Hi Sarah I have had FM for many many years before it even had a name. I am on cymbalta (Australian name) celepram. But I have found the more I do the better I am. Dont get me wrong I have gone through some shocking times. I also take the occasional one Endone which works for me very well. 6 hours of bliss. Also the occasional sleeping tablet. I dont anyone who is not on FM meds.i can now do warm water exercises. Stretch exercises every day helps. Warm wheat bags help too. Also trying to medicate when you can so you can cope with your pain at work. Hope this helps Sarah. Soft and warm hugs. Mary
Donna, I'm glad you brought up itching. I have that on and off and didn't know it was part of fibro.. Good to know. Benadryl helps if you don't need to drive. Warm hugs. Jenny
I never thought of Benadryl, but my itching is all the time, all over, you never know what spot it will hit next. Thanks, Hugs
Hi Sarah. There is hope! I am off my fibro meds (2400mg/day of Gabapentin, and 120mg/day of Cymbalta)! My fibro pain is about 90% better. For me, it was all about food. I had a blood test for food sensitivities and found I had a lot, including gluten, dairy, and corn. So, I completely cut out all of the foods I was sensitive to and within about 4 months, my pain was 90% better. And, I have stayed that way now for about 2 years. The doctor that I went to see was a Chiropractic Neurologist. Let me know if you have any more questions. I'll be happy to share any info with you. You do not have to live with the pain! You just need to find out what the underlying cause of it is.
About three years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Last year I was so sick and unable to work I became depressed and suicidal thoughts were popping in and out of my head on a daily basis. I was finally hospitalized in April and upon my return I was fired from my job because I missed work due to the hospitalization and I forgot to clock out a couple of times. This only intensified my depression and I was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I was at the end of my rope and all of the medication prescribed by my doctor did more harm than good due to the side effects. My family wanted me to file for disability, which I did but was denied 3 times. So I decided I need to do something to help myself.
Then I discovered the documentary Forks over knives. It is about how a plant based diet could reduce even heal someone who has RA, diabetes, and even heart disease. So I slowly began cutting out meat and cheese out my diet and replace it with whole fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. Not only did I lose 32bls but in addition when I went in for my labs they showed that my high level of inflammation went down to a 0. This year in addition to my plant based diet I have begun to juice, and my overall symptoms began to reduce greatly. I still have to watch out for over working my body so light exercise is recommend. Now for the depression, I recently rededicated my life to Jesus and I have been off all my bipolar medication for a year without any sign of depression. I am still seeking work however, but I have a great support system at home which I believe everyone needs who is dealing with a chronic illness. I am not a Doctor and I do not recommend the plant based diet for everyone, because everyone is not the same and people should experiment and find out what works for them. Now I still have an occasional flare up but they are nothing compared to the everyday pain I use to experience before the diet change. I hope this helps. Love Katelyn
Dasgo218
I started playing around with foods and noticed that tomatoes are my enemy. Try cutting foods out, pay attention to how you feel after eating to determine what foods to stay away from. I have been able to manage my flares very well and have not missed work for months.