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.
I rather amputate my hands and feet than to live any more with this pain!
Rheumatoid Dr.doubled my gabapentin (FM) dosage and added the Procardia for severe reynauds I am still taking the plaquinal (connective tissue) and the tizzanadine (excruciating toe cramps) , now I have had this headache for 2 days where my head feels like its going to explode! It's affecting my job, I could hardly facilitate the meeting tonight.
SO I am getting worse even with the medications. I cant take this pain anymore, I'm losing all hope and feeling like **** knowing others have it much worse than me yet I am here feeling woe as me. I wish I could handle the pain but I know it's not going away :(
I admire all of your posts as you all show strength and hope. I have neither
Rheumatoid Dr.doubled my gabapentin (FM) dosage and added the Procardia for severe reynauds I am still taking the plaquinal (connective tissue) and the tizzanadine (excruciating toe cramps) , now I have had this headache for 2 days where my head feels like its going to explode! It's affecting my job, I could hardly facilitate the meeting tonight.
SO I am getting worse even with the medications. I cant take this pain anymore, I'm losing all hope and feeling like **** knowing others have it much worse than me yet I am here feeling woe as me. I wish I could handle the pain but I know it's not going away :(
I admire all of your posts as you all show strength and hope. I have neither
Ask your doc about the meds used by MS patients for muscle spasms.
Are you having a migraine headache? If you have migraines, your doc should be addressing that also.
About 30% of fibro patients' pain responds to opioids (codeine, morphine, methadone, etc). You should ask for a trial of those drugs to see if they help you.
If you're about to give up, it means that your doctor(s) need to help you more to find some relief. If they don't, ask for a referral to a pain clinic.
Hope is a really hard thing to hold onto. I definitely understand where you're coming from. My own pain has been such lately that I have this awful thought that there will never come a day where I DON'T hurt. And I wonder how to keep going forward.
Yet I do. I recommend what the others are saying regarding looking into some different medications. Also, do you have help with the mental health issues? A safe place to vent this? (We're ALWAYS here for you, but do you have family or friends for support too?) Have you considered talking to a counselor? Many people with fibro suffer from depression and anxiety. I've been in treatment for a while now, and I'm to the point that I'm working on what's called radical acceptance. I'm also trying to accept the truth that I don't know what the future holds, so how can I be sure that every day forever and ever I will hurt? With the future out of the way mentally, I just work on enduring. One day at a time.
You ARE strong. You're working and organizing meetings in the midst of this. You will be in my thoughts.
I can't try ice because of the Raynaud's. Rheumatoid Dr. said the Plaquanil, Procardia gabapentin & tizzandine should help, May they help some with the cramps & swelling but the pain is still there and he doesn't give me anything for that.
thank you for your kind words
I have not tried medical marijuana but I have had many people tell me it works . I have migraines a few times a year but this one is different. It may be from the increase of meds. Dr. doubled the dose of my Gabapentin and added Procardia for the Renaud's , I told the Dr. I am losing hope. Thank you for your advise
I am not strong. I work 10-12 hr days because it forces me to try and hide the pain and my symptoms are much worse at rest and I feel more stressed at home.
What do you do for your pain? Radical acceptance sounds interesting, may I ask what it means?.
I appreciate your posts, as I understand you and many others here are feeling the pain too.
Here's something I found that may help explain radical acceptance.
http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/html/radical_acceptance_part_1.html
There are more parts to that if you find it useful. I'm struggling with this, but I see its benefits at the end, the idea that even though I'm struggling and suffering life is worth living. I have to fight to believe this a lot of times, since depression has been a large part of my struggles with fibro. I'm only 35 and I feel so much older.
What helps me with my pain? I'm not well managed pain wise, and I'm still trying. I take tramadol 50 mg twice a day. I've been giving a new muscle relaxant to try, tizanidine, since flexeril stopped working for me. I sleep maybe 4 hours a night between the pain and leg cramps. We'll see what it does.
Meds I've tried for fibro...let's see, celexa, doxepin, savella, lyrica, cymbalta, amitriptyline, trazodone. In all cases, I eventually had to decide that the various side effects were worse than my fibro. I've been having costochondritis, an inflammation of the chest wall and I'm now doing a course of steroids. Then we try the new muscle relaxant, and then a new antidepressant, wellbutrin. See? I keep trying:)
What do I find useful? Yoga helps. I do this yoga program, because it's for beginners, and I can't afford classes right now. Stretching helps sometimes, and the deep breathing and meditation help me live in the moment rather than being anxious. I also try to go for walks when I can. I don't go far or fast, but being outside can be a great mood boost.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7AYKMP6rOE
My physical therapist has been a great help to me, teaching me the yoga poses, and helping correct me where I have them wrong. I also like hot baths and my heating pad, but those might not be options for you.
I've lost a lot of friends since my diagnosis, but the ones I have left are pure gold. Their support means everything to me. I'm also married--have been married for 5 years, and my husband has been a rock of support.
I also see a psychologist to help with my depression and anxiety.
I wish there was something I could do to help you. Best wishes.