Chronic pain,neck pain,spine pain, all over back pain..throbbing pain

I have suffered from fibromyalgia for years now and my PCP had given my hydrocodone for pain as needed.  But I told her that I was still waking in the morning feeling like I had been hit by an 18 wheeler.  She prescribed a 50mg Fentanyl patch.  It helped me immediately.  I still have times I need something for breakthrough pain, but I am amazed at how well this works for me.  And I like not having to decide myself when I need something and be concerned that I am taking too much.  I wish all pain medication was dispensed this way but I know for immediate relief you need something else as well.  Just my personal experience, I find that it takes at least 12 hours for me to feel the effects of it and it begins to lessen the last day so my doctor switched me to a 48 hour patch rather than changing it every 72.  72 hrs. is preferred and I am working my way back to that.  But I hope that I can continue on this given my recent problems with back pain as well.  I do have to go to pain management to get this.  I don't think a PCP will prescribe this anymore given the serious problem in this country with drug addiction.  I wish you the very best!  I am 71 years old and have been on this patch for more than 8 years now.