I've chosen a drug free route.  I do from time to time take ibuprophen.  It doesn't work very well but it does take the edge off on really bad days.  I believe in the bodies ability to heal itself from all things.  I'm still searching for a natural way to cure this (FM &CFS).  I'm eating closer to the earth.  Meaning less refined foods - lots of fresh veggies & fruit, natural grains, nuts.  So far, I have less pain since giving up diet sodas (and anything with artificial sweeteners).  I still have a long ways to go.  I'm in a crappy spot and have been for a while, but I've been here before and know it will pass.  I've started stretching.  The repetitive part of stretching is leaving my muscles really sore.  It's just a 2 minute routine that I do 3 or 4 times a day.  I'm going to give it a rest for a few days and see if it goes away.  Oops, I'm rambling......

 

Everyone has different results from different drugs.  Make changes one at a time.  Keep a notebook of how you feel and what reactions you see.  I often notice that people take lots of drugs and still feel really badly, plus have side effects from the drugs.  I'm not sure how all this stuff affects our already impaired cognitive abilites.  That's why you should keep a notebook.

Thank you...I think the journal idea is great.  I started working out years before I developed this condition, and it helps, although I've noticed diminished strength recently.  My doctor seems to want to give out Rx's every time I go...well let's try this, that!  I need to be able to control this in my way, but needed some input from others (you); I just can't see taking something that is usually prescibed for seizures on a daily basis...unless I were having seizures, ya know?!  Sometimes, I just want to tell all doctors...and some well-meaning friends..."I'm fine! Go away! Leave me alone!"  Except I'm really not so fine sometimes.  Rambling? 'So K.  Thank you...really.

My Dr. said "If you go to a Dr. you get drugs".  That is their only real option.  He did tell me to try any and everything.  Those that do the best are trying lots of things.  I did do some acupuncture a year ago for the hip that refused to work even remotely properly.  Oh, the pain trying to walk/get up/move!  It helped a lot.  Your energy centers used in acupuncture are the same as the tender points.  Interesting, I thought.  Still mostly pain free in that hip.

I was able to have a limited amount of therapeutic massage (as much as my insurance would pay for) and found that to be very helpful.  The therapist did something...accupressure???? that was great!  She'd find a spot that hurt, reposition my body so that as she pressed on that spot, it would stop hurting after 45 seconds; then she'd move to the next spot.  I was sent there for pain management, but insurance companies don't see that as a "forever thing"; also the use of a hot pool (not tub, though that sounds good) was very soothing.

bump

Hi everyone,

I am new here and have had Fibro for about 18 months now.  It all started with an infection in which my white cells were out of control.  After many anitbotics, I was left with this horrible disease.  I see a family doctor,  rhuematologist, and a neurologist for the headaches.  Over these 18 months,  I have been taking the following medications:  Tramadol>for pain// Wellbutrin>depression (also helps with fibro)//Xanax> (just 2 per day) for anxiety....very high anxiety// Soma> a muscle relaxer which really seems to help with the spasms in my neck and arms// Ambien> to try to sleep at night // and just came off a medication for the headaches.  I know the is  a huge amount of medication, but I recently stopped all of them and ended up in bed totally unable to handle the pain for about a month.  My family insisted that I go back on them.  I am unable to work, but take each day one at a time. If I could find something to control the migraines, I would be much happier.  But nothing seems to work.  I fought this illness with all I had from the very beginning.  I have now accepted that this is the way my life will be, and with medication, exercise, and knowing my limits, I guess things will be ok.  (my mother and sister also have fibro) My best to all.

Hi and welcome levigirl.

>From: "levigirl57" <[email protected]> >Reply-To: "Smiling Fibros" <[email protected]> >To: "Smiling Fibros" <[email protected]> >Subject: Re: drugs >Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 10:44:07 -0800 > >----------------------------------------------------------- > >New Message on Smiling Fibros > >----------------------------------------------------------- >From: levigirl57 >Message 10 in Discussion > >Hi everyone, I am new here and have had Fibro for about 18 months now. It all started with an infection in which my white cells were out of control. After many anitbotics, I was left with this horrible disease. I see a family doctor, rhuematologist, and a neurologist for the headaches. Over these 18 months, I have been taking the following medications: Tramadol>for pain// Wellbutrin>depression (also helps with fibro)//Xanax> (just 2 per day) for anxiety....very high anxiety// Soma> a muscle relaxer which really seems to help with the spasms in my neck and arms// Ambien> to try to sleep at night // and just came off a medication for the headaches. I know the is a huge amount of medication, but I recently stopped all of them and ended up in bed totally unable to handle the pain for about a month. My family insisted that I go back on them. I am unable to work, but take each day one at a time. If I could find something to control the migraines, I would be much happier. But nothing seems to work. I fought this illness with all I had from the very beginning. I have now accepted that this is the way my life will be, and with medication, exercise, and knowing my limits, I guess things will be ok. (my mother and sister also have fibro) My best to all. > >----------------------------------------------------------- > >To stop getting this e-mail, or change how often it arrives, go to your E-mail Settings. >http://groups.msn.com/smilingfibros/_emailsettings.msnw > >Need help? If you've forgotten your password, please go to Passport Member Services. >http://groups.msn.com/_passportredir.msnw?ppmprop=help > >For other questions or feedback, go to our Contact Us page. >http://groups.msn.com/contact > >If you do not want to receive future e-mail from this MSN group, or if you received this message by mistake, please click the "Remove" link below. On the pre-addressed e-mail message that opens, simply click "Send". Your e-mail address will be deleted from this group's mailing list. >mailto:[email protected]

Hey, Hide-n-seek!

 

I was on Topomax for a short time a year or so ago. They told me it was a good one because it helped multiple things--even helps weight loss they said. But it made me really irritable, so I stopped taking it.

 

The two meds that I have found to help me most are:

 

**Neurontin(gabapentin)--for pain and muscle spasms. This is the ONLY med I have found that makes much difference with my pain. And I have tried lots. Neurontin is night and day difference. It started as an anti-seizure med, but it is now used to treat a lot of things.

**Ritalin(methylphenidate)--for fatigue, but it is also working far better than any anti-depressant I have found as well. This med gets a lot of bad publicity, but it makes such a huge difference for me.

 

I also have Mirtazapine(sp) which is a sleep aid and anti-depressant. It works pretty well, but it seems to not be consistent with how long the effects last for me. Sometimes it makes me very drowsy the whole next day.

 

Xanax(alprazolam) also helps sleep. I think it is an anti-anxiety med, but I was prescribed it to help me tolerate my bipap mask at night. I think this is a good one if you can get the dose right so it lasts the correct amount of time.

 

Isn't it interesting that anti-seizure meds seem to help fibro-type symptoms so much?