Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
For the past 18 months I have been seeing the same Rheumy every six weeks for "evaluations". I liked the doctor, she is about my age and the first not to suggest that with 3 disabling conditions I not file for disability, at least not yet. Should have known it was too good to be true . . .
So I ranted on here last week about how poorly I have been feeling lately, with weekly migraines, nausea for the past three weeks on a daily basis, and this lovely swaying gait because my legs hurt so badly that I cannot lift them at all to even walk. I held out thinking the rheumy appointment would provide some resolutions.
Her suggestion was that I lose weight. About 30 pounds. That my fibro is so bad, not because I have no medication for pain or to help, but that I am "too heavy." Please keep in mind she is the one who put me on meds where I gained 35 lbs in 3 weeks and who also advised me that I not exercise at all because my job is too "physically demanding" so when not working I need to rest.
She is recommending a liquid "shake" diet with a very lean dinner as a long term weight loss solution. I pointed out that I cannot have any artificial sweeteners because I am allergic. She has never heard of this. I also pointed out that people with migraine complex cannot skip meals as it causes headaches. She just gave me a blank stare, suggested some other liquid diet and the PRESCRIBED THE SAME DRUG SHE TOOK ME OFF OF SIX WEEKS AGO BECAUSE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS! One of which, BTW, is severe weight gain.
So what types of exercise does everyone here do to control health/weight? I work on my feet a lot lifting heavy things (100 + lbs) and in my off time am renovating a house, managing a large yard with several flower gardens, and taking care of pets and all the other household chores so I don't live a sedentary life. But I don't run for an hour and lift weights for another hour 3 times a week like I used to.
And does everyone here see their Rheumy every 6 weeks?? I have an appointment with a PM Neuro in another month, how often will I have to see a PM doc?
Any diet suggestions that don't utilize food full of chemicals?
Thanks in advance!
So I ranted on here last week about how poorly I have been feeling lately, with weekly migraines, nausea for the past three weeks on a daily basis, and this lovely swaying gait because my legs hurt so badly that I cannot lift them at all to even walk. I held out thinking the rheumy appointment would provide some resolutions.
Her suggestion was that I lose weight. About 30 pounds. That my fibro is so bad, not because I have no medication for pain or to help, but that I am "too heavy." Please keep in mind she is the one who put me on meds where I gained 35 lbs in 3 weeks and who also advised me that I not exercise at all because my job is too "physically demanding" so when not working I need to rest.
She is recommending a liquid "shake" diet with a very lean dinner as a long term weight loss solution. I pointed out that I cannot have any artificial sweeteners because I am allergic. She has never heard of this. I also pointed out that people with migraine complex cannot skip meals as it causes headaches. She just gave me a blank stare, suggested some other liquid diet and the PRESCRIBED THE SAME DRUG SHE TOOK ME OFF OF SIX WEEKS AGO BECAUSE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS! One of which, BTW, is severe weight gain.
So what types of exercise does everyone here do to control health/weight? I work on my feet a lot lifting heavy things (100 + lbs) and in my off time am renovating a house, managing a large yard with several flower gardens, and taking care of pets and all the other household chores so I don't live a sedentary life. But I don't run for an hour and lift weights for another hour 3 times a week like I used to.
And does everyone here see their Rheumy every 6 weeks?? I have an appointment with a PM Neuro in another month, how often will I have to see a PM doc?
Any diet suggestions that don't utilize food full of chemicals?
Thanks in advance!
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We're all troubled.WSo, to remind ourselves we're not at rock bottom (this is a reverse optimism thing I learned as a kid):We are not living on the island of Krakatoa when the volcano goes boom!Yeah, okay, that sucks.***Toay in 1942, Pierre Laval announced that the way to free France was for Germany to win WW2. Pierre did not win a lot of friends. When the war ended, quite quickly he was tried...
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Another day, another ouchie?My bruised achilles tendon (don't ask) makes my foot numb. Wonky on meds, whacked it.Now, as to fibro:A lot of reports are going around some parts of social media that fibro (and dang near anything else) are caused by post-Covid, post-flu, post-vaccinations, post-pick-something.1. Your risk of death or serious complications beyond "ow, that shot hurt!" are typically...
The Mediterranean diet is recommended for Fibromyalgia. Use Google
to read about it. As far as exercise, Tai Chi or a water aerobics class for arthitics are both good choices
Call your local hospital and ask for physician referral service. See if the can match you up with a rheumy, neurologist and/or a pain management specialist that has an interest in Fibromyalgia.
Good luck and take care.
It sounds to me like you have your hands full with work and all the other stuff you have going on and you don't need to exercise lol, really! what do these people expect!!
I see a neuro for the migraines, not sure what a PM neuro is? so I cant help you there. Diet wise I just started counting calories and tracking everything I am eating, myfitnesspal.com is a great site to do that, its free and kind of similar to weight watchers tracking site.
As for fibro being less painful if we are thinner that is a load of rubbish, and don't let them tell you otherwise. I could of written this post myself today, I totally get it. Hope we both feel better soon, hugs, ellie
The PM Neuro that I am seeing is a neurologist that specializes in pain management. It was suggested that I get the lanacaine injections in my back spasms to provide pain relief. I have only heard of those for people with back problems, not fibro?
I actually agree with all of you about switching docs, the hitch being that this doctor is the only Rheumy around who will treat me for fibro. The others say I do not have it and need to see neurology. Seven neurologists have given me dx from "you have nothing wrong" to " we aren't sure if it is MS or ALS, we will have to see how you deteriorate". They cannot even replicate their own test results. My GP does not seem to want to treat me for it at all.
Can you travel to get another opinion may be from a university hospital? Have you considered seeing an integrative medicine specialist? This is an MD who uses some holistic approaches. I saw one for awhile and had got good results from their help. I could not afford to keep going or I would continue. I'd say the latter helped me the most. Take care.
As for exercise, grocery shopping is like a marathon for me these days. Before the fibro hit me HARD last year, I could function really well, despite my weight. I have had fibro for about 8 years, but this past year has been H-E-double toothpicks! I now consider it a successful day if I can do some household chores and not end the day in tears of pain. I try to go somewhere to walk every day, just to get out of the house.
As for seeing my rheumy, it varies...I just saw mine today after not seeing him all summer. I see him again in 6 weeks, which was the next available, but he had wanted to see me in 4 weeks. He noticed today that I have a lot of inflammation in my hands and ankles that I didn't have in June & he is concerned about that. He checked my ANA and rheumatoid factor levels to see if they have changed. (I do have Hashimoto's and Sjogren's).
I try to avoid gluten and eat low carb (veggies and lean meats).
Good luck!
When I am not eating like crap which is hard to do when I feel like crap, I drink a protein shake for breakfast & lunch, lots of fruits veggies for snacks & a sensible dinner. I use muscle milk natural in chocolate because I think the vanilla is awful & it helps keep my chocolate craving at bay. Within a week of starting the protein shakes my symptoms came back but then I realized it had artificial sweeteners & I switched. When I first start back or I'm feeling especially hungry I add a spoon of natural peanut butter & I almost always add either half of a frozen banana or frozen strawberries. I have to get it at the vitamin shop because Wal-Mart & gnc doesn't carry the natural ones. Maybe start with switching it out for one meal & see how u do. I understand the migraine thing.....I normally get that before I actually feel hungry but the protein in it keeps the migraines & hunger at bay. Good luck. Btw I use skim milk for them.
As far as exercise, there are many days that walking to the scanner in my office is almost more than I can handle.
Good luck.