Fibromyalgia Symptoms HOME

First, take a deep breath and remember that FMS is not degenerative and it is not fatal. You will still be able to enjoy many of the beautiful things that life has to offer. Stress is a big player in the severity of our Fibromyalgia, it is difficult to avoid but learning to process it properly is important. A positive attitude does so much for us.

Second, you need to work closely with your doctor to help you find a good a, or a combination of, chronic pain specialist, physiatrist, and rheumatologist. You may also want to consider a counselor, therapist, psychiatrist to help you deal with the emotional roller coaster the process of finding treatment can be on us. If you don't have much luck with your doctor, try your local hospitals, find out if they have a referral program and explain your situation.

Third, remember that finding the right treatment for you takes patience, but it is does pay off. You will quickly realize that doing/eating/drinking things that exacerbate your symptoms just isn't worth it. Now that you have a diagnosis it will be easier, albeit tricky, to find the right combination of treatments that help you most.

Fourth, research dietary influences on your pain - your specialists should also be able to help you with this. Even if you eat a very healthy variety of foods, there are healthy foods that can increase our symptoms. (white sugar, white flour, yeast products, mushrooms, citrus fruits, potatoes, and tomatoes have proven to be trigger foods for me, causing me pain and fatigue)

Last, remember that we are always here to listen to you and offer our advice and experience. You will learn that there are people in your life who are either unable or unwilling to understand what Fibromyalgia does to someone. This can be a difficult situation to deal with but some battles can never be won and we only win when we walk away. Arm yourself with knowledge to better help people understand and become an activist for this dis-ease. : )

The symbol for Fibromyalgia is a purple butterfly; it symbolizes the metamorphosis of our pain into something beautiful.

Good luck and welcome to the group.

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Thank you for all the info. Im trying to learn everything I can about FM .. I know I will check this site everychance I have. It nice to know that im not the only one. and someone actually understands, because trying to explain it now is just crazy, I cant really explain it if I dont know myself.. so I am researching and depending on people that Knows FM and understands. Thanks to anyone that will help me understand FM.. I am only 42 years old and have had chronic pain in my back for years..
God bless you all.

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Welcome, jsandersct. (Hug.) While it's true that they don't have a cure for this yet, there are things we can do to make ourselves feel better.

Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important, especially if you work two jobs. Many of us take things like melatonin or amitriptylene to help us get the deeper rest we need to repair our bodies. Your doctor can help you find what will work for you. It's also important to make sure that your bed is comfortable and the way you like it, and that your bedroom is conducive to rest. I use a heated mattress pad from Wal-mart in the winter time, which helps keep me warm and soothes the aches. Hot baths, especially with yummy salts, can also help with this.

Exercise can also help out a lot, if one remembers to take it slow and listen to our bodies. Range of motion exercises can help stretch and warm up stiff muscles, especially with winter coming. I know it seems like the last thing you want to do, but it does help. Tai chi, gentle yoga, or swimming in a heated pool can all help. You could also talk to a physical therapist to help design a program that will work for you.

Taking care of your emotions is as important as the body. A good support system can really help, whether it's family or a caring counselor or prayer or whatever works for you. Don't feel bad about feeling scared and uncertain, and cry when you need to. (Hug.) Arming yourself with information as you've been doing is a powerful step to gaining control over your illness. Humor and doing what you love also help lighten the spirit, as well as getting pampered when you need it.

We'll be here for any questions you may have about treatments or symptoms or strategies, or any rants you might need to get out. :)

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Hey there. been a long time.. as before I told i was diagnosed with FMS a few months ago.. Im having severe body pain.. last 3 days. No fever. but i woke up this morning at 4 and it actually hurt to lay in my bed.. Please help me. Ive thought about going to the ER its so bad. Trust me i can tolerate pain.. but this is crazy.. If anyone touches me.. its like im a big bruise.. it hurts.. So please tell me is this FMS.. or do i have something else going on????

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did anybody read a book 'fibromyalgia gone forever'? I want to know if it is true.

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If it were true we wouldn't need this forum.

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Back exercises really helped my pain. I have seen a big improvement. See a physical therapist or rehab specialist soon. Take Care & Good Luck

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