PAIN MEDICATION

[catwoman64]

I HAVE READ THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE HERE ARE CUTTING DOWN OR TRYING TO GET OFF  THE PAIN MEDICATION........ WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR ALL THE PAIN THAT YOU WERE IN?  I DONT LIKE TAKING PAIN PILLS EITHER BUT AS LONG AS MY PAIN IS AS BAD AS IT IS , WELL I'LL BE ON PAIN MEDICATION THE REST OF  MY LIFE AS LONG AS THE DOCTOR GIVES IT TO ME.  I REALLY DONT WANT TO BE BUT I WILL.... AS LONG AS THE PAIN IS THERE.
JUST WONDERING... CAUSE IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I DONT KNOW ABOUT ..  I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW!  :)   ANY INFO APPRECIATED! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !    THANKS.... CATWOMAN

[tia77]

I'm really scared about the LP.  I don't recall being sick.  The only thing I can recall is right before christmas I was feeling a little more tired.  I thought it was my pvc and pac acting up.  I keep telling the cardiologist that when the pvc's were happing I was feeling tiered and sick.  She kind of didn't say much about it.  I think maybe when I was feeling down I was just noticing the skipped beats more and blaming it on that.  I didn't have a fever or anything that I can recall.  Only in February when all this muscle and chest pain started.  Thanks for the support.  It always helps to be able to chat.  Hope all is well with you.  

[VaBreeze]

I'm so sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time and have to wait so long.  That is very frustrating and causes a lot of anxiety not knowing.  I know it's scary, but it's good that they are doing the lumbar puncture...this way they can check for the infection of CNS Lupus to insure they are giving the correct dx.

Do you recall being sick in the past few months?  Like the flu or anything?  It's unfortunate that most who have FMS or CFS go on to develop another illness, before any sort of treatment begins.  Treatment should start early to prevent it becoming more serious...this won't happen until they accept we are suffering from a real disease and find out what is causing it.

I hope your testing goes well and please keep in touch.

[tia77]

Hi guys I forgot to tell you that the doctor also said the bloodwork also indicated that i just had Ebstien Barr.  She said within the last few months or so.  I asked if my symptoms could be related and she did not feel the symptoms fit.  Maybe just the fatigue but that is it.  Just wanted to give you that bit of info.  

[tia77]

Hi I'm back now i'm even more scared than before.  If that is possible.  I went to the rhemy and with the blood work I still have a positive ana and 1:640H in the antinuclear blood work.  If you remember I have some spots on my mri.  She said they want a Lumbar puncture.  The neuro guy talked to her and they are thinking it might be CNS Lupus.  Even if I get the LP it still could come up negative.  She said the drugs they give are very "toxic" and she wants to be sure before she would give them to me.  I am about freeking out now.  Thats the worse lupus you can have.  I have to go next week to get the blood work and the neuro is going to see me to sign papers for the LP but now I don't get to see the rhemy for another 7 weeks.  I think that is horrible to make someone wait that long for results if she gets them in before that.  I am scared to death about the LP.  Sorry to go on about this but as you know from passed posts I am a little anxious about all of this medical stuff that is happening to me.  I worked very hard today and it didn't seem to stop me but I think I do that to keep my mind off off things.  I hope you are all feeling good and have a nice day tomorow.  I will let you know after I know anything.  Thanks guys

[VaBreeze]

You're welcome.  Keep in touch and you have a great weekend too.

[nariah]

I READ YOUR NOTE ABOUT PAIN MEDICATION. IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT THAT WE ARE BOUND TO EXTERNAL MEDICATIONS TO FEEL HALF AS WELL AS OTHERS.  HOWEVER, THE INVASIVE NATURE OF FMS/CMS DOSENT LEAVE US ANY CHOICE.  AS THE OTHERS HAVE SAID, FIND THE MEDS THAT WORK BEST FOR YOU. FIND THE LOWEST DOSAGE THAT YOU CAN TOLERATE. THE REST IS TAKEN CARE OF BY A CONTROLED ENVIROMENT AND DETERMINATION TO HAVE A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT.  FMS/CMS TOUGHT  ME TO SAY, 'MY PEACE IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.'    BE AT PEACE.

[tia77]

Thanks again for your input.  As you can tell I have issues with taking meds.  I've been this way for a while.  I have alway hated taking any kind of medicine.  I know what I'm supposed to do but it's just this thing in my head.  I am going to take the xannax tonight because I have the retina specialist tomorow moring and I need a good night sleep tonight.  I hate when it's raining out it makes my body ache more.  I'll let you know at the end of the week what the eye specialist, neuro and rhemy have to say by the end of the week.  I have all those this week.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  

[VaBreeze]

We have talked many times about sleep issues both with FMS and CFS.  Sleeping disorders seem to be one of the most prominent symptoms and it takes working with a physician and different medications to find the right one to help.

