newbie

[houghchrst]

Hi all, it has not quite been two weeks since I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and I have been trying to do quite a bit of studying. One of the main things that I am interested in is trying some alternative treatments. Anything to help cut down on the amount of meds that I have to take. I go for intake for PT today and am currently taking 100mg of Ultram 3 times a day. I think this is about to go down to 50mg 2x a day. Whole different story. Anyway, I am also BiPolar II and suffer from depression and anxiety made worse by my condition and I seem to have a med intolerance. Many pain meds and psych drugs either don't work or I wind up with the really bad side effects. Very hard to find meds for me. Many I cannot mix with psych meds which are Zoloft and Xanax. I am interested in some views on biofeedback, meditation, acupuncture, accupressure, vitamin and herb supplements anything that I can use. I am sick of the pain and the meds. Am due to get a 10's unit and am looking forward to that. I am going to be recieving my results from my bloodwork and urinalysis today so I am hoping it is very detailed. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you,

[Fayelle]

A daily exercise regiment is suggested for all 3 conditions.....Something like swimming, it is low impact......

An SSRI is usually a good idea for pain and depression treatment.....

Meditation, Tai Chi, Yoga (if you can) are all good antianxiety treatments, they will also help with pain.....

Extra B12....Watching diet for trigger foods, whatever that my be for you....(there are many times when certain foods will trigger anxiety, and fibro issues).....

A good sleep regiment.....Not only with hygiene but also with some relaxants that are non habit forming are essential with fibro....Muscle relaxers, also mood relaxers like elavil are good choices for sleep.....I know mine is related in part to my sleep patterns and my hypervigilance from childhood issues....

A peaceful environment, learning to relax and give yourself the room to be ill and it be ok is also very helpful......

Tennis balls on the sore spots, (or a shiatsu back massager are helpful).....

And finally remembering that you have a chronic pain condition and not allowing the pain to cause anxiety is essential.....Honestly there is not any one remedy, its all about lifestyle changes and health management in the treatment of fibro......Learning to take care of yourself especially with the coexistance of anxiety and depression....Unfortunately it is a lot like diabetes, if you take care of yourself every day it is manageable, if you don't then you will suffer exponentially.....

There is no magic pill, or therapy.....All there is are treatments to make it manageable.....

With fibro, and anxiety I would start learning to look for signs of endocrine problems, IE hypo or hyperthyroidism, diabetes, adrenal fatigue (big one with anxiety)....Remember the fight or flight syndrome will be wearing your adrenals down......I think one of the best things I have figured out is learning to let things go, and remembering that I have to take things as they come one moment at a time......I think in part I wore my adrenals down with the consistant try to do better, try to be one step ahead war I had with myself and my environment.....I have had to try to learn to avoid crisis, and how to not create it in order to keep things moving all of the time.....

Also do not sit too long, or sleep too long....Sleeping can be your worst enemy with stiffness and pain.....Sometimes you need to sleep and that is ok, but watch sleeping too much.....After getting up in the morning you will often feel stiff.....Get up and move around, it passes but you have to get moving.....

Proper bedding, keeping the room temperature comfortable, I find cooler temps help me sleep better because I do not sweat....

Allow enough time for everything you do, it takes me a while to get moving in the morning....Also remember anything you do will take its toll....

This page was fantastic in explaining to myself and others what fibro is about, it is a reminder of how we have to live in order to survive the best we can.....

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/2004/11/the_spoon_theory.php

But the biggest thing is to remember you have a chronic pain condition and you will be in some pain at any given moment.....Try to manage the pain rather than completely be out of pain......

Welcome to the forum....I am sorry you have reason to be here....

Fay

[Ted Hutchinson]

The origin of all pain is inflammation and the inflammatory response. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17728071)

Stress, Inflammation, and Hypertension (http://www.lejacq.com/Search_ArticleDetail.cfm?PID=JClinHypertens_9;7:56 7&CFID=1732681&CFTOKEN=54861599)

Inflammation and depression (http://www.biopsychiatry.com/inflamdepres.htm)

The approach I have used to reduce the level of pain I suffer is to improve my levels of natural anti-inflammatory agents.

I take 5000iu/d Vitamin d to ensure my Vitamin D3 status stays above 50ng/ml 125nmol/L each 10ng/L 25nmol/L rise in Vitamin d status reduces C-reactive protein by 25% (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17599737) the levels of which rise during inflammatory processes. It takes roughly 1000iu/daily of vitamin d3 to raise 10 ng/L 5000iu/d should keep you above 125nmol/L throughout the winter, when you can get outside for 30minutes sunshine daily then you can reduce the supplement.

Omega 3 is a known anti inflammatory agent. Most of us don't take in as much omega 3 as is needed daily. (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84#summary) I use a liquid omega 3 fish oil source that provide 3g of omega 3 daily. This is NOT the same as 3 x 1000mg omega3 fish oil capsules as these mostly contain only around 300mg omega 3 some of the concentrated ones reach 600mg omega3. You need to add together the EPA + DHA totals to ensure the omega 3 total daily intake is around 3g daily.

