so today my doctor told me i have fibromyalgia. i know a little about it, but am researching, researching, researching. reading on the various websites just makes me wanna cry. its like everything fits. i am not crazy!

does anyone else have fibromyalgia? any suggestions for reading? or for things that help?

she (the doctor) put me on a new medication just approved for it in january, savella. anyone else on this medication?

any feedback is greatly appreciated. thanks!

most days i can make it through basically fine, but evening comes and its killer. anyone else like this? any suggestions for this?

I'm more of a morning person when it comes to pain and misery. I do better as the day goes on. If you were out working and then you slow down, you probably will freeze up. I have it happen too and I still haven't found anything that fixes it other than heat. Try a hot bath to loosen up the muscles. Some days when I come home from working outside, I have to either climb in bed with every heating pad and duvet I can find or hot bath/shower it. Massage is also good if you can afford it. I can't but I do my own feet sometimes at night and I can feel the difference right away.

I agree with you, onikenbai. A massage is great. If only it was a bit cheaper and the effects lasted longer. One pain specialist I went to after I hurt my back thought a hot shower was good. My mother, who also has fibro (do we see a pattern here?) loved a whirlpool bath. If I was rich I'd have a masseuse on call.

I was diagnosed in 2001. My pain comes and goes. Lyrica has helped me a lot. I'm so sorry for your pain. I will pray for you. Hang in there but talk to your doc about high doses of Lyrica and as previously posted stretch your muscles every day. God Bless!

I don't have fibro but my sister in law does so this thread peeked my interest because she is thinking about lapband surgery (I just had mine last month). Anyway...if massage helps could the doc give you a prescription for a rehab facilty and get it covered by insurance? Just wondering if that might be an option.

My insurance will not cover massage. I wish it did, because it helps more than anything. My pain is 99% in my neck and shoulders. My husband just doesn't understand why it hurts. I can't make him understand. I have not tried any medication. I am very sensitive to meds and I am afraid of the side affects.

My insurance probably wouldn't cover massage either for fibro. If it did it wouldn't cover it long term. Has anyone tried hypnotherapy for fibro? I once read about a young man with cerebral palsy who used hypnosis for pain. It's an interesting thought.

I've never tried it, but I'd be willing to try anything!

I have tried acupuncture for fibro, and that is wonderful! My insurance paid a portion of it. However, the best things that have worked for me are Cymbalta and losing weight.

However, I am also a firm believer in medicine when needed! It saved my life from Stage III breast cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes. So, if it can help me with my fibro, I'm willing to try! If I don't like the side effects, there are enough meds out there that I can just try another one. Life is too short to be in pain. (And when I say I take meds, I'm not talking about pain meds. Those aren't necessary if you have the right preventative medication. :thumbup:)

BTW, taz, if my temper can also flare up if I'm having a fibro flare, just like my memory goes out the window. lol

so today my doctor told me i have fibromyalgia. i know a little about it, but am researching, researching, researching. reading on the various websites just makes me wanna cry. its like everything fits. i am not crazy!

does anyone else have fibromyalgia? any suggestions for reading? or for things that help?

she (the doctor) put me on a new medication just approved for it in january, savella. anyone else on this medication?

any feedback is greatly appreciated. thanks!

I ve have the condition, I understand your crying so many folks online just stop their lives quit jobs,children,husbands and just go to bed. Don't I still work fulltime without any major problems.My husband understands the idea of fatigue.My children are all out of the house but not out of my life. I never want anyone to get the idea the battle is over. I pray alot thank God for all my blessings continue along my merry way. So many of those that I have talked with just decide and file for disability.My words to you try different medication resist heavy pain medications. There is no shame in useing anti depressants to help you deal with the discomfort.

My treatment has been the same for the last 4 yrs Cymbalta 60 mg 2 times a day, and a milder pain medication Ultram ER 200 mg 1 time a day. Keep moveing

Spideymom, congratulations on being a cancer survivor. That takes a lot of determination.

As I've mentioned before, I've tried about every med that has been suggested for fibro. Back in my younger days I would barely take an aspirin. After one daughter with autisim and seizures and another bipolar taking meds seems the norm. )

LaraineM, I think hydrocodone is wonderful to have when nothing else works. If the choice is to be rolling around on the floor in pain or hydrocodone I definitely vote hydrocodone. I do agree it is something I have to be very careful with. I am having trouble finding a doc who will work with me on this since moving about a year ago. Spideymom, I have an appt with a rheumatologist next month. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

LarraineM, I definitely believe in keeping moving as much as possible; preferably away from the house. Lisitening to a book on my Ipod also takes my mind off my pain on a bad day.

Take care, everyone.

