People with Fibromyalgia, how do you cope with your pain?

Question

I've suspected I have fibromyalgia for several years. I was officially diagnosed yesterday. I do not have health insurance and I have to go to a "reduced-fee clinic" and the doctor I saw didn't go into a lot of detail on how to live with this. He gave me a Rx for Tramadol for the pain. He told me to do stretches, keep my mental health in check, reduce stress, quit smoking, lose weight, and it might help to find a support group. That's about it. I'm having a pretty bad flare up and the Tramadol he gave me isn't doing much. If you have fibromyalgia, how do you deal with the pain? Is there/was there more that my doctor could have done? I'm really interested in hearing what other sufferers do to relieve their pain and tension.

Answer 1

I'm sorry to hear you have Fibro. Tramadol is a good medication for fibro pain. I take it myself.

There are a lot of things you can do to help the pain, fatigue, depression and other symptoms of fibro. Leaning to pace yourself is a big one. The harder you push yourself the more you will pay for it. Getting enough sleep is essential. Many of us with fibro have severe sleep problems. Some people are benefitted by dietary changes. The stretching and range of motion exercises your doctor recommended are great for keeping your muscles relaxed and avoiding spasms.

There are many more things you should learn about coping with Fibro. And a support group can be one of your best resources. I am Co-Owner of Yahoo's largest Fibro Support Group and we would love to have you as a member. There are over 2,300 of us and many resources on our site. Feel free to check us out at:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Fibromyalgia-CFS/?yguid=184656699

Answer 2

I don't have diagnosed fibromyalgia, but who knows....
I do experience many of the sx you have. Tramadol (Ultram) is a good drug for pain and can be taken several times a day on a regular basis. Antidepressants are used for pain control too. I actually take an antidepressant and a seizure med for nerve pain in my legs. Stubborn me has tried stopping both of them and had the pain come roaring back, so I am sure they work! The point is.....know that drugs like the antidepressants are used for purposes other than depression. This is one option in your case too.

Educate yourself. It's the best thing you can do! Then you will know what to ask for and what you do not want.

Check out the following websites for more info...
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/fibromyalgia.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fibromyalgia/DS00079/UPDATEAPP=0
http://www.fmnetnews.com/
http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer

Answer 3

I have Fibromyalgia and know what you are going through. I don't find Tramadol effective for severe pain. one of the newest treatments is to take the medication Lyrica. Many people say that it really helps their pain.

Nutrition is very important with this condition as with any serious physical condition. Avoid caffeine products, sugar, processed foods and fried foods. Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia) is often a factor in causing the person with Fibromyalgia to feel fatigued. That is why a good nutrition program is very important, eating frequent small meals with some protein is very important in keeping the blood levels even.

Whole grains, seeds, nuts, yogurt, chicken, Turkey, organic beef, eggs, natural cheese and cottage cheese should form the base of your diet. Accompanied by Appropriate vegetables and a minimum amount of fruit.

A good quality multi-vitamin is absolutely essential with this condition. It's important to replace what the body loses daily. If a person takes no other supplement but a multi-vitamin they're helping to support their body daily. Co Q 10, in soft gel form 100mg, taken three times daily can help increase the energy.

There's no definite cure for Fibromyalagia but there are certainly many alternative methods that can help you improve the quality of your life. I find that deep tissue massage therapy performed regularly really keeps down the pain. When I’m going through a really bad time I always get a massage. It works better than any medicine.

Physical therapy that is performed at home is very important for Fibromyalgia. Warm water stretches performed at least three times weekly can be of tremendous help keeping the joints and muscles flexible. A Jacuzzi or hot tub is without a doubt one of the best treatments you can do at home, not only does it improve circulation you can also perform warm water stretches in it. If you have access to one and can use this daily you would see a tremendous change in the body. Using a moist heating pad on areas of pain for 20 minutes can ease the pain.

I also find that chiropractic care can bring tremendous relief. I always recommend people with Fibromyalgia seek out a Chiropractor who uses the activator method for physical therapy and pain relief. If you would like to find out about a doctor of chiropractic in your area who uses this method go to http://www.activator.com

Take a proactive role in learning about fibromyalgia to help control it, and be vigilant about following your treatment plan. Emotional support is very important too. Living with fibromyalgia may be difficult if your family, friends or employer do not understand the condition. Seek out supportive family, friends, clergy, support groups or a mental health counselor.

if you have any further questions please let me know.

Billie77

Answer 4

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis, welcome !!
Actually, I think that your doctor (especially for being a clinic doc) did an excellent job of preparing you. Tramadol or Ultram is another name for it, is a great drug for the treatment of fibro, however, you may want to discuss something a little stronger for flare ups. I am impressed that he mentioned for you to keep your mental health in check, it helps, have you ever done yoga, because it is great for people with fibro. I can't really comment on the quit smoking part, I haven't been able to accomplish that, so I don't know if it would help or not, but with all of this pain and frustration, I'm keeping my 'smokes'. lol.
There are alot of on line support groups, but i like to just hang out here on answers. I've learned alot here.
Anyway, good luck to you, I hope you get the relief and answers that your looking for.

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

have you try ultram, viocodin, or motrin they are good for pain, you can also try old age medicine like covering a piece of dark green cabbage, when the cabbage becomes tender as sweating change it as soon possible when the pain vanish, it's great treatment. trust me.

Answer 7

Drink VIVO water.