I have fibromyalgia and it is getting more and more painful and the pain is every day.

[TheOriginalFAB]

At the moment it is mostly 2 of my fingers, one arm and my knee which is giving me a lot if pain and especially when I drive. I don't want to be popping pain killers as the pain is bearable, I just wonder if there is anything more natural I can do to help myself?

[rockinhippy]

Its sounds like you may be doing too much?? if so perhaps you need to pace your activity with more rest - especially anything involving the muscles you mention.

Otherwise there are a few natural things that can help a bit, but with FM it can vary from person to person with what works for us.

before I list those though, I learned what I think is probably a very important lesson at the pain clinic - that is that PAIN IS A STRESSOR & stress like over doing things is our biggest enemy -

so where as I was like you in not wanting to pop pain pills like sweets, in fact I wasn't helping myself, because dealing with pain flare ups effectively in the short term, helps stop it becoming chronic IYSWIM - so DO take pain meds when you need them - its important to stop it getting worse.

Also these can help....

Adequate, but not too much sleep - 5HTP can help some people with this

Lavender & Roman Chamomile Aromatherapy Oil can also help with sleep (pillow or bath)

Magnesium supplements &/or Epsom Salts baths - Mag helps your body regulate stress & pain signals, so you cope better - it can also help with migraine.

Clary sage aromatherapy oil rubbed in (in a carrier oil) or in a bath can also help - its a natural Euphoric, so lifts your mood, which raises endorphins - the bodies natural pain killers - its also a natural pain killer.

Black Pepper or Ginger aroma oils can help with muscle aches (in a carrier or bath)

Paingone Pen works for some people on localised pain - £50 aprox from Boots etc - I LOVE mine

Tens machine - again swear by mine - Lloyds pharmacy often have offers on them

Good mattress & pillow - I have memory foam & its made a HUGE difference to how I feel on a morning.

Black Cherry concentrate has been proven to reduce pain, not cheap, but if you can afford it - & it tastes good too - I tried it, found it helped, but not enough to justify the price.

Acupuncture can help - its been proven to be good for FM in trials & I found it good.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage helped me even more

Myofascial release massage also helped - just a shame I can't afford regular treatments on these any more - if you can then try all 3

Sauna helps

Careful graded gentle exersize, especially things like, swimming yoga or pilates - as hard as it sounds - exersize IS very important to us or things can get worse.

Vitamin D - have you been checked for deficiency??? - its common with FM & your GP can give you supplements - or get out & get plenty of sunshine



& most importantly - Laugh lots, learn to laugh at yourself & your "fog" moments, don't panic when your brain shuts down - relax for a few minutes & try again -

& EDUCATE YOURSELF - despite what your GP might say, not EVERYTHING is going to be FM - I'm only learning now with a new GP just how much they can fob you off with, even when they seem good - since my GP went on Maternity leave, I've been diagnosed with a few other conditions that have been previously blamed on FM, but weren't & are treatable - its only taken 8 years

[TheOriginalFAB]

I am on 2 lots of medication so would need to check if I can take anything else.

My GP didn't diagnose me but a hospital doctor did. I was sent for physio, she said she couldn't help and that was that.

I have been doing a lot more lately as I have been feeling so much better mentally and more able to cope. Maybe I need to pace myself more. There is always so much to do though.

I will be making notes of all your advice so thank you very much for that.

[rockinhippy]

No problem glad to help :)

Drugs.com is a good place to check drug interactions, with herbals etc

& get your GP to refer you to a pain management clinic or an M.E. - they can be a big help & are far more geared up to dealing with us - some can even prescribe acupuncture -

& yes its VERY easy for us to forget when feeling well & over do it - its what they call "the boom - bust cycle" - sadly one its very important we break - took me a long while to get my head around that one & I can still "slip" from time to time

good luck :)

[TheOriginalFAB]

So what would your advice be? I am in a getting the house sorted mood at the moment so do I need to do a lot less in terms of time per day? I get stressed if the place is a mess and it is helping me the fact that I am getting every thing under control.

[rockinhippy]

try doing 20 -30 mins & then resting for the same - that tends to be how I need to do things - but you may get away with longer stretches than I can - but I don;t think any of us can risk a whole day

Sorry my Dd illl so have to go, I really wolud advise a M.E clinic referal - treatment protocol is pretty much the same

[rockinhippy]

This Site is good resource for all Fibromyalgia related info

the site above is a national one, run by suffers for suffers - they will be able to point you in the direction of your local support group - which will have all the info on what help is available near you

hope that helps

[TheOriginalFAB]

Thank you very much.

Hope your DD is better very soon.

[KatyMac]

Hi FAB, how's it going?

I've had about 4-6 weeks of 'better' but I'm heading back into 'pain' again atm

My hands, my feet owwy

[TheOriginalFAB]

KatyMac - sorry to hear you are in pain again.

My main problem at the minute is my right knee and some fingers. Driving is uncomfortable but bearable.

[KatyMac]

My hands are all down the side by my little finger

It's awful - knees can be bad too (my brother has awful knees - osto arthritis)

What shall we do? Whinge together?

