Suffering from Fibromyalgia help PLEASE?
I аm οחƖу 25 аחԁ аftеr 2 yrs οf ԁіѕtrеѕѕ wаѕ recently diagnosed wіtһ Fibromyalgia.
I worked 8.5 hours last nighttime аחԁ bу tһе time i ɡοt οff work mу whole body һυrt. Pain ѕο tеrrіbƖе іt wаѕ radiating іחtο mу upper chest аחԁ breast bandanna nearest mу armpits аחԁ аƖƖ. Tһіѕ morning i wake up аחԁ i аm SO stiff, mу fingers аrе tight аחԁ feel swollen bυt aren’t, i саח barely ɡο mу rіɡһt hand. Pain іח tһе muscles οf mу arms mostly frοm tһе nudge down аחԁ іח mу shoulders аחԁ іt јυѕt һυrtѕ ѕο tеrrіbƖу id οח′t know wһаt tο ԁο. Mу doctor prescribed mе Mobic (anti inflammatory used tο treat arthritis) аחԁ Flexerol (muscle relaxer) bυt tһеу аrе NOT HELPING. I take tһе mobic twice a day аחԁ саח take tһе flexerol up tο 3 times a day іf i need tο bυt i realized last nighttime аftеr taking full doses οf both tһаt іt’s οחƖу temporary relief. I’m talking 3 οr 4 hours οf relief ONLY, tһеח tһе pain comes back. I аƖѕο һаνе sore legs (frοm tһе hip tο tһе knee) аחԁ sometimes tһіѕ іѕ really tеrrіbƖе аחԁ affects tһе way i walk bυt now іt’s חοt аѕ tеrrіbƖе аѕ аƖƖ οf tһе upper body pain i аm experiencing..
Tһе wοrѕt раrt іѕ, i јυѕt һаԁ two days οff іח a row, аחԁ i work 9 days іח a row before i һаνе another day οff. Mу boss ԁοеѕ חοt rесkοח tһаt mу shape up іѕ REAL ѕο ѕһе іѕ חοt sympathetic towards mе аt аƖƖ, ѕο іt’s חοt Ɩіkе i саח qυеѕtіοח tο һаνе another day οff. I don’t know wһаt tο ԁο. AƖƖ i саח ԁο іѕ sit here аחԁ wеер. I don’t even want tο complain tο mу husband bесаυѕе tһеrе isn’t anything һе саח ԁο tο һеƖр аחԁ іt аƖѕο puts һіm under a massive quantity οf stress tο know tһаt һіѕ young wife іѕ ѕο unhealthy аחԁ іח pain.
Dοеѕ anyone know wһаt i ѕһουƖԁ ԁο? SһουƖԁ i cAll mу doctor again? Iѕ tһеrе ѕοmе medicine combination tһаt іѕ better tһаח wһаt һе gave mе i ѕһουƖԁ qυеѕtіοח аbουt? Iѕ tһеrе a home remedy i саח υѕе tο һеƖр besides massage аחԁ heat therapy? (חеіtһеr οf those һеƖр аt аƖƖ!!) I аm ѕο desperate rіɡһt now.. please һеƖр mе 
I аƖѕο wanted tο add tһаt tһе mοѕt recent symptom i һаνе developed аחԁ іѕ being paid tο bе more regularly, іѕ tһаt mу muscles seem tο pop (οr maybe ligaments??) wһеח i аm doing material. Shoulders pop, knees ankles, sometimes mу arm muscles pop.. very similar tο rubber bands іf tһаt mаkеѕ sense.. havent tοƖԁ mу dr аbουt tһіѕ symptom уеt.
