Hi, I’m new to the group and was wondering if others wake up with worse pain than you go to bed with? That happens to me A LOT of mornings and today was one of them…it is so depressing. Yesterday I was in pain as usual and went and got acupuncture and a massage. Well, although I was still in pain (it never really goes away, just gets bearable at times as I’m sure you know) it was better. I was able to get a few groceries and enjoy my evening. I took a hot bath before bed then did some stretches so wasn’t feeling too bad when I got into bed. Well…9 hours later I wake up with excruciating pain in my low back, hips, and neck…ugh!!! I keep thinking it’s my bed. I remember one hotel I stayed in for 2 nights and I swear I had very, very little pain. I literally did not get out of the bed almost the whole time, it just never made me ache!! That’s the only reason I think my mattress (which is only 5 years old but does seem too hard) could be contributing otherwise I would just figure it’s morning pain and stiffness from the Fibro. It sucks so bad to be doing fairly well at night then wake up miserable every day-- makes me dread each new day 
anyone have any suggestions or have a certain mattress they love? Thanks! Xo
Hi Jewelbird,
I do wake up stiff in the mornings when I don’t sleep on a heated blanket. My son fell asleep with me last night and he had half my blanket so I didn’t have it under me and I was very stiff. My feet felt like walking with bricks. I found a gel mattress pad that makes sleeping a bit easier. My husband is now complaining about it so I’m hoping he won’t ask to remove it.
Gentle Hugs and I hope you feel better as the day goes on.
Stacey
is your morning pain when you first get up and does it get better as the day goes on... I have terrible pain when I first wake up but its not every day and then by 1 pm or 2 pm its gone ....
I bought a mattress pad to put on my bed and it really helped.
I too bought a mattress pad, but, I sweat so much at all times. Especially at night so it’s very frustrating but it does help with the pain. My main problem Is with medicine, now that Vicodin is no longer on the market and I had a change with my Pain management Dr. I had to seek out new Dr. Well he was no help, he told me that he only does IV or epidural pain management, so I am living on 2 Percocet, 1 in a.m. And 1 in p.m. If I take anymore than that I live in fear of running out. Imagine my anger and frustration when he told me I needed treatment for narcotic dependence! He referred me to a psychiatrist who deals with narcotic dependency!! All I could do was have a meltdown when I got home… I am not addicted to narcotics, and my pain level is always a 9 or 10. He told me there is no other Dr. In my area that will prescribe anything besides physical therapy! Really??? Why is it hard to believe that those of us with fibromyalgia have real pain, no it’s not in my head. Is it because I was able to drag myself out of my bed 2 hrs. early to make the appointment that they think my pain is not real? I was diagnosed with Dermatomyositis in 2005 right after Hurricane Kartrina followed by fibromyalgia and arthritis soon after. Going to a Dr.'s visit is no easy task. It took a lot to put makeup and a bra on because I wanted to be somewhat presentable. I am at my wits end as I write this, I have a 9 yr old that I adore and even though I get lots of hugs she knows how much pressure she can put on me and she is very gentle as is my adult son and wonderful husband. They are my silver linings during this miserable winter, where the cold doesn’t help at all. Oh, I could go on and on. I am sorry if I have rambled on and am all over the place (I hope I made sense) but I feel that this is the only place where I am understood. Thanks so much for the support!
I bought myself a 4" foam topper for my bed last year. It helped immensely!!!
I still get Fibro attacks & yes, indeedy I do sometimes wake up in more pain than when I fell asleep. Granted that could be only 2hrs apart.
Last night I couldn't walk upright & the last time I saw the clock it was 12M. This morning I woke up feeling as if I had ridden an elephant for 3 days!
Hi,
On of the most common question that doctor's ask me is if I sleep well...well no is the answer and almost every day I sleep 7 hours straight with a sleeping pill however when I wake up and feel sooo tired like I only slept 2 hours. I am stiff couple of hours and then is time to go to bed again. Before taking a sleeping pill I used to wake up every 2 or 3 hours that is when I started to realize something was not right with me.
Good luck!
Hi Razzle, the pain is definitely worst in the first couple hours of the morning. I try to walk around and a lot of times use heat and it helps a little. Most days it does get better as the day goes on but not always. It’s just so discouraging when I go to bed with a low level of pain then wake up with a very high level…like c’mon all I did was go to bed-- just frustrating!
Hi Amarlene, I’m so sorry you are having trouble with your doctor like that! It is unacceptable!! There really is no one else to see in your area? It sounds like you definitely need a doctor more compassionate about and educated on Fibromyalgia. It certainly doesn’t help us to be in constant pain and then have a bad doctor…hugs to you xo
Thanks everyone for the replies…I do have a foam mattress topper but it has still felt too hard to me lately, maybe I just having a bad stretch of time with the constant subzero temps or something…I don’t know…it’s irritating! I think I may sleep in our guest bedroom tonight and see if I wake up feeling any differently…I understand the comments about waking up frequently, sweating, and feeling like you’ve ridden an elephant all night…yep-- all that and more! Sigh. Hope everyone reading this has a restful and comfortable evening, I know they’re not easy to come by but it is my hope and prayer for us all…xo
Good question. When I take naps in the afternoon I wake up in worse pain. My mornings are not to bad, although I have. Jump up get ready go routine with serious caffeine and meds. But again after my naps I get a deeper strange, weird, strong set in of pain then a couple hours after my meds I do a lot better. It’s like a cycle. But if I don’t nap I’m exhausted from work and can’t get up very well to do even simple tasks. But the nap pain may be worse then the exhaustion.
What I do at night that actually may be helping me, because my pain is lower in morning, I take deep heat and eucalyptus lotion and rub it on my neck, arms legs and lower back, pretty much wherever you’re hurting you can do this. I love doing this and it smells really good. I also sleep with sounds on and a body pillow.
also, I sometimes sleep with heating pad.
Joy
I have a topper as well.....
I wake up stiff everyday. Have done for a year now. I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis last year. I thought all my fibro symptoms was that, but it wasnt. I get up hunched over and struggling to walk.
I hate to say it but yes, I think it is your fibro, hon. Mine's like that too sometimes. And the pain I wake up with is so deep inside of me, can't even rub the spot that hurts.
Yes, it's the lower back, hip area, like yours. But not always. I had my dose of nortriptyline upped to help me sleep through the pain, and it helps to keep me from awakening from that horrid pain. Maybe you can ask your doctor about things like nortriptyline to help you sleep. I honestly don't think it's the mattress, tho I could be wrong.
Hugs,
Pet
PS: the acupuncture and massage might have set off your pain, letting out all of that stiffness, etc. I'm not into natural stuff but I kind of think that toxins are released after a massage or acupuncture. Hopefully it'll settle down and then feel better from those procedures.
Sounds like fibro, Theresa, but could be the PsA too. I can attested that fibro can hunch you all up and get you stiff in the morning. I'm just sorry that all of us suffer like this. Hopefully, new meds will be available in a few years.
Hugs,
Pet
Hi Jewelbird,
I know some people frown upon using ibuprofen because it can cause stomach upset, but I use Advil pm. I notice the pain starting when I am almost in bed then I remember to take it. I have been waking up without back pain for some months now. If I do have pain in the morning I might take more Advil but I wait to see if just moving around does the trick. (I have such a low tolerance to pain). if it is really bad then I will take my tramadol. I like to save the tramadol for the 10 rating of pain.