Tina

Does anyone get IBS with Fibromyalgia? I went to the doctor today and she said I may have Fibromyalgia. Adhesions spasm across my stomach and give me IBS. She started me on a stomach muscle relaxer today. I hope it helps. The aches are bad enough, but this IBS is the pits. I may even see about having some fill taken out. I have so much acid in my stomach when the spasms kick in. I don't want to start having band problems too.

Just for consideration....

In the 1990's a doctor thought I had MS. Test was negative.

In 2003, I couldn't walk or feed myself. Doctors thought I had Lupus. No tests were positive other than an elevated sedimentation rate.

In 2004, I finally had a test come back positive - it was Lyme Disease. I also have co-infections of Babesia and Erichliosis. After years of treatment I finally started to feel better. However, I still have symptoms that come in a cycle once a month. Not as bad as before. Recently a doctor just looked at me and told me it was fibromyalgia. After reading about it, I do not have many of the pressure points. After reading everything about Lyme Disease, I believe I have Chronic Lyme.

All I'm saying is be your own health advocate. Consider all the possibilities.

I have had IBS my whole life.

Spideymom, congratulations on being a cancer survivor. That takes a lot of determination.

As I've mentioned before, I've tried about every med that has been suggested for fibro. Back in my younger days I would barely take an aspirin. After one daughter with autisim and seizures and another bipolar taking meds seems the norm. :frown:)

LaraineM, I think hydrocodone is wonderful to have when nothing else works. If the choice is to be rolling around on the floor in pain or hydrocodone I definitely vote hydrocodone. I do agree it is something I have to be very careful with. I am having trouble finding a doc who will work with me on this since moving about a year ago. Spideymom, I have an appt with a rheumatologist next month. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

LarraineM, I definitely believe in keeping moving as much as possible; preferably away from the house. Lisitening to a book on my Ipod also takes my mind off my pain on a bad day.

Take care, everyone.

Tina

Tina, thanks for the kind words of support! I'm proud of my six years! :w00t: And I wish you luck with the rheumatologist! Mine has been fabulous! My oncologist was the one who recommended I see a rheumy rather than just my family doctor, and I'm so glad she did.

Charlene, I have IBS, and it is common among people with FM. If you are having a lot of acid, you should definitely consider a slight unfill. I just had one about a week ago (-0.5 ccs) and it made all the difference in the world. The acid is gone.

Hostbody, FM often mimics Lyme disease, which is why most doctors nowadays will test a patient for Lyme before giving them the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I was tested twice for Lyme.... and for MS, Lupus, and a whole host of other diseases. That's why the diagnosis of FM is considered a "diagnosis of elimination." Unfortunately there is no blood test for FM, so they have to eliminate all other possibilities. And I totally agree with you -- everyone needs to be their own health advocate!!! :thumbup:

Oh, and regarding pain meds... I mispoke before... I do take pain meds (Vicodin) for breakthrough pain only, but that is very rarely now. Thank goodness! :sad:

Tina, thanks for the kind words of support! I'm proud of my six years! :w00t: And I wish you luck with the rheumatologist! Mine has been fabulous! My oncologist was the one who recommended I see a rheumy rather than just my family doctor, and I'm so glad she did.

Charlene, I have IBS, and it is common among people with FM. If you are having a lot of acid, you should definitely consider a slight unfill. I just had one about a week ago (-0.5 ccs) and it made all the difference in the world. The acid is gone.

Hostbody, FM often mimics Lyme disease, which is why most doctors nowadays will test a patient for Lyme before giving them the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. I was tested twice for Lyme.... and for MS, Lupus, and a whole host of other diseases. That's why the diagnosis of FM is considered a "diagnosis of elimination." Unfortunately there is no blood test for FM, so they have to eliminate all other possibilities. And I totally agree with you -- everyone needs to be their own health advocate!!! :thumbup:

Oh, and regarding pain meds... I mispoke before... I do take pain meds (Vicodin) for breakthrough pain only, but that is very rarely now. Thank goodness! :sad:

Thanks for the info. I will talk to my WL doctor about a slight unfill. I am still in the denial state. I took a stomach relaxer this morning then the first big cool front blew into Houston about an hour ago. I am cramping big time. All those adhesions from previous colon surgeries are fired up. I had IBS till my first colon surgery about nine years ago. Then it went away until last month. My adhesions are so bad the doctor would not do bypass on me......the band was my only choice. Even though I have lost half of my weight.....I am at a plateau. I took a metabolism test last month. You breathe in a machine and it reads the calories you take in (resting metabolism). It wasn't good. I only burn 1300 calories a day. So, in order to lose a lb a week I can only eat 1200calories. Now I have to deal with taking more medication. I hope I can still lose. The GP yesterday said something about takine Savella. Does anyone take it? What are the side effects? Is it an antidepressant? I have taken a low dose of xanax for years for my adhesions. It does help a little for the anxiety , but not for the pain.