Just Got Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Today

[butterflylover]

Hi everyone! I've been a member here for years but haven't been on this site due to so much stuff that I'm going through at the moment. I usually post in the 'Substance Abuse' section.

Anyhoo, my pain doctor diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia today. I'm 29 with more health problems that a 50 year old, lol. Does anyone here suffer from Fibro? Any replies are will be greatly appreciated.

I hope all is well with everyone.

[DesertEyes]

Hi there ButterflyLover, and pleased to "meet" you

I don't have fibro, but there's several folks 'round here that do. They'll be around shortly, this forum tends to be very quiet and laid back most days. I have plenty health problem of my own, so I can relate with feeling older than my years.

Anyway, just wanted to welcome you to our little corner of recovery, the rest of the gang will be by shortly.

Mike

[Freedom1990]

Just wanted to welcome you here too, butterflylover. I don't have fibro, but do have chronic pain issues due to spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease. I've also suffered from migraines since I was 20 (I'm now 51).

[Sugah]

Hi, butterflylover. I've got fibromyalgia (symptoms since my teens, diagnosed in my early 20s, 41 now), and at one point, it was downright debilitating. I had to learn to work with my body rather than against it. Plenty of rest, regular exercise, a good diet, and avoidance of stress are all things you can do to lessen the severity and length of flares. As to the last item in that list, meditation and a "let go & let God" attitude helps quite a bit.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[51anna]

I have fibro too, Butterfly.

I was actually incredibly relieved when a neurologist diagnosed me with fibro, because I thought, okay, this is something I can work with. It has a name and I can deal with it. There are a lot of ways to help cope with fibro. The dr put me on amitriptyline, which is an antidepressant, but helps with fibro pain. I've been on it for 9 years now, and it does help quite a bit. Has your dr given you any meds?

For me, exercise has been essential and I walk a lot, every day. My main area of pain is my upper back, neck and shoulders, so I started lifting weights to strengthen my body and that has helped a lot too. Avoid stress as much as you can, in all areas of your life. Pay attention to what your body is telling you, and try to respond by resting if you are feeling bad. I don't know what kind of symptoms you're having now, but fibro can be manageable.

[barb dwyer]

hi butterflylover -

what an unbelievable coincidence! *I* got diagnosed on tuesday!

I'm thinking it's a huge toilet that doctors put everything they can't figure out. I'll be reading this thread with interest. (as well as everything I can get my hands on online)

51anna -

I just got assigned "amitriptyline" two days ago. And I'm not gonna take it any more until I've worked my weekend shifts. It makes me groggy as heck. The doc SWEARS the groggy feeling will pass, but I can't afford to lose my job, and NO WAY can I work when like that.

So -
DOES the feeling pass? it might just take me longer to get used to it because I have to be kinda quick-witted at work. As well as quick-moving.
I also just got into some study-drug that was only used in europe ... but now we can get it here? but that's going to be another three weeks or so for the program to go through. I can't remember the name of it. it was about thirty letters long.
LOL!
I'm at someon else's house using the computer, or I'd go and make sure that's what it is.... it's not the 'elavil' though. I'm living at a nurse's house, and she'd have said that. she was fairly unimpressed with whatever it is - so I'm thiking this is pretty standard.

my doc *did* say to continue with the disabillity appeal (I've gotten an attorney so things are about to change in a BIG way) and said for me to get ready for many changing prescriptions until we find a combination that works.

[stone]

Barb didn't mean amitriptyline, she meant gabapentin.

[DesertEyes]

Hello there Barb, and welcome to our corner of recovery.

Whether you were diagnosed amitriptyline or gabapentin, they're both used to trean chronic pain from fibro, neuropathy and various other dysautonomic disorders.

Yes, if you start out on any of these meds you will get groggy and sleepy. The trick is to start out at a very _low_ dose and _slowly_ work your way up. The docs call this "titrating". Tell your doc to give you the _lowest_ possible dose, and tell him you want to cut those in _half_. Have him tell you how long to stay at the lowest dose before you can go up a level, and how big a level that should be.

I take Depakote, which is related to gabapentin. It knocked right on my rear when I first started it, but I got my doc to let me start from the lowest dose and work my way up. Now it works _great_.

Mike

[Freedom1990]

I started on gabapentin about a month ago, and am slowly adjusting to it. As Mike says, it takes time, and with a low dose, gradually working your way up.

I also take Depakote at night before I go to bed.

I'm pretty groggy in the mornings, but I blow through it pretty quick once I get up and have that first cup of coffee.

[barb dwyer]

thanks mike!

I had a couple of other symptoms that the doc said well hold on thill our next meeting - I got unBELIEVABLY crabby, irritable, and was gritting my teeth all the time. I couldn't STAND to be aroundpeople - not good when one works in Customer Service.

So we're gonna take a look at something else?

I've ALWAYS had negative reactions to 'brain chems' ...
I suffered - SUFFERED for almost two years on antidepressants before finallyjust ... stopping the madness of it.
I was immediately ... better.

I tell the docs - 'Look - I'm crazy, ok? but I'm a FUN crazy.
This pill - makes me a MEAN crazy.'
Let's stay on THE FUN SIDE of nuts, okay?

SO -
her assistant said there's other stuff to try that isn't anti-depressant,
or 'brain' oriented as in ... altering.

[barb dwyer]

If it does wind up be having to go that route again -
I'll remember what you said, Mike and do it that way.

this dose was 100mg then 200 mg in a week.

[namommy]

I haven't been on SR for a while, and I just popped in tonite. I saw your thread and had to reply. I have Fibro and in my case it is disabling. not to scare you. I've had symptoms since I was in my teens, but went undiagnosed until 2008.

I noticed you have a facebook icon on your post. There is a facebook page for the National Fibromyalgia Association that is wonderful for fibromites and support.

I wish you well, and soft fibro hugs from me to all of the fibromites.
Laurie