How to explain this to my GP?

[WhoTookTheCookie]

Recently my joint and bone pain has been getting worse and worse.

I'm in agony 24/7 - especially now the weather is cold and damp.
My GP prescribes me Hydrocodone and Co-Codamol to take for the pain but only gives me one weeks worth of both at a time.

Usually, that prescription is enough to tide me over for a couple of months - taking the tablets only when absolutely necessary and managing the rest of the time.

Now, I've gone through the prescription in just over a week. I'm in bits.
The medication still works as it should but the periods between are so painful that I'm counting down until I can take my next dose.
I can't pace the tablets as I could before and paracetamol/ibuprofen are having very little effect on the breakthrough pains that I experience.

I've tried different methods of pain relief and maintain a routine (TENS machine, heat/ice, gentle exercise, yoga, stretching, acupuncture, physio...) as I could feel my body becoming tighter and the pain more extreme but none of them really touch it.

Now, I don't want my GP to think I'm drug seeking (far from it, I really do try to maintain the alternative methods of pain relief as I'm not sure where else I can go if the painkillers stop working) but I'm struggling to function.

I have a young DD who I cannot run after now, because my body feels so sore. I can't pick her up or even sit on the floor to colour with her. Trying to take her to the park ends with me in tears.

How best am I to explain this? I don't want to be fobbed off but I don't want to come across as pushing for drugs.
Goodness, the problems of chronic pain

You explain it as you just have above

Ask to be referred to the nearest Pain Clinic. They are more up to date than the average GP.

Why only 1 week of painkillers at a time? What is the underlying cause of your joint pain & can that be treated or the pain reduced with other means? What is the prognosis for your condition, do most people end up on very strong painkillers etc.?

Have you been diagnosed with anything?
If not ask for a rheumatology referral.

I have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my hip joints and am waiting for more tests with regards to possibly having AS.
Obviously, there's no cure for osteoarthritis so the GP is concerned with just keeping the symptoms at bay.
I've been on the pain meds for roughly 3 years now and this is the combination that really works for me (or has done up until now.)
I'm not entirely sure why the GP only prescribes one weeks worth at a time, I think it may be because I was managing fine (especially through the summer months) with that amount of tablets and she's very wary about prescribing opioids anyway in non-cancer sufferers.

@DontScareOscarPistorius I don't think there'd be enough time, although it's tempting to just show the doctor my OP.

@HobNobcentral still waiting for another pain clinic referral. 16 weeks and counting.