Help addict with fibromyalgia

[Jdyhelp]

I have been taking a variety of pain meds for my chronic pain. I want to stop! My doc says tapering will take a year, I did 2 tapers each one I went through withdrawals. It seems as though cold turkey is better than a year of agony. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am also concerned about my chronic pain, what do I do about that?

[Rich99]

I also have fibro and thats how I got addicted to benzos and ambien but have been free of it for a year and a half.      My way of keeping things more under control is to avoid anxiety and stress at all costs.    That is the worst thing that can aggravate the symptoms.     Sleep is also vital to keep it more under control.     Sure the pain will be rough,   but the stress and lack of sleep make it much worse.

[kathyshugg]

I understand where you are coming from.  Cold turkey can be very dangerous, sometimes even lethal.  Please listen to your doc.  There are meds that will help with withdrawl symptoms (Suboxone, etc).  There is no reason to have severe withdrawals.  If you are tapering and you are going thru severe anxiety, ask your doc for something to help with the anxiety.  The anxiety is normal. You seem to be physically and mentally addicted, which is hard.  You can do it though.  My ex-husband did it cold-turkey, and he thought he was in withdrawal for many months after, and he wasn't.  He was just craving the pain meds.  You will be out of withdrawal, if you even get to withdrawal, sooner than you think.  

As far as your chronic pain, I don't know where your pain is.  Are you seeing a pain management specialist or anything?  There are a variety of options to help with the pain that don't include pain meds.  I myself am going to have nerve burning on my neck done in about 2 hours to see if it will help my headaches.  I have been off/on pain meds for almost 6 years, so I understand the fear that even tho the pain meds don't really work, if I am off them, how much pain will I have to endure?  I have migraines, three other types of headaches that were diagnosed in addition to migraines, 4 neck discs arthritic and/or bulging and fibromyalgia.  I understand pain. I am tired of the pain myself.

I wish you well, please don't give up.  Listen to your doc and see if your doc will prescribe Suboxone or something similar to lessen your withdrawal symptoms when they occur.  Maybe an antidepressant will help if you are not already on one.  Although I would bet you have been prescribed everything under the sun to help your pain.  I have.  Let us know how things turn out will you?

K