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Fibromyalgia


Deb

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I haz it. I know quite a few of my friends here also suffer from it and I've noticed so many others have mentioned it in passing that I thought it might be helpful for us to have a place to talk about it. So far the medical world hasn't done much (at least in the US) to define and properly treat this illness and the number of people diagnosed with it is on an alarming upswing. Mostly it's women and a good portion of those are thyroid/endocrine patients (I read the European Journal of Endocrinology and there are all kinds of studies about that currently in progress so maybe they'll find the connection before long). There's not always a lot of information out there and some of it is "snake oil" but more and more good treatment options are popping up. Plus we learn our own coping skills on an almost daily basis as we live with it. So I thought I'd open a thread and see if those of you who have been diagnosed would like to have a place to chat and receive/offer support with others in the same boat. I know one of our members (and I've racked my brains but can't remember who it was) recently mentioned that they were going to "fibro camp" and I hope she'll see this and join in as well since that's a fairly revolutionary method of treatment in the US at least.

I thought we could talk about our own experiences in being diagnosed, living with it, dealing with doctors as they do/don't treat us, overcoming the stigma that it's "an hysteric thing", your thoughts on diet and exercise..........whatever concerns, triumphs, or challenges you want to talk about concerning fibro.

I was diagnosed seven years ago and Heidi was my "fibro mentor" who pointed me to the right books to read and steps to take to accommodate this intruder in my life. The first treatment options were anti-depressants to help with the insomnia only to discover that I have an intolerance to anti-depressants. That took my treatment options into the realm of anti-seizure meds instead and I've been on Lyrica ever since. I also take Tramadol and valium for the nerve pain and use Volteren Gel as a topical for isolated pains. We tried physical therapy and it created more damage than I already had so that's out. My goal is to be able to do Tai Chi again someday. The most difficult thing and yet the most helpful has been to learn how to listen to my body and read the symptoms of a flare before it gets started. As so may fibro patients do, I have clusters of auto-immune diseases and the symptoms often overlap.

Anyone else wanna talk?

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Hi Deb,

I don't have fibromyalgia, but I was reading about a supplement that was more for heart maintenance then this. In the reviews on it there were some fibro... suffers and they said this had helped them to a degree. The only thing is there are some other scripts it won't mix with and some folks who can not take it. Those with diabetes are not supposed to take it, from what I can gather. But maybe you could talk to your doctor about it. Maybe it would help you and others get a little relief. It is called 'ribose'. I gathered that it is better in the powder form then the pills/capsules. I would not take it without consulting a doctor first, if it was me, but it may be an option to talk about.

I wish you luck and I am sorry to hear you have this awful affliction.

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I know exactly what you're talking about Vicki. It's sometimes called d-ribose and if one is lucky enough to have a compounding pharmacy nearby, they do make a "cocktail" of d-ribose and synthroid to treat hypothyroidism......something fairly revolutionary thus far. The powder form of d-ribose is available at health food stores and even on Amazon. I haven't tried it because I couldn't get the green light from a couple of my doctors--although most of them had never heard of it. My neurologist is probably the most cutting edge of my doctors and he had good things to say about it in relation to some forms of polyneuropathy.. So I'd love to hear more about it if someone else has tried it. Vicki, thank you SO much for posting about it. This is something that might make a big difference for someone.

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Hi Deb - it was me that is going to "Fibro Camp". :)

I first met with 4 medical staff: a PT, an OT, a nurse and a Behavior Therapist -filled out lots of paperwork describing my symptoms and how it is impacting my daily routine. They then made recommendations for therapies. I've gone to two of my sessions so far: PT for gentle stretching exercises, OT for a heavenly hand wax dip and instructions on better "body mechanics" to do household chores without hurting my back, pool therapy and biofeedback sessions to help me learn how to relax my body (before the stress level gets too high and the muscles get tight).

And this fatigue that goes with FM! Ha! Now you have to understand that these therapy sessions are not very 'intense' at all, and neither was the pool therapy - just gently, easy motions. But wow- I was EXHAUSTED after that first session! I was so tired, but I had to go to work for the afternoon (Camp sessions are generally 4 hours long) and when I got home I just crashed! I made myself dinner, sat on my hubby's recliner and fell asleep! LOL

My GP put me on Lyrica last month, and I've noticed a great over-all improvement. I've had issues for years (joint pain/chronic tendonitis, low thyroid, fatigue, etc), but was only diagnosed recently. The diagnosis brought on one of those "aha moments"! :) It all made so much sense now! And although I've learned plenty of coping methods over the years, these sessions have taught me a lot of new ways to cope and learn how to tune in to what my body is telling me.

