Fibromialgia pain and difficult GP for Pain Control & Understanding

[neilwaud1969]

I have been diagnosed with fibromialgia for around 3 months now but am having difficulty managing my pain as I don't think my GP really know what it feels like or what I am going through. Any help/support appreciatedo.....

[Maggiet]

Ask your GP if you can have a referral to your local pain clinic. They are more suited to sorting out pain relief. Good luck x

[neilwaud1969 in reply to Maggiet]

I have been referred and seen somebody but I have.to await a second referral to Stamford Hospital Pain Clinic. But until then I am crawling across the ceiling. My latest issue is.my GP says I am taking too much Codeine.and I need to be referred to a drug dependency clinic for drug addiction. I am not injecting or anything like that, just taking between 2&3 Codeine every 2 hours or so. It's the only thing that cushions the pain so I can cope & live.....

[Mdaisy in reply to neilwaud1969]

Hello Neilwaud1969,

It seems that to get the desired Pain Relief you have been taking too much Codeine and your GP is worried about addiction problems. If you see the Drug Dependency Clinic they can advise you how best to reduce your medication safely. You should never stop your medication due to the risk of withdrawal and it be reduced slowly as per the advice from Healthcare Professionals.

I hope you get your pain under control and are successful in reducing your Codeine intake to a safe level where is it not affecting your health and potentially causing other problems.

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[Maggiet]

That sounds a terrible position you are in and you are not getting the right pain relief. I have never taken codeine and take tramadol for my pain, not that it always works but does slightly lessen the pain so that I can work. Perhaps you can chase up your referral. I always say that the one who shouts the loudest gets seen first on the NHS! Good luck x

[neilwaud1969 in reply to Maggiet]

Thanks for your reply.

[Mdaisy]

Hello Neilwaud1969,

Sorry you are experiencing so much pain and your GP seems to be unaware of the best course of treatment. Please know you've come to the right place, welcome to our FibroAction community forum.

Here we can share our experiences in the hope it will help others and the members use the community to support each other. The community is run by FibroAction and our website ww.fibroaction.org that has evidence based information covered by the Information Standard certificate, so we can help advise people living with Fibro to the best of our ability

Please can I provide you with a link to the website about Treatments for Fibro, here's the link;

fibroaction.org/Pages/How-I...

May I ask, are you only taking Codeine for your pain? If so, I can imagine the pain you must be experiencing. Do you think your GP would be open to reading our information as you can download it as factsheets that can be easily printed and you can discuss your symptoms further.

As Maggiet, has said having a referral to the Pain Clinic is your best bet however I understand that you cannot cope with the pain until then. Here's a link about Pain Clinics for future reference;

healthunlocked.com/fibroact...

There are topical creams that your GP may be happy to prescribe, one in particular that I mention in the following link but there are mixed reviews from those who are sensitive to medications. I found it worked well with no sensitivities, if you are sensitive then I'd say probably best avoided, it's called Capsaicin and it's made from Capsicum Pepper so you can imagine why it does not suit everybody.

Here's the link for further information;

healthunlocked.com/fibroact...

You may also like to read our information on Complementary Therapies which may help;

fibroaction.org/News/New-Co...

While you wait to see your GP again, you could try heat therapy and warm Epsom Salts in your bath.

I hope your pain eases soon

Best Wishes

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[TheAuthor]

Hi neilwaud1969

I am so sorry to read that you have been suffering like this and I sincerely hope that you can find some resolution to your issues.

I have read that you are at least being referred to a pain management clinic, so that is really good.

However, your codeine use is rather high unfortunately and we wouldn't want you overdosing. If you ask your pharmacist they will tell you no more than 8 - 500mg tablets in any 24 hour period as taking more can be dangerous. However, there is a short term solution until you see your pain management team. If you go back to your pharmacist and check with them if it is okay for you take Ibuprofen? If it is, you can alternate taking either codeine and then ibuprofen 2 hours later as this way you will not overdose. But please, check with your pharmacist first before taking Ibuprofen as many people cannot take it if they have certain medical conditions i.e.asthma.

Please take care and if you find your GP is unapproachable please talk to your pharmacist about your medication.

Ken

[Hidden]

Hi. I've been diagnosed for a little under a year now. I have been round almost all the GPs in my practice until I found an understanding one or two (both women) that I am happy to talk to and find helpful. After seeing 9 different male GPs with very limited success, I wrote a letter, not exactly complaining, but explaining my symptoms in full and pointing out the unhelpful treatment I'd had so far, plus suggesting treatments that might work based on information from sites like this one. I sent it in but also took it in and the GP I like read over it and discussed the points with me and agreed on a course of treatment. This way worked for me because I seemed to get tongue tied and stressed out when seeing the GP. Sounds daft but I really think the stress of 1. being believed and 2. getting on right treatment was keeping me in permanent flare up. Once I got it sorted I started to relax and cope with fibro. Hope you will find the same. Good luck.

[SquareD6]

Hello neilwaud, I have been given Naproxen to take first thing in the morning & last thing at night, then co-codamol every 4 hours throughout the day. I find i'm still clock watching until I can take more so I sympathise with you. I also have to take omeprazole to protect the stomach lining from the Naproxen. I only got fibromyalgia & osteoarthritus diagnosis on the 15th jan so I'm also really new to all this. Still we have a name for our pain. Gentle hugs sent your way. XX

[vixen49]

Honey your not alone I suffer from fibromyalgia from Sept of last year some people don't seem to understand the pain that we are going through and its hard to discribe to it them try to have a warm relaxing bath with some radian B it helps to ease the edge of pain for a while

[punkrockchick]

I have a very difficult GP just won't listen I'm even in despair with the chronic pain I just have to wait until May to see specialist at pain clinic my mum says how can folk u supposed to help just leave in agony I'm taking this further when I do see Aberdeen most of the docs here in my town shouldn't be gps KEZA xx

[glo100]

hi there duc I to have fibromyalgia hd it for nearly 2 years now the first doc I saw was a complete waste of time just gvin me painkillers never listenin to wat I hd to say so I saw another doc who put me on dyro codine which I take 4 times aday plus 2 paracetmols which ds ease it off abit plus movat cream to rub on im starting physio nx week plus I go hosp for an hour at a time who gv me loads of imfo wher to pick up thgs like for openin thgs and so on I hv to use a bath lift now cs the pain is al over sleep I dnt no wat sleep is get refered to any hosp appointments u can get duc docs either cnt b botherd or nv listen but keep trying duc let me no how u go on take care glo100 x

[Hidden]

I was only diagnosed last month, but had terrible pain since last October. I had tested positive in the antibody test which has made me really anxious waiting nearly 3 weeks for some clarification. Finally saw the rheumatologist yesterday, he can't explain the positive result but the further tests for Lupus appeared ok, but he wants to repeat them every 6 months. Now I guess I've got to put that out of my head and just concentrate on it being Fibromyalgia. I'm only taking 50mg of amitriptyline for it with a couple of codeine as and when I need it. Does this sound familiar?

[bluebell99]

For some reason, paracetamol taken with codeine is more effective than taking either alone. The hospital recommend this for people who are finding it difficult to control pain.

Though remember, no more that 8 paracetamol in 24 hours.

I think if you buy co-codamol or Solpadeine they are made of the same combination, although in different strengths. It may help to tide you over until your appointment.

[Huskymamma68]

I have the same issues as my GP refuses to prescribe any decent pain relief !