Exercise, stretching.. all of that helps. I get panic, too. All people with fibro have issues with depression and/or anxiety. It does get better. Then it gets worse. It's the fibro monster. It creeps up on you and takes every bit of energy you have and leaves as quickly as it comes. There are triggers that cause flares. Stress, maybe other health problems. Mine started with the pregnacy of my second, and last, child.

I would strongly discourage you to reconsider going without medication. There are alternative therapies. ALL kinds of them. Massage works... acupuncture I have heard works but have not tried it, aromatherapy works for me, cleansing your chakras.. works for me... meditating with sage insense, prayer... BUT work with your doc. You will suffer GREATLY and NEEDLESSLY without some meds. No one with diabetes says, "I am going to try to not take my insulin... I don't think I really need it." Fibro is as much a disease as diabetes, and meds are needed. It will help with the panic feeling, too. Yes.... it DOES get better!!!

yoga is really great just remember your not use to doin the move so do what you can the term in yoga words is "your edge" that mean only do what you can do that feels good let your body tell you don't watch others only to get the correct form but don't try to keep up stay in a pose if you can't go any further on retreat into a sitting postion but keep up control in 7 out breathing! thereis a great book that wouldhelp you tonite
RESORITIVE YOGA it use pillows & yoga blocks or rolled pillows taped or use rubber bands! i'll send you the name & author of book (not in this room right now! a really good yoga stretch for morn is as you wake up just roll to left side & let right leg hang over edge w/right arm then roll to right side & repeat another is to left legs up while on back & act like you are walking on ceiling! another good one get 2 pillows & a blank wall sit side wise to get close to wall turn & lay down putting leggs up wall put 1 pillow under head other under butt & let leggs lay againest wall really good for blood-stopps blood clots ater surgery & great for female orgaNS & DURING PERIODS! help w/legg cramps & low back pain! also corps pose just lye on flat back w/ rolled up rowel under neck & let legg & arm lay out relax like you are dead let everything go =best to set mood by making room warm & dark lite candles to get the right relaxing mood & soothing low level music helps to! also i have been usingh old folk remedy apple cidar vineager & baking soda & epsum salt!1cup of ea! i fill up bath also put some of the vinager in spray body & use lofa or those bath gloves to gently rub all areas of body then slip down into water! you can also add favortie smelling bath gels or lovely milled soaps lavender will calm you down! to mask vinagar smell but it is natural ph of body & will go away within minute of getting out of bath! so good for musacle cramps & aches!& any cut or skin break outs! Some of "US" do not have moneys to do alternative therpies they cost extra $$ insurance does not pay! shame cause they are better for "US"
sending prayers & angels to watch & guide you! & that you feel better soon!
oxo paula

I rambled a long reply but it's lost, pretty MizKriz. Take heart and TAKE PAIN KILLERS. Your spirit will burn up without aid. I became a nasty person, irritable and suspicious, hallucinations from either one of the new fibro meds I tried , Nucynta for pain I think, a synthetic opiate and a bit of norepineprine and it took away every symptom, but ended up with iv's after visit ing my kind doc and tossing my cookies in her sink: they had to shove me in a wheel chair down the hall to our tiny 4 room hospital as I complained that I had to clean up the sink first! ( I had a serotonin reaction ). the hallucinations were incredible! Now I take the real deal, pure stuff instead of concoctions and blends..some folks do great on the new meds devised. I'm allergic to aspirin and celebrex, no nsaids cause my stomach is wrecked, so gave in to narcotics and both docs said the time release oxycontin is a wonderful med, much abused and much maligned. I tell my doc the truth and see her every week with a log of my meds, and I have a neuro-psychpharmacologist would agees with most of her thinking, and we are gradually raising my dose to keep it as low as possible. I was hooked on oxycodone a couple of years ago and was afraid to do this, but it's hard to get a high off the time relief oxycontin unless you abuse it, which gave it it's bad rep. You must not chew it as you release the whole dose at once, so that's what people with a desire to get a high did, and snorted it, and would shoot it. Used properly some folks never raise their dose. I was hooked on the short acting oxycodone (SAME med, don't let anyone tell you differnt!) for a couple years for severe and frequent migraines, but told my doc as soon as I noticed I was taking an extra one the day my scrip would come in just for "fun"... so I asked my doc if that meant I was getting addicted, and the answer was YES , of course, LOL!! I was so naive. I weaned off, my whole little clinic here stamped everything "DO NOT ADMINISTER NARCOTIC" to my embarrassment, and now they are pushing them at me as they don't believe I can deal with the level of pain I have, probably near the top , and if one is not there another doc will sign for mel It is considered abusive not to treat the various levels of pain we each have! Possibly even malpractice. We have varying degees but it's all worse than the average person! Of course I report it and get my meds once every ten days about, so I don't have much opportunity to take too many, not do I want to lose my privileges of trust. Don't do this to yourself, be good to yourself and have many hours of happy, pain free time for your family and friends to enjoy your company! You owe it to yourself and to them to be the real you. I'm told once I get used to my dose and we have it regulated so that I don't have to use the rescue meds often I will be able to drive the 285 miles to see my sons. The forgetfulness is awful, as are the hallucinations and misjudgements. You look young - I am lucky and have medicare, but even in my supportive state of MN, I see that my pain meds are written for low back pain, and the latest one made me laugh, for big toe pain! LOL!! We have to laugh a bit. As to Yoga or Tai Chi, I want to try again but first must keep up the posture exercise that are so simple and yet hard for me to do. And walk a bit.. I over did last summer , walking and building up to a bit over one mile, turnig around for home when I felt a twinge of pain in my hips and , but then I was limping or walking way wide by the time I reached home my P.T. instructor told me. So now it's just a half mile or less and I can use the little gym in our clinic's P.T. center. I am so lucky I am on medicare due to my "age"... well now I feel 85! I expected to be like my Grandma at 85 till almost 90 driving out to AZ and back... or my Dad who just died at 92 two years ago now, now I feel so hopeless at times, but it's not over! My money counselor who adds my check book for me.. I can't do numbers at all, has chronic fatigue, and has now done Qigong for 9 years and snowshoed 5 hours this year! She has learned to guard her energy, eat well, and pay attention to her schedule. I hate schefules and such, but am trying hard to adapt to being the new me.. an aging Wonder Woman, even if I must start with a few shoulder shrugs, and standing against a wall to right my posture. I finally have the attitude it takes, but must still get up out of the chair! Do you work? If so can you get a disability in your state? Or are you better off without one. I am about to try the muscle relaxant, Flexaril, but it makes me terribly sleepy and I have to cut the smallest pill in half so be careful, I think it's wondeful but it has an enormous hangover factor so you must watch when you take it... research it on line, you are obviously computer savvy. And I have a pain meds list of degrees of effectiveness... and a combo of Miralax and Seeds of change to overcome the constipation that comes with the narcotics. Oh dear. I'm so tired I'm beginning not to know what I am seeing, eyes get blurry, of course! More muscles for fibro to get.
And your heart is a muscle, it needs exercise... when I first got this I was told "move it or lose it" and now I see why. It is not a technically progressive disorder, but can be if you do nothing to maintain your condition. I'm not doing it all right yet but my gal who sums up my checkbook is my heroine, and she is doing it! I must find a way to do better.... first a day list or I forget what I must do just to get well, or better or whatever I can achieve. I had my first episode doing a lovely short tai chi session on DVD given to me by a friend. But I can try it again. Restorative Yoga is good, be careful which kind you sign up for as I tried Llengar sp? a few years ago and it was way too hard on me and I had weight lifted for years. Well enough.... please don't deny yourself what it takes to feel well. Night...