Rheumy almost 100% positive mom has fibro

[forr2grls]

Hi all! First time posting on the fibro forum. Mom had her first Drs appt with Rheumy today.I went with(I'm such a good daughter:) ).He asked her a bunch of questions,checked her over...then went for her pressure points..i don't know how many times i heard the word "ouch" and saw her flinch/jump.He also thinks she has osteo arthritis in her knees,but will wait a bit to take x-rays.She will start taking Cymbalta tomorrow.Anyone been on that?(she is on a bunch of other meds,for other things,think she's on a total of 7 now)He also told her to take tylenol arthritis( i doubt it will help)..She has a follow-up in 2 weeks,maybe some more blood work done. Sorry for rambling,just a lot going thru my head at the moment.
Do you have any words of wisdom for me to pass along to mom?
Thanks,
Paula

[MichelleC]

Hi Paula.
Did you or your mom suspect fibro before you went to the rheumie? Just curious....
Yes, I take Cymbalta, and it helps me a lot. It keeps my overall pain level down. I also got a shot of cortisone in my hip when I started the Cymbalta, and that helped, too. I take the 60 mg dose, and it helps the best with the pain. If I go to 30 mgs, I have more pain, but fewer side effects. The two s/e that bother me are the way my emotions go too level (just flat, neither happy or sad), and the lack of sensation during "intimate moments".

HTH

Michelle

[forr2grls]

Thanks Michelle it does help! Before going to Rheumy I thought it was auto-immune,my guesses were lupus,ra,and fibro.Thanks to BT I learn a lot-maybe too much!... Hopefully the 30mg will help.Do you know about how long it takes to be effective?Thanks again.

Paula

[Tootsie]

Hi Paula,
My only advice for your Mom, is to make the necessary modifications and adjustments to her life, so that she can function with a minimum of medication. Most of us, who have lived with this for any length of time, have concluded that a combination of mild exercise, well balanced diet, adequate rest and an avoidance of stress make life very manageable and enjoyable.
For me, that period of time is fifty years and no, that is not a typing error.

For me, medication causes more problems than the benfits are worth. For the past 20 + years, I have been swimming, 3 X a week, .3 of a mile each time. It improves the quality of sleep, keeps me relatively fit and is something I enjoy. I hope you Mom can find things that will be of benefit to her also. Cheerio.

[forr2grls]

Tootsie,
Thank you for your reply.It's good to know that this dx is not a "death sentence" for mom. Are there any foods that cause flare-ups for you?

Paula

[Tootsie]

There are no foods that seem to affect my fibromyalgia, although I am sensitive to certain things. Cinnamon will give me abdominal cramps and pain; fish more than 2 x a week will give me loose stools or even diarrhea. On vacation one time, I had fresh salmon 3 nights in a row and ran to the toilet frequently the 4th day. Too much of one food will do that, but as long as I keep things well balanced, the food isn't an issue.

For me, flares occur with prolonged stress, prolonged lack of sleep...over days, or some kind of injury like a sprained ankle or knee. As a result, I walk very slowly, and take each step cognitively. I have other orthopedic issues, which is probably the primary cause of my fibromyalgia. That other issue also affects my balance.

As you can see, this is a very individualized condition. Everyone eventually finds their own answers as to what works best for them. There is nothing on my current medical chart about having fibromyalgia. Cheerio.