How do I find a doctor who will listen???

My sister has been dx with fibromyalgia. No current treatments seem to be working. She is either in pain or asleep. She knows that this is not any way to live or enjoy her life and it is causing her to be quite depressed. It is affecting her entire family. Cymbalta did not help and the doctors here seem to think she is simply drug seeking. I've been a nurse for almost 30 years and know how hard it is for chronic pain patients to get relief. What can we do?

You are a nurse, as am I, so I don't want to come across as all-knowing, but I would like to offer a few suggestions for you to pursue as an advocate for your sister. As a nurse, you are in an excellent position to help her through research, going to appointments with her and being that someone that she desperately needs right now, who believes that what she is experiencing is real and is affecting her life drastically.

First of all, has she been seen by a pain clinic or pain physician specialist? These physicians are the experts on dealing with chronic pain using a multitude of treatments from different domains of medicine. Ask for a referral if she has not already seen one.

Secondly, if Cymbalta is the only medication she has tried and it was ineffective, another SNRI (Savella is another that has been approved for use in fibromyalgia patients)may be more effective. Some patients get relief from Lyrica (pregabalin)as well. She may need to try a few different medications before she finds the right one for her.

Thirdly, she has every reason to feel depressed- it must be a terrible feeling when no one validates how you are feeling or else thinks you are drug seeking. That in itself is depressing. When you add chronic illness to feeling as if no one understands how badly you are feeling, it is no wonder that many patients with fibromyalgia are depressed. As her sister and a nurse, might you suggest that she seek some professional help in order to help her cope more effectively with her legitimate feelings of sadness and loss, and to provide her with some tools to be her own advocate in getting the medical help that she needs and deserves?

I sympathize with you. As a medical professional, it is so hard to sit back and watch as a loved one goes through pain and emotional suffering. Feeling helpless is not a role we nurses enjoy.

I hope this helps, and if it doesn't, know that others care and wish you the best.

I can totally relate to your sister, I have tried many doctors and meds. And for some reason Most all doctors think I am drug seeking which could not be further from the truth I hate taking meds and I hate the way most of them make you feel but, that said when you are battling fibro. and depression sometimes it takes a while to find the treatment that works for you. it quickly feels like you are all alone and All you really want is Answers...But, hang in there and keep asking questions sooner or later your sister will get the answers she needs to deal with this on a daily basis....and all fibro patients know this is a daily battle.