COPING WITH FMS

I also have FM. it really takes it out iof you and unless you suffer from it you don't have clue what it feels like. are you on any meds? i'm on Lyrica and it helps but i still need my vicodin to get through simple day to day tasks.

as for dealing with it, i am not sure what to tell you. i have not dealt very well with it. i have let it ruin my life and any motivation that i had. i was told to lose weight. i'm 5'2" and 146 lbs. i've had four kids and am 28 years old. i have taken the drastic step to lose weight by starting a very calorie restricted diet that also involves a few days here and there of fasting. i hope that this works.

exercise does help some. i mostly try to walk. tanning beds are also a new therapy that is being resarched. I have tried it and found it to relieve some of the tenderness temporarily.

i hope that i have been helpful. try the tanning bed a few times a week and see how you feel.

best of luck!

I was diagnosed with FM a month ago. Not to sure what drugs to try. Any suggestions

Hi Vivian,
I will tell you that for some time, probably about 3 years, Cymbalta helped with the depression that comes with this illness, and depression does bring on the pain. I was taking Trazodone (another low dose anti-depressant) to help me sleep, but being on all these drugs for long periods of time will eventually makes matters worse. After my doctor put me on Savella, I had horrible side effects and became pretty psychotic (really!), and after 6 years of being on drugs and having this horrible side effect, I have decided to wean off all the drugs. I now take metatonin (3mg) every night before going to bed, and I find that it helps me sleep. I'm also exploring more healthy alternative ways of healing myself, and recommend that you read "Reversing Fibromyalgia" by Dr. Joe M. Elrod. I've learned that I need to be my own health advocate, and educate myself as much as possible about this disease, and hope that all women can avoid taking drugs, which only mask the disease and cause long term harm to our bodies. I will tell you that I find that Tylenol Athritis helps my pain for now, but I'm going to try acupuncture this week, and will let you know how that goes. I've read that some people have found several week's relief from just one session of acupuncture.
I wish that I could hug you and take your pain away, I know it's hard. I may sound like I have it figured out, but I don't yet, and I have my days where all I want to do is curl up and just cry. The biggest change for me is knowing that most days I just can't do as much as I used to, so I have to pace myself, and not overdo it, or else I'll pay for it for days. Keeping stress levels down is one of the hardest things to learn how to do, but stress and lack of sleep are the two things that makes our symptoms worse.
Hope I was able to help in some way.
Warm hugs!
PattyG

Caroline - you're right... there is not cure for FMS. We just all need to be here for each other, and let each other know if we find something that works to help with the pain and other horrible symptoms. I joined this support group, becuase unless someone suffers with this illness, they don't understand our pain, both physically and emotionally. I love my husband, and he is just now starting to truly see and understand how much this has all changed my life, but it took about 5 years for that to happen. Most of my friends, and a few female relatives don't have a clue, as to what I'm dealing with. I remember a few years ago when my youngest sister responded in an e-mail to me to "just get off the couch and exercise...." I wish I could becuase I know it would be good for me, but as we FMS sufferers all know, that's easier said than done. I as very hurt by my sister's insensitivity to my situation, but my mom has suffered with FMS/PMR all her life, so she does understand, and we talk alot. I was laid off from my job in Oct 2010, and although I missed alot of work, I did enjoy the job I did when I was there, and had a wonderful work family.
Right after getting laid off, my symptoms worsened, and I truly feel it was because of the hurt and stress of losing my job. I don't have the social circle of friends that I once had, becuase I never feel up to getting out anymore. I kind of feel as though they've written me off. No one can understand the loneliness that comes with how much this illness changes your life. So, I understand how you're feeling, and I'm here if you need a shoulder, or an e-mail hug. xox

Hi, I am 37 years old and after about 5 years of being in pain and pleading with my family doctor about this, he finally sent me to a rheumatologist in January of this year and I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.
The doc put me on Savella and Soma. No narcotics.
I have also been going to the thermal pool 3 times a week for the past month and doing exercises.....I have some exercises to do at home.
I can't say that the pool has really helped any....I am still SO sore....I am still SO tired....I ache all the time and just feel like crap, basically.
The Savella helped at first, but has seemed to stop working...Maybe the doc needs to up my dosage, I don't know.

I also want to say that I am not the only one in my family that has this. My mom has it, and also my grandma and 3 aunts on my DAD'S side have it....So, in my mind, it's genetic. no matter what the doc's say, that is just too much of a coincidence for me!

I hope everyone here finds a way to ease their pain....I am glad to have found a place to talk about freely about Fm and the other things in my life.....