The only disservice we do to ourselves is not advocating for ourselves. We are the patients that no Dr wants. Because we have a complex process going on and most Dr's don't know what to do with us. So we get ping ponged from Dr to Dr. They honestly don't know what to do with us or deal with the issues that come with medically managing a person with FM. Please keep track of your meds and if you can't discuss your issues openly with your practitioner you can't possibly receive the best care. Honesty and communication between patient and practitioner is a must.

I'm open and honest with my doctor and I feel like I can say, hey I've been on such and such for so long is there an alternative? Doctors aren't perfect and don't know everything so it is important to be proactive in your care. My doctor knows that my Fentanyl patches is not negotiable, it saved my life and so he doesn't ever talk about changing that. But when the muscle relaxer I was on for years wasn't working, we talked about it and he tried something that has been a huge energy booster for me.

Good question M..not sure there is an clean cut answer. If you do research you find that cutting back on opiate scrips has done nothing for todays drug problem and we that need them are the ones that pay the price. Heroin and fentynal are the major drug issues not our pain meds. Don t understand why they need to take our meds away when they arnt the problem.

I've given up going to my G.P. With Fibro symptoms, I manage the condition myself with minimal medication. I've discovered my system is far too delicate to handle strong medications. Unfortunately in the UK we don't have the option to swap and change our medical team, it's a post code lottery we get what were given. my G.P. Understands my arthritis and vit D defficiency but just doesn't get fibro, I get the feeling he feels as frustrated as I do, he has run out of specialist consultants to refer me to, I've seen them all.

Having to be heavily medicated for the pain many years ago I am not on any meds now and rely on home remedies for my discomfort. I have educated myself since none of my doctors do s*%t. I have one fibro doctors and he just wants to pick me 50+ times with trigger point injections and they do help a little. I have yet to find a doctor who knows as much as I do about FM and they all give me the boot because I`m constantly challenging them. Just trying to be my own advocate here and I get a kick in the behind when I have to deal with the medical community here. I`m thankful for my own education with Fibro and I can make my own decisions. Do any of you ever feel like I do