What is Fibromyalgia? My fiance has it and I want to know what I can do to make her feel better.?

Question

She hurts all the time and sleeps alot. It kills me to see her like this! Plus, we own a home for developmentally disabled people so she works EXTREMELY hard. I have GOT to do something to help her.

Answer 1

Fibromyalgia is something that the doctors tell you you have when they don't know what you have. It's a very painful, debilitating ailment. I feel for the BOTH of you. My mother has it and she is not doing so well. She takes lots of medicine (pain killers, and others) which makes her kind of loopy. She's always tired and emotional. Which I think has alot to do with her 80 milligram Oxycontins (that's ALOT). She's just not the same person I remember her as being. She was so sweet and generous and sincere with her love. But know, she's a totally different person. She's pretty much a druggie! I know it sounds bad of me to say this but its true. I know she needs pain killers but I wish she was on something that wasn't so addicting. She actually calls me up for MY pain killers cause she always runs out! She gets 60 A MONTH!!! I just wish she didnt have fibromyalgia so bad! She never gets out cause shes always so tired and in pain she says. Tell your fiance to stay away from the oxycontins and find something better. Tell her to exercise, buy her a hot tub, and massage her as much as possible. With a little help from you, and from God, she might just be ok!

Answer 2

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of fatigue and widespread pain trhoughout the body. It is usually diagnosed and treated by a rheumatologist and can be very debilitating. There are many treatments available including medications and physical therapy.

I think it is very nice that you want to be supportive of your fiancee. Try to encourage her to eat a balanced diet and get exercise and adequate rest and follow her physician's recommendations. The most important thing is to be understanding of her condition. Most fibromyalgia patients are frustrated because they look physically "okay" and appear healthy to others but hurt and are tired so people around them don't understand why they are having trouble working and doing other activities.

http://www.fmnetnews.com is a good place to start your research on fibromyalgia. Good luck to you both!

Answer 3

Fibromyalgia (FM or FMS) is a debilitating chronic syndrome (constellation of signs and symptoms) characterized by diffuse or specific muscle, joint, or bone pain, fatigue, and a wide range of other symptoms. It is not contagious, and recent studies suggest that people with fibromyalgia may be genetically predisposed[1]. It affects more females than males, with a ratio of 9:1 by ACR (American College of Rheumatology) criteria[2]. Fibromyalgia is seen in 3% to 6% of the general population, and is most commonly diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 50. The nature of fibromyalgia is not well understood, with many frustrated physicians driven to accusing their patients of feigning illness. There are few, if any, treatments available, and there is no cure, but the disease is not life-threatening.

New drugs showing significant efficacy on fibromyalgia pain and other symptoms include milnacipran, gabapentin, meloxicam and possibly pregabalin. Milnacipran belongs to a new series of drugs known as serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and is currently available in parts of Europe where it has been safely prescribed for other disorders. As of August 2005, Milnacipran is the subject of a Phase III study, and, if ultimately approved by the FDA, will be distributed in the United States.

Studies have found gentle exercise, such as warm-water pool therapy, improves fitness and sleep and may reduce pain and fatigue in people with fibromyalgia. Stretching is recommended to allay muscle stiffness and fatigue, as is mild aerobic exercise. Because strenuous activity can exacerbate the muscle pain and fatigue already present, patients are advised to begin slowly and build their activity level gradually to avoid inducing additional pain. Exercise may be poorly tolerated in more severe cases with abnormal post-exertional fatigue.

Answer 4

It's a chronic disease that can show up in several forms... like arthritic pains, "weird" headaches and body aches, overall body weakness and tiredness.... It's different for different people, and it's a bit difficult to treat because it's a bit difficult to pinpoint, or even explain!
The best way to control whatever symptoms she has is to eat a healthy diet and get plenty of good sleep. You can be patient with her pains and other symptoms, maybe even purchase a book about fibromyalgia and study it with her, buy her some comfy pjs and slippers and cheer her up when she's a bit under the weather!

Answer 5

This is the address for the National fibromyalgia association. You might find some helpful info.
http://www.fmaware.org/

Answer 6

There really isn't much you can do for someone with fibromyalgia..except be there for them

my sister has it..and she goes through unbearable pain alot..

here are some sites to learn more about it. We've learned alot from these sites..

good luck.

http://www.fmnetnews.com/
http://www.fmaware.org/

Answer 7

my cousin has it. at first it wore her out. she was conststantly tired and her arms and hands hurt the most. she seems to function better now and doesnt get tired as much i know this is not an answer to the question but i thought knowing this would help you.

Answer 8

The link will give you some information on it.

Answer 9

IT'S AN UNBEARABLE PAIN IN THE MUSCLES AND THE JOINTS. Ask a physician for help.

