I have had fibromyalgia for close to 8 years now, which was triggered by a car accident and a Diverticulitis attack within the same week. The pain is always worse when I don't sleep, a cocktail of antdpressents as a sleep aid usually does the trick but there are times when they don't. I own a tanning salon and have an Ifrared Sauna that I use most days. When the pain is mild I come out pain free!! for at least a couple of hours, the pain is reduced greatly on the bad days. I am going to try the Webber capsules. I wish some medical research was done to pin point the cause and cure.

I have had memorey issues for a long time and have had to right everything down, Is this a part of fibbromyalgia? I had kaiser ins for 18yrs and they did not give good info, but my falt to. I havent ever read about it, Im the type that I want you to tell me what it is and fix it.[/quote]

Memory loss is part of fybromyalgia. I got scared because I couldn't remember things and so I did a thorough research on fybro and it is part of it. At least I know I'm not losing my mind!!! It is scary sometimes when you can't remember the simplest things but it helps to know the reason why.

Yes, Stress is HUGE....I can't take Ultram...Allergic to it....Memory is my BIG problem lately...

i am with my quilter friends, and look right at one one them and say"whats your name again?" happens all the time. (and one of the girls is my SIL!)
i keep telling my husband to write it down, if he needs me to do something..sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't. His fault. he has to write his work schedule on the calendar.

I got lost going to my SIL's house for christmas dinner once..i had to pull over, and call my husband and ask him to come and bring me the rest of the way in. i cried,but made it..made a joke over it when i got there..

Memory, what pain. sometimes i used to think i was loosing it..seriously..and so did those around me..It is called Fibro-Fog.

I do certain things to help me cope, i have had a dry erase board for years in my kitchen..when the kids were growing up, they HAD to write thier plans on it..HAD to.
My dad, bought my a mini micro recorder for the car/purse.
I keep every calendar,every year..it is like a diary for me.
I have Google as my home page..It has a Sticky note tyupe program that is front and center when i turn on the computer in the morning. I have signed up for the florist shop to send me reminders of Birthdays and Anniversaries..Email and snail mail
I am no longer allowed to cook without a Timer clipped to my shirt. I almost burned the house down twice. ( i have a pampered chef timer)
i have a second alarm clock i set for Appointments only on that day..my cell phone has an alarm for appointments also..

these are just some of the way i cope with memory issues.

sound ridiculus? not hardly! when it costs you a $60 no show fee for the shrink..you start coming up with ways to remember!

Arnica Gel! Yes! I have recommended or given this to everyone I know that hurts! It is incredible, my DH and I stumbled on it by accident and started buying it at GNC, $1.99 a tube, and as we have a membership card to GNC, it was $1.49. Then we couldn't find it! I was panicing! So I went online and bought 20 tubes, I was afraid they were discontinuing it! That lasted about 6 months and I just received my 2nd order! This stuff helps relieve pain and my DH always puts it on my shoulder (rotator cuff pain, getting surgery soon) and back pain! Has anyone tried Arnica tablets?

Does anyone have a spot on your body that itches all of the time? I do, it's part of fibromyalgia. My left shoulder itches ALL of the time, no rash, nothing visable, sometimes it is really bad. It can move or spread, luckily mine has stayed in one spot for several years. Stress is a big trigger for me. Our ADHD 12 year old grandson can really set it off! I take cymbalta, it helps me get out of bed in the morning, without pain! I can't take Lyrica or anything like it, at the lowest dosage I am so dizzy I can't stand up. Like others, I have a problem with "exercise" and I'm including here, a long day of shopping, spurts of house cleaning (I try to do a little every day so that I can avoid "Spring" cleaning). Humidity seems to make it worse (and here I am living on the Gulf coast)! Cooler Florida weather is perfect but really cold is a killer. I too am going to try the vitamins! At this point, nothing can hurt!

no itchy's for me...interesting..will see what others say...
my husband said i walked normal when i was in texas and florida...lol!

living in michigan, we get the extremes in weather..i thought last summer was perfect...but no one agrees with me..including my plants!

Yes, I have itchy too. My left shoulder. Did anyone start out with a tingling`numbness kinda thing on the left side of your body? I did for years and had MRI to rule out MS. It will still get that way if I get really stressed or tired. It's like you took a pen and drew a line down the middle of my body; the left side tingly, the right side no tingly. very weird.

, but I would try anything to get read of the pain. the $1.99 is something I think my husband could aford, I'll have to wright it down. haha
No never heared of it

Yes, I have an itchy spot on the sole of one foot! I never knew that was part of Fibro, and it sometimes drives me crazy. I also get restless legs when I am ready to go to sleep, so I take meds for that, and sometimes I wake up in so much pain that it's hard to turn over to help ease it. Sleeping has been easier since I bought a feather bed (5 inches deep of feathers on top of my pocket sprung mattress). It's bliss to sink into it each night. I am a bit of a mess though, when it comes to sleeping, as I also have sleep apnea. I try to have an afternoon nap each day I am at home too, so that I don't get over tired, and I rarely go out two days running - too tiring.

