Hi all hope you are all well, I have a question for you all and your answers or help will be gratefully received.

[KimLH]

I was diagnosed with FM 9 years ago and was given the normal medication Amitriptyline and pain killers, I am at present on 50mg at bedtime and Tramadol 50mg up to 3 times a day, both seem to now have very little effect and I find myself using Ibuprofen gel and doses of paracetamol during the day, I just wondered what any of you may be taking and if you find them effective as I am shortly to see my GP and Rheumatologist soon and if I could mention some options they may try a new approach, thanks in advance and Gentle (((((HUGS)))))

[Hidden]

I have 600mg Gabapentin 3 times a day, 2 x prescription strength co-codamol 3 times a day (less or more if I need it) and 40mg citalopram . For a while this worked but my doc has now put up the Gabapentin to 900mg 3 times a day. So far, apart from being a bit tired, I can't really see any affect on pain but my mood is a little better.

You can hear me rattling a mile away

Piggle hugs xxxxxx

[Homer]

Hi, I'm currently on 60mg of duloxatine and am getting on great with it, I take that in the morning, and soon to start amitryptalin at night A low dose for pain and sleep, duloxatine has been proved to help with fibro and joints etc

Regards nicki xxx

[Extremelygrumpy]

I take 75mg of dosulepin and 0.5 mg clonezapam at night have been for about a year now .. Have no trouble sleeping.. This suits me fine ... But after 20 years codyramol in the day as needed has stopped working altogether.. My new gp is unwilling to give me anything else to try so am coping badly on paracetamol until I get my appt with new dr. I have to change gps as my new one is also saying my nightly clonezapam has to go .... I don't think so .. This past year is the only time I have ever slept through the night. I have tried tramadol in the past it just gave me a head ache .. But as you can see from the replies we all find diferent things suit us...pity fibro isn't one tablet suits all

[yanto71]

The tramadol I take is a slow release one that I take in the morning and night. If I don't take any of my meds, too many too list lol, I certainly know about it so they must be doing something. I also take a herbal remedy called D-Ribose. It is naturally produced in the body, but not if you have fibro, to replace ATP an energy carrying molecule in the muscles. It helps with tiredness.

[NordicNavajo]

Hi

Pregabalin worked for about 6 months but I had a huge flare up and it stopped being effective after that. I had to work up to a dose that actually did anything gradually so to reduce the side effects (couldnt drive as couldnt see clearly at first). I am now on pain patches which are opiate based. they dont kill the pain, but they help me to ignore everything in life. Not quite like a zombie, but they stop me hanging from a tree! Looking into alternatives and hoping for hydrotherapy soon when gp can get funding sorted.

Good luck, stick at it and experiment. In the past I managed to kick the fibro for 10 months so I know it can be done.

Kind thoughts NN

[Hidden in reply to NordicNavajo]

Hi, could you tell me what dose of Pregablin you were on? I have just been started on a very low dose 75mg, I have noticed a slight difference, not as much background pain, but still having as much arthritis pain as normal. I'm not sure I should hope they may help that or not? I have got increase of the Pregablin up to 300mg, and see consultant again in 3 months. He has also referred me to OT, which includes hydrotherapy so I'm hoping that works out well.

[NordicNavajo in reply to Hidden]

Hi

I started on around the 75mg mark but it just scraped the surface on nerve pain. I was then prescribed approx the jump they have given you, but without any advice on how to safely get to a 300mg dose! I came off it for some 6 weeks as after making that jump in one hit i felt sick and lost clear vision intermittently. I then read up on how to safely increase the dose after having the pain return and wanting to reduce it. I slowly increased my dose over a couple of months and then got my vision and sickness improved, however for me the dose was increased to over 500mg to do the job and I was near the max dose when I came off them in May. I came off as after a right royal flare up the pills stopped wotking and the pain threshold was at the highest Ive experienced, but this was deffinately due to stressors NOT the tablets. I lost my job and my DLA tribunal was a sham. I decided as they were not able to cope with the flare up, and as I was on a very high dose by this time (recommended to take no more) I would come off them. They had however given some 6 months of reduced pain by this time. I have read many posts on here about folk who have been asked to move from pregabalin to gabapetin an older type of drug thats similar. The reasons for this are cost based and the GPs concerned have admitted it. I was given gabapetin years ago, and was vomiting continually on it, so be carefull to not swap unless it suits YOU not your GP. I have a hydrotherapy referral in now, and been waiting since May, but due to location and the postcode lottery I can not get my GP to fund it. I do know that if your fibro gives you nerve pain the hydro should help. The only pain relief I get now is from visiting a private spa. The gentle moving water is the right temperature and if I submerse up to shoulders it interrupts the pain signal and bingo I have NO bee stings over my body. Its a welcome rest!

Lots of hope and love to you NN Im now considering becoming a fish!

PS love the dawgie xxx

[Hidden]

I take Dulloxitine, lyrica (pregabolin) and amytriptyline. This doesn't take all of the pain away but it certainly helps. Jane x

[goldwing]

I take Oxycontin, they are slow release along with co codamol, amitriptyline (up to 100mg a night, depending on pain) I still have a lot of pain, because I dont like to take more than 50mg amitrip because I cant function or wake up the next day.

[SharonD]

Hi there sorry to say have tried lots of pain medication without any reall affect on the pain at all - so I use Traxam Gel to gently rub onto the joints and just lately have been trying Nuramol and feel this has made a slight improvement on my pain - I am on quinine for the cramps and clonazepam at night - I get between 3 and 4 hours sleep and have done so now for about 16 years - rest a lot durng the day - just dont know what else to try and ideas would be gratefully received. Thanks.

[Hidden]

Hiya Kim,

I take Tramadol, and Paracetamol, Amytryptiline, and Meloxicam, and recently started on Pregablin. I have arthritis as well the Meloxicam is more for that as it's an anti inflammotory, but I went to the GP feeling like my medication wasn't working really doing anything for me any more. He referred me to rheumatology who prescribed the Pregablin.

We do become accustomed to medication, and I think the only time I could be sure if things are working properly would be to stop all medication, and wait and see what happens.

[KimLH]

Thank you all so much for your response's to my question, I am sorry it has taken a while to get back to you all but have had a hectic few weeks followed by a bad few week's, I am sure you all know the cycle.

The information has been interesting reading it has given me some food for thought, I now have some info to go armed with to see my GP, will let you know how I get on, gentle hugs Kim x