My other salvation has been a wonderful massage therapist! I know that some FM people can't tolerate that kind of touch, but for me it has kept me mobile and out of a wheelchair!

This has been quite a journey to this point, and I am all ears to those that can pass along any helpful info and emotional support! And I will share anything I can with those that are willing to listen! :D

Gentle Hugs to those of us who "fight the dragon"- :hug:

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Jackie, thank you SO much for seeing this and posting. You're doing something that most of us have never even heard of before so any input you have would be helpful. Considering that a lot of doctors will snort and say that fibro isn't a "real" disease (at which point I tell them that they're fired), having a whole team of medical experts to help you deal with it is like a dream come true. I'm glad to hear that biofeedback is included. I use guided meditations and transcendental meditation for biofeedback and general stress/pain management. The ones I've had the most luck with are by Glenn Harrold from the UK. His guided meditations are available on audio book and I spend between one and two hours a day doing that and controlled breathing to strengthen my diaphragm and core muscles. To anyone else the idea of breathing as exercise would seem silly but you guys know what I mean. But the biggest thing about biofeedback is being able to isolate individual problems thru focus so you know what needs help. Given a choice between biofeedback/meditation and oxycodone (which I refuse to take), I'll happily do the mental exercises any day. It makes me feel better to know that's being taught at Fibro Camp so I know that I'm doing something right.

My GP put me on Lyrica last month, and I've noticed a great over-all improvement.

Yay!!!!!! That's awesome! A lot of doctors refuse to prescribe lyrica because of the weight gain issue, but even tho I gained weight, it's still made more of a difference than any other medication I'm on. It's probably the one med that I'd fight to the death to keep. Without it, I literally cannot move.

And this fatigue that goes with FM!

<weary sigh> That's the worst of it. I can push myself thru pain and can even work thru brain fog to some extent, but the fatigue is something that I simply cannot rise above. My rheumatologist tried me on Nuvigil/Provigil for awhile and she still insists that I should be on it but I found that it gave me too much mental energy that my body couldn't keep up with. I'd get up and do too much and then pay the price for days afterwards. However, I've left it on the table for the future for when my muscles can cash the checks my brain is writing. LOL!!

Insomnia is a big part of fibro and another that I can't get past which is why the fatigue is so bad for me. I sleep around 2-4 hours a night but never more than two hours at a time so I never get past stage 2 sleep.........nothing restful. Trying to get sleeping pills is impossible altho they're quick to whip out that 'script pad for things like oxy which is waaaaaay more addictive. Anyway, I'll go for several weeks with hardly any sleep and then my body just shuts down with a narcoleptic like seizure. When I wake up, I have sleep paralysis for awhile (can't move, speak, or orient on where I am, what time of day it is, what happened before I fell asleep, etc). IMO, if they could do something for the insomnia part of fibro it would make worlds of difference for the fatigue and pain.

Jackie, you've already inspired me to get a hot wax bath for my hands. I've thought about it and wondered if it would do any good but it sounds like it was a nice experience for you so I'm going to give it a try. I'll have to get over my aversion to having things under my fingernails but if it helps with the pain and stiffness, then it's worth learning how to deal with that. Thank you sooooooooo much for joining in and sharing your experiences.

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Yup, I fight the dragon too. I weaned myself off Prozac (after putting myself on it years ago). It is like walking around with an empty fishbowl over your head - nothing gets through to bother you. But it is isolating and you don't "feel" much of anything. None of the other anti-depressants worked well for me. Lyrica made me ill, so I stopped taking it.

Self-awareness and self-diagnosis (and good record-keeping) helps my doctors, because they realize that I am intelligent, well-read and not prone to hypochondriac episodes.

One thing I realized: go for a food allergy test (the big, comprehensive one). Surprisingly, I'm allergic to chicken, onion, apple, eggplant, crab, cod, black tea and cow protein in milk. Once I cut out those foods, my symptoms subsided miraculously. Eat them, and I have to lie down for a few days afterward from back pain, muscle spasms and general malaise/weariness.