Answer 10

Here's the simple gist:

What it is:

"Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain, and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle, and hands, but any body part can be affected. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time."

Symptoms:

"Pain: The pain of FM is profound, widespread and chronic. It knows no boundaries, migrating to all parts of the body and varying in intensity. FM pain has been described as deep muscular aching, throbbing, twitching, stabbing and shooting pain. Neurological complaints such as numbness, tingling and burning are often present and add to the discomfort of the patient. The severity of the pain and stiffness is often worse in the morning. Aggravating factors that affect pain include cold/humid weather, non-restorative sleep, physical and mental fatigue, excessive physical activity, physical inactivity, anxiety and stress.

Fatigue: In today's world many people complain of fatigue; however, the fatigue of FM is much more than being tired. It is an all-encompassing exhaustion that interferes with even the simplest daily activities. It feels like every drop of energy has been drained from the body, which at times can leave the patient with a limited ability to function both mentally and physically.

Sleep Problems: Many fibromyalgia patients have an associated sleep disorder that prevents them from getting deep, restful, restorative sleep. Medical researchers have documented specific and distinctive abnormalities in the stage 4 deep sleep of FM patients. During sleep, individuals with FM are constantly interrupted by bursts of awake-like brain activity, limiting the amount of time they spend in deep sleep.

Other Symptoms: Additional symptoms may include: irritable bowel and bladder, headaches and migraines, restless legs syndrome (periodic limb movement disorder), impaired memory and concentration, skin sensitivities and rashes, dry eyes and mouth, anxiety, depression, ringing in the ears, dizziness, vision problems, Raynaud's Syndrome, neurological symptoms, and impaired coordination."

Here's what you need to know about making your fiance feel better; treatment:

"Sleep Management: Improved sleep can be obtained by implementing a healthy sleep regimen. This includes going to bed and getting up at the same time every day; making sure that the sleeping environment is conducive to sleep (i.e. quiet, free from distractions, a comfortable room temperature, a supportive bed); avoiding caffeine, sugar and alcohol before bed; doing some type of light exercise during the day; avoiding eating immediately before bedtime and practicing relaxation exercises as you fall to sleep. When necessary, there are new sleep medications that can be prescribed, some of which can be especially helpful if the patient's sleep is disturbed by restless legs or periodic limb movement disorder.

Psychological Support: Learning to live with a chronic illness often challenges an individual emotionally. The FM patient needs to develop a program that provides emotional support and increases communication with family and friends. Many communities throughout the United States and abroad have organized fibromyalgia support groups. These groups often provide important information and have guest speakers who discuss subjects of particular interest to the FM patient. Counseling sessions with a trained professional may help improve communication and understanding about the illness and help to build healthier relationships within the patient's family.

Other Treatments: Complementary therapies can be very beneficial. These include: physical therapy, therapeutic massage, myofascial release therapy, water therapy, light aerobics, acupressure, application of heat or cold, acupuncture, yoga, relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, aromatherapy, cognitive therapy, biofeedback, herbs, nutritional supplements, and osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation."

So, I'll emphasize the last three in some suggestions for helping her out:

+ help her get a good night's rest - keep the bedroom serene and calming with gentle lighting, aromatherapy, soft music, or whatever helps her sleep.

+ support, support, support - she'll probably worry about feeling like a burden, that she isn't as attractive to you, that there may be sexual difficulties, that you'll somehow lose interest or get discouraged - keep reassuring her and demonstrating your affection, and make sure that her illness doesn't keep the two of you from doing new and interesting things

+ be her haven on hard days - if she's in extreme pain or having a bad day, she might be more likely to snap at you or get upset about things in general. Go easy on her and always keep tabs on how she's feeling, physically and emotionally. You don't want to accidentally snap at *her* without knowing beforehand that she's in intense pain.

+ a little physical spoiling is always nice - she'll benefit from massages, baths, and so forth - you can take her to a spa, or you can administer these things yourself - they'll certainly bring more intimacy as well.

Finally, I suggest investing in some luxurious products that'll help ease away the pain. I love Lush stuff myself. It isn't too expensive.

A scalp massage bar that helps her sleep: http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/2368?expand=Massage%20Bars:upd=y

A massage bar for aching muscles: http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/253?expand=Massage%20Bars:upd=y

Things to transform "physiotherapy" baths into luxury, leisure baths:

http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/catzoom.html?mv_arg=Luxury%20Bath%20Melts&expand=Bath

http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/catzoom.html?mv_arg=Bubble%20Bars&expand=Bath

I hope this helps...and good for you for being so concerned & considerate.

Best of luck & congratulations!