I also have sleep apnea and restless legs, interesting. I take 2 Benedryl 2 to 3 times a day. Luckily it doesn't make me sleepy! Ohhh, that featherbed sounds wonderful!

I can't sleep in a bed because of the back surgery, but mostly because the copd, when I try sleeping in a bed I wake up with so much pain in my lungs and its so hard to breath that i just sleep on or reclining coach.

i don't have fibro but i have nuropothic pain from a brocken neck and breaking my back twice and a head injury i take tramadol my doc says it's a lot li9ke fibro i have been in a flare of pain for 5 months but stress is not helping i am in the process of a divorce i made a couple of rice socks put about 2 1/2 pounds of rice in a sock and sew up the end than you can put it in the microwave and place any place you have pain it is a moist heat so dose the best for me i also made one larg enough to go arround my neck and over my shoulders that is where most of my pain is the nice thing about these are i can heat them before going to bed i don't have to worry about burning myself with and eletrci heating pad as it cool during the night i heat mine for about 2 minuets it also gave one to a frien of mine that has fibro she says it really helps i will take pics of them one of these days and post it because i have mine sectioned so all the rice doesn't fall to the bottom

great idea! I have a lot of pain in my shoulders.The ad under my post is about pain............

pictures of rice socks

Thank you! That can't be very hard to make.

pink one is an old tank that is two small both get a lot of use the sock works great when sewing or on the computer they are easy just sew a seem i used a canning funel to fill mine the one with sections i sewed the sections than put in the rice and sewed along the top i used a tight zig zag so it would strach a little easyer and would keepm the rice in

I'll be making a couple in the next 24 hours! Heat really does feel good on my back.

Well I never connected my ichy spot(right in middle of my back so can't reach) this thread has been a wealth of info.

[quote=penny doty]just been reading everyones posts..the memory loss..thats me too...my soles of my feet some days feel like yours like they have been beaten and I hobble around..but my pain is still manageable most days without drugs. I was going to the gym about 2 years ago and was doing hard work outs and after a while I couldnt get to sleep at night as I was so achey..it wasnt muscle soreness so now I dont do work outs as the pain isnt worth it. I tried to go back but the pain returned so i have just started bikeriding and swimming again but only for 20 - 30 mins to lose weight so lets hope I can still do that. its great to talk to people and realise that others are in a similar situation because you just feel like a hypochondriac at times....

I'm going to try that gel. Thanks. Roz

Your itching because of the nerve endings. That is what fibro is all about . It attacks the central nerve system. Try heat it's suppose to be the best for healing. When I'm riding in the car it feels like their going a100 miles and hour, my body feels like its flying also when I'm with a group of women and their all talking the sound is so loud it affects me. Dr.'s don't seem to have a clue about fibro. So quilters "Heal thyself" :thumbup: :thumbup: Roz

The weather has a strong influence on Fibro. When the barometer drops, then I usually do, too. If it's sunny, so am I. :)[/quote]

I am so glad to see you say this. If a storm is coming I can tell before the weather man. The cold weather especially if it is raining too makes me ache . One big toothache is a good description. I have taken almost everything the docs have thrown at me but since I am extremely sensitive to meds they have only made things worse. So I just deal mostly. Tylenol pm at night when I really hurt. Exercise helps but since I also have chronic fatique its really a crap shoot. Exercise makes that worse. So like I said I mostly just deal.

fibro is an opportunistic condition. I hesitate to call it a disease, because with a disease there are usually markers in the blood to determine what is wrong, and there is usually a drug, or drugs or some other procedure or SOMETHING to help you with the disease you are finally diagnosed with. But the doctors are just now beginning to recognize it as ANYTHING besides "it's all in your head".The constant pain, fibro fog, indigestion, sleep problems, cognitive issues, memory, headaches, fatigue,clumsiness, getting turned around at the mall,muscle weakness, and a jillion other symptoms can point to any disease, and when the dr rules that out, and rules out the next symptom, and the next, you begin to doubt your sanity. But taken as a whole, and adding in the tender points, it can be diagnosed. My chiropractor has actually done more for me that any medical doctor. He's very in tune with fibro and he told me about the barometer and asked how I felt when it took a dive.
When I say it is opportunistic, I mean that it can co-exist right alongside another disease, which muddies the waters, diagnostically. And a lot of fibro-mites will have an accident or get hurt somehow, and then all the fibro symptoms appear. But stress can also trigger it's appearance. PSTD, and fibro mingle quite successfully, and if your dr doesn't check your 18 tender points, he'll be fuddled about the PSTD, because it isn't supposed to cause tingling of the extremities, hot and cold flashes (after menopause), or the other type of symptoms fibro causes.
I had a racing in my chest; felt like my heart was gonna jump out of my chest. Went to the dr, everything was fine. It's a symptom of fibro. On paper, I'm as healthy as the day I was born.
Don't be shy about asking your dr to check your tender points. If you have 11 of the 18, you have fibro.There is a lot of research being done to discover what causes it and how to make it better for people. And did you know that most fibromites are women? Not all, but the percentage is
way high towards women. Some are in wheel chairs, some have taken their own lives because they could get no relief and their drs thought it was all in their head.
There is a web site and a magazine to help fibro-mites learn to cope and deal with this devastating condition. The name of the magazine is Fibromyalgia Network and the web address is www.fmnetnews.com
sorry I can't get this link to be useful.

