I have Fibromyalgia and would like to know the best way to cope with it.?

Question

It is very hard to cope with at times.I am 33 with a husband and 5 kids.also are there any inexpensive ways to treat it?

Answer 1

My mom has had FM since I was two and I am also now doing research on it in my clinical psychology program. Even though it seems impossible to do most with FM will tell you that exercise is key (light walking, aquastretch in a warm or cool pool etc). It keeps your body going and it helps to prevent it from getting worse through deconditioning. My mom also finds she does a lot better when she doesn't eat sugar. FInding others that have it and are coping well is also useful.

On the medication side many people with FM are on a low dose of anti-depressants at night time to ensure they are sleeping because sleeping is key.

Through my research where I actually talk to people that have it they talk about being able to say no and don't spread yourself so thin. If you have a husband and five kids they can all have chores to help out- you don't have to do everything and the world won't end if something doesn't get done right. They also talked about switching their energy focus on finding a 'cure' to focusing on what they are able to do. This usually leaves them more energy to look after themselves. And figuring out what is actually important vs what you think you should be accomplishing - like does it really matter if the baseboards aren't dusted.

Others talked about physiotherapy, deep tissue massage etc. But it worked for some and others hated it.

Keeping up a sense of humor was key- it's hard but they found if you could find things to laugh at or be able to have a sense of humor about their pain this helped.

But one of the biggest things they all talked about was that it was a process for everyone to figure out what worked for them. Kind of trial and error of what worked for others.

I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 2

500-800mg Magnesium and 2400mg of Malic Acid has helped me some with the muscle spasms. Regular exercise is a must - but take it easy. Gentle stretching, short sessions of aerobics, and gentle weight training are all good. Yoga can be really good. Physical therapists can help you figure out what exercises are best for you. Ice packs are nice when you have really sore muscles. Heating pads are good, too. Talk to a doctor about trying some meds. For some people, antidepressants help since they alter the way the brain deals with pain signals. There are also some other drugs that might help such as Lyrica and Mirapex. You might have luck with some pain meds, but don't be surprised if you don't since fibromyalgia pain is notoriously stubborn. While fibromyalgia isn't a mental disorder, learning to relax and destress is essential to coping with it and other chronic ailments. Remember, a lot of ailments share the same symptoms as fibromyalgia (depending on your definition of what "fibromyalgia" is, you might say that they "cause" fibromyalgia). Therefore, it is important to make sure you are thoroughly tested for other problems. Always get a second opinion when possible.

Answer 3

Stress is not a cause of FM but can lead to flare ups and worsening (tightened muscles, stress chemicals, etc.). It's very important to do things we all know to do to deal with this proactively. Learn relaxation techniques and/or hypnosis and/or visualization: a good clinical psychologist can teach you this in a visit or three. These have shown in clinical experience and patient reports to lower how much the discomfort bothers them, prevents flareups and if flareups occur makes them less troublesome. Research shows this too as well as in real life. I have seen amazing results when done in conjunction with other medical treatment. There is also excercise, yoga, and any other stress busters you enjoy. My other suggestion: focus on what you CAN do not what you can't. And.....if it's gonna hurt anyway, why not have a life? Ok, playing with the grandkid will hurt a little (for example) but how much will depriving yourself and them of that fun a)stress you out and b) make your life no fun and c)stops you from getting the relief of distraction from doing something you enjoy. Same thing true of a lot of things. There's a differDo, just in moderation and take breaks. There's a great book called Managing Pain Before It Manages You. It's got a lot of good stuff: do what you like, and leave the rest it's not all or nothing. It's not in your head but you sure as heck can use your head to help. After all we all know of athletes or soldiers or parents who did not feel pain until after they finished the game, rescued their injured buddy or saved their child........and something in the brain helped them do that. Harness it. And by the way: taking care of yourself IS making you available to help others if you are then less tired and less irritable from pain. (think about an airline: put the mask on yourself first then your child. You're not any good to anyone if you pass out first). Destress, accept that it won't "go away" and that you can deal with it. Don't keep going to this place and that thinking "if I just found the right doctor" or "just got the right test". That'll stress you out even more and won't get you much. Do look at accupuncture there is good evidence for that, too.

BTW Fibromyalgia is a muscle issue not a nerve issue in terms of nerve damage. The pain chemical signals get all screwed up by any form of chronic pain but this is muscle difficulty to my understanding. It is the muscle fibers (fibryo) that ache (myalgia). Nerves are not damaged, that is neuropathy.

