31st January 2004
Sick Mom,
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,
7 BUGSY
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,
7 BUGSY