I have to agree with you on the matter of massage. It's too much for my nervous system. More irritating than relaxing and often just painful. However on the bed front I broke down and spent the money on a Sleep Number bed. Expensive yes, but they have both financing and payment plans. Since getting my bed my sleep has improved by at least sixty percent. It has helped take off the physical pressure so as to relief some of the pain too. It's just another cog in the treatment plan but a big one. The things is no matter what you chose we should all see to it that we have the best possible bed. The better the sleep the better off we are. Thanks for listening again.
Rollinglegs I am in a flare now for the last 5 days. Trying to type is awful because I can't hit the keys hard enough to make them type. So why am I typing. My husband does not understand the pain I am in. So I suffer to get up make his coffee and go back to bed. I have had fibro half of the years we have been married. We have been married 48 and I have had it 28, so figure it out why he doesn't understand. I went out and layed down the money for a new mattress and pillow for him and me. He could not figure out what I was doing. Saving money is not going to make me better. This is in our new home in Tn for the summer. My home in Louisiana has Nassua mattresses. It is like laying on air. Not as painful. My new mattress is the same. I don't even want anyone touching me right now. I have quite a few neighbors in Tn with fibro. They have been coming to see about me. I think he is getting an education from them.
It's harder still when you can't make your loved ones understand what you are going through. For now do only what you have to. Outside that rest and take care of your pain. I just ended my worst flare to date. It lasted nearly two months. I didn't even know that was possible. I have the good fortune of having a Dr. with fibro so she helped me thru it. I've been blessed in having many people in my life that know what I am dealing with. However with my other health problems I went through many years of garbage before anyone would even listen. I know it's a hopeless feeling when someone treats you as if you aren't really ill. I'm so sorry for that. Don't give up, it sounds as if he's becoming educated to the matter. When he does that will make all the difference. As far as typing I have a cousin with advanced M.S. he uses the Dragon program. Not sure of the whole name, but you speak into it and it types for you. It's not expensive and it works without any complex training. Just a thought. Get some rest, I hope this flare passes quickly. Know that you have support here even if it isn't from your loved ones. Be blessed.
I take Lyrics and Cymbalta and still have a horrible time with pain. But as someone else on here said, it doesn't last forever. For me it can last days or weeks. I have an extremely high tolerance for pain, but when it goes on and on, I eventually run out of the ability to handle it. In those times, I take hot showers or baths or just lay flat on my bed and try to read. If I can comprehend what I am reading, then I'm not thinking about the pain and that helps tremendously.
My newest way to help me through the pain, is Tai Chi. Doing this helps gently stretch my muscles and helps me control my breathing. Because I often am not able to leave the house, I have been learning Tai Chi by using videos on YouTube. I recommend this completely. It helps with the pain and gives me energy.
For pain control with meds, I haven't much to say. None of the docs I have ever had, has ever given me pain medicine except for two times when I was having a severe flare up. But it was for just one round. Never more than that. I truly wish someone would help with pain management. But with the new restrictions that have been put on narcotics, it looks like I won't be getting any help that way. Thank you, Addicts. Because of them, doctors aren't wanting to prescribe to those of us that really need them.
Good luck, Kim. It's an ugly, painful disease. As it progresses, the only thing we can do is progress with it by finding new ways to handle it.
Dave, thank you for sharing your story. I have Celiac disease (can't eat gluten (wheat,rye,barley), for those unaware)), and I follow a strict gluten free diet. I also have another autoimmune disease called, Meniere's (episodes of vertigo, nausea, ringing in the ears and hearing loss). Whenever I flare I never know which ailment started it, the Fibro, the Meniere's, the migraines/headaches, but they all seem to want to party with eachother and flares are becoming longer and longer. I also have this thing going on (and have for years) that my skin becomes itchy, blisters and peels for no apparent reason. So far no doctor can tell me why. My latest symptom is restless limbs. I am guessing it is from stopping the Lyrica, as it has been awhile since this has happened. If anyone has any tips on that, they would be appreciated.
I do have a bit of hope. I have gone the last day and a half without my cane :)
I changed to cymbalta. I could not deal with the weight gain. At 60mg per day of cymbalta, I feel I am better mentally, buy I do need additional meds to feel as good as when I was on Lyrica
Dave, thank you for sharing your story. I have (can't eat gluten (wheat,rye,barley), for those unaware)), and I follow a strict gluten free diet. I also have another autoimmune disease called, Meniere's ( of vertigo, nausea, ringing in the ears and hearing loss). Whenever I flare I never know which ailment started it, the Fibro, the Meniere's, the migraines/headaches, but they all seem to want to party with eachother and flares are becoming longer and longer. I also have this thing going on (and have for years) that my skin becomes itchy, blisters and peels for no apparent reason. So far no doctor can tell me why. My latest symptom is restless limbs. I am guessing it is from stopping the Lyrica, as it has been awhile since this has happened. If anyone has any tips on that, they would be appreciated.
I do have a bit of hope. I have gone the last day and a half without my cane :)
Just want to mention that cymbalta is not the only antidepressant to help with pain. I am taking effexor which is working fine. It's great to have reduced pain without being goofy on narcotics.The only short-coming is that it only lasts 8-10 hours. I'm waiting for my next appt. (1 week) with my psychiatrist who said that he would increase the dose if it works.
Hi Kim, I’m sorry you are feeling so bad. I tried lyrica but I could not deal with the side effects. I take 90mg of cymbals & 1200mg of neurontin. The neurontin is in place of lyrica gives the same amount of relief (which unfortunately for most of us with fibro & pain is not enough most days) I also go for massages monthly they seem to help with the all over pain @ least temporarily. I would love to go more often but cannot. I explain to the the therapist my conditions & they work with me I know sometimes they can be more hurtful than helpful it depends on how I’m feeling prior to appt. I did not quit lyrica cold turkey either. As I lowered dose I increased neurontin dosage. It eased the pain of no meds @ all. I hope you find something that can help you.
I weaned off for the same reasons--I'd gain 6 lbs in 2 days. I couldn't take enough Lasix to get rid of the water and my blood pressure went up. Had to go off slow, I remember that and needing muscle relaxants. Epsom salt baths were a must. Savella was even worse. For me, tramadol has been the only pain med that I did not override. I over rode methadone in 3 days. Been taking tramadol for many years now. I also need a lot of magnesium malate, esp during a flare.
I, too am on Lyrica. Between that and Neurton through the years, I have gained at least 60 pounds. I am trying to ease my pain by going up in mg of Lyrica instead of going off. I couldn't stand having nothing for the pain. I don't have such a wonderful doctor. I just lost 12 lbs. by going on Metformin for diabetes so I didn't necessarily want to gain it back. But, if it helps my pain, I'm all in. If it doesn't, and I gain my weight back, I will be considering another primary physician. Every time I get someone I like and seems to really care, they leave and I'm stuck with the one I don't care for.