tellabella

I have read this whole thread and I too have fibro...last year after a hysterectomy, symptoms of fatigue, exhaustion, etc got unbearable....went ot rheumotolgist...excluded the r. arthritits...fibro...is a condition of exclusion...have to exclude everything else...a lot of symptoms and conditions cross over into one another...first it was under active thyroid...also had hives...this is an auto immunity...low vitamin d, low iron...

sure I have had chronic fatigue for a long time... and insomnia

Recently my dr sent me for a sleep study and have been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea..this has not been mentioned here but the 2 are connected, some research shows a link between absence of REM, apnea, and muscles aches and pains..my osteopath concurs with this..since I have been sleeping with the CPAP machine my sore stiff muscles have gotten less painful...has to do with oxygen to the muscles and cells and release of cortisol when you don't sleep and when you have episodes of apnea during the night...lots of research on this...prime indicator of course of sleep apnea is snoring but not always the case...and there is also a link between menopause and sleep disorders...my biggest struggle right now is sleep...I can't sleep..right now I am falling asleep at the computer but if I nap I will be up until 5..if I don't I will still be up until 2 or later...hard to get up and go to work...around 10 pm I get this 'wired" feeling and sleep becomes impossible...does anyone else have this...

watterstide

Me too. almost all my adult life (1982). i take cymbalta and lexpro. occasionally i get a bad flair up and get a shot of tordol(sp?) you learn to adjust to the memory thing..i have dry erse board in the kitchen,nest to the door..i write everything on it. i hve a spare alarm clock i use for appointments.i set it for 2 hours before i am due there. i do the same thing on my cell phone ..
i NEVER cook or bake without a timer hooked to my shirt..NEVER. i have had 2 fires due to memory issues over the years.

i am not a clean freak anymore. i have husband that understands. he even does all the laundry. we both worked in a steel mill, i could not of managed without his help .

i see a shrink to help with the depression..

Tsanchez

Reading you reply I also take oxycodone 10mg 4 times a day, every day. I have my kidneys and liver checked every month. I not only have FM though. I have hip dysplaysia and nerve damage in my neck and lower back. The pain I am in with just those three (I have other medical issues) get so unbearable at times. Lyrica almost cost me my life (literally) and I took one Cymbalta, read the side affects, and never took it again. I don't want a repeat of 2008 when I almost went into a medicated coma.

bjcombs2022

This is a great thread! Hopefully each of us will learn something we didn't know about fibro!

I've had it for years and here's what works for me! Cymbalta, thanks to a very smart Dr. in Michigan! It makes getting out of bed every morning so much easier. He also prescribed Ambien CR. 8 hours of sleep is essential and I wasn't getting it, couldn't stay asleep! I take a multiple vitamin, vitamin D, fish oil, magnisium, glucosamine w/condroitin and as I have sleep apnea, I sleep with a cpap machine. The weather changing and humidity cause lots of pain. I've found that warm soaks in the tub with epson salts (10 pounds for 5 something at Sam's), exercise and a low carbohydrate diet make a big exercise. I use the treadmill, in five minute increments, several times a day. I've found that Arnica Gel (it's an herb) from GNC, $1.49 a tube if you have a card, helps me get to sleep like nothing else! Don't buy the expensive stuff and order it online if your local GNC doesn't sell it. I was put on prednisone, low daily dose, last year and it helped but I became diabetic from it. After going off of it and watching my diet with the above exercise, my blood sugar is right back where it has always been. Avoiding cold drafts (cold breezes), staying warm, taking a nap when I know I need it, also help!

Hopefully, someone will come up with something that works for all of us some day, something that won't have tons of side effects!

Oh, yeah! And stress! Get rid of it!

Sandee

Have had it since at least 1995. Tryed Cybalta, Elivil, Savella, & all the rest in this catagory. No luck with any of them.Many side effects with all of them. I now take Neurontin and Ultraset. Sometimes it helps & sometimes not. I also have Lidoderm5% patches to use. These only help some for close to the surface pain. Best treatment I've had is MOIST heat including hot water bath, stretching, & the best help was /is deep tissue massage. This will make you feel like someone beat you up the first few times, & if it doesn't, you're not getting what you paid for. After the 1st few times. you'll feel alot better! The trouble with this is that most ins. restrict how much P.T. one can have in a yr's time. A very good large home hand held massager that someone or yourself can use is helpful, also. Almost forgot. Another helpful med is Flexeril. It is a muscle relaxor you take at night. Take it about 3 hrs before bed so that it wears off by morning. Moist Heat, massage, & some stretching is about the best anyone's gonna get for treatment. (Former Physical Therary Asst). Been the one to treat & the one getting treated :?

sosewcrazy

Savella has worked wonders for me. Still have good and bad days, but the difference has taken me from intense pain most of the time to mostly just a little achy. I would like to find something to help memory, though. Just can't seem to think as quickly on my feet a I once did.

gangles

Neurontin (gabapenten is the generic) works for me. Gabapenton does not! The doctor I now have doesn't belive the gabapenton does not work the same as the Neurontin but I have tried it 3 times in the last 10 years and have been misserable the whole time I was taking it. Now I always insist on Neurontin and live basically pain free!

karenchi

I too, have it.....along with MS.....

I am on Effexor XR which helps with pain even though it is a anti-depression drug. Also, Deseryl which helps with sleep at nite and the more restful sleep a person gets the better to cope with fibro.

tell her to keep a positive outlook. My DD now has it!

Pat P

What are some of the early symptoms? Been having trouble with knees going so stiff by evenings I can hardly walk. Guilty of avoiding Dr because all they do is push pills and even good medicine can make you new health problems (like diabetes.)

Helene

I have fibromyalgia and I took for a while a prescription medecine called "Savella" it is fairly new on the market(about one year) This med came out after the Lyrica. Keep moving is the key and yoga helps to relaxe. Pain management may be very helpful. No one has to live in pain and help is there... Live is too short.. :D