Fibromyalgia - ANYONE?

[wolfangel]

OK, so here's an update on me. Had an MRI done, I have lumbar spondylosis without myelopathy, radiculopathy, sacroiliitis, and trochanter bursitis. Have not had the opportunity yet to get tested by my PCP for anything else, but thats the verdict on my back and hips. I now have intermittent loa paperwork for my work so that when I miss time it does not affect my job security as it is fmla protected. This is great news as I was given the heads up that I probably had a final disciplinary notice coming due to attendance (first and final due to the amount of time missed)....this will NOT be coming now thanks to the paperwork!! Now I just have to get the money together to get the rest of me tested, LOL. How is everyone else doing?

[newatthis]

Thanks for the advice all, will be going to the doc to get checked out in January (have NOT met my 2010 deductible and don't want to waste that, lol). I work at a desk all day, and yes, I do have an ergo keyboard. My pain mgmt doc also prescribed an ergo study, so I have the chair and the foot stool as well. It helps.

Let me tell you some of my symptoms, and yall tell me if this is sounding familiar, lol.....bursitis in hips and shoulders, I have literally hundreds of spots (no other way I can think of to describe them) all over my body that if you touch just that right spot it feels like you're torturing me, I have increased weakness in my hands, especially my grip. Some nights the insomnia is ridiculous. My pain doc tells me I have sacroiliitis (sp??) which when I looked that up, can be linked often with arthritis. And I have no idea if this is related, but my skin has dried out horribly, my face and scalp in particular. I have leg pain, mainly feels like that deep down not quite on the surface just HURT. (Thats usually when the insomnia kicks in hard core).

I will def start keeping a record of symptoms, etc, and will go to get tested for the RA.

Right now, I am able to work, I have lived in pain for so long that I just deal with it, as I am sure many of you are familiar with. Lortab is my friend when needed, although I try not to take them often as I do not want to become reliant, physically or psychologically.

Thank you all for the information and for the support!

why don't u look up these two medical conditions and see if either apply to you:
Psoriatic arthritis
Sjögren's Syndrome

[tammyinwv]

I am (or was) a nurse. I started nursing in 1984. In early 95 I was helping an aide lift a pt and hurt my wrist. A huge knot swelled up right away. I went right after to see the staff physical therapist, then later a doc and tried to work with a splint.Shortly there after I started having more pain in my shoulder. I remember complaining to doc that for some reason I was starting to reverse letters and numbers really bad ( a scary thing for a nurse when writing doctors orders etc). We were still concentrating on the wrist thing and he didnt think anything of it. As the pain progressed, about a yr later I was diagnosed with FM. Then after researching, I found the reversing figures a pretty common thing with it. I feel its due to the lack of /or decrease amt of deep restorative sleep. I know when my sleeping problem is acting up, I get more confused,get lost, cant make sense of things and just overall feel more crappy. So I take an Ambien for a few days then I can usually sleep on my own for a little while again. I HATE pills, and avoid them as much as possible.
My sister, who is also a nurse has recommended the Lyrica, but I am having enough weight problems as it is, and I dont want more pills. My FM is a great deal better in summer months, but that isnt to say its not a problem. Even extreme heat can wipe me out.Sometimes to the point I feel I am going to pass out.But in cold months it is a whole lot worse ,with flares that I end up just curling up in a ball on the couch.
Here are some things I have found to help:
1. Massage. Even done by yourself (when you can reach) can be very helpful. A massage therapist I was going to would find the really sore spots, then hold pressure there with a finger, sometimes kinda just slightly rotating the finger in a slight circle. Holding this pressure for a min until pain seems to subside. Even when my arm, or leg is becoming quite painful, I try to find the sore spot that when pressed seems to refer more pain where I am hurting. Then treat this the same way. I find this, at most times, very helpful

2. A very HOT bath or hot tub. Even a heating pad I made from deer corn (this provides a wonderful moist heat, that will easily last 1/2 hr on one heating).

3. Rest. Dont over do. You will pay for it later. I just kinda pace myself, and do a little at a time as I am up to it. But some days I dont follow this rule very well when hubby is home and needing some help with something.

