The anti inflammatory diclofenac slow release and painkillers work really well. 75mg diclofenac one or twice a day.

Kay, I couldn't agree with you more! I am so tired of having my medications so tightly regulated and controlled by the DEA that I sometimes feel like a criminal when picking up my prescriptions! Even though researchers and doctors have long known that people with chronic pain issues do not "get high" when taking opioids to relieve their pain we are still being stigmatized because of the illegal actions of others. God forbid that I ask to refill my prescription a day early because it is more convenient to do all of my errands in the same afternoon. Oh Hell no...I have to wait until the next day before I can pick it up because the DEA says that I cannot have more than the "allowed" number of tablets in a 30-day period! Never mind that on many days just getting out of bed is a big accomplishment.

its not that they don't help, they just don't work to their full effect,..

I completely agree with you! I have to take to different pain meds everyday because of my chronic pelvic pain, but it is the only thing that helps my fibro pain as well, I have taken everything along with changing my food life style and completely quiting smoking and drinking 8 years ago 2 years after my hell began. I didn't smoke or drink a lot but I just wanted to be completely rid of them! I believe I don't suffer as much as others who aren't able to take pain meds and I am so grateful for them because i'm raising young kids and I already miss out on a lot but I couldn't even imagine being completely bedridden. Now I am not willing to continue to up my dose of the meds anymore so I to deal with tolerance but I figure nothing will fully take away my pain so I just put lots of limitations or should I say I learned my limitations and I give myself permission to rest. I do not plan on being on meds everyday for the rest of my life, I want to raise my kids fully then since I do not work I will be able to get off my meds and only take them as needed, I will be able to take care of myself a lot more because I will have the time and energy , Right now my focus and energy is for  my children and husband and being as present as I can! I think it is devastating that doc are taking away pain relief and making these people suffer. I just can't believe it I understand there is a chance of addiction but honestly thats no reason for someone to live in such pain they can't even function. A good pain management dr. have all the tools to screen and hold there patients accountable. I get drug tested every 6 months , everyone in the office does and I do not mind one bit because I am clean from all drugs or meds that aren't prescribed . I really prey that the Dr. stop looking to the chronic pain patients to cut out these meds, they need to be screening more and cutting out the people who are seeking and Dr. shopping. They have the technology to monitor now, so do it, don't make us suffer because others are abusing. I'm sorry to those who aren't being properly medicated. I understand not everyone needs narcotics and that great for those who don't but for those who do please don't ever feel guilty for taking pain meds, for me its like me taking my thyroid meds. My Cognitive Dr. who I saw , who specialized in pain management is the one who told me that because I use to feel so guilty and bad for having to take them. Please don't beat yourself up and if you have Dr. who is saying they won't work for you and you no they do please find a Dr. who will listen preferably a reputable pain management Dr. , stay away from clinics and find a nice Pain Management office! I hope everyone gets the help they need whatever that may be because everyones situations are different! You can find me on... Instagram at DanysBeautyFullife...
Peace & Love,
Danielle Marie

Kay and others, you are so right! I could not work or function just doing everyday tasks without the pain meds. And the difficulty now in trying to get them now is such an injustice. Thank you all for addressing this so eloquently!
Liz

No, opiods are not the panacea we might like -- but those who say opiates "don't work" must weigh the benefits next to the other medications approved for fibromyalgia - Lyrica, gabapentins, etc. all of which provide a very limited amount of relief in a limited number of patients (I don't have the studies in front of me so check the literature, but 40% of 40% is not far from the mark here).
As for the fact that patients will always build up a tolerance with long-term opioid use - the answer is to take time off from the drugs, even a couple of days makes a difference - which I do regularly with my doctor's support. (If I lived in a state where medical marijuana were available, I think that is a good alternative and/or something to help through the days of no opiates--the actor/producer Morgan Freeman, who has fibromyalgia & lives in California, has recently said it is the only thing that gives him relief.)

There is a strong movement against pain medications because of abuse -- however, is it less abuse than alcohol or other substances in our society? That is not a reason to restrict pain medications to people who legitimately need them -- when even people who are in hospice and dying, or cancer patitents are afraid of becoming "addicted" you know that we do not have a realistic relationship, as a society, to one of the best pain relief medications ever discovered -- and which has far fewer side effects than drugs such as Lyrica.

I am excited by the recent research, and articles like these, about fibromyalgia being a central nervous system disorder, give hope. I have hope that there may be a cure - &/or effective palliative treatments - in the next 25 years. In the meanwhile, those of us living with the disease must find the right combination of treatments that allow us quality of life, & be proactive participants in our health care. The value of an article like this is it recognizes fibromyalgia as a legitimate diagnosis, so we can get past the ridiculous phase where sufferers were told it was all in our heads.

Because I have fibromyalgia, I still experience days where nothing touches the pain. Like anyone living with a chronic disease/disorder, I have had to learn to adjust, and to accept that I am not the same and cannot do all the same things I did before becoming ill. For now, I am grateful for the relief that opioids, in conjunction with yoga, walking, meditation, and a good diet allow me to "manage" living with fibromyalgia on most days -- prior to the doctor who put me on this regimen, I spent 75% of my time in bed, barely able to move due to the pain, stiffness, and sleep deprivation caused by fibromyalgia. For someone who lives with pain at a 10 most of the time, opiates give me windows at a 5 and, occasionally, a wonderful 4. Until there is something else that can do that, I will continue to support opiate use for those fibro patients for whom it makes a difference.

I couldn't agree with you more on that subject. When I went to see a new doctor the first thing the told me was you're not trying to get pain meds are you because this doctor does not give them.