Stop Fibromyalgia Now

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When you suffer from fibromyalgia, even the slightest relief is a miracle to the suferer. Anything at all that can aid your fibromyalgia treatment or reduce your symptoms or pain is very helpful.

In addition to the fibromyalgia treatment your doctor has set you up for, there are additional steps that you can take even on small things around your home that will help you to feel better

Listed below are some of the tips and techniques that have helped others recover from chronic fibromyalgia pain.  Since one common area of pain for fibromyalgia sufferers is the hands, many of these tips relate to easing the tension on the hands.

•    Buy easy to prepare foods. It’s often hard – or even impossible- to cook when you suffer from fibromyalgia but eating out all the time is unhealthy and can become expensive. You can buy more “ready-made” meals, pre-cut vegetables, etc to make cooking and preparing meals at home easier for you.

•    Use very sharp knives. When you must cook or use scissors, make sure they are very sharp so you use less pressure to make the cut and apply less tension to your hands.

•    Use a paper shredder. If you find yourself needing to cut or tear a lot of papers, you will want to use a paper shredder instead. For many fibromyalgia sufferers, even tearing up a receipt can cause pain.

•    Avoid excess strain on your hands. It may be hard for you to do things such as sewing, knitting, long periods of typing, etc. If you must do these things, you should try to limit the amount of time you spend on it at once.

•    Get ergonomical. Try to keep things such as your office and workplace as ergonomically correct as possible.

•    Adjust your home. There are some changes you might want to make around your home and office to help your daily functions be more comfortable. For example, you should angle your computer monitor to eye level. Try different chairs, pillow, etc to make yourself more comfortable and ease pain later.

Making small changes such as these around your home can improve the way you feel and help aid other stages in your fibromyalgia treatment.

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I was diagnosed with EBV 10 years ago and got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Depression 5 yrs ago-is there a connection and if so where can I obtain information.

If anyone can help-Thank You!

Is there a connection? No.

Here's one reason why. EBV only lasts in the body for no more than 2 years and that's in severe cases. Most people only have it for about 6 months.

There's no way you could've had it 5 years ago muchless now. Once the body overcomes EBV - or any virus - it builds antibodies to protect itself. You are not at risk for contracting it again.

Initially it was believed that EBV was connected somehow to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but they are two completely different illnesses. The bottom line is that EBV is really just an expanded version of mono - they are both herpes viruses.

http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/fibromyalgia/fibrofs.htm

That's a good place to learn more about Fibromyalgia. It is *not* a form of arthritis, just a relative. I'd love to elaborate but I've got to be a good answer fairy and keep it movin. Ask a specialist if you have further questions.

Best wishes.

Fibromyalgia is an illness that causes chronic pain in muscles and ligaments.In addition to muscular pain and stiffness, this ailment can also cause fatigue, sleep problems, depression, and an inability to think clearly.

No specific cause for fibromyalgia has been found.

One of the leading theories is that low levels of a chemical called serotonin may lead to the illness. Serotonin is found throughout the body and plays an important role in controlling pain and regulating sleep. Blood tests have confirmed that people with fibromyalgia have low serotonin levels.

Other researchers believe fibromyalgia is caused by a lack of deep sleep. It is during stage 4 sleep that muscles recover from the prior day’s activity and the body refreshes itself. Sleep studies show that as people with fibromyalgia enter stage 4 sleep, they become more aroused and stay in a lighter form of sleep. Even though they may sleep for a long period of time, they get poor quality sleep. Also, when researchers took normal volunteers and did not allow them to enter into stage 4 sleep, they developed symptoms similar to fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Pain: The most prominent symptom of fibromyalgia is pain. Unlike arthritis, the discomfort is not in the joints but in the muscles and ligaments. The pain is commonly located in the neck, shoulders, back, and hips. The tenderness is worse in the mornings and has been described as flulike, burning, throbbing, aching, or stabbing.

Fatigue: Another frequent complaint associated with fibromyalgia is fatigue. In fact, it occurs so commonly that some doctors think fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are the same disease. The severity of the fatigue can range from mild to incapacitating. In its worse form, fatigue can be so debilitating that some people have trouble keeping their jobs. No amount of sleep at night or rest during the day is helpful.

Fibrofog: Another common symptom is a mental haziness some people call fibrofog. This refers to the inability to concentrate, memory loss, and depression that occurs with fibromyalgia.

Other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia are headaches, nervousness, numbness, dizziness, and intestinal disturbances.

Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary, depending on the weather, stress, physical activity or even the time of day. Common signs and symptoms include:

Widespread pain. Fibromyalgia is characterized by pain in specific areas of your body when pressure is applied, including the back of your head, upper back and neck, upper chest, elbows, hips and knees. The pain generally persists for months at a time and is often accompanied by stiffness.
Fatigue and sleep disturbances. People with fibromyalgia often wake up tired and unrefreshed even though they seem to get plenty of sleep. Some studies suggest that this sleep problem is the result of a sleep disorder called alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a of a sleep disorder called alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a condition in which deep sleep is frequently interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar to wakefulness. So people with fibromyalgia miss the deep restorative stage of sleep. Nighttime muscle spasms in your legs and restless legs syndrome also may be associated with fibromyalgia.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating associated with IBS are common in people with fibromyalgia.
Headaches and facial pain. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have headaches and facial pain that may be related to tenderness or stiffness in their neck and shoulders. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, which affects the jaw joints and surrounding muscles, also is common in people with fibromyalgia.
Heightened sensitivity. It's common for people with fibromyalgia to report being sensitive to odors, noises, bright lights and touch.
Other common signs and symptoms include:

Depression
Numbness or tingling sensations in the hands and feet (paresthesia)
Difficulty concentrating
Mood changes
Chest pain
Dry eyes, skin and mouth
Painful menstrual periods
Dizziness
Anxiety

FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome) is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which the cause is still unknown. Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons – the soft fibrous tissues in the body.

Most patients with Fibromyalgia say that they ache all over. Their muscles may feel like they have been pulled or overworked. Sometimes the muscles twitch and at other times they burn. More women than men are afflicted with this disorder, and it shows up in people of all ages.

The cause of FMS remains elusive, but there are many triggering events thought to precipitate its onset. A few examples would be an infection (viral or bacterial), an automobile accident or the development of another disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or hypothyroidism. These triggering events probably don't cause FMS, but rather, they may awaken an underlying physiological abnormality that is already present.

Synmptoms can include pain, fatigue, chronic headaches, sleep disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, joint problems, painful periods, chest pain, morning stiffnes, numbness, tingling, irritable bladder, the feeling of swollen extremities, skin sensitivities, dry eyes and mouth, dizziness, and impaired coordination. People are often sensitive to odors, loud noises, bright lights, and sometimes even the medications that they are prescribed.

Changes in weather, cold or drafty environments, infections, allergies, hormonal fluctuations (premenstrual and menopausal states), stress, depression, anxiety and over-exertion may all contribute to symptom flare-ups.

Long term follow-up studies on fibromyalgia have shown that it is chronic, but the symptoms may come and go. The impact that it has on daily living activities, including the ability to work a full-time job, differs among patients. Overall, studies show that it may be equally as disabling as rheumatoid arthritis.

I have included some websites that should be helpful.

Can anyone of you who are suffering from this diliberating disease, help me out? What cures are there avaiable?
What do you do when you have severe pain attacks all over your body?

Dear Angel,
I suffer from fibromyalgia for over 8 years now. This disabling disease has no cure but there are things you can do to help minimize the pain or to help you cope with the pain.
I run an online (FREE) support group on MSN for Fibromyalgia sufferers. It's a group full of women of many ages who are so incredible; they are there for you and offer such great advice and support. It is called Fibro Serenity Garden if you are interested in reaching out for support.
Many things you can do to help cope with the pain are hot baths, heating pads, an anti-inflammatory (such as Aleve), pain medication, and perhaps Lyrica if the doctor believe it might help you. Lyrica isn't a cure but it does offer some relief but you should know that it does not work for everyone.There are also others that doctors may try, like Neurontin. One important thing is for you to see a Rheumatologist as soon as possible. This doctor is one who is more knowledgable about this terrible disease and will be more likely to offer all types of treatments. The next step is to get a pain doctor because this doctor will not hesitate to give you a pain medication to help you with your pain attacks. These two doctors are key to getting some control back from the pain. I try everything to try to cope with the pain.
When I have a pain attack, I take my pain medicine and lay down till it takes the edge off. When I'm in a fibro flare, I will take the Aleve to try to decrease the inflammation and I also try to take my pain medication. During a Fibro Flare, you will find that it is even painful to take a shower because the water hitting your skin is so painful. Usually it takes an hour for me to be able to get up out of bed when I wake up in the morning because the stiffness and ache is so bad.
So you are not alone Angelika. There are things you can do to try to take the edge off and alleviate some of the symptoms. I hope I was able to give you some answers and at least give you some hope. I am here to help in any way I can.

