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Topic: Pre Surgery Diet/Meds
Hi
So i have my surgery date! November 10th. I met with the team today for all my pre op instructions. They want me to stop mobic and tramadol. I take an Tramadol daily for fibro pain, and now i have to stop. I stopped Mobic a week ago, because that is a very strong NSAID, and i understand the reason for that, but Tramadol? i didn't think that was an anti inflam...
This is really going to be a hard 3 weeks. I can continue the cymbalta and synthroid, but only tylenol for pain? that is not going to work, and i am dreading it! Suggestions? experiences?
So i have my surgery date! November 10th. I met with the team today for all my pre op instructions. They want me to stop mobic and tramadol. I take an Tramadol daily for fibro pain, and now i have to stop. I stopped Mobic a week ago, because that is a very strong NSAID, and i understand the reason for that, but Tramadol? i didn't think that was an anti inflam...
This is really going to be a hard 3 weeks. I can continue the cymbalta and synthroid, but only tylenol for pain? that is not going to work, and i am dreading it! Suggestions? experiences?
Topic: RE: Meds for Fibro
I absolutely believe that fibro pain is linked to stress. I don't think that's all there is to it though as some doctors try to say. I think our brains feel pain differently than "normal" people's brains. Stress can magnify that pain even more. I think the main link for fibromyalgia is sleep. If you can't sleep you feel more pain and then you can't sleep because you're in pain and the cycle goes from there. If you can learn how to sleep better, pain gets better too. Most drugs for fibromyalgia cause sleep disturbances themselves and only masks the symptoms for a time. I remember the psychologist telling me that loratab inhibits stage 4 sleep and I needed to stop taking it for pain. The first few days, I was cursing the doc saying that a person can't get to stage 4 sleep if they can't get to stage 1 sleep to start with. However, within a few days of being off the medicine, I was sleeping much better and my pain was much better. Sure the pain was more intense in those few days, but it's been worth it since.
Topic: RE: Meds for Fibro
xcurrently I am taking cymbalta, tramadol, and darvocet occasionally for fibro pain. It seems to help but not on my high stress days. My pcp seems to think that fibro and stress is linked. What do you guys think...
Will I ever get to my goal 
weight!!!
Topic: RE: Hello
Yup it's no picnic, but now it makes sense. When I look back it's been something that more easily explains things that started about a year back that I dismissed. Fortunately for me the symptoms didn't start until after I lost the weight. With the weight it would be amplified I'm sure.
Thank you for the welcome, and I will keep you guys posted.
Thank you for the welcome, and I will keep you guys posted.
Topic: RE: Hello
Thank you! I hear you there. My husband is soooo wonderful, but I don't think he understands either.
Topic: RE: Hello
Yup that's me too, but thankfully not everyday. But when the sugars drop, they really drop. I am getting pretty good at knowing without testing, but I like to test to have it documented in my meter. I really hate low sugars too. They can literally put me out of commission for a good half hour when they hit.
Thank you for the welcome.
Thank you for the welcome.
Topic: RE: I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 3 days ago.
I've had fibro since I was 11 and yeah, it sucks. There's no way of getting around that. I agree it's genetic as there is a well established chain of people in my family who have been positively diagnosed, including my great grandmother, who got diagnosed with "polymyalgia rhumatica", the old school name for fibro.
Do you find that Advil actually helps or are you taking it for the lack of something better? Traditional pain killers are well known to be minimally effective for fibro people, and there's no point in throwing your money away if they're not genuinely helping. Plus, popping pills like tic tacs isn't the best for your liver. Trust me. Been there, done that, have the scars on my liver to show for it.
I can commiserate about useless doctors. I waited 8 months to see a top rhumatologist and he said, and I quote "Wow, your life must really suck, but there's nothing I can do so go home and get over it." Let's just bask in the great magnificence of doctors... not.
You know there IS an upside to getting fibro early, believe it or not. You can plan your life. Imagine the hell of spending years training to be something like a violinist and then getting sick and being completely screwed. At least I was able to abandon my violin career before sinking thousands of dollars of time and effort into it only to lose my ability to control my fingers and to drop the bow every once and a while. You are at an age where there is the maximum amount of flexibility in your life to work around this. Ok, so it's not the best upside, but at least it's something.
Modern life really doesn't help at all when it comes to the mental confusion and memory loss. Multi-tasking and fibro don't mix well so learn to focus on one thing at a time, despite all the distractions of ipods, texts, cells, and what have you, that are out there. It's hard, especially when you've grown up with all these distractions, but it pays off in the end.
Last... get lots of sleep every night. 8 hours minimum. Without it you will get run down quickly and send your fibro into flare.
