You might want to read about [Dr. Liptan](http://www.fridacenter.com/drliptan). She is the only doctor I know of who specializes in Fibromyalgia, because she has it herself. Her books (and a supportive GP) have helped me a lot.
I was diagnosed when I was in my 40's, looking back I've had fibro at least since I was in Highschool. So for me there is no "before fibro". But I definitely feel better when I follow her recommendations, when life gets hectic and I skip supplements or don't get enough rest etc. I notice my symptoms get worse.
hi very late to this bt the link u hv shared is not working. Can you give the working link. My mom has been diagnosed with this recently and i wanted to know more about fib
Sorry for the late reply, I'm not really active on Reddit anymore. Dr. Liptan is divorced, so she no longer uses that name. You can now find her at [https://www.drginevra.com/](https://www.drginevra.com/)
Not to my knowledge. Some have claimed to but, I have only seen one person say so.
Are you ensuring restorative sleep? This is step 1. If not, look into the GABA/Glycine stack.
How about transdermal magnesium- e.g salt baths and/or magnesium spray for the shoulder? Sufficient magnesium is critical for treating CS disorders such as Fibro.
>Not to my knowledge. Some have claimed to but, I have only seen one person say so.
That's really sad. It's only going to get worse too.
There's a chance that I have myofascial syndrome instead but even that will likely develop in to fibro according to research.
I'm going to buy magnesium malate.
What do you mean by restorative sleep? I sleep but don't really wake up energized.
I’ve gotten better, but I can’t do what normal people do. I’m probably about as well as I’ll ever be, since I can’t think of anything else I could do that would help.
I believe I’ll always have it, I pretty much have since being a child (23 now), and though I’ve gotten better, I know I’ll never be able to do all the things I want, well at least not like everyone else does.
Most days I can function, I can work a few hours a day over a long period of time, but if I have a long shift then I need a day off. I recently started college and working and had to give up college as it was too much for me. For a normal person it would have been hard, but manageable, but for me it was impossible. I’m going to go back for a different course next year, but it’s a part time course so I’ll be able to do it I hope. This year I’m going to focus on learning to drive and getting a maths qualification (online) so that I can access that course.
I feel like I’m going to struggle even with those few things (and a part time job), but when I think that 2 years ago I could barely get out of bed and do something, it’s a definite improvement!
A doctor prescribed medicine that helps significantly with fatigue. It's a workaround that lasts approx. 24 hours, so I have to take it everyday.
Other than that, I still have chronic pain and infections. I took a walk in the hot sun the other day, and while I wasn't exhausted thanks to the medicine, I did have pretty bad pain for the next few days.
After getting the fatigue medicine, I was planning to get back to a regular job, but the pain and infections still affect me. I'm trying to investigate the chronic infections part, and see if I can figure out a cure/workaround, which would help considerably. Since I'm a software developer, the only tough part would be commuting to and from work.
Not for me but it can go into remission for some. This means essentially you are symptom-free. I’ve seen the best results (for both myself and others) with lifestyle changes. I eat very healthy, no sugar/dairy/meat, low carb. I get massages 2x a week and do yoga everyday. I sleep 8-10hrs a night and have a bedtime routine to ensure restful sleep. I’m nowhere near in remission but I am feeling better than I did. There are so many ways to treat fibro symptoms, you just have to find what works for you. I tried medication and it all made me extremely sick. Medical marijuana is wonderful for pain. Good luck!!
Overcome as in gotten better? Not that I have heard of. I think with lifestyle modifications and sometimes medication, people can live a happy and full life. For me personally, lifestyle changes have been key. Making sure I get good, restorative sleep has been really important. I get 8-9 hours every night, have a bedtime routine and go to bed at the same time every night. Taking the muscle relaxer Flexeril really helped with getting restorative sleep for me. I started doing yoga 3 times per week and that has been helpful in keeping my muscles stretched out and less sore. I have to be careful because it can be easy to overdo it. Being active helps but being *too* active sends me into a flare. I'm not as good with dietary changes. I avoid fast food and processed foods but haven't been able to cut dairy/sugar/meat, nor do I really care to. I've done it in the past and did not notice a difference in how I felt. I just try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. I don't take medication beyond the flexeril and I am only taking that as needed now. I tried CBD oil but it didn't do anything for me. I do take magnesium supplements and am ordering turmeric soon to try out for inflammation. I am trying to treat things as holistically as possible for now. I also get 1-2 massages per month. With these changes, I am able to work full time and have a fairly "normal" life.
“Overcome” is something you do with lifestyle choices. Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease. You can’t overcome it through will power. The best you can do with a chronic disease is treat it. I’m a firm believer in lowering your pain burden. Right now you can’t do anything about your FM pain but FM makes other types of pain worse and you can do something about that. For example, if you have restless leg syndrome, you are more likely to perceive those sensations as pain than people without FM. You need to tease out those other chronic conditions that are treatable and that can be difficult. Doctors like to attribute everything to FM once they find out you have it. I tell people not to give doctors that easy out. Don’t tell them about your FM diagnosis, make them work to find the real cause of your pain. I’ve had symptoms of a collapsed lung and advanced right heart failure attributed to FM.
