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Fibromyalgia
do you get massages and if so how often
yes; weekly or more - 7.7% - 2 votes
yes; bi-weekly - 0.0% - 0 votes
yes; weekly or more - 3.8% - 1 votes
yes; bi-weekly - 0.0% - 0 votes
yes; monthly - 3.8% - 1 votes
yes; occasionally - 34.6% - 9 votes
no - 50.0% - 13 votes
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Posted 9/2/2008 7:02 PM (GMT 0)

hi all...i'm wondering how often you get a massage?  with all the medical issues in my family, i can't really afford them, but i broke down today and had one.  it felt great; i was so knotted up in my low back, shoulders, neck, jaw and at the bottom of my skull.  the release was amazing.  the weather here is changing and i can totally feel it.  gustav is expected to arrive in metro st. louis area soon and my body agrees.  i'm in lots of pain again and wondering how much relief you get and how long it lasts?

thanks

Posted 9/2/2008 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
I have a gentle massage every month and really look forward to them.  They do help me a lot.  I wish I could have one every week or two but can't afford that so I'll settle for once a month.  I'm glad it helps you too!

 

Sherrine

Posted 9/2/2008 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
hurting,

 

FYI-that's the perfect word to describe how I'm feeling, today-I'm hurting. eyes   OMG, what I wouldn't give for a massage!  But, since I don't have any  money-because I am dead broke (no, like I'm REALLY broke-eating cereal & peanut butter sandwiches to get by sad ), I don't think I'll be getting one anytime soon.  I am so stressed out (over money issues, not smoking, and stupid men), my whole body is one giant knot.  I would love a real massage-the kind that hurts so bad but feels so good.  No, I'm not a masochist, but that's the kind of massage I like. :-)

 

I'm just hurting so bad, today! cry

Posted 9/2/2008 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
This is what I have found in having massages, it all depends on who is doing them in how your going to feel. I was going to one that had a very light touch and I didn't feel that bad after having them. She went on maternity leave so I had to go with a new one, no matter how light she has tried to be it is still too much for me and I end up sick for a few days from the toxins. So now I really need one but I'm going to try and get an app with the original girl with the lighter touch and hopefully I won't feel as bad after.

 

I was having one every two weeks for awhile but I will try one and see what I feel like before I make another app. I always drink a lot of water afterwards to get rid of the toxins but everyone has a different touch so it's a matter of finding the massage therapist with the right touch.

 

Kelly, you don't want a rough massage, I've done that and paid dearly for it. nono

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Posted 9/2/2008 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
I think like Marlee said, you have to get the right person to give it to you.  Light massage is the best.  I use to get them a few years ago.  There were two different girls giving them.  If I got the one who gave the deeper massage, I suffered dearly.  So I think that the lighter massage is better.  I would feel good for a few days from it.

 

Hope that this helps some.  I now have a psycologist who gives massage as part of her therapy.  So I feel like I get two things for the price of one.  And my insurance pays for this where it wouldn't pay for massage before.

 

Hugs,  ...Karen

Posted 9/2/2008 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Marlee & Karen (gb),

 

DUH! rolleyes   Of course you are right-I wasn't even thinking about the toxins.  I haven't had a real massage in almost 5 years, so I forgot.  And, I'm so painful to the touch, I doubt I could endure anything other than a light touch.  It would still probably hurt in a good way, but I wouldn't suffer for the next 3 days.  Trust me, lately, I've done some stupid stuff and suffered dearly.  I have PT tomorrow AM, so maybe I'll talk to my physical therapist about it. idea

Posted 9/3/2008 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I get massages every couple of months. My massage therapist has been a friend since before she went to school. She seems to know a lot about Fibro and I get deep massage with some trigger point work. I don't suffer afterward. I don't know if it has done me heeps of good, I feel better that day, but not necessarily for any longer than that. Diane
Posted 9/3/2008 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
Wow Diane I tried the deep massage and TRP release and thought I was going to die for a few days from it. It's strange how our bodies react differently to everything.

 

I did make an app with Carry the "light touch" girl for the 13th. My TRPs have really multiplied in the past month so I hope it does some good without making me feel bad.

 

What do you do in PT Kelly???

