Fibromyalgia

Does anyone have Fibromyalgia?  I was recently diagnosed and wondered what treatment plans other people had. What meds do you use?  Do you go to physical therapy? How do you improve your sleep, pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety etc.  Thanks, Kim M.

Hello I have Fibromyalgia I was DX with it 8 years ago...... and it has been a battle ever since.  The loss of sleep, the pain, depression, all the those things that you have been experiencing.. What I did was go to a good Rheumatologist.... but you have to find one that deals with Fibro.  not of the do.  It we a rheumatologist that first discovered that I had it... and he was wonderful in prescribing the right meds.. you need to also start to excercising once I started to do that all my  pain seemed to disappear! When he saw me the next time and saw how well I was doing, I told him what I was doing he said that was the only way I was going to manage the pain. I hope this helps.  Your not alone.....there are a lot of us out here. ((((((((hugs)))))))

Jeannie,  thank you for the advice.  I never put all of my symptoms together until I went to a rheumatologist. She diagnosed me, but I am at a loss for what meds are ok and what are dangerous.  I do need to exercise more.  I am sure it will help. Did you go to physical therapy?  What meds helped you?  Kim M. 

Hi Kim  Sorry it took me so long to get back to you.... I haven't put down everything that is wrong with me.. I have also what is called RSD which is a nerve disease so I did go to physical therapy but because of the RSD it didn't do my any good ... I did though go to the Cleveland Clinic pain managment clinic.... people there that had Fibro said that they felt better..... so you can take it from them that the physical therapy did them a whole lot of good!   No one likes to take meds but there were a few that really helped I was on flexeral, and neurontin helped with the pain.... that is a anti sezure medication and the other one is a muscle relaxer..... because I had rls (restless leg syndrom) He also put me on a antidepressant... those were what I was taking in the begging.. they all helped me in the begging... as time went on my dose's were changed..... but the no sleep is what really got to me.... I would go for nights at a time with no sleep .............NO SLEEP = Higher Pain levels.... it was an endless circle.... I  hope this helps... let me know how it goes.. (((((((hugs))))))

Thank you.  I am on the flexeril and it does help me sleep.  I am on neurontin.  MY first dose tonigt.  I have had it a week, but I have been too afraid to take it.  It sounded so scarey.  I am also taking alprazolam and changing for Lexapro to Effexor XR.  Hope it helps as my neck and back hurt anytime I sit for very long.  My hips and buttocks hurt off and on.  Heat pads help at night.  I had a massage, but it hurt terribly.  I hope that you are doing well and I will be doing well soon also.  Hope you keep me posted.  Thanks for the reply.  KimM

Hello Kim, I have been diagnosed with FM for 2+ years now. I am taking Effexor for it, but due to the gastric bypass I can't take the XR just yet, so have to take it 2 times a day  it is NASTY. But without it I suffer allot, depression, anxieties, and pain even, I get muscles spasms and twitches and the Effexot helps calm them down. I did take tramadol for pain before surgery, and hope to get on something again for arthritus/ FM pain as soon as I can, I hurt allot, and so take tylonal, which only helps just a little, and then I use heating pad during the day and night before bed, then at bed time I crush a clonapin to help put me to sleep and keep me there. That is my story of FM. Just keep a possitive out look. and do what you can with drs to get the help you need. Even if it means you have to stand up to them sometimes. Hopeing the best for you , Tammi

Tammi, thanks for your post.  I am going to check into the tramadol you mentioned and clonapin.  I have not heard of them.  KIM M>

Hi,  I am a newbie here on the forum.   I have had FM for 12 years and I have found over the years the only meds that seem to help me are Soma (muscle relaxer), Norco and Neurotin (pain) and I take Zoloft for depression.  I use a heating pad faithfully too!   I don't think I have had a good nights sleep in years now.  I have to make sure I do stretching exercises everyday to keep my mobility.  Listen to your body....don't overdo things when you're feeling good or you will pay the price for several days, Try to avoid stress if you can. I have found that doing water aerobics help me alot but I do them at my own pace. I was hoping, if I am able to have the WLS, it will help with the FM and chronic pain....but I guess it won't

Dear Lynn,  Thank you for your kind and informative reply.  I am taking Neurontin, but I am not familiar with Norco or Soma.  I take Tramadol and flexeril. The WLS did not help my FM, because I wasn't even diagnosed withit until afterwards.  I knew I was extremely tired all of the time, but didn't know why.  I think you will enjoy this site.  Obesityhelp.com is so informative and is a source of great support no matter where you are in your journey. I usually visit the Christianity board, April 2006 board, addictions board and occassionally others. I hope you will get your surgery soon.  It has been such a refreshing change in my life.  Sincerely, Kim M.

I was diagnosed with FMS in 1993.  I've been on literally every medication mentioned above.  The combination that worked best for me was Neurontin (which will help you get some wonderful sleep) and Duragesic Patches.  Since 2001 I've been out of work on dissability.  My R N Y was a year ago last October.  I've lost 100 pounds and for the first time, my FMS is in remission.  I feel wonderful and have started back to work.  I've been trying to determine if it was the surgery that made me better or the ani-viral drugs that my doctor started me on the month after my surgery.  Whatever it was, I'm thrilled!  If someone had told me two years ago that I'd ever work again, I'd have called them nuts!  Right now the only meds I'm on are the vitamins I take (including a B12 shot every 3 weeks), HBP pills (unfortunately the weight loss didn't do a thing for my HBP) and the anti viral drug Acyclovir.  A couple of years ago the lab of a Dr. Garry at Tulane University in New Orleans did some extensive research on Fibromyalgia and it's my understanding that they determined it is most likely viral in nature.  At least in my case, I believe they were right!