don'tlikecold

First, I am NOT saying you are not in pain or it isn't that bad. I have had Fibro too for 3 years and take hydro for that and neuropathy.

But there are some things in your statements that confuse me. Have you been taking hydros around the clock for 2 years? You may not be psychologically addicted but could be physically dependent. This would be quite understandable because it would be a very rare person who would not get physically dependent after 2 years. Suddenly stopping this medication can result in rebound pain where the pain is intensified.

Then your comment to the doctor that your pain level is a 9. Do you agree that this is almost the worst pain that could ever be experienced? Again, I am not saying your pain was not that bad. But with various injuries, surgeries, kidney stones, etc, I know I can not work with a pain level at 9. During times when we do have pain, we attempt to convey that to a doctor but sometimes shoot ourselves in the foot. This MAY have made your doctor think the pain was not as bad as you said. With the climate today, doctors are so suspicious of those who request pain meds and some would see this as a red flag.

Please believe that I am not trivializing your pain or behavior. The reason I am commenting is because I see some of the mistakes I have made and I may be completely off track. At first, I was hestitant to take any pain meds at all because the fear of addiction. My doctor explained the difference between addiction and dependency. Then I went to the other extreme and took them lots more often in an attempt to ward off pain. What I found was that my pain kept increasing.

I too have described my pain as being an 8 or 9. Yet recently I developed a dry socket after dental work and that was a 10. I realized that my other pain had not been an 8 or a 9 but probably more of a 6 or 7. I've also found that if I only take the hydros when my pain is severe, it controls the pain better and my pain has decreased. I had thought I had pain 24/7 but actually I had periods of time during the day when I had little pain. It was bearable without pain meds. I also thought I never had a complete day without pain but again I have found that I do have days where I can manage it with other methods. I won't be pain-free but I can still do many of my daily activities.

Perhaps you can sit down with your regular GP and discuss your pain and controlling it more fully. For us, there seems to be no magic pill but rather a combination of methods that may work.

I also live in a climate that can be unstable. This past week, you need the A/C during the day and heat at night. I try to keep my house at a constant tempature and don't spend a lot of time outdoors. I have to do all my exercising indoors as well. That has helped me quite a bit. I also read to see what others have found that has worked for them and like most of us, I will try anything to see if it has any benefits for me.

I wish you well as this is a difficult thing to control. I hope you will take my comments in the manner they were meant. Just something to think about.