I agree, it is related to the endocrine system from multi-generational poisoning of our food supplies with GMOs and antibiotics. I see a direct result from whatever I eat. I also avoid skin products for that same reason. Our skin absorbs so much and it poisons our system without us realizing it.

Maintaining a positive mental state is a constant battle. Becoming aware of the onset of a "black mood" helps me fight it while it is still manageable. Routines exhaust me, but I'd rather be aware and "in the moment" than let things slide while on medication.

I take paracetamol because codeine is a banned substance in the UAE. Voltaren is easily obtained, and I take that as required. I do go for regular physio therapy massage and that helps prevent the stiffness. Due to asthma and heart palpitations, I cannot do cardio exercise. Walking and swimming are all that I can manage. So I try to stand and work on my dollhouses, walk up and downstairs as much as possible to keep moving.

My rheumatologist who first diagnosed fibromyalgia years ago, told me "you must keep on moving! Move your mind with intellectual stimulation. Move your body; go dancing, walking, see the world. If you stop, your body will seize up and you will die.

Wise words!

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There is another wonderful thing for hands if you can find it - it's a therapy machine filled with small corn husks pieces. You put your hand inside, they turn it on and it whirls the stuff around while blowing warm to hot air all around. It makes your muscles relax and feel divine afterwards. I have the treatments sometimes thru the OT dept at my hand surgeons office. Sorry the picture is so huge. It wouldn't resize for some reason.

It was intimidating at first but I grew to love it and it helps SO much. It is for other body parts too like feet, ankles and they have huge machines for whole legs and arms, etc.

2009_05_29_12_49_42__14_NC70369A_LG.jpg
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Just an FYI.

For many of you suffering with fibromyalgia, if you are in the US and your insurance covers it, please consider being tested for chronic Lyme Disease. And you must request a special blood test, as the standard Lyme test can miss chronic Lyme disease.

Lyme Disease can masquerade is Fibromyalgia, but the treatment is very different. As it is endemic in many of the US states, and parts of Eastern Canada, it also has been found here in Manitoba. Which means it will be in the Northern US states as well.

A very dear friend suffers from Lyme, and now it is being treated correctly, she is able to enjoy many long periods of remission.

My public service announcement for today

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My public service announcement for today

And a very good one it is too because there can be a lot of different things that have the same symptoms as fibro so blood tests for things like Lyme disease, thyroid, diabetes, vitamin D2 and B12, and especially mono are a great idea. The Epstien Barr virus is one thing high on the list for trigger events since there's a high percentage of diagnosed fibro patients who have had mono at one time or another in their life. That's sort of where the research dies off on that trail, but it's one of those viruses that can wreak havoc with the auto-immune system and apparently leaves people susceptible to fibro.

It makes sense to me that fibro is as much an auto-immune disease as it is neurological. The brain sends those confused messages to the muscles that they're in pain and the muscles respond the way they're supposed to in an emergency.......they tighten up the myofascia around the muscle to create a "splint" that hardens and holds the muscle in place. That's why I've always equated the muscle pain of fibro to being stuck in a Space Bag and having all the air sucked out. And while doctors agree with me that it's an auto-immune based response, they still won't call fibro an a-i disease because they can't find a blood marker to prove it. At this point, I'd be willing to give immuosuppressants a try just to see if they had an effect on the fibro.

I have a TENS unit that includes an eng function and if I remember to use it soon enough, it seems to help loosen up the muscle myofascia. If I'm already in flare tho, sometimes it just hurts more. On the other hand, my adjustable bed has a massage feature that I laughed at in the show room........but once I tried it during a fibro flare I decided I couldn't live without it. I'm one who can't stand touch at all when I'm in flare because the muscles tighten up and that pulls my bones and joints into stressed positions and any movement or touch is painful, but the vibrating massage does seem to help more than about anything else except for soaking in a hot tub. The only reason it's better than the hot tub is that I don't have to get out of the bed if I fall asleep.

