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Is it just me or is pain management not that good for Fibromyalgia

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Fibromyalgia
Does pain management really work for fibromyalgia or is it just a smokescreen?
Yes - 0.0% - 0 votes
No - 85.7% - 6 votes
Maybe - 14.3% - 1 votes
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Posted 7/24/2012 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
eyes  I went for an assessment for pain management today for fibromyalgia and I have come away feeling very demoralised and down.I was diagnosed last year after ten years believe it or not and not much has helped at all and I manage as best as I can.I have tried pain management in the past and I was not impressed by it.I have had hypnotherapy,acupunture and all the other alternative therapies but with very little success.In April they referred me to a Health and Well Being Course where first you see a pain management doctor in fibromyalgia, then a phsychotherapist before finally seeing a physiotherapist. They have been extremely cagey about answering my questions about pain management all the way along. Today she told me that the sessions would last in total eight weeks and each session would last two and a half hours. I suffer from chronic pain and struggle to sit or stand for more that ten or fifteen minutes at a time. When I said that I wouldn't be able to do this she said @What else is left for you and I felt as if she was bullying me into submission. Am I being over emotional about it or was I right to stand my ground when I know that I will be completely disabled by pain for a week if I attend ?  
Posted 7/24/2012 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Ancestry, and welcome!  No, you have every right to voice your opinion.  No one knows your body better than  you do so don't be "bullied" into anything.  She actually was quite unprofessional, I might add.  You are hiring her to help you.  Keep that in mind. 

 

You know, with fibro you do need to keep  moving.  If you sit or lay too long you will be stiff as a board and have more pain.  I do gentle stretching exercises that are done sitting down and I walk daily as my gentle exercise.  When I started out, I could only walk four houses down and had to turn around and head back home!  But I didn't give up and tried the next day and went a little further.  Now I start my day with a half hour walk...about one mile....and I have more energy and less pain when I get back home.  No, I don't feel like heading out the door for a walk but am glad I did when I get back home.

 

I also use ibuprofen with food, extra strength Tylenol, malic acid/magnesium supplements, vitamin D3 supplements and an alternative product for pain that has won awards called Curamin.  The only prescription medication I take is a muscle relaxer called Robaxin and it has helped me a lot.  All of this helps me be in control of the pain of fibro.  I also pace myself when doing things.  This helps too. 

 

Be sure to read 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 the malic acid/magnesium and vitamin D3 supplements and how they work in your body.  Many have had success using one or both of these supplements.  Some don't, too.  We are all so different in what works for us but, with trial and error, you can find what helps you control the pain.  The gentle stretching exercises are found in Fibro 101 also. 

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  Hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine

Posted 7/24/2012 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the Family, Ancestry!

Wow, just love that 'My way or the highway' attitude. NOT! I'm so glad you stood up for yourself. You shouldn't be down, YOU should be proud of yourself.

Sometimes, the ppl who are in charge of these programs do not have a clue as to what we can do or how long we can do something. I believe we should keep moving as best we can. That means walk, stretch, exercise at our level, not someone else's idea of how long we must maintain a level.

Who referred you to this course? Was it the dr or ins? I'm not crazy about this place not answering your questions. You are paying for this service, but even more importantly, it's your body. I'm so sorry you are having such pain.

I can't maintain any position for more than 10 minutes, sometimes that is an eternity. smhair

Sherrine already directed you to 'Fibro 101', pls give it a look over. I think most of us go back to it quite often. Lots of good info and ideas that we can tailor to our abilities and limits.

I hope your day improves greatly.

God bless.  Alice.

 

Posted 7/24/2012 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ancestry,

I have the same symptoms of only being able to sit for a short time or standing or walking. I have to frequently change things up and I'm always looking and hoping for the best way to experience the comfort and support I need.

I've had accupuncture done. Didn't help, only was expensive. I was tried on several kinds of medications in the past. They did not help either. They only gave me side effects. My rhumatologist finally told me I was medication sensitive and she said many people with fibro are.

What helps me are chiropractor treatments when needed from a chiropractor who is knowledgeable about dealing with fibro.

What helps me the most is what Sherrine does, stretches, and I go for a couple short walks a day. I also try to live a very healthy lifestyle--especially watching what I consume. If I eat something I shouldn't I suffer for it--sleepwise and painwise.

Good luck to you.
Posted 7/24/2012 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
thank you for the helpful advice.My pain is very bad at the moment so I will try and reply properly.Kind Regards.
Posted 7/24/2012 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
Here's my two cents, and perhaps an alternative look.

The job of the therapist is not to alleviate pain. Their function is to help their client become more physically fit. Medicines can only go so far. One of the functions of a pain management doc is so analyze all things that will benefit their patient, including diet, exercise, therapy, and medicines.

You said each session would last two and a half hours. of what? Gentle movement and heated pool therapy might benefit you greatly.
Posted 7/25/2012 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Ancestry- I have tried about everything they have had to offer for pain management. It has been a long road. It was here where I learned the best info on how to manage my fibro. It's actually the simplist treatment too. Heat, light excercise, vitamins, rest, stay away from stress and eat healthy. I do take subutex for pain twice daily.

