muscle loss & pain meds

Just wondering if anyone has heard that daily or long-term use of pain meds can cause loss of muscle mass in FMS patients.

My partner went to a new doc yesterday for sinus problems, and was talking in the waiting room to a woman who was in obvious discomfort. She said that she had FMS and several other ailments. When asked if she was on any pain meds for the fibro, she answered that her doctor doesn't prescribe pain meds for long-term use becaue they destroy muscle mass.

Now, it seems to me that if you are able to exercise, even on pain meds, you probably wouldn't have much of a loss of muscle mass. Of course, if you lay around like a lox, you will lose muscle tone, whether or not you take pain meds.

This doctor is supposed to be one of the best rheumatologists in the area who treat patients with fibro.

Jan ^v^

Have not heard that particular theory - your reasoning though is full of common sense, I like that.