Here's hoping all of you can get some relief. It isn't curable, but can go into remission for many years, and then reappear. Do yourselves a favor and learn as much as you can about this condition. There are many books written on the subject, but don't get the older books; many of them are outdated concerning the newest and latest on treatment. I'm 69 and have had this for at least 20 years, but I am able to stay active. I raise a garden every year, I do all my own work at home, all the yard work except the lawn, I paint the rooms in the house, I do everything I ever did before; it just takes a little longer. We adopted a baby and he is now 7 years old and I keep up with him. Fibromyalgia Network Magazine writes articles about how to help yourself, and how to say no to things that will only make you have a flare, or make you more tired, or encroach on your small amount of "up" time. It's hard to say no to requests made by family but sometimes we need to so we won't be in bed for the next 2 or 3 days. Esp. when it comes to the grandkids.
Diana

I was dignosed with Lupus about six years ago and fibro about three years ago. I chronic pain, fatigue and memory loss was really getting to me until my doctor finally sat down and listened to me. I take cymbalta for the pain as well as neurontin. I also take provigil to help me stay awake during the day. Several blood tests later found that I was very low on vitamin D. Adding that did help somewhat. One of my parents had sleep apena so I was tested for that also and found that I also have that. I have no choice in continuing to work as my DH has been out of work for a while now. Thankfully my boss is great and understands when I have a bad day and can't make it to work. I do wake up throughout the night with pain mostly in my hips. I just take one day at a time with the hope that I don't have a huge flare up.

I take benadryl and clonazepam to sleep with and some melatonin. I can get a decent night's sleep with this concoction. I figure whatever it takes to be able to live my life in a somewhat "normal" way. My dr prescribes the clonazepam

It's been a rough winter for fibro here in Florida - cold and dank and stressful. When I lived up north, I had an electric mattress pad that helped a LOT, but did not move it with me to the sunshine state. I think I may check into that arnica.

Has anyone had "chemical sensitivities"? This is the strangest of all my fibro problems. Months ago I had a really nasty smell of smoke in my nose for about six weeks. It literally smelt like I was in the middle of a fire inhaling the smoke. We know that not to be the case. That finally went away and then I lost my sense of smell totally. I can't smell for nothing...unless it is a perfume, bleach, chemical or something like that.... and then I smell it "loud and clear", but it's a revolting smell. It is very hard to explain, unless you've gone through it yourself to understand.

I had no idea so many people suffered from this condition. We need to keep each other uplifted in prayer and encourage each other to be strong through all of the pain.

Does anyone ever get a really metallic taste in their mouth? It comes and goes. When I have it nothing will take it away.

I to have fibro and have been reading all the threads the only thing I have to add is I was tought to prop under my upperarms with pillows on both sides, a pillow or 2 under my knees, as you all know if you don't get the sleep you only get worse. I used to take all the drugs but being in final stages of congestive heart failure and my other medical conditions I had to stop talking most of the medicine however I take pain meds 3 or 4 times a day on bad days, always take a muscle relaxer to help sleep and paxill for depression. my hands are getting very bad fingers just ache for no reason my back has never quit hurting not once but then I also have degernitive back disease Dr wants to operate but I wouldn't go for that. Now it is to late. I certainly know how miserable you can be, one thing I learned from this thread is the iching could never find out why I have one spot that continully itches. I am diabetic but have no naropothy sure am lucky about that. Memory thing is so scarry to me as I have those problems but I also have a mom with dementia so am scared it could be that
I have many days every month I cannot do anything because of fibro or heart problems.

This is so true. My regular doc just told me to "relax" (yea right!)

My chiro is new (i wound up there b/c of a free massage) and he has done INCREDIBLE things.

The stress is what kills me. People look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them my job is stressful (I'm a teacher) - and then when I have a 'bad day' - no one understands. God Bless Him - but even my boyfriend has been frustrated with my "pain" and "weird desire for sleep"

I never put much stock in the weather until I moved home from FL -- I noticed that I didn't hurt in FL (though the tiredness was there) but now that I'm home in WV the cold weather is brutal. I love snow days, but only if I can be a hermit those days.