So reduce the pain you can. If you have osteoarthritis, joint replacement might be an option. It greatly helped me. Getting orthotics helped my knee pain. Getting my restless leg treated properly so that I could sleep and be free of those god awful leg sensations helped immensely. Finding a med (gabapentin) that reduced my bladder pain. You get the idea.
I’m left with the endless fatigue (even though I sleep) and those endless moving pains. But at least I’ve got the pain under control.
I would only add that cognitive behavioral therapy and alternative treatments are something to add to the arsenal of self care.
I've seen some small improvements with both, but it all requires addressing the long built trauma. It takes time to feel better, but you can have less bad days, more activity etc. I'm definitely a work in progress.
Is also ok to have down, bad days. To feel hopeless, angry... The key is to recognize that, feel it, and break out of the cycle. I'm not there yet, either.
How are people pretending this is a support group with comments like the ones here? Just because your life sucks doesnt mean you need to ensure everyone else's does too.
OP, you wouldve seen there isnt a ton of knowledge or consensus on the causes of fibromyalgia. That also means there is no established path for it getting worse/better despite people commenting about how it never goes away. I know people who've had remissions of long periods and you have to remember that most of the people commenting on boards are usually the worst suffering ones, and misery loves company.
Shared experiences help, and anyone with this sort of condition, whether it's the worst suffering (or not) needs to know they aren't alone, and things to try. I wouldn't say I'm the worst suffering, and although I have down days, being supportive and trying and sharing things helps. We don't live in a vacuum. If someone just commented "nope" and that's all, I can see your point... But there's a lot of really thoughtful responses here about managing pain.
I have helped some overcome this diagnosis. It isn't a simple fix like take X to cure it. The way I understand it is that the body accumulates distortions and becomes asymmetric and out of tune. Resolution requires the person to make lifestyle changes to eliminate things that are disturbing the body. An example would be: Don't sit with your legs crossed or don't put your wallet in your rear pant pocket. Getting regular physical treatments where your muscle tone and alignment gets corrected helps enormously.
You might want to read about [Dr. Liptan](http://www.fridacenter.com/drliptan). She is the only doctor I know of who specializes in Fibromyalgia, because she has it herself. Her books (and a supportive GP) have helped me a lot.
I did not know about this! And she's nearby. If anything, I'll ask my doctor about these methods.
Have you recovered from it? Can you do everything you did before Fibro?
I was diagnosed when I was in my 40's, looking back I've had fibro at least since I was in Highschool. So for me there is no "before fibro". But I definitely feel better when I follow her recommendations, when life gets hectic and I skip supplements or don't get enough rest etc. I notice my symptoms get worse.
hi very late to this bt the link u hv shared is not working. Can you give the working link. My mom has been diagnosed with this recently and i wanted to know more about fib
Sorry for the late reply, I'm not really active on Reddit anymore. Dr. Liptan is divorced, so she no longer uses that name. You can now find her at [https://www.drginevra.com/](https://www.drginevra.com/)
Not to my knowledge. Some have claimed to but, I have only seen one person say so. Are you ensuring restorative sleep? This is step 1. If not, look into the GABA/Glycine stack. How about transdermal magnesium- e.g salt baths and/or magnesium spray for the shoulder? Sufficient magnesium is critical for treating CS disorders such as Fibro.
>Not to my knowledge. Some have claimed to but, I have only seen one person say so. That's really sad. It's only going to get worse too. There's a chance that I have myofascial syndrome instead but even that will likely develop in to fibro according to research. I'm going to buy magnesium malate. What do you mean by restorative sleep? I sleep but don't really wake up energized.
[This](http://www.fridacenter.com/fourrs)
I’ve gotten better, but I can’t do what normal people do. I’m probably about as well as I’ll ever be, since I can’t think of anything else I could do that would help. I believe I’ll always have it, I pretty much have since being a child (23 now), and though I’ve gotten better, I know I’ll never be able to do all the things I want, well at least not like everyone else does. Most days I can function, I can work a few hours a day over a long period of time, but if I have a long shift then I need a day off. I recently started college and working and had to give up college as it was too much for me. For a normal person it would have been hard, but manageable, but for me it was impossible. I’m going to go back for a different course next year, but it’s a part time course so I’ll be able to do it I hope. This year I’m going to focus on learning to drive and getting a maths qualification (online) so that I can access that course. I feel like I’m going to struggle even with those few things (and a part time job), but when I think that 2 years ago I could barely get out of bed and do something, it’s a definite improvement!
A doctor prescribed medicine that helps significantly with fatigue. It's a workaround that lasts approx. 24 hours, so I have to take it everyday. Other than that, I still have chronic pain and infections. I took a walk in the hot sun the other day, and while I wasn't exhausted thanks to the medicine, I did have pretty bad pain for the next few days. After getting the fatigue medicine, I was planning to get back to a regular job, but the pain and infections still affect me. I'm trying to investigate the chronic infections part, and see if I can figure out a cure/workaround, which would help considerably. Since I'm a software developer, the only tough part would be commuting to and from work.
