fibro meds

Hi I'm new and glad to be here. I am looking for feedback on different medicines for fibro that others feel work well. I was diagnosed 01/03/01. Like many of you I'm sure, it took me many years to get diagnosed! To get to the point, my fibro is the worst it's ever been right now. I'm disabled and on ssdi. My oldest son was murdered and I have ptsd. My current meds for my fibro are: Nortriptyline- for years it straightened out my sleeping! It was a godsend. Now I'm back to not sleeping well. I'm thinking maybe my doctor should up the mgs (I take 50mgs at night) I've been on it for at least 4 years. During the day I take Norco which is vicoden with only 325mgs of tylenol. I have also been on oxycontin for about 2 yrs. My medicare will not pay for it anymore. I will be switching to something next month. I have tried morphine with mixed results. Some itching that seemed to go away but also the pain relief faded very fast over the month I was on it? I take a cholesterol med, Clonzepam and xanax. I've tried many different anti-depressants but none have been effective except the nortriptyline. For the last several months I have absolutely NO energy. I have pain in every joint in my body. I can't get anything done around the house. I volunteer and clean for some ederly folks which use to always help with my pain but not anymore. I don't know how much longer I can keep helping them. If I quit that then I won't be doing anything. Oh and my fibro fog is really bad! I finally had to make my husband read about it because he thought I was losing it! I'm just looking for some suggestions. I'm also wondering why I'm getting so bad all the sudden? I've always had problems with my fibro but they have escalated and I don't know why. Is it my age (48), do we get worse with age? Also I quit smoking 3/19/09 :O) I hoped that would help health wise. I have gained some weight since I quit but I'm losing it and never going back to smoking! I did lose my Mom last year and that has been hard. She was a strong link to my Son I lost. Thanks for any input!

MamaLees  

dx: 7 bulging discs, 1 broken T4 disc, DDD, fibromyalgia, Ptsd, hyatal hernia, arthritis in both knees, pre-diabetes (recently diagnosed). ETC!!

Hi, MamaLees, and welcome!  Many with fibro are deficient in certain vitamins and nutrients.  These deficiencies can contribute to pain and fatigue.  I take malic acid/magnesium supplements and they help with pain and fatigue.  They don't help everyone but many have had good results. 

Also, many fibromites are deficient in vitamin D.  I live in Florida but am still deficient in vitamin D.  Who would have "thunk"?     I'm presently taking 3,500 IU of D3 a day to get me in the normal range.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause some pain and fatigue.

Be sure to check out the Fibro 101 thread...the second thread on the forum.  There you will find links to good info about fibromyalgia, including a link all about the malic acid/magnesium supplements. 

I hope you are keeping moving.  If you sit or lay too much, you will be stiff as a board.  There are some good stretching exercises in the Fibro 101 thread.  Those really do help.  Walking is a good exercise, too, along with water exercise if you have access to a pool.

I'm so glad you found us and joined in.  Read back posts and ask questions.  We are here to help you.  I hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine

Hi Lisa! So glad you joined our FaMily! This is a great forum with lots of caring folks. I haven't been here too long, but I already feel less alone and less like the odd man out.........
Glad you're going to get your vitamin levels done -- Sherrine's suggestion got me to ask my doctor about it and my vitamin D was very low. I'm starting to see a small, but definitely there, increase in energy and less moodiness. It's great!
Hope you get some answers soon.......... Fibro is tough, but it doesn't have to always get the upper hand!
I think arthritis does up the pain -- I've got a bunch of years on you; I'm 66 I'm also on SSI and at this point don't know what I'd do without it even though I still miss being able to work. I'm raising a grandchild, though, so she keeps me going!
So very sorry about your losses -- can't even imagine -- no wonder you have ptsd...........
Sorry to have rambled on -- really planned to just say hi and welcome! I'll just blame fibro fog!
Post as often as you like--we do care--we'll be thinking about you...........
(((hugs)))
Shash

Hi Mamalees and welcome. I'm so sorry about your son and mother. Did the extra pain and fatigue start after losing your son??? I lost my oldest grandson in Iraq two years ago in April, I'm so glad April and May are over those two months are so hard to get through now, his birthday is in May. Up til recently I had no motivation or inspiration to do anything except what I had to do even though I'm on two anti-depressants. I met a very wise older woman that has suffered great loss in her life not long ago that has helped me more with my grief than anything else has, I think this woman was sent to me for this reason. For the first time in two years I have motivation and inspiration, the energy is going to take time but I'm trying to build it up. Yes, I have more pain than I was but I'm also using muscles that hadn't been used much for two years so I'm hoping with time they will get use to being used. My shoulders and hands are the worse. I do not take narcotics for pain I take amitriptyline and tylenol but that is my choice.

 

I also found out my vit D is low so I'm taking supplements trying to get it up which I think has helped a lot with the depression and motivation too.

 

I hope things get better for you soon. Read and ask questions and we will be here for you.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee