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I have both fibromyalgia and arthritis. The fibromyalgia was diagnosed about 20 years ago or so by my rheumatologist. I have been on ultram most of this time for the pain -- 3X a day. However, about 8 or so yrs. ago, wnen Leonard Nimoy was on TV encouraging use of MSM for arthritis, my husband purchased some for me and I use it in tandem with my ultram as well as glucosamine/chondroitin. I saw my rheumatologist today and he asked if I needed additional Rx for my pain. I told him that the above combination is still working for me in pain control. However, it's my understanding that MSM which is sulphur, is not always tolerated well by some individuals, and the glucosamine/chondroitin because of a shellfish connection may also cause intestinal problems of some. I hope this helps some of you with your pain. I have also experienced (early on) the lack of understanding by family members about the terrible pain involved with the fibromyalgia as well as the sudden fatigue episodes that are part of the condition. Eventually, they began to understand and are very patient with me now. I was approximately 54 yrs. of age at the time of diagnosis for the arthritis and am now 76-1/2 yrs. of age and I am a married lady.

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Hi. I was dx'd with fibro and causalgia (RSDS) a couple years ago. I also have peripheral neuropathy and with all that going on, it is hard not to have days when the pain is tearing me apart. I try to use a heating pad as much as possible, as cold makes me hurt more. My husband watches me suffer and is good about not asking me to do things he knows I can't at that time. Not having insurance or disability, it is hard to go to doc or get meds for these things. Somehow, I make it thru. Having a good support system, family, friends, etc. helps a lot.
I do know that depression goes along with all OUR dx's, so a support group would help some. I tried Cymbalta for depression and it did help "some" with pain. It started making me sick so I had to discontinue it.
I hope you all have a good night and can get rest and relief. Thanks for listening to me vent.

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I was diagnosed with fibro almost a year ago although the doctor feels I have had it much longer and it has been quite a struggle to live with. I also struggle with frequent migraines. I have 2 kids and that comes with alot of work as any parent knows! : ) I have a wonderful girlfriend of almost 5 years that has helped me get through alot of struggles but at the same time I think that fibro is tearing us apart so I think that it is very hard on relationships and can definately tear families apart when the love of your life doesn't understand where you are coming from and begins to push you away because they don't know how to deal with not being able to help you.

When I was diagnosed I was told I had 18 and then some of the 18 points of fibro and that is why I was experiencing such extreme pain. At the time I had already been on 4 percocet a day for pain for about a year which were no longer doing much. After diagnoses I went into Physical Therapy and massage which I think helped slightly simply because they showed me some stretches to do instead of sitting around. I had a bad habit of wanting to sit too much which I found out is the WORST thing for fibro!!! If you sit around alot you feel horrible compared to moving around. My doctors then tried me on Cymbalta which made me extremely sick which was a bummer because I really hoped that would be a help with some of the pain. After that I got put on Oxycontin 20mg and Oxycodone 5mg for breakthrough pain along with Flexeril and Valium and I am still in some pain. This worries me at the age of 28 to have to be on something like this because I just keep thinking about the future and what I am going to do when I am older and there is nothing left for me. What will I do when there is nothing stronger and I am dying in pain? I know there are stronger things but by the time I get older I will probably already have had to take them and I feel it is so unfair that I am so young and I have to be on something like this long term.

I also want to apply for disability but I am just not sure what to do to get it and I am afraid it won't be enough to get by. According to how much I have worked I will only get around $471.00 for myself a month and that is nothing to live on for the rest of my life! I am just so scared for me and my girls future!!! We all have to keep hoping and praying they find a cure for fibro so that we can be healed from this pain we are living in and get back to people we used to be without all this hurt. God Bless You All!!! Never Give Up!!!!

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I just read your blogg and wanted to share with you the meds that I take. I was dx about 13 years ago and went through every treatment one could imagine until I finally hooked up with the right doctor and the right meds. And yes fibro can tear up any relationship and especially if your partner does not understand. Families sometimes think you are faking it to get out of working and its really sad because the dx is so silent no one can see it. I also was dx with Breast cancer four years ago. I am cured of that now but we have been through quite a bit and I thank God for my wonderful family for putting up with me. The meds I take are great. they are : Duragesic Patch for pain. Ambien to sleep, I was taking Cymbolta but today I was changed to effexor XR. Both these drugs are anti-depressants. I also take Arimidex for my cancer which has nothing to do with the fibro. I was changed because the Armidex causes horrible hot flashs and the Effexor works well to controll those. I am hoping I get rid of the hot flashes. these meds work great for me. I am still very very tired but most of the time I am not in pain. if I did not take these meds I would not be able to get out of bed. Has your doctor thought of lyrica. That is a wonderful new drug that i do believe is a blessing to fibro patients. unfortuantly for me, I cant take it. when I did take it, I was pain free,. It was wild. In fact I was excited that I did not have to take heavy duty meds and still did not hurt. But the side effects was not good for me so I had to come off of it. The best thing you can do is find a doctor that is up on the dx itself and keeps up with the new treatments and listens to you and does not blow you off. Keep looking until you find one cause they are out there. You MUST have a doctor that understands or y ou are wasting your time... Good luck and i hope this helps. sorry for my lack of spelling and grammer. its late and I am tired. sleep is a biggie also. take care of yourself. I would be wonderful if I did not stay up late at night. I just love it but I pay for it also.

