I’m fortunate right now pain is normally not higher than a 4-5 which is normally manageable for me, with pain killers and warmth. However I’ve had it with the sleep problems and exhaustion (missed another training session this afternoon because I had to go back to bed as I was too tired and unfocused to even get dressed).
Every medication I take says may cause tiredness, dizziness and exhaustion. There is some I have to take for other medical conditions but have decided to try the alternative methods for fibromyalgia. Would be real interested in what forum members are doing to gain and maintain some energy. Pure will power, determination and stubbornness just isn’t doing it anymore.
Would appreciate any tips that you can offer. Thanks all.
Have you heard of energy healing? I have a friend that it has helped with a lot that opens up the flow of energy throughout your body. I also have done Bowen and have increased energy but I am not sure if it is the Lyrica or Bowen that has helped as I started both at about the same time.
Thanks DLP, will investigate energy healing and Bowen. Tried Lyrica and similar meds but couldn’t handle the side affects, possibly caused by other medications I’m taking. Glad your energy has increased, hope it has reduced your pain as well.
This is a supplement that my Chiropractor had given me before I was diagnosed with autoimmune. It's to soothe and boost the adrenal glands. Do not add any supplements before discussing with a DC or MD.
I am not sure if my taking this NOW would be the greatest idea. It's a question I need to ask him. Having autoimmune diseases means my immune system is in 'hyper overdrive' and attacking my body, therefore I need to ask if taking this supplement to boost the function of the adrenals would be the smartest thing for me to do. I take Enbrel to slow down the immune system.
thanks SK, Did a search on B Complex will check both out with docs. I’m on a type of auto-immune suppressants, as you are, but so my body won’t reject my transplanted liver.
HI Patricia, this is certainly one aspect of it, though with some of us, it's the stress response of injury and or illness, sometimes genetic autoimmune disease.
A 'radiant diet' is surely of benefit to all, we eat far too much food with no nutritional value, what I consider 'dead food', eliminating any irritants or allergens is also a must. This is such a complex multi-faceted illness, that I think the hormonal imbalances, Dopamine, Substance P are just a couple of the playing cards of the deck so to speak. But this is a great start, it can only help!
Not that I'm perfect in doing it, but pacing is the most effective way I have found. My pain level is similar to yours, and my struggle with fatigue is #1 in my challenges right now. I won't schedule anything in the mornings, because I don't have a working brain until noon. I also allow for a 24-48 hour rebound of fatigue for everything I schedule, including doctor appointments. I keep a weekly planner so I can see the patterns.
I also tell the doctor when a med makes me tired, dizzy, or unable to drive/think. I ask if this med is really doing something for me. I also ask if the dose could be too high, or if it needs to be adjusted in some way. I have some Rx which leave me so "hung over" that I stare like a zombie until 1pm. I have stopped taking that med, and it has helped. Now I have the insomnia back, but I also have my brain back.
Another thing to check is whether you need a sleep study. I found out that I have sleep apnea and 0-7% of the REM sleep that I should be getting. Knowing this has really helped me respond.
How did you correct the brain chemistry? I have read several articles about foods that might help but don't know for sure. And how did you "clean up some toxins"? What hormone replacement were you using?
Hi B2chi, I like you & many others struggle with the fatigue more than anything, but I noticed when my pain is managed my fatigue is a little less. I’m on the same page as Scribelle, I must have down time after just about anything, and sometimes days if I do things 2 days in a row.
For energy I have found some supplements help yogi tea, green tea gogiberry, a good b complex, Q10, l- carnitine, malic acid & magnesium, vit c , as well as massage, & reflexology , some things I have read that help with energy, but I have not tried yet are d- ribose, lecithin granules,
I always check with my dr. First, and of course for you , some of these supplements you may not be able to take.i think a balance of activities, stress reduction, and mild exercise daily all help , for sleep I’m sure you have tried all you can, calcium, magnesium, and a B complex with extra b5, & inositol ( which enhances REM sleep ) & , herbs of course kava Kava, passionflower, valerian root, chamomile, are just a few that help with sleep, I also eat a yogurt at night because its high in tryptophan which promotes sleep.
Just a few ideas, hope you find something that helps with this exhaustion & sleep issue
Hugs & blessings
dee
I have an endocrinologist who also monitors nutritional imbalances and diet. You make a good point about cleaning up toxins. The more natural my diet, the better I do. I have chemical sensitivities, and when they are in a flare, the fibro flares too.
Brain chemical imbalances can involve dopamine, serotonin, or others. It is important to identify which one affects each of us individually. I think this is part of why a medication works for one person yet not another.
Energy healing and changing my thinking and attitudes, lots of positive affirmations (which makes permanent changes in your brain, check out things about the Neuroplasticity of the brain), plus taken an OTC supplement 5 HTP has helped me. I have noticed that cold and wet weather, stress and allowing myself to feel down make things worse. I stopped my hormone replacement therapy after about 6 years (enough of that) and am having hot flashes and night sweats again but have read that your body is capable of making all the hormones you need at every stage so it just has to get back to balance. Acupressure points have helped too and I have been drinking a cup of Kefir daily to improve my gut and immune system. It seems to be helping. My latest addition is ginger tea which is supposed to be an anti inflammatory but you have to read the warnings because it doesn't mix with some meds.
I find that the more I clear out old trauma from my mind and body ( I had PTSD among other diagnoses like Major Depressive Disorder but mostly gone now) (Reiki helps too) the better I feel. I have had a lot of pain the past few days but think it is a combination of things. I truly believe that your body listens to what you say and think and feel and responds. (Check out "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hay) so have to be mindful of saying things like "I am so tired of.... or He is a pain in my neck!"
I also looked up the Metaphysical reasons for Fibromyalgia which tells possible emotional reasons because the Holistic idea is that due to the mind body connection, everything starts in the emotional aura and finally manifests in the physical if you don't heal it. A dis-ease is your body's way of telling you that something is out of balance.
I don't eat sugar and have very few carbs due to Hypoglycemia and once I finally started that many years ago before this diagnosis it helped everything.
I am always open to new ideas and research the web a lot for new research and ideas. That is how I heard about the 5HTP.
Check out below reply. I use it all the time and have used it with my clients. There are many forms, I do EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) plus have had Reiki and other types. It helps your body heal itself. Our bodies are meant to be healthy and heal themselves. You might also have your Vitamin D level checked (simple blood test). Many adults are deficient and it can cause pain and fatigue and depression. It doesn't matter how much dairy you have, that won't help enough if it is too low.
Hi Scribelle, finally admitted to my husband today that I plan to do to much, and then get depressed and upset with myself because I can’t do it all. Expect it also affects my sleep because I was in bed last night and remembered I hadn’t done a letter we needed to send to one of his doctors, so I grabbed my Ipad, wrote the letter, sent it to the printer and didn’t sleep all night.
I’m doing a breathing test and getting some sort of device to take home overnight for a sleep apnea test on Mar 19.
Thanks for all the advice, definitely will start scheduling better.
I hate to be a broken record but…exercise, even if it’s absolutely just forcing yourself to get up and pace the room in your pjs. When I am most tired and in the worst pain is when I push myself the hardest, inspired by my son with Crohn’s disease since a teen, who forced himself to become a bodybuilder through the emotional and physical pain. He is my model.