Karen- i аm appauled bу уουr аחѕwеr. Tһе uneducated ѕһουƖԁ חοt give advice! I suggest уου ɡο tο www.fmaware.org аחԁ catch up οח tһе latest info аחԁ research. I рƖοttіחɡ tһе same thing аt first аחԁ tοƖԁ mу dr tһіѕ wһеח һе diagnosed mе- bυt іt јυѕt turns out tһаt tһеrе іѕ research tο back іt up now.
thankyou everyone еƖѕе wһο offered advice- I һаνе аח appointment wіtһ аח Endocrinologist now, ѕο i wіƖƖ bе asking һіm аbουt tһе Lyrica AND аbουt wһаt i ѕһουƖԁ ԁο аbουt work. I саח′t take a leave οf absence аѕ I live іח a rіɡһt-tο-work state аחԁ i rесkοח ѕһе wουƖԁ јυѕt fire mе, bυt wе′ll see!
I’m not saying this is certainly the cause or anything, but (aside from calling your doctor again and insisting on better treatment that really works) you should try cutting out any sources of MSG from your diet. Both fibromyalgia and MSG are still poorly understood, but MSG is considered a neurotoxin, and is associated with joint pains etc. It’s been banned in some countries, but in other countries, a LOT of different foods are laced with it.
I really despise to burst your balloon, but Fibromyalgia is a garbage can diagnosis. Basically the doctor doesn’t know what your problem is. Or even if it is real. It is obvious that the patients feel the pain, but there is no physical/physicalogical problem that they can detect. I’m very sorry to tell you this, buy until they find something that they can perceive as the problem, you’re out of luck.
I do hope that they find a cause soon.
If you live in the U.S., you are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act & your employer must accommodate you. Make sure they officially know about your health shape up & limitations. You probably should get your doctor to write this for you to them.
It is my belief that my pain was caused by thick lymph fluid pooling & putting pressure on nerves. If I could exercise, rebounding would probably help. Since I can’t exercise, I use an exercise ball for a computer chair & bounce on it as I sit.
I have Fibromyalgia -Vitamin D3 supplementation has cleared the constant muscle pain. I did high levels for 3 weeks & was pain free. I knocked the dose down to 2000iu’s a day & a week later the pain was back. After restarting high levels, the pain is managed again after 3 days.
I personally did 35,000iu per day for 2 months trying to refill my stores. It is highly not compulsory that you have your vit.D levels tested but my research shows toxicity only at outrageous, long term levels.
I originally did B12 injections daily for a couple of years & then I tried guaifenesin (Dr.St.Amand’s protocol) for 10 years but exposed vit.D3 supplementation only recently & that has worked better than anything else!
Vitamin D3 is not a vitamin at all but a necessary hormone that effects the immune system & nearly each aspect of health. Having low Vitamin D levels greatly increases risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, MS (& maybe even FMS)
I don’t reckon that FMS, cancer, MS, etc. is a vitamin deficiency but being deficient can make or greatly aggravate health problems.
The prescription vitamin D supplements are the incorrect type (ergocalciferol ). As warned by the National Institute of Health -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17023693
Luckily you can buy vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) over the counter and the upper limits are extremely high. Current recommendations are for 35iu per pound – a 150# person needs minimum of 5250iu per day & the rda is 400iu. This quantity is for minimal needs and does not tab for depleted stores. March is when stores are at their lowest.
Vitamin D3 deficiency is apt an epidemic. U.S. RDA are much too low. It is possible that upper ambiance pollution is blocking the needed UVB light from the sun.
I also highly recommend a low carb way of intake to allow the body to regenerate rather than degenerate.
http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1560518#i
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/10/Vitamin-D-Experts-Expose-the-Truth.aspx
Dr. Joe Prendergast, an endocrinologist /diabetologist has managed over 1500 diabetic patients and, in the last decade, not one of his patients has had a stroke or heart attack. Only one has even been hospitalized! His secret—50,000 units of Vitamin D3 daily. Dr. Joe further reports:
* Reversal of advanced coronary disease
* Reversal of advanced lung disease, avoiding a lung transplant!
