Managing fibromyalgia

I just got diagnosed but I know I’ve had it for years
I take aspirin and ibuprofen and Benadryl
I have an rx for Rona in muscle relaxer
Since January I have been very sick

Mrs Artavia, I am sorry to read you have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I’ve had it 22 Yrs - I wish I could tell you there is a cure but medical reports and drs say there is not. I got it because I had very hard fall onto a stone floor and 26 Yrs later had neck surgery which left me with some chronic pain. The nervous system can only handle just a certain amount of pain and then it begins to send out pain signals all over the body and that causes Fibromyalgia. One thing I can tell u is a fact and that is that every time you stump your toe, have anesthesia or any painful event, your Fibro will adopt that higher pain level and never go bk to the previous level. So be careful to not hurt yourself and don’t have any unnecessary surgery. My pain over the last 22 Yrs did grow and grow until it is now severe and I have to lower it with both Lyrica and Medical Marijuana. If u decide to try Lyrica, start at 25 mgs and stay on it 3 mos at least to give it a chance to work. If u don’t take it, Tramadol is the next thing to try. It is an opioid derivative. It will be somewhat constipating but u can deal with that by drinking Miralax in water. (I am allergic to opioids and opioid derivatives).
If u live in a city with cold winters, would be best to move to Fl or southern Texas bc the warmth and higher Barometric Pressure will calm down your aches and pains a great deal. Always remember with Fibro, the muscle, bone, ligament tissues and nerves are normal. The pain is caused by the brain sending pain messages to the nerves in your muscles causing the muscles to burn, sting, and tighten up. Sit in a tub of Magnesium powder (Epsom Salt - look up how much to use) and only 2-3 drops of Lavender essential oil. Getting gentle massages will help but the cost begins to add up. Move all your body limbs while u walk outside or on a gym track on a rainy day. Ditch foods that trigger pain; MSG spice (in Chinese foods and boxed groc store foods) sugary foods and beverages, capers, hot spiced foods, food dyes, soy, garlic, sauerkraut, alcoholic drinks, acidic or tart liquids, chocolate and caffeine sure will trigger pain. Get 35 grams of fiber each day through veggies and low sweetness fruits. Take these supplements: Alpha Lipoic Acid, Acetyl L Carnitine, omega 3 fish oil (if on a blood thinner, you won’t be able to take omega 3 fish oil); take a Multivitamin which has all the B Complex Vitamins and minerals. Drink half ur wt in ounces of filtered water each day. Avoid stress (as much as is possible) and toxic ppl. I hope all this helps you and I’m praying it will!

What is HMB??

Here is a post about HMB ... https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/hmb
It helped my old muscles when I was working out at a clinic 2x weekly and having a hard time. Worth a try!

I have been battling severe fibromyalgia for over 7 years, and the pain is getting so horrible in my spine and shoulders, nothing my doctor are doing here in WV is helping, is there anything out there that helps??
Kenny #painedbeyondbelief

God Bless You. I feel your pain. I have had Fibromyaglia for 28 years and it has gotten worse as I have gotten older. Tramadol (Prescription...) works great for many and so do muscles relaxants Flexeril (Prescription....the one that works best for me). Voltaren gel (over the counter) arthritis pain gel, applied 4 times a day. You may want to have an MRI done of your spine. It was thought I had fibro in my spine but, it is arthritis & degeneration. I am facing injections. Basically with fibro you hurt all over and are so tired, stiff and sore. It's a hard disease and very misunderstood by many. I have found that much arthritis tends to go with mine as I have aged. If you can soak in a tub of epsom salt or take a real hot shower in the morning to warm your muscles up and do some mild stretches.....it does help. Also, I take 200 mg of Magnesium a day to help my muscles to relax. I take Natrol Melatonin Gummies (over the counter) for sleep at night 5 mg. If you can handle a massage, that may be beneficial to you as well. Try to keep moving as much as possible. Use heat packs (Bed Buddy Wrap sold on Amazon) that you put in the microwave for 2 minutes. People with Fibro need a high protein diet (Eggs, chicken, a little red meat, cheese, fish, fruits & vegetables), no junk food and try and stay away from sweets/sugar as it increases inflammation. Plaquenil (Prescription) worked the best for me, but, I had side effects and had to come off. I'm awaiting a lower dose to be called in so I can try it again. They usually start you out at 200 mg. When you reduce inflammation.....you reduce pain and can function better and that's what Plaquenil does. Have your B12 & D3 checked in bloodwork. If they are low, it can add to your fatigue and pain. Omega 3 Fish Oil helps as well. Talk to your doctor before trying any of these please. I have been worse this summer with the high humidity & heat and am looking forward to the fall. I'm so sorry and I empathize. Praying for you!

