How do u treat your FIbromyalgia??

Question

My mother has Fibromyalgia and she is not doing well at all. Having days she cant get out of bed. I worry about her having MS as well with how she feels all the time.

Do you take anything, herbs, drugs???

Thank you all for your answers. To vanhammer, your wife is truly lucky to have you!! Most men dont understand the pain that comes with this. Thanks again!!

Answer 1

My wife has fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and nerve damage, so I understand what you are going through. My wife sees an Internal Medicine Dr and a Pain Management Dr and takes several medications that help her cope with it. There isn't a drug specifically designed to treat fibro yet, however, there is supposed to be a new one coming out late this year. Pain medication does help and an antidepressant is necessary because with chronic pain comes depression. Be sure she finds a good Dr who understands fibro....a Rheumotologist may be the best. My wife tried herbs, yoga, physical therapy and everything else before she went on pain meds and nothing helped her. There are some great support groups on the net that may help her to have people to talk to who are going through the same thing she is. It has helped my wife. Try looking at IDA.org. I think having others who really know the pain, fatigue, depression and all the changes that come with this painful disease would at least help her to not feel alone. Also, an MRI along with bloodwork can tell if she has MS. So many times, family and friends don't understand fibro and how it changes a person, so she is lucky to have a caring daughter like you to be there for her. I wish you both the best. BTW, stress can make the fibro really flare up and get out of control so try to keep her life as stress free as possible....easier said than done. :)

Answer 2

None of the medications have ever helped me. In fact, they have made me worse.

Stress, weather, and side illnesses always make things worse for me.

The best advice I could give is moderation. You HAVE to pace yourself. People used to try to tell me just to "fight it" and think positive and get up and exercise and that's NOT GOOD ADVICE. When i would do those things, i would be worse, and end up in bed for a week straight.

What i've found now is this balance- do NOT let yourself get worse by staying in bed all day everyday, because if you do that, the depression will get you and pull you down farther. BUT, you can't run around like "normal" either- so i've found that i force myself to get up for ten or twendy minutes every few hours on my worse days- make myself do laundry, wash dishes, play piano- whatever you would normally do- still make yourself do it, just in smaller "doses" and time frames.

This keeps you up, and stops your muscles from getting weaker, and helps relieve soem of the depression...but don't try to push yourself or overdo it by going on long shopping trips or walks or anything. believe me, it's not a case of mind over matter- you'll only get sicker and more setback.

also- i have tried EVERYTHING from drugs to hypnotherapy for this, and the ONE thing i can say that DOES make a noticable difference is nutrition and minerals/vitamins....i drink Ensure Plus to get vitamins and nutriets and i feel GREAT on the days i drink them. Granted, "Great" for me, is only "average" For most people- but i mean, i'm happy, less anxiety, less pain andfatigue, less brain fog, etc.... if you don't want to get those, i'd suggest taking magnesium pills and eating a banana everyday for some potassium.

also try yoga.

those are the things that have helped me the most and i sincerely hope that something there will help your Mother. Give her a hug for me- she can email me anytime if she'd like to.

Answer 3

this is one of the auto immune diseases, not to be confused with HIV, they are not in the same category.
fibromyalgia, lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis are other examples of auto immune diseases, as are some thyroid diseases.
Have your mother see a goo Rhumatologists, immediately, they will develop a plan of care and medication regimen for her as well as physical therapy.
This disease is not in the same category as MS, so don't worry about that.

Answer 4

my gf has that to. there's lots of things u can do. most important tho u start with love and respect, and a peaceful environment - healthy, happy - that's a MUST