advice on supplements and medication

hello everyone, i need advice from you all. i suffered from back pain, herniated disc, degenerate disc desease, and a month ago dr. diagnosed me fibromyalgia. been suffering for 2 years now, had good and bad days. but lately since it's been bad, wake up with stiff back everymorning and numbness on both legs everyday.  i'd like to know what supplements that really works or helps in the long run, so far i take fish oil, msn, vit e & c. a-z. & calcium citrate. and for pain i take motrin 800, soma, ambien and norco. none of these work anymore, i tried smoking pot not too long ago, and had great laugh and slept good. but can't really afford that stuff. has anyone tried epidural do they work, or you have to continue getting them?  I'm trying very hard to do all the right thing, working out, eating healthy and takin care of my self.  i have two kids and work full time, so when i come home, after dinner, hmwork and cleaning up i just want to past out.  i guess no excuse to find a 10 minutes for my self, to meditate and stretch.

thank you so much any input please.

thanks palady, i really appreciate you input. i have mri schedule this monday, i'll be to see what's really going on with my back. the feeling on my legs it's progessing more each day, and i can't sit for too long, i have to sit on a exercise ball at all times. my work starting to get to me although i work in the office , and able to stand whle i do my task but my legs really starts to bother me, constantly have to shake it off. the more i move around i feel relief. i wanted to mention i had breast implants 5 years ago, and it seems every since i got them i started all this problem, do you think any of this could cause from it, maybe i 'm just paranoid. but if that the case i want them out. i guess stress would triger all the symptoms too. thanks again, have a great weekend.

Hi Paulinethan: I was in much the same situation as you are now, about twelve years ago. I was diagnosed with anemia due to endometriosis, and fibroids, which caused me to bleed very heavily so my iron was depleted. I was also hypothyroid, beginning perimenopause, and was dx. with Fibromyalgia. I also had two boys, then 10 and 11, who needed me there for them, as they were both diagnosed ADD and ADHD. I had two jobs, was a single mom. I never slept well. It was not a good situation. I managed by getting a really good babysitter, a disabled man who had raised several children (sucessfully). My medication for the pain, I managed with Tylenol #1 and 75 mgs. of amyltriptilene at bedtime. I told my boys I needed 1/2 hour when I first get home from work, to rest and reboot for evening of homework support, together time, and housework. That all went very well for me. Then I was hit by a truck in a crosswalk and everything changed. I needed stronger meds for soft tissue injuries, mainly Tylenol #3, a muscle relaxer and more amyltriptilene. I also am BiPolar so I was on an anti-depressant, a mood stabilizer, and although it was never formally diagnosed, I think I had/have PTSD. Now I also need a sedative at night for sleep, and occasionally one during the day as I can no longer work so I care for my Dad who has alzheimers and that can get pretty rocky at times. I am on 24/7/360 days a year. I get about three days of respite from brother when he visits (rarely). I had been taken off of the anti-depressant, by my Pdoc (shrink) for a couple of years, then I got severely depressed and was put back on it, recently. I am beginning to feel a bit better. I find it has lessened my pain by about 40%. However, being exhausted is my normal state of  being and pain is my 60% companion. Most particularly in the mornings. I am stiff, have trouble getting my body to move, and often have numbness in hands, arms, and legs. I hope something here helps you.

Pauline,
Please check with your doctor before doing any kind of cleanse. I would think that would generally be good advice, but is especially important for people on pain meds. Your doc may not support your decision to do the cleanse & natural supplements, but s/he should at least be able to advise you on how to do it as safely as possible.

Beyond that, I would caution you to do your research on this diet specialist. Are they a licensed dietitian or nutritionist? Where did they study (at a college/university, through a short certificate program over the internet, through studying with a lay mentor, etc.)? Who oversees their work?

I say this not to discourage you from pursuing non-pharmacological treatments for your pain, but rather to caution you that there are a lot of people out there with little or no training who claim that all medical problems boil down to probs with digestion. Unfortunately, the FDA does not even try to substantiate such claims so the decision-making is left up to the patient-consumer. I have seen friends on both sides of the spectrum -- ones who really were significantly healthier after changing their diet & adding a couple supplements and others who got very sick, including one who had to be hospitalized b/c the combination of what she was taking was toxic.

Hopefully, you've found someone who can help you achieve the former. A co-worker of mine swears by her nutritionist. The nutritionist worked with her & her neurologist (who was treating her for FM). It took a few years, but now she has returned to work & even has enough energy to cook dinner and coordinate chores & homework for her kids each evening. One thing I know she did was get her blood tested by her PCP before she started the supplements. She took the report to the nutritionist so that way they could better decide which supplements she needed vs. which ones she already had enough of.

Anyways, hope that helps a little & good luck with finding something that works for you!

Greetings Paulinethan, and everyone on this forum! I am new, to this forum, and do hope that everyone is doing well. A couple of years ago, I tore the meniscus, of my left knee, when I torqued it, while exercising. I went to an orthopedic doctor, who confirmed the meniscus injury. He told me, that, since the meniscus was torn, now there is bone on bone friction, which would eventually cause arthritis. He suggested surgery. Honestly, I was afraid of surgery, since I personally know, a couple of friends, who had surgery, and are still living with pain. In some cases, severe pain. I went through the usual ice, the first 48 hours, then heat, alternated with ice, at times. I did use anti inflammatory medications, precribed, by the orthopedic doctor but, the meds iritated my stomach, so, after trying a couple of different medications, for the pain, I had to stop taking them. After searching, daily, every chance I had, for a natural alternative, I found a supplement that has 11 natural anti inflammatory ingredients, all working together, to reduce pain. I looked further into it, and made up my mind into ordering it, when I found out, shipping was free and, it is guaranteed. I have not looked back, since I ordered it, off their website. The pain is gone and currently, I have my mother, who suffers from arthritis, my aunt back in the (bursitis/shoulder)eastcoast(bursitis/shoulder), among others who use it, and report no pain. 

Take care everyone and do hope that my experience, with a natural supplement, provides you, with the results I have had. Below, is the website, that I initially found, and where, to this day, order from. Good luck!     http://jointpainreliefsynflex.com

Post Edited (Richport08) : 11/24/2008 3:56:54 PM (GMT-7)

Greetings everyone! You do have to be careful, with bogus stuff, going around, that is true. Good advice. I agree. Below, I will post, the ingredients, of the supplement, that I have used, and have kept my left knee, pain free and, no arthritis.

    Take care, everyone!

1250 mg	Glucosamine HCL and Glucosamine Sulfate
25 mg	Shark Cartilage (20% Chondroitin Sulfate)
8 mg	Boswellin
3 mg	Yucca Powder
5 mg	Manganese (Ascorbate)
1 mg	Bromelain
18 mg	Vitamin C
5 mg	Omega 3 Fatty Acid
1.67 mg	Omega 6 Fatty Acid
80 IU	Vitamin A
2 IU	Vitamin E