[rockinhippy]

Thanks Fab - she's doing okay - waiting on our GP to call, as its looking like German measles - which is weird as she's meant to have had that pre immunisations

Adding to the above - I would advise taking it easy & pacing more as already said, but as you are organising your house, I would also suggest sitting down & planning that so as to help yourself for future

I'm in a bit of a state myself at the minute so hopefully will make sense in saying - place/organise things to make life as easy as possible for yourself

for example - in my kitchen I have kilner jars in cupboards & shelves - ALL the ingredients I use most often are easiest to get to without reaching, bending, walking or stretching - same with my cooking tools etc etc - so taking as much effort as possible out of everything you ever need to do

same with organising washing & every other household task or any work you do at home - plan to expend the least possible energy & least bending & stretching you can

I'm hurting a lot today too - everywhere really, we've had stormy weather threatening for a while, but not quite happening bar the odd shower - barometic pressure is a bit of a killer for us & sadly not one we can do much about :(

[TheOriginalFAB]

Hi every one.

Just got back from really good osteopath appointments for my son and daughter. Shame I have a horrendous pain in my stomach below my breast .

Plan a very quiet day today. DS1 has gone to work with DH so I might have to go and get him but other than that it is just DD and DS2.

I will do them lunch in a bit and then minimum tidying.

I have moved things around after emptying 2 cupboards yesterday and I have put them back with the things I use most at the front. Daft how little things like that make life easier.

I was hoping to go visiting a friend and her children sometime this week but no mention of it so probably not.

Hope everyone else is okay.

[TheOriginalFAB]

The pain feels like stitch but I haven't been running.

[rockinhippy]

FAB - have you been tested for Helicobacter Pylori - its a blood test - don't be fobbed off with a stool test as its not always accurate

I ask as after YEARS of the same pain you describe, not able to lay down/sleep on my left side - along with supposed IBS & GERD & a weird problem no-ne seemed to know what I was talking about - in that on moving, bending or stretching in certain ways it felt as if something got hooked up on my ribs, leaving me feeling sick & in agony as if I'd just been whacked hard in my stomach - after heart tests & lots more - ALL of which over the years end up being been blamed on my Fibromyalgia & M.E. diagnosis

I get a new GP - who sends me for a test as she is surprised I haven't had one - its apparently VERY common

it came back POSITIVE - I've just finished the course of treatment, during which ALL of those symptoms including the chest pain disappeared - I was so used to having them I'd actually lost sight of how badly they affected me - sadly after just over a week they are coming back, so seems the treatment wasn't strong enough - reading up on it, that often happens - so not too worried, but I am sure, as is my new GP that its been the cause of a lot of symptoms -

so I'd recommend you looking into it :)

[TheOriginalFAB]

No, I haven't. My GP does not like people to google and every time I have been with a problem I have been sent away to see how I got on and really had to argue for tests to be done. I don't have time to be ill! I want to sleep though.

[rockinhippy]

//www.hpa.org.uk this link was given by a friend who works for the NHS dept that tests for these sort of bugs - I've not read through it properly myself yet, but should tell you everything you - & your GP need to know & see another GP if they still won't listen

for you

[TheOriginalFAB]

Thank you for that. I have sent the link to DH to get him to print it out in bigger text so I can read it. I feel a bit sick and it has reminded me I had gastroitis a while ago.

[TheOriginalFAB]

Just did the assessment on NHS Direct and it says I need to speak to my GP straight away. This was after I said yes to pain in my groin. I had pressed down a bit to see if it hurt and then it felt like I had just bled out. I so want to sleep right now but have children here so can't.

[KatyMac]

How are you FAB?

[TheOriginalFAB]

The pain did go but a few minutes ago I had a couple of biscuits and in the same place as the pain earlier today I felt like it was on fire.

My knee and fingers are still aching.

How are you KatyMac?

[rockinhippy]

Fab you might want to look into cutting out wheat, at very least temporarily & then cutting down - if eating a couple of biscuits affects you in that way, then there is a big clue to the cause in that.

I've been tested for coeliac & its come back clear, but I find that not eating hard to digest foods, like wheat if I'm going through a rough patch helps a lot - I can eat it at other times, but again find if I eat a lot, it will affect me badly & can cause a flare - same with diary - red meat too if I wasn't pescetarian - that & dreaded food additives, especially aspartemine

I've generally become very chemical sensitive & find avoiding them helps a lot - I use vinegar lemon & bicarb for cleaning for example - they don't call it over sensitive everything syndrome for nothing - might be something to think about too

Though typing that is reminding myself I'm not doing myself any favours with my own diet right now - pain killers doing zilch & I'm dealing with a flare from hell after physio & then a day out with DD where I dared join in on the flumes etc - think I need to go dig out my none wheat flours for a while :(

Hope you are both feeling better today

[TheOriginalFAB]

Goodness, I didn't realise reactions could happen so quickly. I never put them together.

I was tested for coeliac disease and GP said I didn't have it. I had a while of eating breakfast and needing the loo immediately. IBS was in my mind but no to that as well.

I was looking forward to a cinnamon whirl later too.

[KatyMac]

I'm OK

I bit dispondent about a day off that never happened & off to the physio to see if we can do anything at all

Interesting if yours turns out like that?

[TheOriginalFAB]

I hope you are feeling better.

DD and DS1 have just screamed at each other and gone off slamming doors. .

[KatyMac]

It's odd isn't it; I have had back pain for 25yrs & exercise is going to remove it.....apparently!

Tired after being manipulated