Jstephens2012

Close Fibromyalgia

Suffered from Lyme disease for roughly 12 years and tried every treatment possible for about two years but never did get better. May or may not still have it. The tests will always show positive for the Lyme antibodies whether there are still active Lyme bacteria in my bloodstream or not. Nevertheless, I'm now disabled from Fibromyalgia and severe depression. Drugs have been unsuccessful for the most part.

Treatments

5-HTP Not Working

Acupressure Working / Worked

Did it along with the Acupuncture. Works temporarily. Have to keep going back to get relief.

Acupuncture Working / Worked

Helped. Reduced pain and fatigue. Very relaxing. But very short term. Would have had to go about 3 times a week but insurance wouldn't pay for it and I couldn't afford it. Dr. was a real 4th Generation Chinese acupuncturist and used natural chinese herbs/remedies as well. I no longer live in that area but tried acupuncture where I live now with an American Dr. and it was useless, absolutely nothing like the results I experienced with the Chinese Doc.

Adderall Working / Worked

Have taken it for years for ADD & fatigue. Now I find it hard to do anything at all if I don't have it, I get very depressed and basically go through withdrawals. I'm trying to slowly taper down and get off of it forever. But it can take weeks, months, or even years for your brain to begin producing dopamine normally, some people's brains are never the same again. It's pharmaceutical grade SPEED! Not so different than Crystal Meth. Wish I would NEVER have taken it. It can ruin your life.

Aqua Therapy Working / Worked

A Hot Tub or a hot bath is always relaxing and good for the muscles and back. Also tried water therapy in a heated pool with a therapist, doing light yoga-type exercises, stretches, massage, etc. It helped pain to a certain degree, loosened up muscles, was relaxing, and seemed to release endorphins and give a sense of well-being. Medicare won't pay for it nor can I afford it so I didn't continue.

Cyclobenzaprine Working / Worked

Helped to relax and get to sleep at first, then had to up dosage and finally just didn't work anymore.

Cymbalta Working / Worked

Made me miserable at first, then slowly started to work. Then had to move up to the highest dose and side effects got worse and worse, couldn't sleep, bad headaches, manic episodes, no appetite. Then it stopped working after about 3 months and the side effects were unbearable. And the withdrawal was absolutely horrible, even after tapering down.

Duragesic Patch Working / Worked

Of course it helped, but my tolerance is ridiculous and had to keep moving to higher dosages until we finally just stopped treatment. Besides that, it's a narcotic, and becoming opiate/opioid dependent is a whole different hell all of it's own.

Effexor Working / Worked

Made me extremely sick and miserable.

Elavil Working / Worked

Disturbed sleep, bad dreams, uncomfortable. No good effects.

Gabitril Working / Worked

Some bad side effects, no good effects,

Guaifenesin Working / Worked

Haven't noticed any relief except during sinus infections.

Heat Working / Worked

It can help on my back at times, but is very uncomfortable to me and not worth it.

Lyrica Working / Worked

Didn't help pain at all, Gave me HUGE black and purple and brown bruises and knots.

Morphine Working / Worked

Yes it helps while you're taking it, but tolerance builds up and dosage had to be increased and it's a narcotic which opens up a whole new can of worms over time with opiate dependence, addiction, withdrawals.

Neurontin Working / Worked

Never noticed any effects at all.

Ultram Working / Worked

Does absolutely nothing for me. At one point it actually gave me headaches and made my stomach sick.

Vitamin B12 Working / Worked

Take injections 3 times a week. I feel like they help. It's not a distinct feeling that I can pinpoint, but I feel that when I take them I have better days overall, maybe a little more energy or sense of well=being. It's hard to pinpoint. But when I don't take them I know I feel worse.

Zanaflex Working / Worked

Started off taking them to go to sleep, as nothing else worked. But my tolerance to drugs builds up very fast and is huge. So after a while they wouldn't make me relax or sleepy at all. It doesn't seem to do anything for my muscle pain. I still take it every once in a while if I'm hurting really bad or can't sleep at all, and sometimes it helps just as long as I only take them occasionally.