Maybe I'm overreacting but a comment was made today and it made me angry. The comment was "drugs are not the answer ,at least not alone"
There are all kinds of alternative therapies and things we can do to help ourselves in other ways. But a lot of us have co-existing illnesses and there is a WIDE RANGE of severity regarding pain levels and functionality. I'm happy to hear that some people get a sort of remission from their pain. Some of us don't get a break from the suffering from pain and all the other lovely symptoms so in these cases,"drugs" ARE the answer if we're going to be able to function at a level where we can do these other things to help ourselves. I apologize for my tone,but not everyone has the resources for massage or acupuncture or whatever else. I've run the "natural therapy gamut".Tons of money on supplements to no avail. So when I read that comment...yes...I was offended. This is the first time I've felt guilt for taking medication within this forum.
Again,I apologize if this in turn offends anyone else.
One thing that I like about this site is being able to be 100% honest. If you feel strongly about something I believe you should post it. If something bothers you then I say post it. With that being said, that is what everyone is doing here, speaking their mind. We may not always agree with what is being said, we all have different stories, but everyone should feel comfortable and safe when posting their opinions.
In this particular case, I understand your position, I take pain meds every day. If someone does not think that is the answer, completely fine with me, I am always going to do what is best for me.
Hi guys...I have mixed feelings about what as happened. I agree with both of you and i love that we can share and feel safe in doing so.Isn't that the whole point? Yes, everyone IS entitled to their own opinion. We've shared very personal information about our course of treatment and our medications,in detail,in order to help each other.And this kind of information is sensitive and private for most of us. We're judged by the world outside of here and that feeling hit me to the core when I read this.
I held my tongue for a pretty long time but I was just getting angrier by the minute.
I truly believe that everyone has good intentions but blanket statements like this are not helpful.
hi . you have every right to your own opinions and feelings. it is good that you got it off your chest and let it go. i hope i have not offended anyone as i often talk about many alternative therapies but i would never put anyone down for their own journey with illnesses . I find myself often explaining that i have a severe case of cfids ( chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome) otherwise known as CFS or ME. I dont want to be misunderstood that i am just suffering with pain and fatigue as this is a complex, multi symptom ed illlness which has disabled me for 28 years.often people do not get it or understand so i find that i often tell my story. and i hope i dont bore or offend anyone.
i am sorry you were hurt or angry, sending you love and hugggs
I was afraid that people might get the wrong idea. I love it when people make suggestions and i'm all for doing whatever else is out there when it's possible. And part of my point was that a lot of us have illnesses ON TOP of fibro. I love hearing from you and I know you've been suffering for a really long time. I also was diagnosed with CFIDS/ME. I know the sickness and all that goes with it. This was what I meant when I said there's a WIDE RANGE of severity and I feel so bad for the people like you who sit at the harsh end of that scale. Some people don't have it as bad....Nobody wants to compare,but lets face it, if someone falls into the lesser severity end...(I really don't know how to even say it), then it's going to be easier to manage without pain meds. When I crawl out of bed in the morning and my feet can hardly support my weight to get me down the stairs, and my hands hurt so bad from trying to grip the railing...to get my morning medication,take them and then force myself to keep moving until they kick in enough to do my stretching.
I'm doing everything I can to help myself. i have a collection of about 32 essential oils and I use them for EVERYTHING. My daughter's dad and step mom call me hippie which i take as a compliment. i blend my own skin and body care products...i'm a granola girl! I try to by organic, and i could make a list of blends for everything from colds to hemorrhoids LOL I was told no voodoo tho
My point is,I do yoga,I treat myself with all things as natural as much as possible. i do yoga and meditate to manage my stress but that can only take me so far... I need meds for my mental health and I need meds for my fibro pain /and CFIDS. Sometimes i have to use antibiotics when the fever and glands won't settle with other methods...Do I like it? no! but we do what we have to do.
I guess i'm sensitive and maybe even defensive when someone suggests that pain meds are the easy way out. i take that dung from the people who don't understand and I was surprised to encounter it here. i know it wasn't intentional but i can't help how it made me feel. i've kept my hurt feelings to myself all my life and over the past year,I've learned that I need to let that stuff out or it eats me up from the inside out!
I LOVE ALL OF YOU and you said it well Gaila...our honesty is what keeps us going and KEEPS US CLOSE and i've never really had that before. And I mean it when I say that I honestly don't know what I would do if I didn't have you...all of you.
Extra extra special hugs and thank you so much,
Carolyn
ok... my fingers aren't bending very well and my back feels like it's....well you know...time to retire. This was to important to put off until tomorrow tho
When I read that statement pills alone are not the answer. I kinda took it that yes we can and should take our medications but that in no way should anyone with fibro think a medication will make us feel better without other methods being used. I can not take narcotics and right now Tylenol and Motrin and Robaxin (muscle relaxant) works for me along with lots of puzzles, movies, games chatting on the phone or in person with family. This causes much worry because when it becomes intolerable what will I do!!!!
