To be annoyed doctors won't prescribe anything for fibromyalgia and arthritic pains?

[KingKhazi]

I have fibromyalgia and "mild" arthritis in both hips. I'm 36. I recently went to the doctors for some sort of painkillers as OTC stuff isn't helping any more.
I was told they won't prescribe anything stronger for my arthritis as its only going to get worse and they don't think I need anything stronger yet.
Also won't for fibro as its not real pain. It's my nerve endings being hyperactive. I do understand fibro and know its my brain telling me its painful when it isn't.

I was prescribed yoga and meditation . Yes I'm sure they would help but not when I'm in so much pain I'm crawling up the stairs and struggling to drive. It's my hips more than the fibro that I want pain relief for.

I took cocodamol for a year for my arthritic knee. Didn't really help. What does help is 3 miles a day walking.
I have been tempted to try yoga for my hip pain as I've heard good things.
I find if I'm immobile during the day I'm in more pain.
I also am fortunate that I still have most of my mobility.
My doc told me the best thing he could suggest was paracetamol and ibuprofen together for a fortnight. Might as well had smarties.
Most docs run pain management clinics. Maybe worth a try.

Unfortunately, there isn't any effective long term analgesia. The Pain Clinic can probably work through this with you, as it's a huge and scary thing to understand at first, though it gets better.

I found this very useful to start getting my head round long term pain: https://www.painscience.com/articles/pain-is-weird.php

They are not the local drugs dealer FFS!!!

Ask to be referred to the nhs pain clinic. A training program (apparently quite effective) to reduce your brains perception of pain

Rheumatology referral is the next step.

I can also recommend far infrared sauna. You can buy them quite cheaply now. A dose of deep heat in the morning really helps.

You might also find a pain physio helpful.

If your pain is impacting you to the point you can't drive and struggle to walk up stairs then yoga and meditation aren't going to do much.

The theory behind them is more that they are long term impact - if you can do some yoga every day it will improve your flexibility and strength which will make the pain episodes less frequent. It won't help in the middle of a flare of pain,

Equally, with meditation, the aim is that by doing a bit every day it becomes something you can use when the pain is bad to help deal with it. If you just try to do it in the middle of a pain flare it'll be very difficult and in fact most of the advice is that when you are in a lot of pain is a bad time to start meditating because it's hard to clear your mind.

Pain killers can work long term (my accident was 9 years ago and they are still effective for me) however I use an SSRI for the nerve pain.

A pain physio will talk you through the boom and bust cycle which is a big issue with fibro - basically if you do too much you then get a pain flare which leaves you in bed and unable to do anything due to the pain. The best solution is to try to keep tabs on how much you are doing so you don't over do it and end up in a flare.

I am the same, GP just said to take paracetamol for the pain. (It just does not cut it) Its getting really bad now and all my fingers are deformed. I have pain in every joint and crack when I move.

This.

@KingKhazi I have fibro (and M.E and JHS) and I’m on amitriptyline and celecobix, I can’t function without them.

This is decent advice although appreciate it isn't always easy to get a referral.

Amitriptyline and celecoxib aren’t addictive.

I mean celcoxib not celecobix!

My dd has RA which started off as JIA and also has fibro. She sees a rheumatologist who interestingly can't prescribe pain killers for her, she has to see her gp for that. She has been on various biologics but they didn't help her so currently, for her chronic pain she is on paracetamol, ibuprofen and is about to start on Duloxitine. She was taking Gabapentin but she was having very bad nightmares and hallucinations from it.
I would suggest, if you haven't seen one already, getting referred to your local rheumatologist as arthritis can damage your joints and make things worse in the long term. Yours might be able to suggest medication that can help, and contact your gp with this information and you may be able to get some medication that way.
It frustrates me that people are made to deal with chronic pain without proper medication. I'm sure things like yoga etc will help in the long term, but only if you have help with managing the pain.

I have fibro and sadly no medication works for me. I am on duloxetine anyway for anxiety but again it doesn't seem to make any difference to the fibro. As others have said ask for a consultation with the rheumatologist that diagnosed you regarding pain management.

‘or tell them you will (report them) if they don't prescribe you what you want.’ ‘They are there to serve you’
God help your GP

You need to see a rheumatologist if you haven't as that sounds like RA.

I have just been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and the dr refused to give me any pain meds only ibuprofen gel, they say the guidelines are not to prescribe pain killers now! I have been really struggling to sleep as in so much pain

cannot even get a Dr apt for another problem I have so there is no chance of that, I have been trying for months

This is the advice she was given and is not happy about it.

To be diagnosed you must have seen a rheumatologist? Can you contact the clinic and ask to make an appointment? I briefly worked on a rheum clinic and every patient diagnosed remained on the patient lists even if not seen for regular follow ups, so you may be able to go to them directly as you have a diagnosis. If not, request a re-referral from your GP, though they can refuse if they feel other avenues should be explored first, but its a case of keep trying.

Ask for a Rheumatology referral. I have fibro and psoriatic arthritis and am under Rheumy care - I take amitriptyline and codeine for the pain and sulfasalazine is my Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drug (DMARD).

You don't say what type of arthritis you have, but if you have an inflammatory arthritis, you should be offered DMARDs to manage it, or a biologic if needed. You need a Rheumy for that.

If you have osteoarthritis, a Rheumy would still be beneficial for advice on your fibro. Also ask about a pain clinic referral.

I was given amitriptyline for mine. It didn't help though so I'm no longer prescribed it.

It only works for fibro in a relatively small percentage of people apparently.

I have fibro, M.E. and RA. I e had them for a long time. I take duloxetine, gabapentin, naproxen, high dose cocodamol, vitD and regular vitB12 injections. I couldn't function without them. Sometimes, I can't function with them but they make a huge difference to my quality of life.
I supplement with magnesium and, when neuropathic pain is really bad, I use a CBD massage bar which helps.

Yoga does help, even if you can only manage a few minutes a day. Stretching is good for both muscles and joints. On YouTube there are loads of yoga videos. I like Yoga with Cassandra, she is very good and has sessions for all ability levels that last from 5 - 90 minutes.

@sleepismyhobby my doc told me to feel free to try the gel but as osteoarthritis is bone and cartilage related it won't make a lot of difference as the gel is best for muscles.

@Rowgtfc72 ** i said that to the dr as I'm a nurse and she said that was the new guidelines? My dr is pretty crap in all honesty she's put everything down to the menopause ! She's retiring next week so will try a another dr

This isn’t strictly relevant to your diagnoses, but my Mum had bad rheumatoid arthritis and found that hydrotherapy really helped, she was literally a different person for a few days after a session. She also practiced meditation.