I am a 32 year old just recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I am hoping someone can help me and give me some advise on ways to help me relieve some of this pain. I started on cymbalta and had to stop due to itching and swelling. I am now on lyrica and feel no change in my pain. I take a prescribed sleeping pill at night along with magnesium to sleep at night. I just can’t keep going in this pain all the time I feel like I am going crazy! Please help
Hello Kristin
You say you were recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It can take some time for you and your doctor to find the right combination of meds to help with your pain. It's not usually just one med that is effective enough.
I hope your doctor is one who listens to you and believes in you and works with you to find this right combination of meds. It's hard to be patient.
Please keep us updated.
Am so sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. Like Rachel said it can take some time to find the right combination of medication before you get the right ones. I rely highly on my faith and pray a lot!!! I wish you the best of luck and hope you find what works for you. If you can try some form of meditation it may be of some help also.
God bless!
Connie
Hi and welcome, from what I hear a lot on the site is, to chart what you are taking and the level of pain you feel throughout the day. I take Lyrica and muscle relaxer and occasionally pain meds thought I have been trying to take Advil instead. You don’t mention the dosage so maybe it just needs adjustment. Each person is different and it takes a bit of trial and error to find a tolerable combo. I am going on on Monday to discuss my meds because they are not wokimg to the level I need to keep going to the office. Keep your chin up. Hopefully they will get it right for you sooner rather than later. Take care.
Scarlett
Welcome, Kristin. In all honesty, I haven’t taken a prescribed medication for fibro since Celebrex was the go-to prescription medication for fibromyalgia treatment. For the past year - and off and on before that - I have been taking an OTC simply called “Fibromyalgia Relief”. There are two varieties - one that works and one that doesn’t. My standards for existence aren’t extremely high so it doesn’t permit me to live a “normal” life but it does stop the crushing pain of every day life.
I do hope you’re able to find some relief from your pain.
Blessings
Pom
I’m 26 and was just diagnosed as well. First I was put on meloxicam/mobec, an NSAID and it murdered my stomach. cymbalta gave me crazy hot flashes, I poured sweat and my hands and feet swelled like crazy. I started lyrica a week ago, one at night, and start two a day tomorrow. So far I notice only a small difference but my doctor said it had to get I to my system. I too take a sleep ems at night, otherwise I won’t sleep a wink. How long have you been on lyrica? Maybe it hasn’t had a chance to build up? I’m desperately seeking something so I can stop taking the narcotic daily
Hi Kristin, Hang in there. Like others have said, it can take some time to get the right meds and the right dosage. I take Gabapentin (Neurontin) and Paroxetine (Paxil). They work for me but I've had other meds in the past that didn't. It's a matter of our own body chemistries I think.. My fibro was caused by Ehlers Dablos Syndrome though so that may affect things too. Some people also use a TENS unit for pain. The PT just started using one on me. I didn't think I'd like the electric type treatment but it's been working better than I thought it would. It does take some time for some of the meds to kick in though. Lyrica takes a bit to take effect I think. I was on that one at one time. It did help but it took weeks for it to make a difference. I hope the pain lessens for you soon.
Hi there ,am so sorry you are in so much pain,I have just been diagnosed and take cymbalta and Lyrica I have found with lyrica I needed a big dose so am now taking 450mg at night and 150mg in the morning am still getting used to the side effects but the pain scale is now at 2 instead of off the chart .I truly hope that you get some relief as I know how you feel ,hang in there I will be thinking of you .
Hugs Sherry
There is no one pill to help all of your symptoms.
I am on lyrica and celebrex.They keep telling me to exercise.Let thecdoctors have FM for one day and see if they want to exercise.
Your doctor really has to believe in FM and work to find what works with you.
No matter what you take it will not all go away.I alwasy discover new symptoms.I should write a book.I am now dealing with hypothyroidism, a bunion and vericose veins.FM is bad enough on its own.
Good luck.
Kristin,
My name is Marc and I've had Fibro since 1991. In that time, I've run the gamut of doctors, treatments, medicines, alternatives, etc., etc., etc., I have learned that most of the most effective treatments for ongoing,long term chronic conditions like fibro exist in the list below. By all means, find a doctor and try and get the baseline pain under control. But while you are doing that, try and check off the items on the following list.