I also agree that if something upsets you that it is ok to say so. Like John Lennon said all we need is love.....and heating pads, pain killers and very soft hugs.....
Well said, my friend! I think your response is right on the mark! I have such a myriad of autoimmune diseases, syndromes, phenomenons, injuries, dysfunctions, I cannot name them all in one sitting!
Though I use natural, I CANNOT totally go the natural route, I must take meds. I have enough supplements bought over the years to open a shop, and unless I could take it by the truck load, it's just not enough. Also, I don't have celiac disease, so I eat gluten, have no dairy allergies, so I use dairy! I went on the elimination diet for a year under the care of my DC and after a year of 'weeds and seeds', besides being starved, there was NO difference!
I'm in the 'whatever works club', and if it works, that's the ticket! No one knows what they will have to do in the future, so it's best to keep that in mind!
Don't let anyone lay any guilt on you about your meds, there are people around the world dying for them! Feel fortunate to have them!
Standing right beside you,
SK
Ben's Friends Moderator of Sjogren's Syndrome, Myositis, Charcot Marie Tooth, and Lyme.
It was your" note to doctors "discussion.You Vented for all of us....YOU GO GIRL!!!!
You've got great energy and have every reason in the world to be angry. Everyones journey is different but we share a common thread. The frustration over the way society minimizes what we go through. When I hear words like "Ailment and discomfort and tired"....I want to scream out. WTH??? This might not shorten our lives like other diseases but our suffering is right up there with them! FM was posting about the words used to describe our,dare I say it<DISEASE> Society might not be ready to call it that,but I am...because that's what it is !
Luv you too Char
Keep on fighting...I chose my name fightergirl for that reason. We are fighting for our lives here! When day in day out...it wears us down and we have to fight to keep the depression from getting the best of us!
You're right, many of us also have to contend with other illnesses as well as fibro.....it would be virtually impossible for me to exist without my medication, which I take for GAD as well as analgesia for my fibro.
I must admit I have not tried massage, acupuncture, hydrotherapy etc, because if I found any of it helped I would not have the finances to sustain this treatment option on a long-term basis as my GAD and fibro cost me my 27 year career as a Nursing Sister here in the UK.
So, I'm afraid I pop my pills everyday and thank god that they are there to help me because without them I don't think I would be!!!
Wow, I did stroll thru & read all comments on the thread. I was exhausted last nite. I will leave it as such. I'm too tired to give any more thought to it. We (especially when we're in excruciating pain can & will lash out & get a lil tick @ the slightest things).....maybe I'll speak for myself on this one. Just that I've been on this BattleField for so many years & tried everything under the sun MEDS & Alternative Meds, including but not limited to guided imagery, water therapy, reflexology, accupunture, meditation, chiro, massage, yoga & of course Prayer. I still take my meds & do several of those things I listed above & I long ago stop caring what others think about my choice of Healthcare. It's my body, my choice. I live in this shell, so gurlfriend, don't let what others say bother u...take ur drugs & keep it moving...do U!! I hope u feeling better.
Hi fightergirl,
I agree. Some people are fortunate and don’t need pills. I’m on gabepentin and ant depressants. I was on pain pills, my dr decided I didn’t need them because they make our pain tolerance lower and u need more pills. I disagree I know that I slept a lot but it made m symptoms tolerable. She took me off in November,then I made a appt in March and I sat and cried in her office because the pain is so unbearable. My pain is throughout my body, there are times it hurts to rub lotion on. But the extremely bad pain is in my back and hips. She didn’t care about that pain, she kept talking about trying natural stuff. Well I’ve pretty much done all that and it hasn’t worked… So pills work better for me!!
I’m new hear but it’s nice to talk to people that get it… NOBODY else understands how bad it hurts. I told my husband it’s like having a really bad case of the flu with the aches…
Cammie
Are yoga and meditation part of your daily holistic program? I probably take more meds than anyone else on this site, for the crushed nerves in my foot. Meditation, even 5 min a day, will help keep your stress in check. I'm guessing you probably you already do it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Love and hugs, Susan
It’s so easy for people to judge. (Family and friends) if you haven’t experienced the extreme and constant pain we are in then keep u your judgments to yourself. I’m referring to my children and husband.
After being off pain meds since November I just finally got some relief. I have been in such extreme pain in my back I didn’t know how I was going to tolerate it anymore. My new dr finally gave me some meds.
My son ordered me a yoga video that was made by a lady with fibermyalgia. We will see if it helps?