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I have had Fibromyalgia for over 10 years. Reading these stories just breaks my heart because I can relate to them all. I'm not going to go into all of my diagnoses and medications, but I will just say I can relate. I hope I can offer something that may help someone. I recently came across this video on youtube titled "Fibromyalgia-Lisa's Story". This is a heartbreaking story told by a man who's wife's fibromyalgia led her to suicide. First and foremost let me say that I, nor this man advocate suicide!!! He made this video to speak to other spouses and family members who disregard, minimize, or just don't understand the extent of the pain their loved one with fibromyalgia is living with. My husband is very supportive and understanding, yet it was still very moving to him. I suggest that you preview the video yourself and decide if you think it might be useful in helping your spouse understand your burden.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnqFEeDD_nk
Again I want to reiterate the fact that this is not promoting suicide as an alternative. I know that someone reading this may feel that you're just at the end of your rope. Not that long ago, I had reached a point where I gave up and gave in. I "gave up" on doctors and "gave in" to Fibromyalgia. Please don't give up!!! We've got to take control of our health, because no one else is going to! There really is so much new information on alternative therapies and different treatments for fibromyalgia and so many resources for support! It's one day at a time and a lot of trial and error. I just found a great website that is full of information and support, and this is just one of many.
http://www.fms-help.com/
Regarding spouses, it's also very important for us to realize how difficult it is to live with someone in chronic pain. Studies show that fibromyalgia husbands do experience more psychological problems such as depression and loneliness, and more stress and fatigue than spouses of well women. Understandably so as they often feel very helpless, because the one they love is hurting and they can't do anything about it. Also, remember before you share all the strange and painful symptoms that you've been dealing with all day, that we often become numb to something that we're bombarded repeatedly, that we have no control over. Hopefully resources such as the website listed above will offer you some support from people who really understand what you're going through! Please don't "give up" or "give in"! God can give you strength when you have none left!
God Bless!!

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HI! I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL , BECAUSE I HAVE IT TOO AND MY HUSBAND & MY DAUGHTER DON'T SEEM TO CARE BECAUSE WHEN I REALLY DOWNRIGHT HURT THEY MAKE ME DO THINGS THAT MAKE IT HURT MORE AND I AM ONLY 37 YEARS OLD.

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I would love to know some of the treatments that others are taking that do not involve narcotics. As I have posted before, I take 3 meds for my fibro. pain med, sleep med and a anti-depressant. this is the general regiment that most doctors prescribe . I have wanted to get off the pain meds for awhile but cannot due to the pain. I was hoping lyrica would be my miracle drug but due to one of the side effects it did not work for me but i am excited for other fibro patients who may be able to take it. I work full time, love my job and my life. I would just love to not take the drugs that I do. Any one who would care to responds would make my day. If you do not want to respond in public, you can e-mail me privately at car2335958@bellsouth.net thanks and have a great day....

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Hi Ya'll, I was told in April of this year "08" That I have Fibromyalgia. For the last 15 years I have been in pain each and every day, not knowing what was going on with my body. At one point I thought I had Mono, which lasted 6 months. My ex-husband thought I was just acting sick, because he has a cronic illness. But I was still trying to take care of him, running him to the Dr. 3-4 times a week, getting his meds. and making sure he had the right foods to eat. My pain go so bad in 1999, I had to have sugery on my neck then in 2007(sept.) I had sugery on my lower back. I still have lots of pain, I can't sleep or I sleep all day. I take Cymbalta 90 mg., Tramadol , But I still have days where I can hardly get going. No one in my family , new husband, sisters, son, mom, dad or in-laws, think I a faking. They all have read about Fibromyalgia, and know this is for real.. So Please all of you, Pray,Love, Laugh,Live and Keep fighting. We all will make it some how some way. Good luck and God Bless