I take both Xanax and Tramadol for sleeping.  The Xanax makes me relaxed and helps with the RLS; the Tramadol allows me to sleep through PLMD.  

Any pain medication can cause sweating as a side-effect.  Yes, it can be addictive, but it is less so than other opiad type medications.  I don't like taking it either, but it seems to dull the pain enough to allow me to function.

[tia77]

Thanks for the advice.  I know the one thing that actually helps my sleep is xannax.  I would really like to take it but I know it is adictive.  I took it last year after my heart procedure for two months and it was the best sleep I have had in about 2 or 3 years.  I have had to take it 4 times in the last 4 weeks due to some major anxiety and again I finally could sleep.  I still had pain but I think I just relaxed enough and maybe it did help with the muscle spasms.  As far as when I took the ultram I did feel like I was having the hot flashes/ night sweats I get but it was worse and the "coffee" effect was something I wasn't expecting.  I have been going through some rough pain days and havn't really gotten anything resolved with the neurologist/rhemy/or the retnia specialist.  I think all of this plus not sleeping well is getting to me.  The only thing that has been good is the exersize I have been able to get in with the nice weather in PA.  As far as the ultram she only told me to take it as needed but then gave me a rx for 120 pills.  Isn't ultram adictive also?  

[catwoman64]

maybe it was just me and my system but when i first started taking ultram back in 2000 or 2001 i didnt think that it was working either and i stopped taking it and told the doctor so he didnt prescribe no more and nothing else either but i was telling a friend shortly after that about the ultram not working and wish that it did cause of my pain and she asked me ... well did u take it for at least 2 weeks?  and i said no cause it wasnt doing anything.  and she told me that it took 2 weeks to get into her system and she started feeliong alot better so i toldthe doctor i wnated to try it again and i did for two weeks and it did work... worked really well ! ! ! ! !   you may be different but i would give it a try and take the amount he or she wants u to take ! ! ! !

good luck and take care!!!                     catwoman

[Caroline565]

Unfortunately, not all pain meds work for all of us. I use very little pain medication, but when I do, it is at bedtime. I have had luck with Darvocett but I use it sparingly. I normally cut them in half and take them only when the pain is bad enough to keep me from sleeping.

I understand there is a combo here of FMS and CFS patients. It seems that a lot of the fibro patients are taking pain meds but nothing to help improve their sleep. Or, is it they just don't mention it? That, I thought, was the first step in treating fibro. Improved sleep means you get more restorative sleep which leads to less pain. Pain (management) can be dealt with in different ways. The most effective I have found is regular exericise. (Many CFS patients have problem with exercise, not sure why) There are stetching exercises, massage therapy, physical therapy, myofascial release, and other things to help deal with the pain. With FMS/MPS, the less you move around the more you're going to hurt.

Tia, some of what you describe sounds like it could be a combo of hormones also. I can relate to what you describe because I often get that way. When I am very active to the point I am "overdoing" it, I have a hard time relaxing. It's like an adrenaline rush and even when I do finally get to sleep, I'm restless and often wake up several times. The next day, I'm really out of sorts. Even though I do take a med to help me sleep, these times still occur. Fortunately, I no longer work so I can sleep whenever.

[tia77]

Just tried 1/2 a 50 mg of the ultram on Sunday evening at 8 thinking it would make me tired.  It did not take the pain away at all but I didn't take the 50 only half.  I was having hot flashes all night and felt like I had 20 cups of coffee.  I finally fell asleep at 5 after it left my system.  Now I'm not sure what to do.  I've been having some dificulty with pain and have not been able to control it.  I don't see my rhemy till thursday of next week to see what if anything came back with the new blood work.  I am hoping everyone out there keeps trying to find something that make things tolorable.  I was really hoping the ultram would work.  Maybe if I keep trying it.  I didn't want to make this a everyday medicne .

[VaBreeze]

I had stopped my Ultram usage for about two mos., but recently went back on it.  It doesn't stop the pain, but makes it tolerable enough where I can do something.  I am mainly taking this for RSD, not fibro.

Are you taking the morphine strictly for FMS?  Most docs. won't give something like this for pain from FMS.  We are lucky to get tramadol.  I understand you got a refill, but are now faced with finding another physician who will treat you.  I wish you the best.  Withdrawal from this pain medication will be rough.  It may be best to begin tapering it down if you are trying to come off of it.  

There is no one way to treat this illness.  Most get good results from a multi-faceted approach involving different methods of treatment.  Everyone is a little different and what helps one may not help another.  I wish it were easier.

Take care.