Bless you all for being so supportive! Such great people !

It is frustrating. And it’s true, doctors will not prescribe opiates for fibromyalgia, since fibromyalgia pain is caused from issues with pain receptors. I’m sorry that you are in so much pain and are not able to find relief. The pain feels very physical, and some is brought on from the result of not being able to move around as easily and walk which brings some relief.
When I was originally diagnosed with fibromyalgia (around 1993) the rheumatologist told me that there were no medications that could relieve the pain, that the muscles were contracting and not relaxing, similar to a rubber band being wound tight and not released. I was told that exercise was the best option and that I was to walk around the block once a few times each week and when I got the stamina needed then increase to walking twice around the block and overtime the walking would become routine and allow for more normal excercise levels. I found relief and was in less pain. The endorphins released and the muscles being stretched eased the feeling of pain and improved my quality of life. I don’t know your current situation and other diagnosis that might be causing pain on top of your fibromyalgia, but I do hope this information is helpful to you. It is a constant battle to stay motivated and exercise as needed. For me movement is key to experience relief.

In Britain we have NICE national institute of health care excellence. They do research and then outline what treatments work sufficiently for doctors to use. Especially expensive medication. They say Opiates don’t work. When I was on Morphine every appointment about pain focussed on me coming off Morphine and having CBT which I had had and had not worked for me. It does help many people. I was on Morphine, Gabapentine, Venlafaxine, at high doses. I was suicidal at the time. For about nine years I more or less slept which I was happy to do. When I came off all medication I regained my mind. Worse thing about Morphine was the constipation. I tried all sorts to stop this but to no avail. I could not go for days and had to empty my bowel by hand. Sorry. It was awful. Fentanyl is separate to Morphine it is one of the strongest pain killers. I tried patches but they would not stay on. I had three day patches my body would absorb all the medication in two days on the third day I went into withdrawal. Nobody believed me. Despite what I was told I thought Morphine did reduce my pain, and I gave me a high feeling which helped. Like everything your body get used to it. When this happens they say your mind wants more opiate so it sends out more pain messages, So you in turn increase your dose of Morphine. Things like massage, and acupuncture are suggested by NICE, Paracetamol, or the American equivalent beginning with T. Yet our health service does not provide things like Acupuncture long term. So it’s a catch 22.

I am on a very low dosage of hydromorphine for my postherpetic neuralgia which is excruciating pain. I try not to take it very often as I don't want to be come addicted to it. I am on Lyrica 2-3 times a day which helps me most of the time.