I am tired most of the time. I do a little bit of housework and I have to stop and rest. I did't sleep either until I started taking elavil before I went to bed. That has helped so much. I usually take a hot bath or shower before I go to bed and that helps with my legs. Good luck to you!

As I look through everyone's entries it is so amazing how many symtoms other people have are so close to mine. I have gone so many years thinking my symtoms were unique. I even began to think it was all in my head. Thank you so much for sharing-just knowing I am not alone has been great thearapy!

My body has no get up and go either. I get fatigued so easily anymore. Just leaving the house to go somewhere is such an ordeal that once I get where I was going I am totally wiped. I feel like I had been carrying lead weights with me the whole time.

What I was led to believe is the lack of real good sleep or REM (rapid eye movement) is what makes Fibro thrive. I guess when we hit this REM sleep are bodies are in healing mode. If we never reach this state we just keep incurring damage and never heal. Then our bodies scream out in pain. I have been prescribed Elavil before but I just didn't think it helped, the first time I tried I had the god-awfulest dreams. I felt worse in the morning. And I didn't particularly like the idea of being on a prescription drug for a long period of time. I try to get as much sleep as I can. If I need to I'll use Sominex or excedrin PM or tylenol PM. I'm not sure it gets me to the REM sleep , I just know that I sleep. When I go days without sleep , forget it, I'm in so much pain. I try to deal with my Fibro with just over the counter stuff because I fear getting hooked on anything stronger. I've never been dependent on drugs but there is alot of drug/alcohol dependency in my family and I just don't want to chance it. I find my pain is definitely worse in bad weather,when I haven't slept, and especially when I'm due for my period.I wouldn't even ask my doctor to prescribe pain medication because I don't want it, and I feel like she's just waiting for me to ask so she can say no. She's the type that would say that I only need Tylenol or Motrin or something. I know people who can get any drug they want (and they're addicts) and I know that I would have to fight for pain meds. Hopefully, I'll have the strength to deal with this without prescriptions meds. I find a nice hot shower before bed, relaxing music or meditation, comfy warm pj's and sometimes a heating pad help me to sleep. Maybe I'm just fooling myself in thinking that over the counter is better, but I don't worry about using them for a while, and then not using them when they're not needed?

My doctor has me on one Lexapro at night to help me sleep. I wondered if it was helping until I missed it one night, I didn't get a good night's sleep and boy did I know it the next day. I also use relaxing music, and a heating pad to help me relax. And...never underestimate the power of a warm purring cat next to your body!
JSpa you are right, it is lack of REM sleep, that is what my doctor told me. The Lexapro has helped with that and I can see the difference. You are also right about the pain being worse around the time of your period, my doc also told me that hormones can play havoc with FM. I do have my Darvocet for pain, but I will only resort to that when the pain gets to the point of me wanting to rip my hair out.