Fibromyalgia?

Does anyone have any tips, ideas or treatments that have produced results. I have had this since about 2001or 2002. I have not met any other person that has this aside from online.(small town) I did a focus group for pain and it was suggested by another person that has it that I should try Malic Acid. I have been taking it for about a month. The pain that I have all the time is in my back (upper), my neck & shoulders. I occasionally get other pain in my pinpoints but that isn't everyday like my back. I take pain medication, I use Bio Freeze, I get manipulation, I take muscle relaxers and I use a heat sock. Plus we are getting ready to move into a place that has a hot tub. I am getting very frustrated with the pain. So I am asking for any suggestions from anyone else that has found relief. Please I will take any ideas that anyone else has tried. I have an appointment to discuss acupuncture but that isn't for months. Medical or non medical advice or tips. Thanks.

Answers:
As with many other soft tissue and rheumatolgical organic disorders, there is no cure for fibromyalgia, but some treatment options are available. A patient may try many routes of treatment under the guidance of a physician to find relief. Treatments range from symptomatic prescription medication to alternative and complementary medicine.

One experimental treatment is the use of the Guaifenesin Protocol, developed by Dr. R. Paul St. Amand. Because of the large number of patients improving on Guaifenesin, there are now several doctors throughout the U.S. who are using the Guaifenesin protocol in their practices[5].

Conventional analgesics rarely reduce the pain, and even strong narcotics are often not sufficient to entirely eliminate the pain.

Low doses of antidepressants like amitriptyline and trazodone may be used to reduce the sleep disturbances sometimes associated with fibromyalgia and are believed by some practitioners to help correct sleep problems that may exacerbate the symptoms of the condition. Because depression often accompanies chronic illness, these antidepressants have additional psychological benefits for patients suffering from depression. Amitriptyline is often favoured as it can also have the effect of providing relief from neuralgenic or neuropathic pain. Some doctors advise against using narcotic sleep aids ("hypnotics"), since these can actually disrupt deep sleep.

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.

Muscle relaxants such as Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) and Orphenadrine Citrate (Norflex) have also been studied in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Cyclobenzaprine has a tricyclic chemical structure similar to Amitriptyline, yet its anti-depressant effects are minimal. It is used only as a short-term muscle relaxant.In a study of 120 fibromyalgia patients, those receiving Cyclobenzaprine (10 to 40 mg) over a 12 week period had significantly improved quality of sleep and pain score. There was a trend towards improvement in fatigue symptoms but not in duration of morning stiffness. Interestingly, there was also a reduction in the total number of tender points and muscle tightness.

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.

Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to improve quality of life and coping in fibromyalgia patients and other sufferers of chronic pain.

EEG Biofeedback has also shown to provide temporary and long term relief, and as it gains more widespread coverage.

Many patients find temporary relief by applying heat to painful areas. Those with access to physical therapy and/or massage may find them beneficial. Chiropractic care can also help relieve pain due to fibromyalgia.

Treatment for the "brain fog" has not yet been developed, however biofeedback and self-management techniques such as pacing and stress management may be helpful for some patients.

A number of practitioners are attracted to the treatment of fibromyalgia, especially because its cause has yet to be identified, and due to its permanent nature, ongoing treatments can be very profitable. While this interest may promote legitimate medical research, patients should be wary: treatments of dubious validity exist in the meantime.

I have tried nearly everything and can tell you from experience that anti-depressants do not work. I have talked with tons of FMers and have not met one person that has had relief with them. So, when your doctor tells you to take one, tell him no.
Accupuncture flared me and has been proven to not help FM.
DHEA - Get your levels checked. Odds are it is low. This supplement does increase my energy.
KLONOPIN - Helps sleep and stops jerky legs. It also calms down brain which I believe is infected with a virus.
AVOID ALL PRESERVATIVES - They make this stuff worse.
DRINK ELECTROLYTE WATER- You can find it at grocery store.
MOVE BUT DON'T OVERDO - Don't stay in one position too long and don't lay around too much.
READ HAPPY STORIES - turn off news, don't read anything negative. Fill your brain with happy stories.
Good luck.I suffer miserably from this stuff. I know what you are going thru. TIM
i was diagnosed in 96. over the yrs i have tried EVERYTHING!! it wasnt until i stopped fighting what my body was telling me that i learned to deal with the pain.
currently i take vicodin (as needed), do the stretching routines i was taught in physical ther. ( using the yoga ball, thera bands, corner stretches, etc.), and twice a yr i go to physica ther. 3 times a week for 3 weeks each session. @ physical ther they hand massage and use ultrasound (deep heat massage).
i try not to push myself unless i must. i "plan" my week as to do as little impact on my body. IE. if i know i have an important event or appt on monday, then that means i must rest on sunday so that i will increase my chance of not felling like crap on monday. on my "good" days, i try not to overdue it (which is easy to do) so i will have more "good" days in a row! i know that doing a long day of housework & shopping will tire me out the next day, so i plan for that. it took me 3-5 yrs to find what works for me, and it's the best i can do!
i have been to chiropractor who also did accupuncture. he discouraged against accupuncture saying that it has been found to make most patients with FMS worse (i'm going to get second opinion). his neck cracking and back cracking is what seemed to make me worse!
i had a dr. state that moving to warm climate should help over all. i live in chicago, so we only have 5 months of warm weather, and i must say, those are my better months.
good luck to you, and good luck to us all with this pain in the A@@ diagnosis.
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