Living with Fibro & Neuropathy
 

I have been living with fibromyalgia for 14 years yesterday all day an night long and this morning I have been in so much severe pain I am wanting to cry it hurts so bad nothing that I have tried has seemed to help I was at the doctors yesterday and he tried to give me something new and don't you know it is not covered on my insurance :mad: I am so tired of living in pain all the time an nothing seems to help touch it. I also live with neuropathy and I have the pain there what do I do? What will ease some of my pain? I would just like to relax but cannot does anyone else have these issues?

Hi Minnie,

I have these problems and I don't even have fibro! :( My wife has fibro (I have other chronic pain issues) and has found some relief/ways of coping with mindfulness meditation; she meditates for 20-30 minutes twice a day. She's pretty good when she can do her thing, and pretty bad when she can't/doesn't work it in.

I can't/won't make any promises (it doesn't work for me, for example) but if it can't hurt to try it, then it can't hurt to try it.

Another technique I've tried (with limited success) is biofeedback.

Have you been able to identify any triggers? Eliminating food triggers and making other lifestyle adjustments have been more effective than we thought.

What is it that your doctor prescribed that your insurance won't cover?

Doc

EDIT: This just in...
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post1051021-1.html

Reply Fibro & Neuropathy
 

Hello Dr Smith and thank you for your advice as far as food goes I can barley eat much of anything and not sure if it to deal with all the pain I am dealing with day in and out. I have not tried doing what you said that your wife does I guess it cannot hurt to try. Sorry that your living in pain an that you do not have fibromyalgia do you have neuropathy? Whatever it may be non stop severe pain it no fun what so ever usually I can tolerate pain but not as bad as I have now. I cannot remember the name of the new medicine that my insurance would not cover but it would not cover it because I am older than 18 never heard of so much silliness. I find when I do lay down a stretch out for a bit it helps a little not much but a little it is hard when you are a housewife as well and have to take care of things around the house. I hope and wish you some pain relief and it was nice to hear from you thanks again for the health tips.

Medications that are not covered past 18 yrs old, are typically stimulants. They are used for ADHD (ADD) in children, and adult use may require a prior authorization.

When you are denied this way, you should find out if a prior authorization by the doctor, is allowed. This then is evaluated and often allowed for special circumstances. Often this is done by phone or fax from the doctor's office. So call your insurance carrier for more details.

Hi Minnie,

I do have peripheral neuropathy (PN), and severe osteoarthritis OA), but the pain from those is overshadowed by the effects of the OA and degenerative disc disease (DDD). The discs near the top & bottom of my spine are pressing against nerves (stenosis), and in a couple of places there is so little disk material left as to leave bone-on-bone. The vertebrae in my neck have begun to autofuse, which is good in some ways—not so good in others. My doctors tell me I'm inoperable due to the severity of the arthritis.

I was going to say pretty much what MrsD said about getting prior approval—or override—with medical justification from your doctor for the medication. Exceptions can sometimes be made for insurance company R&Rs (I agree that many are inane—even stupid) but it takes a doctor who is willing to go to bat for his/her patients, knows how—and is willing to—play their game, and has the gumption.

If you haven't read/seen it yet, here's a book many chronic painees here (and everywhere) have read and recommended. It's free to download, and contains much useful information.

The Intractable Pain Patients Handbook for Survival

In looking for the above link (the previous link has expired) I also came across this:

More Evidence That Naltrexone Aids Fibromyalgia

Doc

I have received relief from acupuncture. It is actually the only thing that has helped me. I tried it when I was at a point of desperation. Good luck.

Those are great links - thanks!