My girlfriend has bad pain from fibro..Do narcodic drugs like vicodin, percosette, morphine, oxycontin, or codine work for pain?..She says she needs narcodics for pain because all the other drugs dont seem to work, but her Dr wont Rx them..Any help would be appreciated

Most docs do not recommend narcotics for FM. I agree. Yes the pain can be that bad at times but it has been studied and they find that other meds and treatments work either better or about the same as narcotics.
I was on Vicodin and then Duragesic patches and neither helped the pain. It was always there.
I can understand her despiration though.

Current thinking is to NOT use opiates for Fibro. The seminar I attended did say that Ultram (tramadol) may be tried, or Flexeril at bedtime.

The researcher, Dr. Clauw, that I heard, was just excellent. I have a post here with the highlights of his lecture.

He said that tests showed that the receptors were mostly full with endorphins that the body makes (people with Fibro make more than average people)..and that narcotics fail because of this.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...highlight=mrsd

I use Tramadol, but only if I really have to. It takes the edge off the pain. Living w/FM for me is trying to get used to pain. I don't think anyone ever really does, and some days are definitely worse than others.

Every day, I am reminded that I have FM.

Right now, w/the weather so up and down, it's really flaring!

PS: Thanks for the link, mrsd.

I agree, narcotic's are not the answer. I too was on Ultram/Tramadol. But unfortunately I've developed an allergy to it so can't take it anymore. But the best advice I can give is to help her to realise that there is a certain amount of the fibro pain that we can force ourselves to deal with. And after awhile our tollerance increases. Hard to believe. Yes there is still pain, but we deal with it and try to just get through each day. For those days when the pain's the worst, I try to use the rice socks to ease the trigger points. A rice sock is just as it says. Take a tube sock and fill it with uncooked regular rice(not instant). Tie off the end and put in microwave for a couple minutes, heat to a bareable temp and place on area which is in most pain. I do that off and on every hour till the pain starts to subside to a bareable amount. I usually have 3 of them ready at all times just incase the pains' not localized. They last for repeated uses and alot cheaper than buying the heat patches.

Best of luck.
Sara

Sara, I use them too! They are awsome!

errased my message.

Wendy,

Aren't they!!! People can take most anything from me and I won't complain, but touch my rice socks and your cruzin for a bruzin. It was one of the first pieces of advice I ever got when I was first dx'ed with fibro from an old aol fibro support group. And it's the first thing I share with others going through it.

Sara

hi i am taking pain meds for my fms/mps. I've had it for 10 yrs.or so. been on meds about 4-5 yrs. They have helped me tremendously,but i think taking these meds is an individual decision. they work for some and not for others,it also depends on your level of pain tolerance and how well you can function in your daily life. aside from narcotics i would try something for sleep that is very important for keeping the fm at bay and exercise if you can. fm and mps are very individual disorders it seems no two people have it exactly the same. there are also herbals and minerals and vitimins that can be used that work for some. good luck!!

Anne,
You are absolutely correct. No two people have FM in the same way. What works for one may not work for another.
Unfortunately, docs have the no narcotics stance with FM right now. While I refuse to be a guinea pig for pharma companies, I hope they come out with a pain med for FM that is effective and non-narcotic.
Until then, we all must do what we can to live through the days.

As for the rice/corn bags...I got mine off ebay. A lady makes them and you can choose the fabric and the type. I have one for my neck and shoulder area, but she also makes ones for other areas. Just look up corn bags in the search. They make great gifts and are very inexpensive.