This has been helpful already and I appreciate everyone who has joined in so far. The dragon is an unusual beasty and there are as many myths as facts coming from the medical community. I wish I had a nickle for every time a doctor contradicted another doctor when telling me what to do or what causes it. I think that it's a very individual disease because it manifests in a lot of different ways.........I've seen a lot of people with it and with many of the same problems..........but there seem to be individual variations on the disease too. Perhaps that's where allergies would come into play? I've been told that almost everything going on in my body complicates the fibro, so it makes sense that food allergies would also be triggers.

Oh, books!!! There are some really good ones, especially Mary Shomon's "Living Well with Fibromyalgia". Ms. Shomon is one of the world's best advocates for proper medical treatment for patients with a-i diseases, especially thyroid disease and fibro. Her books are well written and very well researched. She gives practical suggestions about how to get on with your life and live as well as possible with suggestions for how to handle doctors, diet, and exercise along with helping family members understand our invisible illness (and that's a whole other can of worms, huh). That's really what it all comes down to and it's what I've been telling my doctors for years. I know it can't be cured but I want a fighting chance to have the best quality of life I can.

Heidi, that's an interesting article and now I'm off to go find out more about the vascular connection.

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The timing on this discussion is amazing. I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. I have a host of other medical problems and this is the icing on the cake. I can't do anything without being exhausted, and Tramadol is my best friend right now. I am taking nortriptyline and Cymbalta, as well as Gralise for neuropathy and damaged nerves in my back. All of these meds seemed to help, but I have been under some stress and am having a serious flare right now. I hate to hear that others are going through this because I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but it is so nice to know I am not alone!

I have a question about the flares if anyone would like to answer. I don't want to pry. For those of you suffering with this, how long do your flares last? I know everyone is different. Mine has been going on for a couple weeks and I am so sick of it!

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Armymom (Debra),

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome several years ago. I seem to manage very well for the most part without medications, they did give me narcotic pain relievers which I wouldn't take. The symptoms seem to bother me worse when I am stressed, or get too busy. I don't rest well, get up early everyday, and stay busy. The flares can really bring me down, just for the plain fact that the exhaustion and brain fog (worse than usual) give me no choice but to try to rest and take it easy. I have found over the years that listening to my body is much easier for me than trying to fight through it some days. I am fortunate now that I work from home, so days that I don't feel well, I can spend taking it easier than usual. I doubt my husband will fire me. : ) I can remember when I worked outside the home, I would push myself for a few days, and would usually end up going home early the third day or so because I just couldn't do it. Pain was worse, everything was worse when I didn't rest. My flares typically last a few days, sometimes with off and on symptoms for a week or so. Doing things you find relaxing will help a lot, maybe be able to take your mind off the suffering for a bit. Trying to push through a flare doesn't work for me. Light exercise is a help, no more than a stroll down the street and back for me. I find that relaxing as well. But remember, you have to keep moving. That's key. Just know that it will pass, and if you have to slow down, slow down. I have found that the over the counter pain patches (salonpas) help a lot. I can put them where the pain is the worst, and it does give me some relief. I just got over a flare a few days ago, and I was miserable, totally get what you're feeling. I really hope you feel better soon. Rest. Relax.

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I have a question about the flares if anyone would like to answer. I don't want to pry. For those of you suffering with this, how long do your flares last? I know everyone is different. Mine has been going on for a couple weeks and I am so sick of it!

Hi Debra. This has to be a difficult time for you right now as you start sorting thru all the various medical problems to try and find the best ways to handle each one. It's a bit of a tangled mess and trying to untangle all the strands is overwhelming. However, that can be very important because the onset and duration of your flares will be determined by what the rest of your body is doing at the time,

My rheumatologist's most common advice to me was "Stay on top of the pain. It's easier to manage if you're on top of it than if you're trying to crawl out from under it." That's where the Tramadol comes in. (Isn't it wonderful?) Tramadol is mild and non-addictive so you can use it daily and if you aren't already, you might want to ask your dr about that. I'm allowed up to 8 per day---I take two in the morning and two in the evening. Anything more than four a day gives me a sore throat which is a fairly common side effect but if I maintain at four a day, but that's the only side effect I've had from it. Some people are able to tolerate higher doses just fine so that's a matter of trail and error to find out what works best for you, but it's great that your doctor put that powerful weapon in your arsenal. It doesn't kill the pain but it softens the sharpest edge and that allows you to be a little more comfortable.