I've started taking Baclofen for suspected fibromyalgia. It makes me feel a little stoned, but hasn't helped the pain yet. Does it take a while to get into my system and are they're others out there who take this med. and is it successful for the treatment of fibro.

I've never tried it, but am a sufferer. I found that taking magnesium mineral supplements actually did the trick for me.

While the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be debilitating, they are not life threatening. Symptoms vary, depending on stress level, physical activity, time of day, and the weather. Pain is the primary symptom, found in virtually 100% of cases—specifically, pain and tenderness in certain areas of the body when pressure is applied to them. These areas include: Back of the head , Elbows ,Hips , Knees , Neck, Upper back , Upper chest .

Pain may be aching, burning, throbbing, or move around the body (migratory). Many patients also experience muscle tightness, soreness, and spasms. The patient may be unable to carry out normal daily activities, even though muscle strength is not affected. The pain is often worse in the morning, improves throughout the day, and worsens at night.

Other common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

Sleep disorders (e.g., restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea) .
Gastrointestinal (e.g., abdominal pain, bloating, gas, cramps, alternating diarrhea and constipation) . Numbness or tingling sensations . Chronic headaches (may include facial and jaw pain) . Heightened sensitivity to odors, loud noises, bright lights, various foods, medicines, and changes in weather . Painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea) and painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) . Frequent urination, strong urge to urinate, and painful urination (dysuria) . Rapid or irregular heart rate, and shortness of breath . Sensation of swelling (edema) in the hands and feet, even though swelling is not present

Each fibromyalgia patient is different and may require individualized treatment. An active exercise program, low-dose anti-depressants, acupuncture, psychotherapy, behavior modification therapy, chiropractic care, massage and physical therapy, used alone or in conjunction with one another, may provide some relief of symptoms.

It might. There is a lot of research and a lot of correlation between breats implants and the onset of fibromyalgia. I would imagine that if you already had it, it may get worse, yes.

with this condition?

I have had fibromyalgia for many years now and have had many different treatments. What works best for me is massage, meditation, and being healthy. I have tried acupuncture (which worked very well for me), went to a chiropractor, physical therapy, prescribed pain killers, natural treatments, over-the-counter treatments, and some other things.

Every person will have different symptoms with fibromyalgia, so they should try different treatments until they find what is right for them. Also, you should see your doctor about it. Unfortunately, many general practitioners do not know enough about the condition to help you effectively, so you should try to find a Fibromyalgia specialist near you. It's a little difficult to find a specialist, but keep trying. Most rheumatologists know about the condition as well and can help you. Don't give up though; it takes time to find the right doctor.

Try searching some fibromyalgia websites, such as www.fmaware.org or just do a Google search and you will find plenty of info.

Fibromyalgia can be difficult to treat due to the varied symptoms people suffer from and because we are still learning about this condition. But progress is being made. Lyrica was recently the first approved medication for treating Fibro by the FDA. I am currently taking Lyrica and find it very helpful. (http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/news/20070621/fda-oks-lyrica_as_1st-fibromyalgia-drug)

Most importantly, take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise (exercise is extremely important in helping people with fibro feel better; sometimes you won't feel well enough to do it from the pain and fatigue, but keep at it and do it at your own pace and it will help you). You can try Motrin and Tylenol for the pain (make sure you don't use them too often as Motrin can damage your stomach over time and Tylenol can damage your liver). Also, I found a product at CVS called 024 Fibromyalgia which comes in spray and towlette form; it consists of natural oils which help ease muscle pain.

Another important thing to have when you have Fibromyalgia is a good support system of family and friends. Having others to help you when you are ill is extremely important. Also, a lot of people with chronic illnesses decide to talk to a therapist about their problems, which I have done and found helpful.

Most people still do not know what Fibromyalgia is and when you explain it to them they might find it strange. I often have trouble explaining this complicated illness to people because most people cannot accept an illness that they can't see. So you may encounter unsympathetic people at some point, but they just do not understand. Do not worry about those people, just do what you need to in order to make yourself well. And once you learn more about your condition you can try to educate others about it and make them aware.

Sorry for such a long response, but I hope this helped a little. I wish you luck and good health.