31st January 2004
Sparky,
I'm repeating a reply to another fibro question hoping it may help you. My thyriod tested at the lowest normal rate and my PCP put me on .05mg Synthriod and it seems to have helped some. You can always try it......
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I am a 56 year old female. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FMS) about 12 yrs ago. It appeared after my emergency hysterectomy 17 yrs ago. I had a very large cyst (chicken egg size) in my left ovary and it pinched off the ureter, causing a kidney infection, a diseased uterus,and I had contracted salmonella from chicken livers, plus I had adhesions from a 1962 appendectomy wrapped around ureters, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and just about everything else in the vicinity. By the time I reached the hospital I was dehydrated and my veins collapsed. I had two surgeons, a urologist and a gynecologist and a 1 week hospital stay. That was 1986 and there was no info out there that explained how I was feeling. Severe anxiety attacks, mean as a snake, whole body pain, extremely sensitive (to pain) areas, and my rural doctor just thought I was NUTS and needed estrogen. I couldn't take estrogen. I never could take birth control pills ( caused severe migraines and made me so evil, who would want to have sex with me anyway ). I feel the trauma to my body at that time and the accompanying anxiety triggered the start of fibromyalgia for me.
I had no help until I moved to Harrisburg and found an excellent PCP who sent me to a rheumatologist in about 1992. I had ALL the trigger points and was used as a learning tool. Lucky me ! They tried all the anti-inflammatory drugs of the time but I couldn't take any of them. I had severe reactions ( blowing up like a frog, deposits in my liver, rashes, hives, "rip your skin off" itching ).... nothing helped.
Background: I also have osteoarthritis, degenerative disk disease, stenosis, allergy triggered asthma, GERD, IBS, depression ( anxiety attacks, as well ), myofascia syndrome ( MFS ), and sleep apnea. In addition to the hysterectomy, I have had exploratory colon surgery ( adhesions wrapped around and restricting intestines and colon), reconstructive surgery ( my body overreacted to steroid shots given to diminish keloid scarring causing the skin on my abdomen to tear open, resulting in 1 sq. ft. of skin needing to be removed), cervical spine surgery ( lots of titanium...a 4" double dog bone held in place by 6 x 2 1/2" screws and 2 pcs. of cadaver bone) and in mid-October of 2003 lumbar surgery ( 2 x 4" titanium rods, 4 x 2 1/2" screws, 2 cages around bone graft.... my own this time).
Whenever I have trauma to my body or mind I have varying degrees of fibro episodes, lasting anywhere from days to months. After almost every major surgery I had to deal with the fibro, as well as usual recovery pain i.e. increasing recovery time. This time before surgery I started taking immune boosting vitamins 3 time a day in addition to my "remission regimen". I still have to wear a steel brace all day and a bone stimulator 4 hrs a day for another 3 months but I feel great !! I HAD NOOOO FIBRO ATTACK !!!!
Depression: Wellbutrin SR 300mg
Anxiety: Lorazapam (PRN)
GERD: Omeprazole
Hormones: Estratest HS
Sleep: Celexa & Flexeril
Fibro: Cyclobenzaprine 20mg, Vioxx 25mg, Tylenol #3 or Vicodin 500-750 mg,
Melatonin 6mg
Sleep Apnea: CPAP, Melatonin 6mg
IBS: Acidophilus capsules
Remission Regimen: Malic Acid 825 mg, B-100 complex, condroitin glucosamine 500 mg, vitamin E 400mg mixed tocopherols, 500 mg chewable C, fish liver oil, garlic, and acidophilus capsules. I take all these 2 times a day and take 2 x 3 mg melatonin every night for sleep. For almost a year now my fibro symptoms have been extremely reduced by adding these supplements. I've been on the same meds for several years ( 200mg Wellbutrin SR, flexeril, vioxx 25mg, etc.). I have Tylenol #3 and Vicodin 750 & 500mg PRN. For 3 months before surgery I was on Tylenol #3 and, as the pain worsened, 750 to 1,000 mgs Vicodin every 4 hours. Now 3 months later I take nothing for pain !! YEAH !!!
I really feel my "Remission Regimen" has worked. A good night's sleep is extremely important. When I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and put on a CPAP at night, my pain reduced. Sleep deprivation wrecks HAVOC with Fibro's. The melatonin helps a great deal to get restful sleep.
I hope this helps.
