Since rd said our focus should be my fibro - even though this is an RA board - I would love to hear your fibro stories. I have really downplayed my fibro but if this last flare was fibro not RA - I have to take it seriously. Anyone want to share? PS Good news is fibro does not do damage like RA Okay, so I just posted to you about this on your other post...LoL I see you're on prozac....fibro is sometimes(a lot of times, I think) treated with anti-depressants. Perhaps you need a new one, or a couple. RASara82 would have some really good info for you, why don't you try PMing her. :)I'm in the same boat as Roxy with the Fibro so I'm hoping others will speak up. Again, the only treatment they are offering me is narcotic pain killers. OOOOOH! Is it my turn to be helpful? Roxy, the approach to
treating fibro has changed quite a bit since I was originally
diagnosed. They used to treat either with muscle relaxants, OR
antidepressants. Now, they tend to use a three prong
approach. They treat the sleep problems, the muscle stiffness,
AND the pain. It is extremely difficult to treat fibro without meds
if you also have RA. When my RA was in remission, I kept my
fibro in check by staying in shape and eating well. Now with the
RA acting up, I cannot do enough working out to help my fibro,
without making my RA worse. I have to rely on the meds to
help. I am now on Lexapro to help with the sleep (it also keeps
me more mellow, which def helps the fibro), Ultracet for the
pain, and Flexeril for the muscle tension. I am in the process of
trying to find a good dose for me, but this is helping some.
Other people use anticonvulsants in place of the
antidepressants, but they tend to be more sedating. Sleep
medications also help some, but the antidepressants help the
root of the problem, which is the chemical imbalance.
Other non-med things you can do: Make a schedule and
STICK TO IT! Easier said than done, and I am horrible at it, but
if you can it helps. Go to bed the same time each night, and get
up the same time each morning, even if you don't feel well
rested. At the beginning of this flare, I was sleeping for 14 hours
straight, and my doc said that made it worse. Also take naps
every day at the same time, even if you're not that tired. Avoid
having too much caffeine, and eat healthy. My fibro is very
sensitive to what I eat. Also, try to avoid stress, which I know is
also very difficult to do. You have been avoiding conflict with
Brett, which is a good step. The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Fibromyalgia is a good book, and has a broad range of info. I know I missed some stuff, so I will go back to my book and
post more when I find more. The biggest thing os to make sure
your doc is in line with the modern triple-prong approach.Thanks everyone - especially Sara. Fibro is way more intense than I thought it was. My other doctors did not take it very seriously. This doctor is definitely no Ms Compassion but I will try the pain specialist. I am on 60 mg Prozac and I take Soma for muscle relaxer. I also have a couple sleep meds but I have had no problem sleeping lately, it is staying awake that is my problem. The memory part is the worse for me. Makes me feel dumb as a board Roxy,
Even if you are sleeping, you probably are not getting restful
sleep. The sleep disturbances with fibro make sure you never
get to that deep restorative sleep. Also, just because you are on
antidepressants, doesn't mean that it's working for your fibro. I
have been through my share of antidepressants that work for a
while, then my body just gets used to it and i have to switch
things up.That may be a good idea. I have always taken prozac because no side effects. They tried one other and it gave me headaches. Well, my favorite part of treating fibro is exercise. Now I just got to get my butt off the couch
Does fibro feel like your muscles/tendons are pulled to tightly across you RA joints? How in the heck are you supposed to know if your pain/ stiffness and other symptoms are fibro vs RA and whether or not the RA meds are working???? AAAACCCHH!(hobbles off to go research more on fibro.......)
thanks everyone
Laurat,
If you find the answer to that one, please post it separately so we don't miss it. Previous Rheumy's answer is that you just need to learn the difference. New Rheumy's answer is by looking at the bloodwork and my swelling (hey, I practically never do), he feels that he can eliminate RA as the source of most of my pain.
The doctors are all saying that the FM is the cause of most of my pain plus add in the bone and nerve damage.
If I had to go with how I feel about the difference is that RA makes me feels inflammed. I will feel really hot and the pain is absolutely everywhere. Joints are affected, becoming suddenly very painful.
But maybe I have been wrong all this time. I know I sure would like some better answers. I'm going to get some good books on the subject myself.
I do feel like the FM is more muscle oriented as you described.
I was on Effexor for my fibro. It did help alot.
Effexor gave me headaches, I heard it was a good one
I call muscle pain fibro but how come my hips hurt all the time, my knees, my ankles, and hands most of the time ????????????Roxy,
Since you have joint damage, that may be why your joints
hurt. Also, fibro still causes joint pain. I have learned to tell the
difference between RA pain and fibro pain, but it took a long
time to get to that point, and an AWESOME rheumy with me
every step of the way. My younger sister who has Juvenile
Spondyloarthropathy was just diagnosed with fibro, so I am
trying to help her with this as well. It's one of those things that
no one can teach you, you just kinda have to learn to listen to
your body and it takes time. I don't think I like this rheumy even though she seemed really professional. But she said fibro is a condition that has symptoms but no underlying disease.
Roxy I also have severe Fibro and am using the anti depressants, sleeping pills, and muscle relaxers and have only found a little relief as with RA I cannot do the exercises that many people get relief from.
I make sure that I move a lot during the day but the fatigue and pain get me down after a couple of hours, lol.
I use pain meds to help me take some care of my family and just do the best that I can while waiting for AP to help.
Okay, I found out something from the Ortho today that you might want to investigate yourselves. I need three arthoscopic surgeries. He really thought a lot of my pain was from the RA causing problems with the muscles, tendons and bursitis. He doesn't think is so much FM. This is completely different from what the Rheumys have told me. But he is the second Ortho to have this opinion.
So.... my suggestion is that you make sure that they do a full set of films on all these joints that hurt and get a referral over to an Orthopaedic surgeon.
This guy is going to do arthoscopic surgery (takes 15 minutes each knee) on both knees and then later do the shoulder surgery.
He said I was very typical RA. Get the MRIs and the Ortho opinion. He thinks I'll feel much better once this problem is taken care of.
Deanna, that is encouraging news! Let's pray that he is on the right track.You know.... the best RD I ever had, a young doc at a Univeristy hospital, once made the comment that Fibro and RA go hand in hand and that sleeping problems always increase the pain involved with both. Whether real or imagined...I can tell you.... a rough night's sleep is going to equate to a big pain day, versus a good night's sleep where I'll have a low pain day. HOWEVER!!!, how many of us can really say we get at least 4 hours straight of a good REM sleep... nontheless, I do see a HUGE difference in pain levels in comparison to the quality of sleep I get...
K
Deanna, What wonderful news. I will take your advice.
I ordered a book on fibro and I am going to do all the research I can. I got ahold of the hospital for my warm water therapy and they said they did not have my referral
PS Our family had a great day. Dogs got walked and we played and all got along well. I love days like today
Roxy, honey, I wish you all the best. I do hope that the antibuse works for Brett.
Trisha