For FIBROMYALGIA, the following is what I'd recommend:
1. Movement - this is key. The body is not made to be still. The more you stay still, the worse you will feel.
2. Maintain Weight - if you gain weight, the harder it will be to manage your FM
3. Education - the more you know about FM, the less of a mystery the condition becomes. There is great info available from places like NIH (the specific department you want is NIAMS) or the Mayo Clinic. Be cautious of the Internet as there are so many people giving out information that is slanted towards their belief system (like FM is not a real condition or the Holocaust never happened). Just be careful to get credible info.
4. Find the RIGHT DOCTOR FOR YOU – the first doctor you see can be named the best FM doctor in America but if you do not sync, you will likely do better with a different doctor. Most people say find a good rheumatologist is the best place to start. That is what I will say. However, I have seen more than a few rheumy’s who did not work with my style and it would have been a disaster. Others with FM have had great success with neurologists, internists and even GP’s. The most important thing is to find the right communication and expectation connection
5. Support – Whenever possible, go out to face-to-face, local support groups. First, you are getting out into the world. Next, you are moving. Finally, you will hear and see other people and know you are not alone. It helps if you see there are other people worse off than you (I know – that sounds terrible, but it feels good to see how others have accepted FM into their life and are doing ok) plus, it helps to see how far others have come.
6. Maintain as much of "normal" as possible - getting a diagnosis can often disrupt your life from a big picture stand point, but when possible try and keep your job (perhaps working from home more often). In time and with experience and education, you will be able to do considerably more than when you first felt FM symptoms or in the beginning of your Fibro journey.
7. Self-relief - many people find moist heat (like the microwave heating pads) and massage (a spouses talented hands or, say, a Brookestone wand massager) to be things they can do by themselves to help manage the pain.
8. Physical Therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, water aerobics, etc., - these activities will help you acclimate to your FM. They will help you define the parameters of how much pain you can tolerate.
9. Keep a sense of humor - it's only pain...and fatigue...and fibrofog...and interrupted sleep...and the inability to do anything you used to be able to do...and other non-essential aspects of your life.
10. Avoid narcotics as a long-term means of pain relief. It is NOT the answer. Long-term and narcotics are two terms that do not go together. Be careful.
11. Be your own advocate. If you do not take care of yourself, who will? It is your biggest responsibility to be the one who tracks how you feel, what medications you are taking, what surgical procedures you’ve had, what helps your pain, what doesn’t help.
12. Most importantly, here is the BIG secret of Fibromyalgia - it is not a progressive disease. So, chances are you have already experienced the worst FM has to offer...and you are still here. You are still fighting the good fight. You got through it and you are ok…or at least, you won’t get any worse.
I wish you the very best of luck.
Marc
When I was first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, I was prescribed Lyrica and right away it made me feel normal. My doctor reported this was a good indication that I had Fibromyalgia. He explained that if medications used to treat the FM pain did not work then this potentially means another diagnosis may need to be looked. By researching this disease myself, I found that illnesses such as MS, arthritis, lyme disease, and other diagnoses have been mistakenly given due to similar symptoms. This may be something to consider, research, and ask your doctor about. I am no longer taking the Lyrica because the side effects for me have outweighed the gain. This is why I am now taking Cymbalta. However, I am feeling as if my tolerance for the medication has increased or my symptoms have gotten worse. Like today, it feels as though I'm not taking anything to treat the pain. I hope this helps and remember you are your biggest advocate, no one knows your body as well as you do, and you are not alone!
Hi. Could you please tell us where you buy the Fibromyalgia Relief medication you mentioned.
Thank you so much.
Jackie S.
Hi, Jackie
I was getting it at CVS and Walgreen’s but they changed to the variety that doesn’t work so now I get it through Amazon. I’ll include the link I use.
http://www.amazon.com/Fibromyalgia-Relief-Caps-Trp-Company/dp/B0041…
Hope that helps 
Trazadone helps me sleep without the side-effects. I use peppermint oil and massage it into my aching places. My boyfriend massages what I can’t reach. I take Nyucenta for pain. I’m in the process of switching from cymbalta to Savella. I’m willing to try it.
We’re all crazy. lol! Nah, but we all feel that way sometimes! Gentle hugs my dear Kristen.
This is very good information for someone newly diagnosed! I was diagnosed in April, and I find this very helpful as well! Thank you for sharing!