is this fibromyalgia pain?

Hi there, and welcome.  I am on Lexapro which is another SSRI and am weaing off, as it didn't seem to do much for me. The pain you describe sounds like fibro to me.  I have been suffering from sciatica-type pain for months. When I get up, I feel like someone beat me with a hammer all night.  Others have found relief from Cymbalta and maybe it was helping you more than you knew.  If you have read any of the posts on this forum, you will find many of us have been 'blown off' by doctors in the past.  They don't think Fibro is real and dibilitating.  I can only suggest you find a rheumy that DOES treat this condition seriously and get the medication you need to control the pain.  This hit and miss approach is for the birds and most of us have been through it.  As for Lyrica, I don't know anyone personally that has gotten relief from taking it but maybe someone else on the forum can give you some positive reinforcement from using this drug.

For me... the drug side effects are worse than the disease. But I am super sensitive to medication.

Donna

I'm new... and just wanted to contribute...

I've not been diagnosed but have had nearly 20 years (I'm 39 years old) of daily aches, pains, stiff muscles... the list goes on and on. I think I must be one of the few men who have some type of constant pain and discomfort, from most things I read women are usually the ones who fall in this category. In fact, I think all these pains played a part in my failed marriage. I've also taken ibuprofen (4 at a time) for most of those years, to the point now I'm having stomach problems.

Because of all my daily problems, I've found a few things that help - not fix. Exercise helps, I rarely have the energy but I do it anyway. I bike and run. MOST times I am soooo glad I went ahead and did something active. I remember after the first number of months of regular exercise that I was soooo run down and hurting that I didn't think I could continue. But, there came a confidence that I could do it because "Hey I haven't died from it yet." - and I'm so fatigued all the time I might as well earn that fatigue. So, I continued and I'm glad I have, sometimes the exercise is the only thing that keeps my symptoms at bay. It only takes 7-9 days of not exercising and I go right back to the daily pains and muscle tension poor outlook, etc. I encourage ALL to do something active on a regular basis. Believe it or not I don't take as much ibuprofen since I've been increasing my activity.

The second is meditation and breathing exercises. As a christian I found some resistant to the idea of meditation. To each his/her own. Meditation for me is quieting the mind - just that simple. It has nothing to do with spiritual things as such. I found that in a typical day at work I can't just take 20 mins to meditate when my symptoms are getting the best of me so I just close my eyes and hold my breath for 20-30 seconds and as I release the air I use my imagination to see my body become like a liquid and spread out to a relaxed state. I do this 3 times or so. That usually gets my body to release the muscles that are so tight. I may have to do this more than one time a day on bad days. Some days nothing helps.

I don't pretend my symptoms are better or worse than anyone elses, maybe mine are lessor. But, these things usually help me and if they could help others...

B

Welcome, 6294 and BNNC!  Two newbies on one post!  I hope you don't mind that I'll welcome you both with one post.  Saves on my fingers!

 

6294, your symptoms do sound like fibro to me, too.  Most people are extremely stiff and in pain upon waking in the morning.  I know that if I move around, some of the pain subsides and I can get on with my day.  I do not take Cymbalta or Lyrica but many on this forum do.  I have managed with ibuprofen with food and extra strength Tylenol.  I also take malic acid/magnesium supplements for pain and fatigue.  They don't help everyone but many have gotten some relief, including me!  It seems that many with fibro are deficient in these nutrients.  Many also seem to be deficient in vitamin D and that can cause some pain and fatigue, too.  I presently am takinig 3,500 IU of D3 a day to try to get it in the normal range.  So you might ask your doctor to check your vitamin D levels next time you have blood work.

 

BNNC, light exercise does help a lot with the pain.  If you sit or lay too long you will be stiff as a board and your pain will be worse.  Just look at how stiff we are after laying in bed all night!  So, you are right on the money here!  Walking is a wonderful exercise and so is swimming, if you have access to a pool.  If you can manage even more exercising, go for it!  That would be great. 

 

I have found that a positive attitude and a good sense of humor helps soooo much with this lousy illness.  Meditation/prayer works wonderfully well, too.  I look forward to each new day with anticipation instead of dread and I usually have pretty good days because of that!  I set goals for myself for each day and usually reach them and that makes me feel good too.  But, I do pace myself.  I can't do in a day what I used to be able to do before fibro.

 

Please, both of you, check out the Fibro 101 thread...the second thread on the forum.  There are links to good information about fibromyalgia including a list of symptoms, information all about malic acid and magnesium and how it works in your body, and also some good gentle stretching exercises that really do work.  You will learn a lot from this thread.

 

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

 

Sherrine