If you ever feel like you get red flags from therapies or Dr's run the other way. There are so many things that will try to take your $ for a cure for fibro. We have a place here that says he can cure your fibro if you go through these several sessons for the price over $1000.

The best treatment you can do for yourself is walk small amounts. It makes a huge difference in pain. If I sit just for 30 minutes. My joints get locked up. I love heat, it's my muscle relaxer. I am glad you joined us. I hope your health turns around for you. My health has made a huge turn around since I found this site. I hope it does the same for you.
Posted 7/25/2012 6:44 AM (GMT 0)
I believe that fibro can effect different individuals in very different ways.  Symptoms can vary a great deal in intensity, and the type of symptoms can vary from one person to another.  For this reason, what works for one person may not work for another.   I use a combination of exercise and supplements.  I also take a very small dose of lyrica daily.  I sometimes feel as if the Lyrica is not helping, but if I go without taking it for a couple of days, I realize how much it does help.  However, if I try to take only the lyrica, and do not exercise for awhile, my pain worsens.  I also find that if I sit for long periods of time without getting up and moving,  my pain will become as unbearable as if I have overexerted.   I have to balance my times of getting up and doing housework with resting.  I usually try to walk  for a while each day, and I try to take part in water exercise in a heated, therapeutic pool at least 2-3 times weekly.
Posted 7/26/2012 11:39 AM (GMT 0)
I am seeing a pain management doctor for my back I have faucet joint disease. Whenever I mention fibro hurting other areas of my body or when I go in for a treatment and my fibro is flaring their eyes just glaze over. I am not sure if pain management clinics are designed to help with fibro. They seem to have an end result in site. Fibro doesn't end. There is no miracle cure that I know of yet. I am not convinced they are educated enough to help us.
Posted 7/28/2012 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
Finally after having Fibro for about 3 years and having so many doctors get the glazed over look in their eyes something really good happened to me.   I went with my DH to his Pain Mgt appointment and I got up the nerve to ask his doctor if he treated Fibromyalgia patients, and to my pleasant surprise, he said yes!

I've been seeing him for about 4 months now, and he is very young, been in practice for 4 years now.  Maybe he hasn't been practicing long enough to get jaded yet, but I believe he is just a kind person.  Anyway I wanted to share that I think it really depends on the individual doctor.   I feel blessed to have stumbled across this one.  He is treating my neck pain also which is due to degenerative disc disease.   He even told me he hates it when a person judges someone who has pain and takes pain meds to treat it.

Posted 7/28/2012 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
My rhuemy is always asking if I feel I need a cortisone shot in any of my joints. Since I hate needles and heard the shots don't really last, I don't want to go through that kind of pain unless I'm desperate. I just say not today.

I want a hot tub for soaking though. I might stay in there until I turn pruny. :))
Anyone want to buy me one? :))
Posted 7/31/2012 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
I was supposed to have my first appt with a pain management Dr. this past Monday but it had to be rescheduled. From reading here I am getting that pain management does not help a lot with fibro. My GP insists that I visit pain management before she will refill any scripts for me. I am apprehensive about going to pain management to begin with simply because I am tired of being poked and prodded and looked at like I just want attention. Should I go and deal with the process of a pain management Dr. or should I just look for another Dr. all together.

At 43 I don't want to think that I will have to be on pain meds for the rest of my life but at the moment I can't function without them. I am afraid of the pain that comes with a hard core strict exercise regimen and it takes time to change ones eating habits. I'm to the point of not knowing what to do....

Sonia. shakehead
Posted 7/31/2012 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry you had a bad experience! :( You were treated terribly and there is no excuse for that at all. As others have said, it's about finding the right fit for you. I saw a crap-tastic pm a few weeks ago, but I know there are good ones out there! I just have to find one. LOL Please don't give up on pm's. Keep looking and you will find someone wonderful who will treat you respectfully and will treat your pain appropriately.
Posted 7/31/2012 7:34 PM (GMT 0)
Momma - I think you need to keep looking around and seeing your options. I know here in Alaska we don't have classes to attend in order to be a patient of pain management. I know my dad was from Alabama and his pain management required the classes. Maybe you could find a pain management that doesn't require classes. I am glad I am not the only one going through Dr. Problem. It just makes me upset when we pay good money to be treated poorly. I hope things work out for you.
Posted 8/4/2012 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ancestry. I'm so sorry you're having such a bad day. Are you up to a warm bath or shower? If not, no worries. Lie down and try to take a nap. I know it's not always easy to do either when in severe pain. Perhaps, if you can, one or both may help. I see a Pain Management Specialist who is kind hearted and sympathetic. If you're not being treated up to your standards, I suggest (if your insurance permits) that you shop around. Doctors are like men and shoes. You gotta find the right fit.
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