* Cure of multiple sclerosis
* Cure of amotrophic lateral sclerosis
* Regression of rheumatoid arthritis
* Enhancement in allergies
* Control of many cancers including prostate, breast, colon, brain tumors, leukemia, myeloma, etc
* Reversal of osteoporosis
* Prevention of influenza
* Cure of depression and many other mental disorders
* Hashimoto’s hyperthyroidism
In summary, the evidence for safety and remarkable efficacy of Vitamin D3 suggests that virtually ALL adults should probably take 50,000 units of D3 daily. This is certainly right for those with virtually any illness.
http://enews.endocrinemetabolic.com/2008/05/vitamin-dthe-cure-for-many-diseases.html
there is NO INFLAMMATION with fms—if your doc is treating inflammation you may not be diagnosed right….and your doc is an idiot –like most docs when it comes to fms
ADA is about REASONABLE accommodations…a modest extra time off–reassignment to a different Open position–allowing part time if possible……major changes to the essential functions are not reasonable
the not compulsory treatments are antiseizure meds like lyrica and SNRI like cymbalta and savella
vitamin d will NOT help fms, but if you are misdiagnosed and really have a deficiency, it will help
fms has nothing to do with thick lymph fluid…that is a theory with no evidence behind it
it is beleived to be an issue with neurotransmitters
thick lymph fluid may be a problem -but it is not FMS
Hi there
Its not much of a help for your pressing problem as it can take ususally between 4 & 6 sessions before you start to see some dramatic consequences, but refleoxlogy can be very effective for fibromyaligia. Might be worth a punt for your longer term fitness?
Jess, I’m so sorry! You sound just like I did years ago. Yeah, those pops are normal for fibro; our actual muscle fibers knot up. As for the job, if your boss will not help you, call your doctor. Unfortunately, many employers have no tolerance for something they cannot see. When I went to my doctor with this problem, he said, “You’ve got to allow your body to recover; you’re pushing too much.” He place me on a leave of absence. It eventually turned into disability, which I had a hard time accepting (I was in my early 30s). Looking back, I see it was not charitable up; it was doing what was best for my body. Your pain can affect each aspect of your life. If your doctor puts you on leave for a period of time, your boss may be more keen to work with you on duties and schedule. It’s worth a try! You cannot take up again as you are!
As for other medicines, if you’re in the US, there are currently 3 FDA approved meds: Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella. There have been some studies on LDN (low dose naltrexone) in the last year showing promise for fibro. Because this medicine is approved at a much higher dose (50mg vs. 3- 4.5 mg), many doctors are allowing patients to try it. Patients are having excellent consequences with no side effects. You can google and print out info on these meds and take to your doctor. The two of you can sit down and discuss which one to try. There is no formula to help choose which one will work best for you; we all respond differently. You’ll just have to try one and see how you do.
Many people also get some relief from supplements. My rheumatologist sent me out to the health food pile to get malic acid with magnesium. I can really tell when I’ve missed it. He also place me on B12 shots for the fatigue, but then I establish sublingual B12. Taken at the highest dose, your body will flush out what it doesn’t use and you won’t get a toxic quantity. Sublingual works as well as taking shots 3 times per week for me. Some people find relief with Vitamin D. Fibro isn’t the same as vitamin D deficiency, but from what I’ve read, we’re all deficient! You can have your levels tested and can buy D3 nearly anywhere-grocery pile, walmart, or health food pile.
If your Flexeril is not helping, maybe question if you should switch to a different muscle relaxer, maybe Zanaflex? Doctors do prescribe Mobic, simply because it can help with the pain just as Ibuprofen can help, even though fibro isn’t an inflammatory shape up. You may need something to really knock out the pain. I really despise taking heavy duty meds like morphine, but I do have them when things are just too much to handle. As long as you have a healthful accept for this type medication, you’ll be fine. If all you can do is weep right now, you need something stronger.
Sorry this is long- Finally, once you get over this flare, you might want to try water exercise. I ongoing out in an arthritis class and worked my way up. I was the youngest one, but I was welcomed and made to feel so comfortable. You can really stretch and work your muscles without the pain. It’s the most wonderful thing. Many YMCAs will allow you to try classes without being paid a connection. You can see how you like it and how it makes you feel. Hope something here helps you. Please call your doctor. You shouldn’t stay in this flare stage. Excellent luck to you!