Love you,
BUGSY
I'm repeating a reply to another fibro question hoping it may help you. My thyriod tested at the lowest normal rate and my PCP put me on .05mg Synthriod and it seems to have helped some. You can always try it......
****************************************************************
I am a 56 year old female. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FMS) about 12 yrs ago. It appeared after my emergency hysterectomy 17 yrs ago. I had a very large cyst (chicken egg size) in my left ovary and it pinched off the ureter, causing a kidney infection, a diseased uterus,and I had contracted salmonella from chicken livers, plus I had adhesions from a 1962 appendectomy wrapped around ureters, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and just about everything else in the vicinity. By the time I reached the hospital I was dehydrated and my veins collapsed. I had two surgeons, a urologist and a gynecologist and a 1 week hospital stay. That was 1986 and there was no info out there that explained how I was feeling. Severe anxiety attacks, mean as a snake, whole body pain, extremely sensitive (to pain) areas, and my rural doctor just thought I was NUTS and needed estrogen. I couldn't take estrogen. I never could take birth control pills ( caused severe migraines and made me so evil, who would want to have sex with me anyway ). I feel the trauma to my body at that time and the accompanying anxiety triggered the start of fibromyalgia for me.
I had no help until I moved to Harrisburg and found an excellent PCP who sent me to a rheumatologist in about 1992. I had ALL the trigger points and was used as a learning tool. Lucky me ! They tried all the anti-inflammatory drugs of the time but I couldn't take any of them. I had severe reactions ( blowing up like a frog, deposits in my liver, rashes, hives, "rip your skin off" itching ).... nothing helped.
Background: I also have osteoarthritis, degenerative disk disease, stenosis, allergy triggered asthma, GERD, IBS, depression ( anxiety attacks, as well ), myofascia syndrome ( MFS ), and sleep apnea. In addition to the hysterectomy, I have had exploratory colon surgery ( adhesions wrapped around and restricting intestines and colon), reconstructive surgery ( my body overreacted to steroid shots given to diminish keloid scarring causing the skin on my abdomen to tear open, resulting in 1 sq. ft. of skin needing to be removed), cervical spine surgery ( lots of titanium...a 4" double dog bone held in place by 6 x 2 1/2" screws and 2 pcs. of cadaver bone) and in mid-October of 2003 lumbar surgery ( 2 x 4" titanium rods, 4 x 2 1/2" screws, 2 cages around bone graft.... my own this time).
Whenever I have trauma to my body or mind I have varying degrees of fibro episodes, lasting anywhere from days to months. After almost every major surgery I had to deal with the fibro, as well as usual recovery pain i.e. increasing recovery time. This time before surgery I started taking immune boosting vitamins 3 time a day in addition to my "remission regimen". I still have to wear a steel brace all day and a bone stimulator 4 hrs a day for another 3 months but I feel great !! I HAD NOOOO FIBRO ATTACK !!!!
Depression: Wellbutrin SR 300mg
Anxiety: Lorazapam (PRN)
GERD: Omeprazole
Hormones: Estratest HS
Sleep: Celexa & Flexeril
Fibro: Cyclobenzaprine 20mg, Vioxx 25mg, Tylenol #3 or Vicodin 500-750 mg,
Melatonin 6mg
Sleep Apnea: CPAP, Melatonin 6mg
IBS: Acidophilus capsules
Remission Regimen: Malic Acid 825 mg, B-100 complex, condroitin glucosamine 500 mg, vitamin E 400mg mixed tocopherols, 500 mg chewable C, fish liver oil, garlic, and acidophilus capsules. I take all these 2 times a day and take 2 x 3 mg melatonin every night for sleep. For almost a year now my fibro symptoms have been extremely reduced by adding these supplements. I've been on the same meds for several years ( 200mg Wellbutrin SR, flexeril, vioxx 25mg, etc.). I have Tylenol #3 and Vicodin 750 & 500mg PRN. For 3 months before surgery I was on Tylenol #3 and, as the pain worsened, 750 to 1,000 mgs Vicodin every 4 hours. Now 3 months later I take nothing for pain !! YEAH !!!
I really feel my "Remission Regimen" has worked. A good night's sleep is extremely important. When I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and put on a CPAP at night, my pain reduced. Sleep deprivation wrecks HAVOC with Fibro's. The melatonin helps a great deal to get restful sleep.
I hope this helps.
Love you,
BUGSY