If you have other pain related problems, those can set up a wicked cycle of pain. Any inflammatory pain like arthritis, degenerative disc disease, or muscle injury will upset fibro when the inflammation causes swelling and fibro reacts with those pain alarms which causes all your muscles to stiffen and tighten. Of course when your muscles tighten up, it increases the pressure on the areas of inflammation causing them to react with more swelling and pain.........from there it just keeps feeding itself. So that's one possible factor that can not only extend a flare, but can cause the body to never quite get out of flare.

That's the skeletal side of it. Then there's the systemic side with things like thyroid issues, diabetes, and other illnesses that can create an imbalance in your system and that can set off a fibro flare (or make it constant) too. Anything that your body perceives as "wrong" can set off a flare so taking care of the rest of your body's needs is as vital as taking care of your fibro.

And of course, there's also the stress factor. Just as fibro responds to stress on your body, it also responds to emotional or mental stress. That's another wicked cycle because pain itself is a stressor so another good tool to have in your arsenal is a mild nerve med of some kind. I take valium because of the neurological issues I have but overall, Valerian root is an excellent, natural way of keeping stress managed and you can take it every day. The valerian plant is part of the catnip family so don't be surprised if the neighborhood cats suddenly all want to hang out with you. It's a small price to pay for taking the edge off the stress which helps make you more comfortable and it can help with insomnia especially if combined with melatonin.

Since you have a lot of other health issues, any or all of those things could be contributing factors to the duration of your flares and how often you go into flare. I've noticed that people with more health problems have longer or almost constant flares and those with fewer overall health problems have more defined flares that are less frequent. When you live with a laundry list of ailments, it's difficult to sort out what belongs with which, but if you make a long term effort to be aware of changes and look for trends, you'll start to figure out the things you can do to lessen the frequency and duration of a flare.

I have some more information but it's going to take me a few minutes to dig out some bookmarks. With multiple health issues, there is often a co-existence of fibro with Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome.......something very similar to fibro but still a separate and often overlooked/untreated problem that can make fibro much, much worse, especially if you have current injuries or scar tissue from old ones. I'll be back.

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Okay, here's some info on the difference between fibro and CMP. I strongly recommend reading the books mentioned by Dr. Devin Starlanyl because they're not only enlightening, but extremely informative and helpful. Since they are two separate illnesses that mimic one another and often appear together, most doctors will overlook CMP. I have both and can honestly say that I because I have so many TTrPs (myofascial trigger points), that the CMP is a bigger problem that causes my fibro to be worse.

This article has some basic overall info about CMP vs. fibro that is a good intro:

http://www.healingwell.com/library/fibro/webber3.asp

And this is the link for Dr. Starlanyl's website: http://homepages.sover.net/~devstar/ (BTW, her book "The Fibromyalgia Advocate" is the fibro bible. Heidi gave me a copy and it may be one of the best resources I've seen)

The biggest distinction is the difference between fibro pressure points and cmp trigger points--something a lot of doctors don't know about so it falls to us to learn and determine how we can make changes to feel better based on the information. She also covers how some systemic issues like hypoglycemic levels can cause flares so there's a gold mine of helpful information in her books and website. If you don't read anything else on her website or in her books, read this page about multiple trigger issues because you might find something that could help your doctor with better treatment options. http://homepages.sover.net/~devstar/phsympt.htm She also has a check list you can print out and take to your doctor.

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I'll try not to bombard y'all with a lot of posts in a row but before I closed my bookmarks I ran across a couple of images that help define fibro pressure points and CMP TTrPs.

Here's the fibro pressure point chart with the 18 points that we all know and hate.

694-4-iline.gif

Unfortunately this is the best image I could find of the CMP trigger points. It's not easy to read but it gives you a general idea.

figure1.gif

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Thank you so much Deb and Stefani! You have helped me so much. I truly appreciate any and all information and it's so nice to know I am not alone. I've been trying to do some deep breathing exercises and light stretching, that helps but Tramadol is becoming my very best friend... ;0)

My dad died last year, totalled my car last year right before Thanksgiving, have degenerative disc disease and pinched nerves in my back from a horseback riding accident, and many other health issues... it seems like I am in the perfect storm right now. This getting old thing is not for the faint of heart!

Thank you again for sharing. I feel like a sponge soaking up all this info!