Hello @mrnanny1970, I moved your discussion and combined it with another discussion titled:

- Managing Fibromyalgia
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hello-everyone-i-am-looking-for-anyone-who-suffers-from-fibromyalgia-and

You can meet members like @danaga, @mrsflutterby, @marye2, and @rjmtwit who have all discussed different ways of managing fibromyalgia.

@mrnanny1970, how have you been managing your symptoms currently?

An update on the Topiramate (Topamax) I've been on almost a month now. No side effects but for less pain, migraines are far fewer and much less severe, fibro pain is much reduced though there have been a couple flares but stress induced. I've lost weight which I was warned about, fairly rapidly as well. I was a size 8-10 and now a 4-6 at 5'6". I really hope to level off soon.
I'm still taking Tramadol but more because I've been on it so many years, I'll get the PMR sorted and off the Prednisone before I tackle getting off Tramodol. One thing at a time.

Hello. I've found the only thing to help with fibromyalgia pain in my neck and shoulder is *gabapentin *Cymbalta *TENS Unit.
When the pain is unbearable, TENS Unit is a lifesaver !!!
I hope this finds comfort ...

I so empathize with what you are undergoing. I just turned 75 and for decades had suffered with overall body pain that I pretty much just put up with because I was just "too busy" to focus on any of it. Granted there were many times that I was barely holding on, but I had three children (all under age of 10) and just accepted what my body was going through. I also had horrible menses issues so had just one "good" week each month. Menstrual hormones devastated my entire system, including migraines, so I attributed everything to my particular period issues. After a nasty Lyme bout in my mid 30's, I was so fatigued, unable to sleep, was attending night college classes, all while raising our children and managing a household with 2 cats, a dog, and 10 gerbils...I literally would be enveloped in pain and waves of overwhelming need to just collapse. My internist (who had treated me for the first of 3 bouts with Lyme) sent me to a specialist who diagnosed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I just stared at him, and recall calmly telling him "I can't accept that diagnosis because it has no cure, and I have three children to take care of." The dumbfounded man said nothing as I got up, thanked him for his time, and left. I continued living life, with all the at times excruciating overall body pain, brain fog, etc., for another decade before learning about fibromyalgia, and sought out a rheumatologist in my town specializing in that autoimmune disorder. She affirmed that was what I had. I felt numbed by her words, staid quietly sitting on the edge of the exam table. She wisely said "Take a few minutes, then join me in my office." To cut to the chase: I was prescribed cyclobenzeprine and amitriptyline. Both did help, particularly with being relaxed enough and pain free enough to sleep, but eventually had to stop the amitriptyline (added to side effects from Effexor XR so I eventually weaned off that one also). Only take the cyclobenzeprine because I cannot tolerate other pain meds of any kind (seriously nasty side effects). The cyclo helps but there are days that the fibromyalgia combined with other pain issues make me just have to drop all that I'm doing and just take care of myself by giving in to the need to lie down, rest, allow myself to nap. Aleve is all I can take, and it does help, as well as heating pad to arms/shoulder/neck/legs...I do what I gotta do! If your doctor feels that something like Lyrica, Cymbalta, gabapentine, etc., is appropriate for you, then try it out, keep a journal of how you feel/respond. Important to keep a record of which meds you can and cannot take/tolerate.
So it's been about 40 to 45 years that I've had fibromyalgia. Not a great diagnosis to accept, but once I did and learned how to best deal and cope, then it was easier to adjust and for my family to comprehend why I had no interest nor energy for certain activities, and the kids became more receptive to taking on more responsibilities. Hey, they acquired great skills! They are adults who can cook, bake, wash/iron/mend clothes, keep house AND do minor repairs. There are silver linings...and many days can actually have rainbows🌈