Help for those suffering Fibromyalgia

This is for folks like me who don't obtain substantial relief through medications meant to treat fibromyalgia. This illness, while not completely understood, is very real. It can have rather debilitating effects on anyone suffering from it, due to the constant body pains you'll suffer and the knowledge of your own weakness.

Exercise. Light exercise is a must, because the less you move, the more your body will hurt. Yes, exercises hurt too - but the pain goes away and you'll find the endorphins in your body lower your total discomfort.

Anything will do;

I like to walk between 30-60 minutes a day. You should also do what you can to increase strength and endurance. I used to be a power lifter, and I've retained the physique...though my strength and stamina have been drastically reduced.

Despite the pains involved in strength or endurance training, it's still quite possible to do these things with fibro'. Like any other exercise you're doing, you absolutely must take proper precautions to prevent injury, as well as keeping pain within your tolerances while exercising. Just do what you feel you can so long as it's comfortable, in any exercise forms you know.

Stretching is very important. Fibromylagia hurts, but it hurts more when your muscles are cramped. Drink plenty of water - over-training is real, and happens most when you've not got enough water in your system to aid in repairing your torn muscle fibers. Also, remember to eat properly in order to fuel your body's activity, as well as supplement the healing necessary to see any gains in performance you desire.

Given my lack of a medical degree, I can't advise you to do anything other than speak to your doctor about what exercises you can do, and specifically what foods you should eat. I'm fortunate in my lack of food allergies, but what I can say is;

Complex carbohydrates
Protein
Good fats

Anyone else with pointers from their own experience should post what has worked for them. Hopefully the sum of experience posted here will give people hope where medications have failed.

The doctor seems to think that this maybe what my chronic pain is. Nothing helps I cry all the time from pain. No meds help and I triec yoga. I really dont k.ow what to do anymore

-- Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:45 pm --

The doctor seems to think that this maybe what my chronic pain is. Nothing helps I cry all the time from pain. No meds help and I triec yoga. I really dont k.ow what to do anymore

Hi Maggie
I am so sorry that you are hurting so much. Pain is a terrible thing to live with and it depletes us in every way. Please keep trying to find some proper medical help. Perhaps a whole new doctor, or even a Psychotherapist. Depression hurts physically too. Often having someone to talk to on a regular basis can help relieve tensions in your body and help you learn new coping techniques that can make life brighter.
Pm me any time if you need someone to talk to as well Ok?
With hope
One

I am having a huge problem with my pain.. my doc is guessing fibro.,can I ask how anyone got a proper diagnosis Nd what kind of doctors you went to. I am having trouble getting through work and its making me real depressed

I was actually sent to a psychiatric hospital because of this pain, with doctors saying it was all in my head, i.e. because of depression and anxiety - despite the reason I was so depressed and anxious being that I was in such pain all the time, and didn't know why.

The problem with both fibro and somatoform disorders is they're diagnoses of exclusion, so a bunch of other things have to be ruled out.

What you'll have to do is get a referral for a specialist that deals with this type of pain, a rheumatologist. And, you'll "need" a history of chronic pain going back at least three months, and points of tenderness on your body - if the pain is everywhere rather than just on the left or right side, you're likely suffering from fibromylagia.

I went through exhaustive testing (for Lyme's disease as well as muscular dystrophy {which runs in my family} among other things) as well as the two part diagnostic exam before the diagnosis was made, and it took me about 9 months to find out what was going on. Well, 8 months in Pennsylvania getting called crazy, then 1 month with a doctor in New Hampshire who took me seriously.

I'm sorry you're not seeing any improvement at all. And, being so worried about the pain causes you to focus on it, making it seem more intense. I hope you can get a concrete diagnosis and then start recuperating - one thing to note about fibro is it's a nerve disorder, so medications that work on inflammation won't work at all. However, like you, even the nerve meds won't work on me. I just keep moving, because if I stop I hurt even more.

Thanks G! I'm hoping to have insurance and praying it will cover some of this. It's been a 5 year struggle of chronic pain. Has led to a lot of depression and self doubt.. I slowly learnimg to keep moving and stop wheny body says to I am on my feat all day. I've tried many meds and exercise. Hoping to hey into pool soon and trying to drink more water
.its a daily struggle

Pretty old thread, anyway, i have had the diagnosis fibromyalgia for 19years already, since i was 18y. I found several things that helped me.
Exercise. Daily or every other day. I dance until i almost faint. Very high puls short intervals, and lower puls for longer time.
Stretching stretching stretching.
Not eating meat, especially red meat. As important as exercise.
No coffee, no soda, no junk food.
Boswellia from solgar for pain, i can not survive after two days withouth. (Should i do the american style disclaimer now?...)
I do not take any other type of painkiller or physical theraphy, but i would like to hear from others what types of theraphy works.
I ate "some substance" some days ago, and i experienced my body withouth pain, $#%^ the fibro stuff is heavy. Mainly i am hard on myself and see it as lazyness, if i really want i can drag myself around doing normal thing, just not for as long as others can.