Pain Relief

I will be reading the replies with interest, because my doctor has been talking to me about fibro lately. As for pain management, I've been learning a few things- I find that it's better for me to pace myself, but I get too focused on doing one thing for too long and I end up paying for it. Try doing a little at a time. Don't give up on doing things- if I rest too long I get stiff. But if I do too much that hurts too- listen to your body and DO WHAT IT SAYS! I'm learning, but it's taking a while.

Do you have an understanding partner? It's important that the people in your life understand what you are going through. Let your partner know which tasks are too much for you and when you're having a bad pain day. It takes communication. Remember- no one can see your pain, and no one can read your mind.

I just tried my first fibro drug- Lyrica- and discontinued use after one dose because it seemed like animal tranquilizer mixed with truth serum. Not for me. I'm on antidepressants and sleep aids- maybe they're helping, maybe not. Who knows. Right now I'm biting the bullet, but I'm hoping to find something that helps without too many side effects.

I had relief from acupuncture, but it stopped working after a while. I would definitely try it again. I am signed up to take a Qi Gong class at Kaiser and think it might help. One small thing- it's expensive these days, but keep your house well heated. I find that the cold gets me tensed up and increases my pain.

Do things that make you happy- pleasure actually has an effect on pain. It sounds corny but it's true.

Don't give up! Do as much as you can. It's a balance thing I think. Again, I look forward to learning from the responses here. Thanks for asking the question.

go off of dairy and wheat. My mom noticed a marked difference in her symptoms when she eliminated these foods from her diet.

Hi G.,
I have fibro along with multiple sclerosis. What helped my fibro pain the most was getting on to meds that help regulate my sleep cycles. These meds are often in the anti-anxiety/antidepressant classes of meds. However, new drugs specifically for fibro have come on to the market since I first went on my meds. Many of these meds are pretty complicated in terms of how your body might react. It can take several trys to find the right one at the right dose. For me, 150 mg of Serzone (generic is Nefadozone [sp?]) at night helps a great deal. I had to start with a tiny dose and work my way up to get to 150mg. I think the doc wanted me on 175mg, but my body didn't agree! Thankfully, I have a doc (specialist) who does nothing but work with these kinds of meds. While Serzone has helped me, it does have a black box warning. I no longer recall what the warning is for, only that it is something that I'm not prone to. I really didn't want to go on meds, but I'm so glad I did. If you try meds, don't put up with side effects that are not truly tolerable. There are too many options to settle for still feeling crappy. Push your docs; advocate for your own health. Other ideas tat have helped me are acupunture and guided imagery therapy. There are several pain management centers in SF. If there is one near you at a reputable hospital, I highly recommend getting your primary doc to refer you to a pain center. Pain management has come a long way, even in just the past five to ten years. I hope you find something that helps!

Hi G.,

I have had several friends with the same condition as yourself. One of my friends was so bad she could not get out of the bed for 5 months. The medical field told her there was nothing they could do for her and she would have to learn how to manage her pain. She called me and I spoke to one of the nurses that works wih the same wellness company that I work with and put a program together for her and she was back to work in one week.

There are some great natural solutions that are amazing in helping the body to balance itself and my friends have their lives back.

If you are interested email me and I will send you some info.

Have a Happy and safe holiday.

N. Marie