Posted 12/17/2018 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, CJ! I’m so sorry I’m late at responding to this thread. But I’m here now! 😁
I’m willing to bet that more men have fibro but don’t fess up to it. Men aren’t known to be the best patients in the world....if you can get them to the doctor in the first place. You are smart and seek the help you need. Far more women have fibro but now men are starting to come out of the woodwork.
I had never heard of using Ritalin for fibro. I checked it out and some doctors have tried this but it is generally used for hyperactivity. One of my children is ADHD and was on Ritalin so they could sit long enough to learn in school. They stopped taking it in high school.
I would suggest you see a good board certified rheumatologist. Do your homework on the doctor and make sure they treat fibro patients before making the appointment. Check out Healthgrades.com and vitals.com. They give patient reviews of the doctors, where they went to medical school, if they have had any actions against them, etc. There are still some doctors in the Dark Ages when it comes to this illness. They can rule out other illnesses that have many of the same symptoms as fibro...things like Lyme disease and lupus. They are treated differently than how fibro is treated. Then hopefully you will know what you are dealing with. My trip to the rheumatologist showed that I not only have fibro but also ankylosing spondylitis that affects back legs, etc.
Tender points aren’t used as much for diagnosis of fibro according to the American College of Rheumatology. Some doctors press harder than other doctors so it really isn’t that accurate. You did feel trigger points, though. Those are muscle knots under the skin. When you find those, press on them as hard as you can and then massage the area. Repeat and move on, go back a few hours later and repeat. Those knots should get smaller and smaller and the pain should be less. My neck was really bad a few years ago. I found two knots at the base of my skull about the size of marbles! I pressed and massaged and those knots got smaller and smaller and I don’t have them anymore and I also don’t have neck pain either. Check along the side of your neck also.
I ordered The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook from Amazon and that really has helped me. It shows diagrams of the body and where to find the trigger points that are causing you the pain you are feeling. The workbook is only around $15 and I found it to be money well-spent.
I take ibuprofen with food, Tylenol, Vitamin D3, magnesium malate and a prescription muscle relaxer called Robaxin (methocarbamol) that has made a significant difference in my pain. I walk daily as my gentle form of exercise. If I went to a gym, they’d be carrying me out on a stretcher! Gentle exercise is what is suggested...things like walking, swimming, yoga, tai chi, etc. Also, pace yourself when doing things. That does help a lot. I keep a positive attitude too and that helps with pain. When you got the job at CVS, you had been depressed but then you were happy about the job and you started feeling better!
Be sure to read Fibro 101...the first thread in the forum. There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there.
Keep asking questions and we will try to help you. With the holiday season, so many members are busy shopping and cooking. But hopefully we can help you get back on track.
Sherrine