Answer 4

A good healthy diet, walking daily and other exercises can help you. Also get plenty of rest when possible. Be sure and see a Rheumatologist who can give you information on medications to help you if you are in a lot of pain. When you see a doctor, get pamphlets or other information on Fibromyalgia or print it from the Internet so that your husband and all your family can understand about Fibromyalgia so they will know how to help you as well. Some days you may need extra help, so it helps to let family and friends know what you are going through so they understand. If you have time, you may also want to become involved on line with a Fibromyalgia Support Group. I am placing links below to help you find the information you may need. There may be additional Fibromyalgia Support Group Information in the "Groups" section of Yahoo. I've included that link below too.

I hope this information helps you and feel better soon. God Bless you!

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
I have Fibromyalgia and would like to know the best way to cope with it.?
It is very hard to cope with at times.I am 33 with a husband and 5 kids.also are there any inexpensive ways to treat it?

Answer 6

Five kids, wow...

I am a single woman with FM and I have a hard enough time just taking care of myself, never mind anybody else! My hat's off to you.

I first had symptoms at 14, but it didn't get very bad until I was 26. Then I basically hardly moved for about 8 years, until I finally got diagnosed. I went to a local hospital that specialises in chronic pain for a few months, and there I was greatly helped by a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist. I also met a fantastic chiropractor who agreed to treat me for what I can afford to pay. I hope your city has a similar people/programs available!

The OT was in particular a great help, a spiritual sort who really emphasized the importance of one's inner life when chronic pain is the issue. She encouraged me to deep breathe and that was amazing. I improved dramatically. However, for some reason I find that discipline hard to keep up! I would like to find a group of people to meet with, daily or weekly, and we could just sit and breathe. There are yoga classes of that type but I can't afford that.

I take no meds, just a lot of hot baths, and I am extra careful to gradually slow down the body after exercise, because stopping activity abruptly seems to cause real problems, the muscles stiffen quickly if given the chance. I make sure to exercise a little all the time, moving frequently even when I am sitting, this helps prevent stiffness. I am deliberately inefficient doing housework and the like, going back and forth doing several trips instead of just one - it takes longer, but the constant motion is helpful. I walk to the grocery store every one or two days, to carry bags home filled with a few heavy-ish items like canned goods, and keep my arms in shape.

Having people to talk to who understand is very important, since the worst part of this illness is the fact it is "invisible" to other people, and as women, we are generally dismissed as hypochondriacs - and often more so if we have a lot of people depending on us, because they don't want you to "slack off"!

I get an email newsletter, but unfortunately my cut and paste mechanism is not working on my computer today... try to search for "FM newsletter" or "fibromyalgia edition".

Take care! life is beautiful, there are worse things you and I could be suffering from...

Answer 7

You need a natural progesterone supplement...
http://www.ineways.com/shana

When stretching any distance, nerve cells are sheathed in an
off-white insulating covering called myelin which protects the nerves from trauma and chemical erosion as well as preventing short-circuiting of the electric impulses along the way. Along the nerves throughout the body are special cells called Schwann cells, which continually maintain the myelin sheath.

Progesterone is made by the Schwann cells, allowing them to perform their function.

It is no surprise, then, to discover that Fibromyalgia, inflammation of the nerve cells in the muscle accompanied by aches and pains, is the result of progesterone deficiency. The traditional medical approach uses non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-depressants and a variety of stress management techniques without great success. Dr. Lee found that fibromyalgia, which is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States, would disappear within six months to a year upon using progesterone supplements.

Answer 8

Carolyn Dean, MD and ND, in her book The Miracle of Magnesium discusses FM in detail. Also see: Prescription For Natural Cures - Balch & Stengler:
they recommend: Magnesium aspartate or glycinate 250 mg 2-3x daily;
Malic acid 1000-1200 mg 2x daily; 5-Hydroxytryptophan 50-100 mg 3x daily;
methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) 1000-2000mg 3x daily; SAMe 400 mg 2x daily;
Methylcobalamin or B12 1000 mg daily; Bromelain or Wobenzym as directed.
You can try one or two of these (esp. the magnesium and malic acid) to start and add others as you see the need. Chek the Balch & Stengler book for details and a lot of other good advice. Good luck!

Answer 9

Go to a rheumatologist and get a diagnosis as there are many therapies that can help reverse the effects of the disease. In the meantimes, try over the counter NSAIDs, mild aerobic exercise (swimming if you can), daily stretching, and a healthy diet. Also, fish or borage oil, and ginger help me.

Answer 10

Find a good support group in your area (your local clinicians may know of a group) and arm yourself with knowledge...search the net. I have found Medscape a particularly useful site.