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=redirect
Be sure to check out Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum. There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there. There are links about malic acid/magnesium supplements and vitamin D3 and how they work in your body. Also, the link called A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia would be a good start for you, too. There are good gentle stretching exercises here, also, that are done sitting down so you could do these at work.
You will have pain with fibromyalgia. That is a given. But what you need to do is find what works best for you to be in control of the pain. It's trial and error. I told you what I do but that might not necessarily work for you. I would hope it would. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you start anything, though, because medications, supplements, and herbs can interact with one another and cause problems. But, once you get in control of the pain you will be on your way to a full and enjoyable life in spite of this illness. I've had a good life so far. You want to control fibro...not fibro controlling you.
You need to pace yourself when doing things. It can all get done but not in the same time frame. I just chip away at things and set small goals daily that I know I can reach and that gives me a feeling of accomplishment.
Lastly, attitude plays a big part in this illness. If you zero in on the pain and think about it a lot, it will become all-encompassing and will make you totally miserable and everyone around you miserable, too. You want to look at all the things you CAN do. Look at your many blessings and, of course, take one day at a time. Don't project yourself in the future because no one knows what the future holds! Doctors are working on finding out what causes this illness and hopefully there will be really great help soon. Also remember that fibro waxes and wanes. So, look forward to each new day with anticipation because it could very well be a good one!
I know this sounds like a lot, but you will become accustomed to living with fibro and you have many happy times ahead of you. I know I have! Just stick with us and we will help you. Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. Hope to hear more from you soon!
Sherrine