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Posted 9/4/2008 6:09 AM (GMT 0)
Right now I consider myself super spoiled since I'm on PT and I'm only having to pay for them as I would a regular office visit ($15). The therapist believes in trying to do light touch and some trigger point. She doesn't really believe in using anything other than hands. Previously I've had PT with the electric stimulation and the infrared and all the other gadgets, so far I'm really pleased with this woman. Too bad my insurance has only approved 6 more visits, but I'm going to relish in them while I've got them.
Posted 9/5/2008 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
I kind of cheated on my vote... I used to get weekly massages but my therapist has fibro and has progressed to the point where she can no longer do it. I believe it helped me but it was expensive. Gentle swimming in a heated pool and the hot tub are almost as helpful... and at one time I was doing both! THAT was heavenly!
Posted 9/5/2008 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
I've been getting one about once a month.  My LMT seems to understand fibro and says that she does myofascial release (I don't know that I would know the difference), but I haven't decided yet if it makes me feel better or worse.

 

Sometimes I think I feel "looser" afterward, and sometimes I just feel beaten up.  It is very relaxing during the massage, though.

Posted 9/5/2008 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
I don't think I could handle a massage right now, my back is so tight I can't be touched. I have to get some PT first, which I put off last month with getting the kids ready for school and enjoying what little summer we had. Dh's insurance will cover massage and PT, but it gets used up very fast, I think it's only 500$ a year. I already had to get some PT for my back at Christmas last year, it seized up on me.
Posted 9/6/2008 8:32 AM (GMT 0)
Im afraid im like Marlee2 I had a massage and I also thought that I would die from the pain for around the next 4 days.  I wish I could have one though. I would like to rid myself of toxins,   suez2 :-) :-)
Posted 9/6/2008 9:51 AM (GMT 0)
I havent been to PT in years as after a few visits they sent me home saying I should feel better and not worse. They were doing the ice treatments at the time and the electric pad thing which felt good at the time but made me hurt like hell after. They tried massage but I was too tight and couldnt be touched and this was before I was dx'd with fibro but probably had it then. One of the things that really hurt was the back strengthening exercises. My whole low back is atrophed and getting worse even with all the walking I do it still gets worse so I dont know what to do about it anymore. My insurance wont pay for chiro or reg massage and PT wasnt light touch for sure. They got deep down into all the knots but by the time they got through with one area the first one was siezed up again and I had actual bruises from them pressing on me.
Posted 9/6/2008 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
Suez, when I felt like I was going to die for a few days was when I had a deep massage with a lot of TRP release done. That was my own fault cause I asked for it.

 

I have one scheduled for next Sat and I can feel how tight my back is so I will have a light massage to get things loosened up only and then go from there. If I don't feel too bad from it I will ask Carry when I should have another one.

 

One thing I have found by trial and error is my body has to be handled gently and it takes longer to achieve the end results with massages. I've spent some misserable days in experimenting with massages to find this out.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

 

 

Posted 9/8/2008 5:36 AM (GMT 0)
Marlee,

 

I go to PT because of my back pain (although my physical therapist knows I have fibro).  Besides fibro, I have had back issues for awhile. rolleyes   Anyway, I use a handbike for 10 minutes, and do a variety of exercises (some with a PT ball), and then I lie on this torturous foam thing for 15 minutes.  But the best part is the end, where I get my back iced for 15 minutes.  It's like heaven! yeah

Posted 9/15/2008 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
Okay, I had my massage Sat with "light touch" Carry. Same amount of time, 1hr but I did not get the sick or tired feeling that I was getting when I was going to Katie. My back and shoulders are a little sore but I was really tight and expected to be more sore than I am.

 

The difference is that Katie is trained in TRP release and she spent most of her time concentrating on releasing the TRPs but in doing that there was too many toxins being released into my body. However, releasing the TRPs is a good thing.

 

So I have decided if Carry could get my back and shoulders loosened up and then Katie release a few TRPs I might have the perfect massage. idea Don't think they would go for doing a half hour each on me though.

 

But it was a good massage and I didn't feel sick so it is all about who is doing it or maybe where they went to school cause I know they went to different schools. Anyway you have to find the right person.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Posted 9/15/2008 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
This is a wonderful site to find a good massage therapist.  The therapists here have to be certified and it lists some of the techniques that they specialize in.  You would want one that has some experience with fibromyalgia.  You can get some names and numbers and call them and ask questions before you make an appointment.

 

http://www.amtamassage.org/

On the top bar, click on "Find a Massage Therapist" and then follow directions and it will give you all the ones in  your area.  Hope this helps some of you.

 

Sherrine

 

 

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