Hello, My name is Barb and I am a 24 year old full time university student. I live in Canada. I have just been recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia by my chiropractor. I have not yet seen my family doctor, as he was on holidays. I have read a lot of information online, but I am still not 100% sure about fibromyalgia. I was recommended to go on Lyrica, but I am already on anti depressants and anti anxiety medication as well as thyroid medication. I just had gastric bypass April 29th 2014, and my goal was to get off all of my medications. I would really like to manage this with no pills. I have heard of some people using medical marijuana and I already know that this works for my pain, so I was wondering if this would be okay for me to do and tell my doctor that I will be doing and tell him I do not want to take medication. Because of the gastric bypass I am unable to take any anti inflammatory medication or NSAIDS, and I have to be very careful with the medications I take because many of them will cause me to develop ulcers. Any help and information that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated. I would really like to learn more about this and want to know what to tell my doctor and what to do if he doesnt believe the chiropractor or anything like that. I have all of the symptoms and I have had them for over 6 months now. The reason I went to the chiropractor was because I was in pain all of the time and I thought maybe the surgery had caused my body to go out of waco and I thought maybe i just needed an adjustment to put it back. I have lost 135lbs since my surgery, so I have been losing weight quickly, and I really didnt think that I had something like fibromyalgia. I thought it was just a quick fix and I would be back on my feet after an adjustment. This was not the case. I am a very emotional person, so this has been extremely hard on me. Again, any information and support would be greatly appreciated, and I thank all of you in advance.
On the upper left corner, you will see a search box, type in it "alternative", & you will find some discussions on this. There is also a Group for Young People you may want to join. M
Hi Barb, wow you have had a lot going on and it is understandable to be unsure of things. Generally, Fibro (at least in the US) can be diagnosed by a Rheumatologist or a general practioner / internist / family doctor. It is important they do a review of your symptoms / labs, etc to make sure there isn't something else going on.
There are many things you can do to help with fibro symptom management, unfortunately there is not a "one size fits all" solution and everyone responds differently. First, it would be good to get the backing / support of your family doctor to develop a treatment plan. Many people with Fibro can manage symptoms effectively using a variety of things. For me, when I was first diagnosed I took medication for a few years. Then I went off of it and managed to control my symptoms pretty well for about 9 or 10 years. This past year I have started taking medication again. Most people find that controlling stress and getting good sleep (I know, easier said than done) will help reduce symptoms. Exercise is also important, however with Fibro you probably want to make sure to pace yourself and maybe consider the input of a physical therapist. There are a number of medications out there that are used for Fibro, the most common are Lyrica, Cymbalta, Gabapentin, Savella. Some people also find relief with muscle relaxers and sleep aids. Most medications take a while to know if they are going to work although some people notice a positive difference immediately. Some non medicated things you can try that a lot of people find helpful are hot / warm baths with Epsom salt to soothe muscles, heating pads or ice, over the counter topical pain patches such as Salon Pas, keeping a food diary to see if something dietary effects symptoms (some people are sensitive to artificial sweetners, etc). Most Fibro patients don't find any relief with NSAIDS or other common over the counter medication like Tylenol. I am so glad you found this community and I am sure others will have input as well. HUGS!
Congratulations on the weight loss. Everyone is different and it may take a while to find what helps you. Start keeping a journal of the symptoms and what eat and see what may make things worst or better. I went several years with no meds for fibro. Massage, seeing the chiropractor, yoga and aqua therapy seem to help many people. Pace your self and rest when possible. Speak with your doctor and work with him/her to find the right treatment for you.
hi barb. since medical marijuana is legal in many places then i guess it is ok to mention that here. I think it is very appropriate to discuss this with your doctor. all the best to you and HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGS
Hi Barb. I’m sorry to hear you’re having a hard time, health-wise. It’s up to you (as it’s up to every one of us) to arm yourself w/ knowledge in order to deal w/ this illness/condition/syndrome/disease called “fibromyalgia.” It’s a tall order, to be sure-- I’ve personally been on the mission for about 20+ yrs. Your health and how you choose to handle it is ultimately your decision. I don’t know about the legalities of medicinal marijuana where you live (and if you don’t know you need to find out-- just to know what you’re up against) but I do know that if you’ve been able to find some relief, more power to you! Listen to your instincts! No pills would be ideal, but I’d be surprised if your DR. endorsed that. I’m gonna tell you something that nobody ever told me-- You decide! Any physician should be listening to you, offering guidance, and options for treatment PLANS- not simply writing prescriptions. The sad truth is that fibromyalgia presents an enormous challenge that cannot be quick-fixed w/ meds. Period. A significant change in the way we live our lives (stress levels, work habits, NUTRITION!) is necessary. Most of us drove ourselves into the ground, and deeper into our “fibromyalgic” conditions by not slowing down when we started hurting. The best advice I can give you is to start paying more attention to your body(not tuning out the pain to keep going).
The surgery certainly could’ve started the symptoms – physical/ emotional trauma is a common precursor to those genetically predisposed to fibromyalgia.
A great book to check out is “Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain A Survival Manual,” by Devin Starlanyl and Mary Ellen Copeland. (2nd edition?). It’s been a continuing source of knowledge and support. I wish I had something more concrete to offer you-- still searching myself!
I hope this helps! Hugs and love!!
Hi Barb and welcome. This is an awesome place for resources and support and I hope you find plenty of both. It has been my experience that it is a process of trail and error in finding the right balance of exercise, pacing oneself in daily activities, meds, etc. it can be scary and overwhelming in trying to gat a handle on this disease, but that is what is so great about this place is that you have people who understand what you are going through and can share the journey with you. I send you lots of hugs and look forward to getting to know you more.