Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia - alternatives to medications?

I am enjoying reading about some of the alternative methods of pain relief. I was diagnosed with Fibro in Rochester ten years ago, failing all 18 pressure points. This year I was diagnosed with stage IV non small cell lung cancer that has metastasized in my abdomen and brain. They are so focused on my cancer that my pain is not even a point of discussion at most appointments. I am going to try some of the mentioned methods and see if they help. I am fatigued from both diseases, so I move less and I see the pain increasing.

@irene5 @lorinusbaum @jenapower @kdubois

Earlier today you were corresponding with a newcomer to Connect. Investigation revealed that @rpoucher has a commercial affiliation with the product she claims to be using for various pain and heart health issues. Posting solicitations or advertisements of any kind violates Mayo Clinic Connect’s Terms of Use https://connect.mayoclinic.org/terms-of-use/. Furthermore, these products have not been FDA approved.

For this reason, this user has been removed from the community and her posts deleted.

When considering complementary or alternative treatments, be open-minded yet skeptical. Learn about the potential benefits and risks. Here is an article from Mayo Clinic on evaluating claims made by the producers and/or sellers of supplements, natural products and other alternative medicines. http://mayocl.in/2tGC0Jp

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Colleen Young
Community Director, Mayo Clinic Connect

All information shared by members on the Mayo Clinic Connect, such as messages, images, advice, URLs, and any other material, is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community.

@kdubois Kelly,
The treatments you mention are now popular in healthcare as alternative but they are also complementary to medicine. It's good for folks like you who have genetic reasons which impede the benefit of medicine. And it's good for folks like me who want to limit the amount of medicine they take, Over the years I have done Massage, Acupuncture, water therapy, and dietary changes. I cannot twist and turn and balance with traditional Yoga so I try to remember Chair Yoga on YouTube .Each has its benefits and drawbacks.

-Water therapy is easy on the body but you need a timer to start slow. I can't tolerate cold water.
-Acupuncture helped me the most when I had no pain medicine (for neck pain) but did little for fibro. I like massage the best for fibro. My therapist can modify the pressure from one area of the body to the next.
- As far as dietary changes, I felt no difference physically in eating organic as far as fibro pain.

Over the years, I have not been able to walk as far or as fast as I could. Seven years ago, I was hiking to waterfalls and trails all over Oahu, Hawaii. Yes there was pain, but not like now. Today, I need to rely on how I feel before making a trip to the grocery store.
Doctors say fibromyalgia is not a progressive syndrome but I challenge that thinking.

Kelly, one thing you do not mention and I wonder if you have tried bio-feedback?

@kdubois Kelly,
The treatments you mention are now popular in healthcare as alternative but they are also complementary to medicine. It's good for folks like you who have genetic reasons which impede the benefit of medicine. And it's good for folks like me who want to limit the amount of medicine they take, Over the years I have done Massage, Acupuncture, water therapy, and dietary changes. I cannot twist and turn and balance with traditional Yoga so I try to remember Chair Yoga on YouTube .Each has its benefits and drawbacks.

-Water therapy is easy on the body but you need a timer to start slow. I can't tolerate cold water.
-Acupuncture helped me the most when I had no pain medicine (for neck pain) but did little for fibro. I like massage the best for fibro. My therapist can modify the pressure from one area of the body to the next.
- As far as dietary changes, I felt no difference physically in eating organic as far as fibro pain.

Over the years, I have not been able to walk as far or as fast as I could. Seven years ago, I was hiking to waterfalls and trails all over Oahu, Hawaii. Yes there was pain, but not like now. Today, I need to rely on how I feel before making a trip to the grocery store.
Doctors say fibromyalgia is not a progressive syndrome but I challenge that thinking.

Kelly, one thing you do not mention and I wonder if you have tried bio-feedback?

@irene5 @lorinusbaum @jenapower @kdubois

Earlier today you were corresponding with a newcomer to Connect. Investigation revealed that @rpoucher has a commercial affiliation with the product she claims to be using for various pain and heart health issues. Posting solicitations or advertisements of any kind violates Mayo Clinic Connect’s Terms of Use https://connect.mayoclinic.org/terms-of-use/. Furthermore, these products have not been FDA approved.

For this reason, this user has been removed from the community and her posts deleted.

When considering complementary or alternative treatments, be open-minded yet skeptical. Learn about the potential benefits and risks. Here is an article from Mayo Clinic on evaluating claims made by the producers and/or sellers of supplements, natural products and other alternative medicines. http://mayocl.in/2tGC0Jp

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Colleen Young
Community Director, Mayo Clinic Connect

All information shared by members on the Mayo Clinic Connect, such as messages, images, advice, URLs, and any other material, is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community.

@irene5 @lorinusbaum @jenapower @kdubois

Earlier today you were corresponding with a newcomer to Connect. Investigation revealed that @rpoucher has a commercial affiliation with the product she claims to be using for various pain and heart health issues. Posting solicitations or advertisements of any kind violates Mayo Clinic Connect’s Terms of Use https://connect.mayoclinic.org/terms-of-use/. Furthermore, these products have not been FDA approved.

For this reason, this user has been removed from the community and her posts deleted.

When considering complementary or alternative treatments, be open-minded yet skeptical. Learn about the potential benefits and risks. Here is an article from Mayo Clinic on evaluating claims made by the producers and/or sellers of supplements, natural products and other alternative medicines. http://mayocl.in/2tGC0Jp

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Colleen Young
Community Director, Mayo Clinic Connect

All information shared by members on the Mayo Clinic Connect, such as messages, images, advice, URLs, and any other material, is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community.

Great conversation to kick-off, @kdubois! I'm tagging other members who live with fibromyalgia to join the discussion @clownscrytoo @wandamiller @sandytoes14 @jenapower @robbinr @chari978 @irene5 @mchel46 @kayelle @bstephens @basslakeview @2122 @angieh @persist @jamesthee @michiganstressedlady @hmr52 @lucia: what non-drug therapies or activities help you relieve the symptoms and pain of fibro?