Hi, Ally, LDA, and MEGaFlyer, and welcome! I'm so glad you found us and joined in! I think you have seen already that we have a wonderful group of members who love to help one another and, as a bonus, really do care about each other, too. I think you will like it here.
I used to individually welcome the newbies with a long welcoming post but we are getting so many newbies that my little fingers can't handle it! I'm so sorry to see you all having this illness. I'm not sure if it's occuring more and more or if word is getting out about our wonderful forum. I hope it's the latter.
Anyway, you have come to a great place. You will learn a lot and learn things to help you control your pain. That's the bottom line, isn't it. I am able to control my pain and have had a great life in spite of this illness and so can you!
A good starting point is to read Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum. There are links to good information about fibro and you will learn a lot there. Good starting links are called Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia. You just might see yourself there.
I use over the counter things and supplements to help with my pain. I use ibuprofen with food, extra strength Tylenol, malic acid/magnesium supplements, vitamin D3, and an alternative product called Curamin to help with my pain and fatigue. There are links about malic acid/magnesium and vitamin D3 supplements in Fibro 101. It explains how these work in your body. These might be something you may want to try but pass it by your doctor first. My doctor said they wouldn't hurt me but didn't think they would help, either, but he was wrong! You will find that what works for one with fibro might not work for another, too. It's trial and error until you find the combination that works best for you. You will get many suggestions on this forum and that will help a lot.
I also do daily stretching exercises (found on Fibro 101) and a daily gentle exercise. I walk and/or swim as my exercise. This really helps me a lot...walking especially. I sure don't feel like heading out the door, but I go and come back feeling less pain and having more energy and ready to start the day. Give it a try. If you have been sedentary, start out slowly and work your way up. That's what I had to do but I'm sure glad I did it.
Moist heat helps and many have Bed Buddies that you can find at Walgreen's and other places. You pop them in the microwave and it gives off moist heat that really helps. Gentle massages help, too. I get one a month and it does make a difference for me.
Above all, pace yourself. We can't do what we used to in a day without paying a physical price for it. So we pace ourselves. It all gets done but in a different time frame. Once you start, it will become a way of doing things for you and pretty soon it will be automatic.
I'm really looking forward to getting to know each of you. Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. Hope to hear more from you soon!
Sherrine