Hi Jade,
Welcome to the forum - we're happy to have you here!
I'll start by saying that your rheumatologist is right - painkillers often don't help with fibromyalgia, and at times can even make things worse, so looking for other approaches is always a really good idea.
I don't know how much you've read up on fibromyalgia so far, but for most of us the crux of dealing with this condition is self-management. So, that means learning to lessen the triggers of our symptoms, as opposed to treating the impact of them. Sadly, there are no perfect fixes, but there are some things that can help. We're all a bit different, but you'll find some useful pointers here towards where to start. I really recommend checking out Sunkacola's pinned post at the top of the General Discussion section of the forum - she wrote a great guide to the basics of fibromyalgia self-management. You can start and build up from there. Things like pacing, sleep hygiene, experimenting with diet, stress management, light exercise, and mindfulness practices all can help - probably more than you imagine!
I remember how scary receiving this diagnosis was, and all of the emotions that come along with recognising that things will likely never go back to normal again - please know that you're not alone in this, and come and talk to us if it ever gets on top of you. The good news is that with some work on acceptance and learning how to find the edges of your new limitations, you are probably going to feel much better than you do right now - both mentally and physically. It can really feel like life's been turned upside down to begin with, but you will get your sense of control back as you find your way.
There are various prescription medications used to treat fibromyalgia, such as duloxetine (Cymbalta), pregabalin (Lyrica), amitriptyline (Elavil) and milnacipran (Savella). Some people have great luck with these medications, but unfortunately not the majority. Each one tends to come with various side effects and potential withdrawal symptoms, so if you decide to go down the prescription route I recommend really doing your homework, so you know what to look out for. Forewarned is forearmed!
A lot of us have made small breakthroughs taking various supplements and through alternative therapies - so do have a poke around the forum to see what people are trying and where they are finding success. It's kind of a case of making yourself a guinea pig, and experimenting until you find something that works! When a handful of things each take the edge off a little bit, it can stack up to a really big difference overall.
Please ask away if you have any specific questions, and we'll do our best to answer. Or, just vent whenever you feel the need. This crew understands what you're going through