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Debra, we're all still in learning mode when it comes to fibro. It would help if this disease had some consistency so we knew what to expect every day but since it's so variable, we're constantly learning new ways of dealing with it. Every day is a new adventure in Fibroland!

One of the things that I also have trouble with is exercising because of other injuries due to arthritis, degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, bone spurs, and sacrilization of the spine as well as some limited mobility after the strokes. Walking is great but it doesn't exercise every muscle in the body and we need to keep even the smallest muscles moving to avoid further stiffening. That's hard to do on days when one is stuck in bed and that's when I started thinking back to twenty years ago and the time I spent moonlighting as a CNA in a nursing home to pay for my divorce. One of the things I learned to do was Range of Motion exercises for patients who were unable to move or needed help moving. It seemed like a good idea so I started doing it and my rheumatologist was so supportive that she gave me a hug when I told her. As always, be sure and talk to your doctor before any type of exercise but ROM is universally accepted by doctors as the baseline standard for maintaining joint and muscle movement thru the whole body.

There are three kinds of ROM: Active which means you can do it all yourself; Assisted which means you need the help of a friend or spouse to do some movements; and Passive which means that you're unable to move at all and someone else is doing all the moving for you. I searched youtube for CNA instructional videos about how to do ROM and found these three. They're a little dry because it's certification training but there's helpful information in them, not only about how to do ROM, but why it's important and how it benefits muscles and joints.

Here are the links for all three parts of the video:

The biggest thing to remember is that it's important to position the body properly so that things are aligned before you move and to keep your movements gentle and slow. Most of the time five repetitions is considered the norm but if you're doing Active ROM after not exercising for awhile you might need to just do one or two reps of each one until you build up a little more strength. And don't skip the fingers and toes! (I'm not sure if it's in the video, but your face is important too and you can do ROM on facial muscles simply by exaggerating facial expressions like grinning, arching your eyebrows, frowning and then going back to a relaxed expression. Yawning is good for jaw muscles.) My goal is still to be able to do Tai Chi again but until then, ROM is my "work out".

The other thing I do is controlled breathing (or diaphragmatic breathing) to strengthen my core muscles. Breathing doesn't sound like much of an exercise, but y'all know that some days it's a challenge all by itself. The diaphragm is a large muscle and it's the one that controls the air being pushed in and out of your lungs so it's important to take care of it. (I've learned that the hard way) It's also very, very helpful for stress and pain management. (exhale the pain and stress right out of your body) Here's a good video with the basics:

Once you've learned how to breathe diaphragmatically, then you can work on controlling the breath as it enters and leaves your body to keep the flow smooth and consistent rather than exhaling in a burst....smooth and steady is the goal.

I'm off now to go take my walk around the back yard with my garden hose and combine a little exercise with watering my plants. LOL!! I hope you're all having a good fibro day and that your pain is at a minimum!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm not a fibro sufferer and my heart goes out to all of you here. I have anxiety issues and have found that Young Living essential oils have helped me alot. They have many different oils for all kinds of things--Their Peace and Calming has helped me sleep better at night. I'm just a newbie at investigating all their uses, but it might be worthwhile to look into.

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Having a Fibro tendonitis flare in my right hand this week - and it's a week until my son's wedding!! AACK!!

I had bruised it during a PT session (on the recumbent bicycle) and then doing the rolled fondant wedding cake for the NC bride just did wonders for it! LOL So I was not surprised - just annoyed at the timing. Trying to ice it when I can, wear the brace when I can and generally 'behave' since I've gotta be able to squeeze a decorating bag for my son's wedding cake! As of yesterday I could barely make a fist. I am not a fan of Tylenol, but the doc assured me that it would be ok to use while on Meloxicam & Lyrica.

*sigh* Just gotta remember this week: pace, pace, pace! :)

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Having a Fibro tendonitis flare in my right hand this week - and it's a week until my son's wedding!! AACK!!

I had bruised it during a PT session (on the recumbent bicycle) and then doing the rolled fondant wedding cake for the NC bride just did wonders for it! LOL So I was not surprised - just annoyed at the timing. Trying to ice it when I can, wear the brace when I can and generally 'behave' since I've gotta be able to squeeze a decorating bag for my son's wedding cake! As of yesterday I could barely make a fist. I am not a fan of Tylenol, but the doc assured me that it would be ok to use while on Meloxicam & Lyrica.