I also use ground flaxseed daily. This provides (as well as fibre and lignans) ALA which can be metabolised into omega 3 EPA. Up to 4 tablespoons daily is an effective amount. (flaxseed (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81) are also a good source of magnesium.

The Role of Magnesium in Fibromyalgia (http://web.mit.edu/london/www/magnesium.html)
Magnesium is another way of reducing C-reactive protein. (http://www.springerlink.com/content/v37368r076558094/) inflammation.

The other simple cheap way of reducing inflammation is to change your main drink to Green Tea. (http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=34330-green-tea-is) you may find it cheaper in Chinese cash and carries. It may take a week or so to acquire a taste for it but it's worth the effort. I don't drink coffee or brown tea at all now as I prefer my Green Tea.

see also Fibromyalgia VITAMIN D (http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3214)

More info on an anti-inflammatory diet (http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART02012)

[houghchrst]

Thank you guys. Oh my there is so much to remember and to learn. I had to buy myself a voice recorder 2 weeks ago because I was having a hard time using the ole noggin' LOL. Now I know why at least. I love tea and I do believe I have had some of the green tea. I will have a hard time giving up my coffee. To top it off I have a bit of a math phobia so when I see numbers I tend to go off into lala land. So dosages and the little iu, nl, nmol will take a lot of getting use to. It is frustrating and I have a low tolerance for frustration. I appreciate all the info, now on to some more researching.

Thanks,

[Tootsie]

Hi Christina,
Soon after I recommended you come and see us on the Fibromyalgia Forum, I found myself unable to "Reply," on any Forum; Could not send Personal Messages and could not contact anyone through Braintalk! Everytime, I tried to do so, I would get a message that I had not signed on. When I did so, I simply got the same message again. I was SO frustrated!

The one alternative therapy that has helped me immensely, is Alexander Technique. See www.alexandertechnique.com. This is basically posture lessons and since I feel that my fibromyalgia is associated with my severe scoliosis, just keeping my vertebrae aligned as best as I can, helped with the muscular tension in my upper arms, neck and shoulders.

Physical therapists call what Alexander Technique teachers do, as "neutral spine." The teachers are not medical professionals but are better known in Europe and in the stage and dance communities. I was referred to a teacher, by my internist, as I was having severe muscle spasms in one area of my back. The teacher was very frank. He had never worked with anyone with such a severe deformity, but felt quite sure that no harm would be done. He just wasn't sure how effective it would be but was willing to accept me and we'd see.

It was more effective than either one of us ever dreamed it could be. It cut my aspirin use by about eighty percent! However, I am on the floor, doing the routine, every night or I'm in big trouble.

I do congratulate you on looking into other things that might be helpful rather than haunting your doctors office constantly looking for THE drug that will resolve all your problems. Fayelle has given you good advice, and has traveled a similar road to managing this condition, as I have also. Cheerio.

[BrokenBladder]

Is there a direct connection between Fibro and Anxiety?

I have FMS and have been having big problems with shaking and such, could they be related?

[Ted Hutchinson]

Does Stress Cause Disease? It Doesn't Help, Reviewers Say (http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/AnxietyStress/dh/6926)
While this article doesn't mention FMS the underlying principle is the same.

This is why it is so important at all times to ensure your body has available adequate supplies of natural anti inflammatory agents.

[houghchrst]

Lisa, There is a large correlation between FMS and anxiety. Anxiety is on the list of sx here is a good link.
http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_other_common.html

I have even wondered if my anxiety which was diagnosed before my FMS is not really related to Bipolar II. I plan to talk to pdoc about it when I see her next.

[Fayelle]

I absolutely believe that anxiety can be related to the fibro....Stress will make this worse.....Anxiety will set you into that fight or flight mode that fibro seems to keep you in....

Not to mention what anxiety does to your pysiological self in the form of overactive hormones, a domino effect on the adrenals and into the endocrine system.....You can wear your adrenal gland out from overuse....Then there is the muscle wear from constant tension, the headaches...The poor sleep from being too anxious or hypervigilance making your sleep ineffective....

Eventually you train your body to only be comfortable in a high alert state, suddenly being relaxed is unusual and abnormal for you.....this all contributes to the fibro symptoms....I was amazed when I started a muscle relaxer, it was so strange not being all tied up in knots.....

Right now I am on high alert because I have some nasty stuff coming up and out, so my jaw and temples are in constant pain....I am finding it hard to eat due to jaw pain.....My sleep is disturbed and I had to add another relaxant medication which I was extremely unhappy with.....My upper back is screaming again, I am utterly exhausted all the time and living on caffienne (I know bad girl :) ) Some days it is all about just making it through.....

So yep anxiety is an extreme enemy and contributor to fibro....

Fay