What Do Take to Help w/Pain?

[Kristine0424]

I was diganosed in June w/FMS.  Since then, things have all gone downhill.  I miss work all the time, cannot get out of bed!  The pain and fatigue is getting unbearable.  I feel like my primary doctor really can't help me - every time I go, I feel like they pull a new medicine out of the bag of tricks for me (the guniea pig) to try.  

Was wondering what 'other' people out there are taking for their FMS.  Here's everything I'm currently on:

Tizanidine (just added today, have no idea if this will work)
Celexa (seems to at least keep me from crying so much...)
Lunesta (the only med I can say actually 100% helps - couldn't sleep w/o it)
Ritalin (to stay awake at work - started on Provigil, but too expensive)
Lortab (live on this - the only way I can function right now)
Linsinopril/HCTZ (have been on this for 10+ years, have had high blood pressure since having Pre-Eclampia w/high risk pregnancy - high bp never went away)

My point is, I feel like I'm taking "downers" to sleep and then "speed" to stay awake.  Maybe a solution for now, but hardely seems like something I should be doing long-term.  I truly would like to throw them all away & try the herbal/vitamin route, but have no clue where to start - it's like a foreign language to me.  

Anyone else out there seem like a pharmaceutical guniea pig???

[thester6474]

Hi, yes I believe anyone with Fibromylagia is a guinea pig as well as a human pin cushion.  I have tried so many medications, Lyrica, Lamictal, Cymbalta, Requip, 3 types of pain medication and so on.  I am currently on 1 1/2 tablets of Provigil daily Rheumy increased it yesterday), Maxalt (Neurologist prescribed for Migraines yesterday), 1000 mg of Naprosyn, 8 4 mg Tizandine daily, Skelaxin (another muscle relaxer for work hours only), Furosemide (lasix), Potassium, 3 Nortriptyline at night, Corgard, Phenergan, Compazine, Tranxene and Intramuscular B-12 injections.  I also have been prescribed a Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Tens Unit) by my Pain Management Specialist as well as complete Physical Therapy and Pool Therapy.

[PlateletGal]

Oops ! One more (this should keep you busy ! ; ^ )  )

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2008/08/28/overlooked-treatments-pain-creams-patches-for-fibromyalgia-or-mecfs-pain.htm  ---
Overlooked Treatments - Pain Creams & Patches for FIbromyalgia or ME/CFS Pain

I hope all of this helps... stay with us and if you can, let us know how you are doing !

[PlateletGal]

Hi ! I hope you will check out our Health Pages (located to the right of your screen). Many of the fibromyalgia experts have their treatment plans online and I posted those links. There are also pathogen killing treatments... fairly new and without controversy, but the success stories are impressive.

Also.. here are some other links that may be helpful to you. You may want to consider printing any information that you think may be of help to you and sharing it with your physician(s). Good luck !

http://listserv.nodak.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0712D&L=co-cure&P=R793 --- Pharmacological treatment of fibromyalgia.

http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=8880&t=CFIDS_FM --- Low Levels of Magnesium & Zinc Associated With FM Pain, Fatigue

http://listserv.nodak.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0801B&L=co-cure&P=R1511 --- Effects of Yoga and the Addition of Tui na (massage) in Patients With Fibro

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37399.php  --- D-Ribose Improves Pain and Quality of Life in FM/CFS Patients