=) thanks for the encouragement - it really does help to know I'm not alone!

I am chemical sensetive. my sister has fibro also and she cannot hardly tolerate any smells including the smell of food I have thought I have smelled something like a house fire maybe it is all connected to fibro My aunt who has fibro experiences the metelic taste and all of us have a constant dry mouth

sorry to say, all of these things are FM related. Metallic taste, chemical sensitivity, weird smells, and also ear problems, like earaches, sore throat, swollen glands in the neck. Ya think yer gettin' a cold or flu, but no temperature or anything else that would say cold or flu. Dry mouth a biggie. Thirsty all the time.
YTQ

I have Neuropathy and fibromyalgia. When my Neurologist put me on Neurontin for the Neuropathy almost all my fibromyalgia
disappeared too, since the Neuropathy is from the waist down if I start aching all over I take another Neurontin (600 mg at a time), up to 3 a day. It is expensive but gabapentin is the generic if it will work for you. I did not work for me.
I spent many many miserable years in pain.

One more reporting in with having fibro for many years ... I just hate the word salad that has me asking the kids to put the milk in the oven ...

Stress definitely increase my chances of having a flare-up. Often spend a day every weekend overwhelmed and unable to drag myself out of pj's.

Sunshine and walking do help. Quilting <working out designs, sorting stash, fabric fondling lead to de-stressing, right?> have been excellent therapy! Yup, am gonna go with that :)

you are right. Do something you love and it helps the pain and helps the depression. Who could not love quilting!? It's relaxing and helps you to forget all the rotten stuff. Sunshine is a BIG help.People who don't get enough sunshine need to take vit D3. My dr had me on 50,000 units for 12 weeks. Now I take 2500 a day, and it helps the mood. I've also found that music that I like ( I have a pretty eclectic taste when it comes to music) helps me, too. I can rock n roll or just be mellow or listen to Opera. What ever suits me at the time.
Walking is the very best exercise you can get. Just be careful not to overdo it, Start small and work up to 15 minutes out, and 17 minutes back. I've found it takes me longer to get back home, cause i'm gettin' tired.
Good luck, all of you. My heart goes out to you and your families.
Diana YTQ

I was finally diagnoised three years ago, after being told I had everthing and nothing for more than 20 years.

The itching is not confined to one spot. But when it itches it is impossible to stop.

Having a flare up this week caused by having cataract surgery. So guess the next three weeks will be bad before they get my other eye done. I am in pain all the time. They have me on cymbalta, effexor cr, and ms contin and i do fell better than I have in years.

Nothing helps the sleep problem. Exausted all the time but still cannot sleep most nights. The memory is the worst. I can forget the simplist of things yet I know that I know them. About an hour later I remember.

Shoes make my feet hurt, socks are a nono. Wear cotten clothes so that if I sweat it doesn't stay on body and make me itch.

Allergic to almost all meds (especially lyrica). Have joined curves to try to get some exercise. Bought a new bike and thqt didn't work at all. to tired to hold it up, legs hurt worst then ever.

People do not understand because we look normal. I just do what needs to be done as I am able to. Limit things to a 15 min period and usually make it doe 10 min. But I am breathing and I Thank God for that everyday all day.

Linda D MI

I was in a car accident in '89 and a Dr. said it triggered my Fibro. Affected all my upper body. Said it cld just disappear or last forever. Mine eased up after 10 yrs and only shows up occasionally. Cold is bad for it.
Just thank God most Drs' recognize it now. I was told it was all in my mind to start with.
Good luck to you all, hang tough...

Lord I think am glad that I found this topic. For 8-10 years my neck, shoulders & arms just burn like fire at times. They stay sore all of the time as if I had worked out. I also suffer from migraines and pain in my legs & hips at night. Am on meds for the migrianes and take flexeril 2X a day & Clonazapam at bedtime. In the middle of my back I have a certain spot that has itched for a couple of yrs yet there is no spot or anything there. My hands arms & wrists, knees & ankles also throb like crazy and I just hurt like the dickens when we are in for a weather change. I have 0 energy and am on an antidepressant. Many days I hurt all over & would love to just stay in bed except that it hurts to lie there. Is this what Fibro. feels like? I am going for a Drs. appt. in March and will def. talk to her about all of this but before now, I have felt like she would think I was just nuts. And some days my memory is just flat gone. Other days it is there in full force. This is a scary feeling people! Very scary! Until now, I have not said a word to anyone about my feelings for fear of what they might think.

When I first started having the memory loss thing, I actually ask my Dr. if I had early onset Alzheimers! He laughed so hard and said no. What you have is growing kids and the stress brought on fibromialga!