That's horrible!! No one should have to suffer like that! I would look for a pain specialist or rheumatologist, someone who specilizes in that type of pain. Maybe even a neurologist might be able to help. I know before my primary would comletely accept the diagnosis of fibro he sent me to  rheumy for testing and my primary also ran a gamut of blood work before sending me there to make sure it wasn't something else. Also if you were diagnosed that long ago, who knows it could be something else going on besides just the fibro. You may have to search and contact a fibro assoc. to steer you to someone who can really run the battery of tests and determine what exactly is going on. So often we are accused of being drug seekers when all we want is relief!

I use a fentanyl patch, cymbalta and oxycodone for break thru pain. This doesn't make the pain go away totally but at least it gets me to where I can still function. I recently started seeing  neurologist for neuropathy and she is finding that my muscles and nerves don't respond like they should and she is digging to find out what exactly the problem is, that's what a good doc should be doing, not dismissing your pain. If you are having back issues you may need to see an orthopedist, maybe they will give you something for the back pain. It doesn't matter who gives you the pain meds as long as you get some relief.

You also wouldn't be the first one to have to leave their job because of pain related to fibro. Some people are even able to apply for and get disability because of it. We just have to push to get what we need and not let the docs dismiss us. If I can help with anything or you have other questions I'm glad to help if I can. Good luck, you deserve to be treated better!

I'm with Missy on that, unfortunatly it seems the older I get the worse the fibro gets! I'm like you guys pain 24/7, I take narcotic pain meds but it still hurts all the time. They help enough so I can get around but still hurt! At least you aren't alone!

12 years ago, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia . I use to have good days and bad days. For the past few years, no more good days. I hurt all the time. I wake up in pain, and I go to bed in pain. I'm worried that it could be something else. For those of you with fibromyalgia, did your pain progress the same way and now you have pain 24/7?

Thanks,
~Amy~

You really need to contact your surgeon to see about the malabsorbtion issue, he would have a better idea of how that would work. I do know it depends on the meds and how your particular body reacts to the surgery. You might also post this on the RNY forum they may be able to tell you more. As to the surgery helping the fibro, sorry to say the general concensus here is that no, it doesn't help the fibro at all for most of us, however just ridding your body of the excess weight can help some of the pains that may be just from the weight. A very few say the surgery has helped but not many. Most of us need to continue to take our meds so you might also check with your pharmacist to see if they know anything about the malabsorbtion issue, some are quite knowledgable and others not so much. And just to make things worse once in awhile the surgery itself will cause a fibro flare just from the surgical trauma.

Now that I've rained all over your parade remember this, the surgery has to help just in general and will help make your new life far better than it is now. Even if you are still in pain you will be hauling less weight around and life should be easier in other aspects so it is still very worthwhile to have!!! Best of luck to you, you'll do just great and lose so much more than you ever did with your band!!!

Thank you Dorthe.  I'm glad you got your SS disability approved.  I had a Dr suggest this to me when I was first diagnosed with FMS and Chrons and thought, "Oh no, I might get better and would want to go back to work."  You know how we always hope things will get better.  That hope is one of the things that keeps me positive.  I did think of something I say to my husband that may help.  I tell him how much I love him and appreciate that he loves me as I am.  I remember when first diagnosed and researched what I was up against it was devasting.  I did cry and went through a period of apologizing for no longer being able to help financially and not being able to do as much as I always had. A good example is housework and cooking.  It comes in spells when I have better days.  On really bad days we eat out or pick up food to bring home.  I'm presently tired so have to pick myself up each day.  I don't talk much about the FMS anymore.  It's just a matter of fact in this house.  I'd hire a housekeeper to come in once a week if we could afford it.   I went to bed at 10:00 and then woke up an hour ago not able to go back to sleep.  This is part of my FMS issue.