Fibromyalgia Symptoms HOME

Hello Sulydi - I read your comments with interest as this seems to be a somewhat common topic on this discussion board.

I'm not sure where your problems with taking medication are coming from - anxiety or just a general aversion to taking medication of any kind.

First of all, you should know that Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a disorder of the central nervous sytem that causes a host of other issues. They can include nonrestorative sleep, IBS, GERD, and anxiety to name a few. Your pain level is bad because you are not getting the restorative sleep that your muscles need to repair themselves from the day's activities. FMS causes frequent bursts of high intensity brain activity interrupting the deep sleep cyle which in turn causes muscle pain. The mechanism that causes FMS is not understood. It can not be cured but it can be managed.

Personally, I have multiple chemical sensitivities which makes taking medication tricky. I have had some very bad reactions. I assure you that even though I take extremely low doses of prescribed meds for FMS it is far better than taking none at all.

Only certain classes of prescribed medication are effective with FMS. OTC remedies such as tylenol are not effective. The medication that is used is typically prescribed in the lowest dose that the doctor feels will be effective. And, he will run periodic blood tests to be sure that it is not affecting your liver adversely. Did you know that once a chronic pain cycle is established, that is very difficult to stop or treat? By avoiding the medication that your doctor has undoubtedly prescribed you could be creating more problems for yourself. Certainly the amount of stress that this syndrome causes on its own merit is enough for any one body to handle. Not treating FMS properly is only adding gasoline to an already raging fire.

I have a pain specialist as well as a rheumotologist. They work in tandem with one another. If you are not going to cooperate and at least try the medication for 30 days than I would not bother attending the program. Part of chronic pain is learning to manage the medication used to treat it. I'm not sure why you feel this program would have any benefit. In your shoes, I would be seeing a counselor to try and find a solution that will allow you to use the prescribed medication/s. I can't imagine your quality of life is too great under the circumstances as I understand them. All of us have bad days even with the correct medication but I'd rather take it than pay the consequences.

I hope that my comments were useful to you in some way. Take care and keep in touch.

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Sulydi,
I am definitely with you on this one. I also do not take any medicine other than tylenol or advil. And I think you're very wise to avoid them if at all possible. No one understands fibro fully, and they don't know the long-term effects some of the newer medications may have. Many drugs, for more than just fibro, have dangerous effects on the body that don't show up for years down the road, if they are ever linked at all. I know it sounds simplistic, but if it isn't natural, it probably isn't safe. (Not that it isn't occasionally necessary.) After all...anything that blocks pain signals from reaching the brain is doing something to your nervous system and brain cells.
I'm no research scientist, but I used to work for a chiropractor, and had access to medical journals and news reports. It's frightening how many drugs get pulled from the market years later, once it's too late for those who have been damaged by them. Even scarier are those that haven't been pulled-but should have been. As horrible as fibro is, I'd hate to end up with something worse or possibly life-threatening
down the road.
Although I won't say that everyone can get by naturally, I would definitely leave medicine as the very last resort. There are some days I'm curled up in a ball of pain, kicking myself inside for not taking the prescriptions the doctor recommeded. But in the long run, I'm glad I chose not to. Several of my friends with fibro, who have had it much, much longer than I have, tried the traditional medicine route, and found they really were better off without it. Even my friend with severe fibro and RA gave up her medicine years ago. We have all been experimenting together with natural methods, and are getting good results. My one friend in particular has gotten the best results by cutting all the junk out of her diet, drinking lots of water, exercising (even though it is such a killer), and using a new calcium product called EZorb. I'd definitely look into it. It's working really well so far, we're all sleeping much better. ( I get the best results when I use the EZorb along with Melatonin at night.)
I wish you all the best! Gentle hugs!

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If you get the right one it can help.I take cymbalta,strong pain med,Lyrica,With the 3 I can feel very dull feelings .I didn't take my cymablta 5 days and that was a big mistaks.Now I have it under contro to where I can work.This Sunday and Monday just wanted to call it quits.Hands and feet on total fire and stabbing in my right back under my shoulder blade tha ran around my front ribs where I couldn't .I then had my back adjusted and added my cymbalta and I was alive and fine again.
60 mg cymbalta and by end of 200 mflyrice as far as pain meds it doen't seem to touch this at all.I am guess it a total different nerve thing. but who knows your dr. may find something that work.definetly the cymbalta and Lyrice reallly has saved me to go on.

I never take tyenlo or ibro for it really causes stomache problems.My pain med is time time released so i have to take a double dose and then my two wonderful life savers.Would never had made it without them. If you can't afford med cymbalta and Lyrica usaully you can get samples.My only problem today is blurred vision.I would rather deal with that then the hell I go threw without them. Remeber you noe your bidy best and when you go you should have a list of what is going on and anything that you find that might set your pain off.Don't be afaid their are many of us out hear with 1st hand information from exsperience just just cowns with nothing to do.With your list your Dr.will save youe both time to spend and get know what is what.Good luck Don't forget your list.Have a great day God Bless.
As far as natural some have found some comfort in them.It is all about testing and seeing what works for you.Natural can also be dangerous but I will stay with my meds.I had to exsperimet with mine to get them to work right,it does take alot of patients and I agree junk food to go,limit caffeine and chocolate ,add yorgut fruits and veg more to your diet and try to limit you red meat you do need some or a vitamin becaust red meat is high in iron which you can get from natuaral items.Good Luck.

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Hey Fantod,
Thanks for the reply. I have had fibro for over 20 years, and you know way more about it than I do. I have been for a sleep study, and have a cpap machine which really has improved my sleep. As for medication, my doctor has not prescribed anything except tylenol, ibuprofen, and Co-enzyme Q10. I also take a multivitamin, B12, and Calcium/Vitamin D supplement.
My pain has not been this bad before this year. And tylenol and ibuprofen do help with the pain. I do take it only when absolutely needed, but lately it has been every day. As for the Chronic Pain thing, I am going back to see a fibro specialist first, sort of to catch up on things. Haven't seen one since I was initially diagnosed over 20 years ago. Once I see him, I think he may help me to decided what I really need. Thanks again, and I will keep coming back, as I find the support, and information help keep me sane.

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Hi bwelladjusted,
Thanks so much for your reply and the support. If you read my reply to Fantod, you will know that I have had fibro for over 20 years, and this last year is certainly the worst for me. Thanks so much for the information, I am going to give it a try. I really do prefer natural methods also, for the same reasons you state, but also because of side effects. I am still able to have a fairly good quality of life so I guess that is why I don't feel the push for stronger meds. However, if it becomes like so many of the others I read about, I could possibly change my mind. At this point in time I am in a fair amount of pain most days, but try to just keep moving. I try to focus on the positive, but have to admit that I find it hard at times. Having this forum, and the support here, really helps me a lot.
Thanks again for your reply.
Sulydi

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