New FM Patient - Fibromyalgia Message Board

JennaBK25 · 11-21-2008, 02:33 PM

Hello,
I am a newly diagnosed FM patient. I'm having a really difficult time dealing with this. I have depression w/anxiety, insomnia, IBS, GERD, and now the doctor's diagnosed this.
The pain is so awful and my arms and legs go numb often. Some days I really have to force myself to get out of bed...does this get better? Does it get worse? What am I really to expect from this?

confused:

kirstee · 11-21-2008, 04:13 PM

There will be good days and bad days as you flare and then the flare wanes. I'm so sorry you were dx'd with FMS, but so glad you have an answer so you can move forward. Researching FMS really helped me to find a plan that worked and now I feel better. Read, research, and understanding will help you to find out what works best for you. You might feel you are fumbling around at first, but eventually you will be rewarded.

Wishes for a better day go to you!
Kirstee

DeBeachSiren · 11-22-2008, 03:30 AM

Hi,

It's bitter/sweet when you are told you have FM. No it doesn't go away, but there are things you can do. There's a book written by a doctor with fibro and myofascial disease as I have. Her name is Devin Starlanyl MD. This book covers anything you can think of and things you haven't. I use it all the time.

I had no good results myself with rheumys, neuros, chiros, etc.. I have my primary doc and my pain management doc. I am on meds that do help me the best. I also have had nerve blocks, ablations and a stimulator put in and it's nice to have these options instead of medicine. Opiates work the best, but cause me stomach problems even with nausea medications. As long as I'm lying down I feel normal, at least normal as I remember it. It doesn't make me goofy or sleepy. I take medicine at bedtime elavil, soma and ambien at night to sleep. This works the best for me. I do use the opiates and flexeril when I'm in a bad flare or am having bad pain. I've tried things over the years, but always go back to these things, they work the best for me. Also I do better just keeping affected parts warm with a fleece blanket. Very rarely do I use moist heat, just for muscle spasm between shoulders. I have better results with ice. I've had the same doctors now for over 17 years. They know me well, they know I'm not a whiner, they know that if I'm in to see them that I've got out of control pain and most of all they know that I'm very informed about my condition. I am very lucky. It takes a bit at times to get a mix that works and boy these guys are wonderful!!!!

When I've had numbness it's been because of nerve entrapment from deep tissue muscle spasms. You might want to get that hecked out. If I have the money A painful, but in the end wonderful deep tissue massage is a great help to me.

Eating nothing white or wheat helps with IBS.

Once you find a good set of doctors take baby steps and get things taken care of. My pain management doctor is the best on the east coast in little old DE. God truly gave him a gift in all sorts of forms.

Good luck on your journey to lesser pain.

DeBeachSiren

Find a good pain doctor.

JennaBK25 · 11-22-2008, 09:56 AM

Thanks I'll look up this book.

rosebuddy · 11-22-2008, 02:17 PM

Hi there, I know how you feel. You aren't alone.

I have heard that some people with numbness in their extremities do have some relief with Lyrica. It was originally for peripheral neuropathy.

i highly recommend the book by devin starlanyl.

I have had numbness, tingling, skin crawleys in my legs and feet and it was from nerve entrapment from active trigger points, (knotted muscle tissue), not the same as tender points. I had trigger point injections to release the knots.

I have been treated for anxiety and depression for 11 years. I have been on many different meds. i have been on wellbutrin for a long time now. It doesn't cause weight gain and gives me energy. I also take valium and i take it at night and it helps me sleep. I also take lamictal, a mood stabilizer, at night and it helps me sleep. Actually, the only time i wake up is if i have to pee. and i take abilify which makes me a nice person and keeps me from getting bent out of shape when stuff happens. It really does. But my combination might not work for you. We are all different. I also had art therapy with a counselor and we went through the stages of grief and loss of my health and ability to work. It helped immensely.

fibromyalgia is not a progressive illness. The only symptoms i have now after over 3 years of treatment and self care are muscle aches when a cold front moves in and achy and stiffness in the mornings sometimes when it's cold. I was so sick. fibro and chronic myofascial pain hit me like a ton bricks. i had to quit working within 2 weeks. It was a nightmare.

I hope you feel better soon. I know this might sound easier said than done, but if you can keep your stress level down, you will flare less. The more you do and the more ate up you are, the more pain you will have. You will learn to pace yourself. You'll be ok. It might take some time.

IBS is a common co-existing condition with people that have fibro.

Get a good rheumatologist and pain mgmt doctor that treat fibro and cmp. And it sounds like you need a gastrointerologist too.

all of this is just my opinion ofcourse.