4. Gentle stretching and exercise as you can. But do keep moving. Except during flares then i find curling up in a nice warm blanket helps a good bit. Even when i am having hot flashes and kicking off covers whith a ceiling fan on and its 30-40 degrees, I have to keep my hips and legs covered with at least a sheet. The cool air will cause spasming everytime.

As for my meds, I take them as needed rather than daily. I am on Skelaxin (which I found to be the most helpful muscle relaxant). Ambien for sleep as needed ( but nly take for a few days to a week, then try sleeping again without.). Pain meds as needed. The only one that provides me any relief at all on bad days is my Oxy IR. So I try to cope with methods above when i am having pain, and then when its bad I resort to the big guns above.
Tammy

[JulieDB]

I have Fibromyalgia. It was MUCH worse when my thyroid was out of whack. My muscles would lock up on my all the time. At the worst I couldn't walk at all and could not stand up for any length of time. All I could do was crawl or scoot across the floor. Sadly this was when my daughter was taking her first steps. I had to have neighbors take her around the block for a walk because I couldn't do it.

Things got much better after my thyroid got in control. Mainly I quit eating the soy. I had been eating a lot of it. And I was also diagnosed with venous insufficiency and diabetic neuropathy so at times the symptoms sort of mesh with each other. It is hard for me to tell which one is causing the problems at times.

I do take MSM. I am down to 500 mg each morning and night. At one point the most effective dose was 1000 mg. That really seems to help with pain and movement.

I must take care not to overdo. I can not walk very far without stopping to rest and hopefully sitting down. I can not stand for any length of time. I can sit but I have to be able to change positions frequently and it helps if I can get up and walk around just a bit every once in a while. For the most part staying in bed is the best thing for me. I do once in a while get unbearable muscle cramps that force me up out of bed. Most of the time these are in my feet or legs but sometimes in my sides.

I hired a gardener. Doing that sort of work just killed me.

I have to be careful with the housework. Daughter and I did Spring cleaning and really pushed ourselves. Then I paid for it for several days. I just can not do that. I have to do a little bit at a time then rest.

I bought a house with no stairs. That is a BIG help! Stairs just kill me.

I do keep a lightweight jacket with me at all times. And I keep a blanket near my computer. Luckily the temp. fluctuations are not nearly as bad as they were when I was at my worst. Back then I could get chilled and it could take all day to warm up.

I also changed my sleep schedule. I can't have it as I really would want it because I have to get my daughter off to school and at times there are meetings or appointments I have to go to. But most of the time I stay up till 2 or 3 a.m. I go to bed then sleep till about 6:30. Get my daughter off to school and am back in bed by 7:30. Then I sleep till noon or 1:00. This works the best with my body clock.

[kymberly21]

I don't have Fibromyalgia, I have Cauda Equina Syndrome and my Pain is similar to what you guys get, just have some different other symptoms. So I can highly recomend Nucynta for pain control. Its weaker than Vicodin if only taken once, but when taken regularly kicks pains butt harder than morphine!

Works fantastic on Electrical Nerve Pain!

[nilda32]

Been a sufferer of Fibromalgia since my late teens. I didn't get diagnosed until 5 yrs ago. It's a real struggle for me. I am still working full-time and I just thank my lucky stars my employer is very patient with me on my bad days. If it's not the Fibromyalgia flare ups, it's the Arthritis acting up. Docs put me on Cymbalta first and that made me feel too tired and achy. I take low doses of neurontin to help me ease the pain while working and stay focus. I also take plaquenil and sulfasalazine for the Arthritis to control the swelling. Soma helps me sleep and the prednisone I only take once a month and I love it because it gives me a boost of energy and I can get things done around the house.

The frigid winter here are horrible for me. Doc put me on anti-depressants, but I don't care much for them. When I'm in pain, all I want is a little relief. I take a hot shower before bed and I get up a couple hours earlier before work to soak in the tub so I can start my day. I take it one day at a time as I'm sure most of you do too.