[Wren_]

What do you do to help manage it?

[Rhapsody]

Originally Posted by tigergirl

What do you do to help manage it?

My rheumy doctor treats it with my RA meds, Pain pills, and Message therapy that helps lessen some of the breaks through pains, but nothing is going to stop the pain all together. (((hugs)))

[~Christina]

I have tried all the "fibro meds" , pain pills, neurontin, lyrica and muscle relaxers.. The whole ball of wax, It really didn't decrease my pain, just spent a lot of money on medications.

My T and I have done a lot of hypnotherapy and it has lessened my pain not every day but, some days it's a significant decrease. I'll take every minute I can get.

So my tools for Fibro are Hynotherapy, Yoga, Meditation and not letting myself get so "caught up the pain that I am in tears."

On a good day my pain is down to a 7, bad days its a 10.. Fibro is a wicked cruel illness.

I hope you can find ways to decrease your pain

[lizardlady]

Like the others said, meds have done nothing to help me.

I found a bath salt from Batherapy that helps. I fill the tub with HOT water and the salts and soak.

A friend suggested a heated throw. It's like an electric blanket, but you can wrap up in it. It is my first line of defense. I love it! I'll even use it in the middle of summer when it's 90 degress outside.

Other than that I remind myself the current flare won't last forever and try to survive.

[wannabhappy2]

I have to say that like most with fibro I've tried all the traditional treatments, and all have failed.
However, it's not hopeless. My pain became so severe 5 yrs ago, I could barely get out of bed, I was desperate so despite my pain joined a local gym and hired the personal trainer. I never worked out a day in my life before this, I explained to my pt Ann my situation and she came up with a personalized plan for me. When I first started I was barely able to lift the 5 lb wt. and could do no more than 2-3 min. on cardio, the first 3 wks was pure torture but then it began to get better, slowly I noticed a decrease in my pain. (I was going to the gym everyday, and meeting Ann 2 x wk) I then started researching and discovered diet triggers, I became vegan and my symptoms diminished slowly. The whole process took me about 9-10 months before I started feelling human and virtually pain free.
I spent 2 yrs 99% pain free, but unfortunately my life now doesn't allow me the time at the gym, and I've since gained unhealthy eating habits once again. My new years goal is to get back on track and I'm 100% sure my pain will once again go away.
Bottom line is, it's the toughest thing initially to find motivation to stick with it because your pain is going to try to convince you to stop, but exercise daily and eat as pure as possible. No fats, fast food, nothing processed, eliminate as much dairy and wheat/gluten as you can and absolutely NO chemically engineered sugar. The rule is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store, that's typically where the healthiest food is. Fruits and vegetables, with little to no red meat, become a label watcher don't eat anything with chemicals such as nutra-sweet or high fructose corn syrup. Increase your water intake, no soda, or juice unless it's 100% pure, not from concentrate, and no juice from a bottle (at least that i've found) is good for us due to high sugar content. I'm even particular about my water, I won't drink bottled unless it's from a natural spring source, if it says purified it's nothing more than filtered tap water.
If you suffer from GI disturbance these things will help that as well.
Ok, so now I'm motivated to get back on track
I hope this helps you, oh, and read, education is the best tool.
Fibro doesn't have to keep us down, we can beat it, it's just time consuming, but well worth it.

[Pixie12]

I have not been diagnosed with fibro. Instead I have been diagnosed with neuropathy from a spinal injury. Just putting on socks can cause excruciating pain in my foot. I'm not sure that my diagnosis is correct. No muscle or nerve medication has worked for me at this point in time. I'm due for a physical in about 6 weeks so iI'll pester the doctor more at that time because the more I read the more I think I have fibromyalgia.
pixie

[wannabhappy2]

Originally Posted by Pixie12

I have not been diagnosed with fibro. Instead I have been diagnosed with neuropathy from a spinal injury. Just putting on socks can cause excruciating pain in my foot. I'm not sure that my diagnosis is correct. No muscle or nerve medication has worked for me at this point in time. I'm due for a physical in about 6 weeks so iI'll pester the doctor more at that time because the more I read the more I think I have fibromyalgia.
pixie

Have you been to a rheumatologist? Other causes should be ruled out first, and a rheumatologist will check for fibro with the 18 pressure points, not that your primary doc couldn't a specialist generally has more detailed training. That's part of the problem when you have another known disease/diagnosis, they don't want to check other things thoroughly and just point fingers at the known diagnosis, however spinal injuries can certainly cause numerous problems and conditions.
My advice to you is to be persistent, no one knows their body more than the one living in it!