rosalyne

I'm going to try that gel. Thanks. Roz

rosalyne

Your itching because of the nerve endings. That is what fibro is all about . It attacks the central nerve system. Try heat it's suppose to be the best for healing. When I'm riding in the car it feels like their going a100 miles and hour, my body feels like its flying also when I'm with a group of women and their all talking the sound is so loud it affects me. Dr.'s don't seem to have a clue about fibro. So quilters "Heal thyself" :thumbup: :thumbup: Roz

damaquilts

The weather has a strong influence on Fibro. When the barometer drops, then I usually do, too. If it's sunny, so am I. :)[/quote]

I am so glad to see you say this. If a storm is coming I can tell before the weather man. The cold weather especially if it is raining too makes me ache . One big toothache is a good description. I have taken almost everything the docs have thrown at me but since I am extremely sensitive to meds they have only made things worse. So I just deal mostly. Tylenol pm at night when I really hurt. Exercise helps but since I also have chronic fatique its really a crap shoot. Exercise makes that worse. So like I said I mostly just deal.

yourstrulyquilts

fibro is an opportunistic condition. I hesitate to call it a disease, because with a disease there are usually markers in the blood to determine what is wrong, and there is usually a drug, or drugs or some other procedure or SOMETHING to help you with the disease you are finally diagnosed with. But the doctors are just now beginning to recognize it as ANYTHING besides "it's all in your head".The constant pain, fibro fog, indigestion, sleep problems, cognitive issues, memory, headaches, fatigue,clumsiness, getting turned around at the mall,muscle weakness, and a jillion other symptoms can point to any disease, and when the dr rules that out, and rules out the next symptom, and the next, you begin to doubt your sanity. But taken as a whole, and adding in the tender points, it can be diagnosed. My chiropractor has actually done more for me that any medical doctor. He's very in tune with fibro and he told me about the barometer and asked how I felt when it took a dive.
When I say it is opportunistic, I mean that it can co-exist right alongside another disease, which muddies the waters, diagnostically. And a lot of fibro-mites will have an accident or get hurt somehow, and then all the fibro symptoms appear. But stress can also trigger it's appearance. PSTD, and fibro mingle quite successfully, and if your dr doesn't check your 18 tender points, he'll be fuddled about the PSTD, because it isn't supposed to cause tingling of the extremities, hot and cold flashes (after menopause), or the other type of symptoms fibro causes.
I had a racing in my chest; felt like my heart was gonna jump out of my chest. Went to the dr, everything was fine. It's a symptom of fibro. On paper, I'm as healthy as the day I was born.
Don't be shy about asking your dr to check your tender points. If you have 11 of the 18, you have fibro.There is a lot of research being done to discover what causes it and how to make it better for people. And did you know that most fibromites are women? Not all, but the percentage is
way high towards women. Some are in wheel chairs, some have taken their own lives because they could get no relief and their drs thought it was all in their head.
There is a web site and a magazine to help fibro-mites learn to cope and deal with this devastating condition. The name of the magazine is Fibromyalgia Network and the web address is www.fmnetnews.com
sorry I can't get this link to be useful.

Here's hoping all of you can get some relief. It isn't curable, but can go into remission for many years, and then reappear. Do yourselves a favor and learn as much as you can about this condition. There are many books written on the subject, but don't get the older books; many of them are outdated concerning the newest and latest on treatment. I'm 69 and have had this for at least 20 years, but I am able to stay active. I raise a garden every year, I do all my own work at home, all the yard work except the lawn, I paint the rooms in the house, I do everything I ever did before; it just takes a little longer. We adopted a baby and he is now 7 years old and I keep up with him. Fibromyalgia Network Magazine writes articles about how to help yourself, and how to say no to things that will only make you have a flare, or make you more tired, or encroach on your small amount of "up" time. It's hard to say no to requests made by family but sometimes we need to so we won't be in bed for the next 2 or 3 days. Esp. when it comes to the grandkids.
Diana

starlight

I was dignosed with Lupus about six years ago and fibro about three years ago. I chronic pain, fatigue and memory loss was really getting to me until my doctor finally sat down and listened to me. I take cymbalta for the pain as well as neurontin. I also take provigil to help me stay awake during the day. Several blood tests later found that I was very low on vitamin D. Adding that did help somewhat. One of my parents had sleep apena so I was tested for that also and found that I also have that. I have no choice in continuing to work as my DH has been out of work for a while now. Thankfully my boss is great and understands when I have a bad day and can't make it to work. I do wake up throughout the night with pain mostly in my hips. I just take one day at a time with the hope that I don't have a huge flare up.

yourstrulyquilts

I take benadryl and clonazepam to sleep with and some melatonin. I can get a decent night's sleep with this concoction. I figure whatever it takes to be able to live my life in a somewhat "normal" way. My dr prescribes the clonazepam

Moonpi

It's been a rough winter for fibro here in Florida - cold and dank and stressful. When I lived up north, I had an electric mattress pad that helped a LOT, but did not move it with me to the sunshine state. I think I may check into that arnica.

Charity Quilter

Has anyone had "chemical sensitivities"? This is the strangest of all my fibro problems. Months ago I had a really nasty smell of smoke in my nose for about six weeks. It literally smelt like I was in the middle of a fire inhaling the smoke. We know that not to be the case. That finally went away and then I lost my sense of smell totally. I can't smell for nothing...unless it is a perfume, bleach, chemical or something like that.... and then I smell it "loud and clear", but it's a revolting smell. It is very hard to explain, unless you've gone through it yourself to understand.

I had no idea so many people suffered from this condition. We need to keep each other uplifted in prayer and encourage each other to be strong through all of the pain.

Honey

Does anyone ever get a really metallic taste in their mouth? It comes and goes. When I have it nothing will take it away.

sassey

I to have fibro and have been reading all the threads the only thing I have to add is I was tought to prop under my upperarms with pillows on both sides, a pillow or 2 under my knees, as you all know if you don't get the sleep you only get worse. I used to take all the drugs but being in final stages of congestive heart failure and my other medical conditions I had to stop talking most of the medicine however I take pain meds 3 or 4 times a day on bad days, always take a muscle relaxer to help sleep and paxill for depression. my hands are getting very bad fingers just ache for no reason my back has never quit hurting not once but then I also have degernitive back disease Dr wants to operate but I wouldn't go for that. Now it is to late. I certainly know how miserable you can be, one thing I learned from this thread is the iching could never find out why I have one spot that continully itches. I am diabetic but have no naropothy sure am lucky about that. Memory thing is so scarry to me as I have those problems but I also have a mom with dementia so am scared it could be that
I have many days every month I cannot do anything because of fibro or heart problems.