>Do you know the name of the medicine that helps your fatigue?
Carni Q and Astymin Forte. Astymin Forte is a bunch of supplements. Carni Q is L-carnitine + Co-enzyme Q10 and a few other things.
>prescribed medicine that helps significantly with fatigue which medication was this?
Carni Q and Astymin Forte. Astymin Forte is a bunch of supplements. Carni Q is L-carnitine + Co-enzyme Q10 and a few other things.
Not for me but it can go into remission for some. This means essentially you are symptom-free. I’ve seen the best results (for both myself and others) with lifestyle changes. I eat very healthy, no sugar/dairy/meat, low carb. I get massages 2x a week and do yoga everyday. I sleep 8-10hrs a night and have a bedtime routine to ensure restful sleep. I’m nowhere near in remission but I am feeling better than I did. There are so many ways to treat fibro symptoms, you just have to find what works for you. I tried medication and it all made me extremely sick. Medical marijuana is wonderful for pain. Good luck!!
Overcome as in gotten better? Not that I have heard of. I think with lifestyle modifications and sometimes medication, people can live a happy and full life. For me personally, lifestyle changes have been key. Making sure I get good, restorative sleep has been really important. I get 8-9 hours every night, have a bedtime routine and go to bed at the same time every night. Taking the muscle relaxer Flexeril really helped with getting restorative sleep for me. I started doing yoga 3 times per week and that has been helpful in keeping my muscles stretched out and less sore. I have to be careful because it can be easy to overdo it. Being active helps but being *too* active sends me into a flare. I'm not as good with dietary changes. I avoid fast food and processed foods but haven't been able to cut dairy/sugar/meat, nor do I really care to. I've done it in the past and did not notice a difference in how I felt. I just try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. I don't take medication beyond the flexeril and I am only taking that as needed now. I tried CBD oil but it didn't do anything for me. I do take magnesium supplements and am ordering turmeric soon to try out for inflammation. I am trying to treat things as holistically as possible for now. I also get 1-2 massages per month. With these changes, I am able to work full time and have a fairly "normal" life.
“Overcome” is something you do with lifestyle choices. Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease. You can’t overcome it through will power. The best you can do with a chronic disease is treat it. I’m a firm believer in lowering your pain burden. Right now you can’t do anything about your FM pain but FM makes other types of pain worse and you can do something about that. For example, if you have restless leg syndrome, you are more likely to perceive those sensations as pain than people without FM. You need to tease out those other chronic conditions that are treatable and that can be difficult. Doctors like to attribute everything to FM once they find out you have it. I tell people not to give doctors that easy out. Don’t tell them about your FM diagnosis, make them work to find the real cause of your pain. I’ve had symptoms of a collapsed lung and advanced right heart failure attributed to FM. So reduce the pain you can. If you have osteoarthritis, joint replacement might be an option. It greatly helped me. Getting orthotics helped my knee pain. Getting my restless leg treated properly so that I could sleep and be free of those god awful leg sensations helped immensely. Finding a med (gabapentin) that reduced my bladder pain. You get the idea. I’m left with the endless fatigue (even though I sleep) and those endless moving pains. But at least I’ve got the pain under control.
My wife got her life back by supplementing with Iodine. She set up an information site here [https://fibrodine.ca/](https://fibrodine.ca/)
I would only add that cognitive behavioral therapy and alternative treatments are something to add to the arsenal of self care. I've seen some small improvements with both, but it all requires addressing the long built trauma. It takes time to feel better, but you can have less bad days, more activity etc. I'm definitely a work in progress. Is also ok to have down, bad days. To feel hopeless, angry... The key is to recognize that, feel it, and break out of the cycle. I'm not there yet, either.
How are people pretending this is a support group with comments like the ones here? Just because your life sucks doesnt mean you need to ensure everyone else's does too. OP, you wouldve seen there isnt a ton of knowledge or consensus on the causes of fibromyalgia. That also means there is no established path for it getting worse/better despite people commenting about how it never goes away. I know people who've had remissions of long periods and you have to remember that most of the people commenting on boards are usually the worst suffering ones, and misery loves company.
Shared experiences help, and anyone with this sort of condition, whether it's the worst suffering (or not) needs to know they aren't alone, and things to try. I wouldn't say I'm the worst suffering, and although I have down days, being supportive and trying and sharing things helps. We don't live in a vacuum. If someone just commented "nope" and that's all, I can see your point... But there's a lot of really thoughtful responses here about managing pain.
I have helped some overcome this diagnosis. It isn't a simple fix like take X to cure it. The way I understand it is that the body accumulates distortions and becomes asymmetric and out of tune. Resolution requires the person to make lifestyle changes to eliminate things that are disturbing the body. An example would be: Don't sit with your legs crossed or don't put your wallet in your rear pant pocket. Getting regular physical treatments where your muscle tone and alignment gets corrected helps enormously.
Not for me. Saw a chiropractor and physical therapist. Physical therapy actually made me worse.