Do you find that Advil actually helps or are you taking it for the lack of something better? Traditional pain killers are well known to be minimally effective for fibro people, and there's no point in throwing your money away if they're not genuinely helping. Plus, popping pills like tic tacs isn't the best for your liver. Trust me. Been there, done that, have the scars on my liver to show for it.
I can commiserate about useless doctors. I waited 8 months to see a top rhumatologist and he said, and I quote "Wow, your life must really suck, but there's nothing I can do so go home and get over it." Let's just bask in the great magnificence of doctors... not.
You know there IS an upside to getting fibro early, believe it or not. You can plan your life. Imagine the hell of spending years training to be something like a violinist and then getting sick and being completely screwed. At least I was able to abandon my violin career before sinking thousands of dollars of time and effort into it only to lose my ability to control my fingers and to drop the bow every once and a while. You are at an age where there is the maximum amount of flexibility in your life to work around this. Ok, so it's not the best upside, but at least it's something.
Modern life really doesn't help at all when it comes to the mental confusion and memory loss. Multi-tasking and fibro don't mix well so learn to focus on one thing at a time, despite all the distractions of ipods, texts, cells, and what have you, that are out there. It's hard, especially when you've grown up with all these distractions, but it pays off in the end.
Last... get lots of sleep every night. 8 hours minimum. Without it you will get run down quickly and send your fibro into flare.
Topic: RE: Fibromyalgia and SS Disability
Bonnie,
It took me 3 years, two denials and one hearing to get my SSDI. I too was out of work and even had my house forclose because I couldnt work. It was hard on my 2 kids 10 and 7 at the time. I knew the hearing would be my only hope.
I had a SSDI lawyer who helped me alot. I only had to speak breifly at my hearing because my medical records did the rest. I had my doctor, my therapist and my med nurse all on my side and they all wrote letters stating how Fibro has destroyed my life. My hearing took all of 7 mins. I thought for sure I lost the case but 3 weeks later I got the good news!! I hear that three weeks is fast. The best thing was all that back pay I got from SSDI dating back to the first time I applied for disability!! My kids even get a monthly check from Social Security.
I was told by my lawyer to answer what the judge asks and not to embellish. If he says what your symptoms are for example I answered with the norm, stiffness, fatigue, etc. and left it at that. Your medical records will tell your story.
I too battle with weight and I am having surgery in January 2010. Probably RNY. I wish you all the best and I hope your hearing goes well. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Barbara
It took me 3 years, two denials and one hearing to get my SSDI. I too was out of work and even had my house forclose because I couldnt work. It was hard on my 2 kids 10 and 7 at the time. I knew the hearing would be my only hope.
I had a SSDI lawyer who helped me alot. I only had to speak breifly at my hearing because my medical records did the rest. I had my doctor, my therapist and my med nurse all on my side and they all wrote letters stating how Fibro has destroyed my life. My hearing took all of 7 mins. I thought for sure I lost the case but 3 weeks later I got the good news!! I hear that three weeks is fast. The best thing was all that back pay I got from SSDI dating back to the first time I applied for disability!! My kids even get a monthly check from Social Security.
I was told by my lawyer to answer what the judge asks and not to embellish. If he says what your symptoms are for example I answered with the norm, stiffness, fatigue, etc. and left it at that. Your medical records will tell your story.
I too battle with weight and I am having surgery in January 2010. Probably RNY. I wish you all the best and I hope your hearing goes well. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Barbara
Topic: RE: Hello
Love My Danes 
Welcome and sorry. You are more than welcome to this board, but I sure am sorry you have fibromyalgia. It is no picnic. It is nice to have others to talk with though. Only those in the same situation know what you are truely going through.
I had a diagnosis before my surgery and my rheumatologist was okay with me having the surgery. He said it wouldn't cause any more problems and might help to get some pressure off my legs and hips. I can't honestly say it has changed things much as far as the fibromyalgia, but it is nice not to be trying to carry extra weight.
The only thing that the surgery has effected with my fibro is the fact that it takes less time now to make me sick to my stomach if I work too hard or get too hot. I guess it has to do with less of a stomach. I just have to pace myself more.
Hope you are able to get some relief and help from your rheumatologist. Keep in touch and let us know how things turn out for you. We are here to listen, understand, sympathise and help if we can.
Bonnie
I had a diagnosis before my surgery and my rheumatologist was okay with me having the surgery. He said it wouldn't cause any more problems and might help to get some pressure off my legs and hips. I can't honestly say it has changed things much as far as the fibromyalgia, but it is nice not to be trying to carry extra weight.
The only thing that the surgery has effected with my fibro is the fact that it takes less time now to make me sick to my stomach if I work too hard or get too hot. I guess it has to do with less of a stomach. I just have to pace myself more.
Hope you are able to get some relief and help from your rheumatologist. Keep in touch and let us know how things turn out for you. We are here to listen, understand, sympathise and help if we can.
Bonnie
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