*sigh* Just gotta remember this week: pace, pace, pace! :)

Do you have a Tens machine? I have one with 4 different types of treatments for varying conditions and reasons with all kinds of settings for each type. I find it very helpful for all of the issues I have. Last night the only sleep I got was after I set myself up on the machine. I woke up when one leg was done and set up the other one and fell asleep again.

You don't have to have a prescription for them anymore. So it is available for all of us sufferers now.

I highly recommend it if you don't have one. I got mine from an outfit that seems to be very helpful for the supplies and so on too. They carry wonderful Velcro on ice packs and such too.

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Thanks for the suggestion Selkie -I do have a TENS unit. I was prescribed one after my shoulder surgery some years ago. At the time I found no real benefit from it, so I stopped using it. Now that I have found that massage works well for me, I have started thinking that perhaps I need to get it back out and try again. My PT has suggested it again as well....I sure have enough of the pads to last me for a long time, LOL, so I might as well give it a try. :)

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Selkie, is yours a combination TENS/EMG unit? It sounds like the one I have with both functions in seemingly endless configurations. That's the one my neurologist recommended and it works lots better than a TENS-alone unit for getting my muscles to stop freaking out. When I have a flare, the muscles in my butt and the back of my thighs hurt and burn the worst and the tens/emg does help quite a bit. Jackie, you may want to check the kind of unit you have. I can't remember the technical differences between the two but my neuro said that some of the simple function tens units didn't have the right type of electro pulse to stop neuro pain. Bruce has offered to swat me across the butt with one of those tennis racket shaped bug zappers but I don't think that's the same thing. LOL!

Selkie, what shape pads do you find the most helpful? I've become really fond of the big butterfly shaped ones for my lower back and legs.

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Jackie, Hope you can find some setting that works for your current issues. The PT should be able to help you with the pulse rates and Hz settings to get the most the relief. It isn't magical and doesn't "fix" the problem for me, but it certainly helps me manage it with way more pain relief. I know they also make machines for ultrasound home treatments too.

Good luck with it all and hopefully you will be ready for that wedding real quick.

Deb, My machine does 4 types. 1. TENS (for the regular pain relief and muscles), 2. EMS (electrical muscle stimulation for retraining muscles), 3. IF (Interferential Therapy has been used extensively for managing post-surgical, post-traumatic acute pain, edema and inflammation reduction. It has been used successfully for a wide variety of chronic pain and procedures.), and 4. Microcurrent (microcurrent is sometimes not felt by the patient but benefits include increased rate of wound healing, increased cellular protein synthesis, and regeneration of injured tissue as well as improved lymphatic flow and relieve myofascial trigger points. The result is the injury, muscle and soft tissue ailments heal faster and more completely.)

I have square and oval pads. The ovals are in two sizes.

Just found this little blurb about settings. Don't know if this will help explain it or not.

There are three parts to a T.E.N.S. unit waveform.

1. Pulse Rate

Pulse Rate is also known as any and all of the following: Hertz (Hz), Frequency, P.R. or Pulses Per Second (pps).

To simplify this, I like to think of it as “Pulses Per Second.” The Frequency of the T.E.N.S. waveform can range from approximately 1-250Hz depending upon the model. Pulse Rate is important because different frequency settings target different nerve groups and the setting will determine if the “Gate Theory” or “Endorphin Theory” of T.E.N.S. will be used.

2. Pulse Width

Pulse Width is also known as any and all of the following: Microseconds (uS). PW, and Pulse Duration.

To simplify this, the pulse width is how wide each pulse is. It’s measured in extremely small intervals called microseconds. The Pulse Width on T.E.N.S. devices usually range from 1-250uS. Generally speaking, the higher the pulse width, the more “aggressive” the stimulation feels, and eventually, if the pulse width is set high enough, it will usually elicit a muscle contraction, which is typically not the desired result with a T.E.N.S. However, if the pulse width is too low, the patient may not perceive the stimulation.

3. Amplitude

Amplitude is also known as any and all of the following: Intensity or Milliamps (mA).

To simplify this, the amplitude is what you feel when you “turn the unit up”. It’s what causes the “buzzing” sensation of the T.E.N.S. to go higher or lower. Portable T.E.N.S. can range from approximately 0-100 mA. This is often set to patient comfort levels.

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