Fibromyalgia

Specialties Emergency

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What are your opinions, nurses? Is Fibromyalgia a justified condition or just a basket term ? I am interested in your feedback. It seems like we see a large number of patients (usually women) with "fibromyalgia" and the numbers are getting larger and larger.

I even had a patient tell me that fibromyalgia patients were predisposed to trigeminal neuralgia. :eek:

the pain meds that are effective vary from person to person...lortab puts me to sleep..darvocet which is completely useless to me as far as pain is concerned will keep me on my feet and functioning thoughout the day...but on a day to day basis naproxen is more effective than any otc pain reliever...i too am concerned about the recently revealed heart problems they had with the tests...i cannot seem to find out what was the mg they were using in those tests...if it was way higher than usual dose like the celebrex tests were using i would probably continue to use the naproxen in order to work and function around the house

I have had Fibro for too many years to count and have a several dr's I go to who understand it quite well...I too had tried Nsaid's which some have worked but due to gettings Ulcer's easily now cannot take---I now use Zanaflex4mg--It is a med that you take slowly like 1mg it is a scored tab---I take 4mg a noc to help me sleep Used to take amitriptiline upwards of 100mg then it quit working---So now I take Restoril 30mg & Zanaflex 4mg otherwise do not sleep---Due to 2 disc's bulging and degenerating etc I also take Lortab-which I used to utilize Ultram which worked for me but now only Lortab---So between Lortab and Zanaflex--I am functioning--What is quite Interesting I now have a sulfite alllergy--Had an Anaphalactic reaction on Nov.4--Now have lost 30#'s Does not seem to help fibro....When one has many other conditions to boot and all the research that I and others have done---It is a very true and very understood disease--Yess there many dr's who do not understand and many people who have dx's that are not true frbro=catchall--but when you do have the true FRIBO== It is real===And we are not drug seekers or compainers!!!!! Anyone who is close to us know that many of us keep right on going LIKE THE ENERGIZER BUNNY. THANKS FOR LETTING ME BLOW OFF SOME STEAM I would welcome personal emails if I can help some one with some ??'s.

MRYROSE~ I had a script for PT from my MD (who is very familiar with FM) but I decided not pursue it at this time as I go weekly for massages that include trigger point therapy. I have been doing this for over a year and I credit the massage with the fact that most days I feel good!:)

MRYROSE~ I had a script for PT from my MD (who is very familiar with FM) but I decided not pursue it at this time as I go weekly for massages that include trigger point therapy. I have been doing this for over a year and I credit the massage with the fact that most days I feel good!:)

I think the massage trigger point therapy is the key. My PT does this also and it works wonders.

I forgot to mention that I also am now having to take Ambien at night in order to sleep. No sleep seems to exacerate my symptoms tenfold. I was up again last night twice taking hot baths because of pain even with Ambien. I think it's the Dc of Naproxen. I will be talking with my MD about this to determine the use of Naproxen again. I need some relief.

I wanted to also clarify something from my earlier post..... I mentioned that I have a low pain threshoold... what I meant to include was that I also have a HIGH pain med tolerance. I am wondering if this is something others with Fibro experience. It started this way for me , nota result after meds use.

I do not regularly take narcotics but when I need them it takes a megaload to work even tho I am a very small person.

I do not like taking pain meds, especially not for this reason.

Anyone wishing to email, please feel free. Anything I can share or if you need an ear to listen, I'm here.

My mother has FM. She is TERRIFIED of having to take narcotics all the time. She's to the point of just dealing with the flare-ups rather than try a new med. She's pretty much allergic to everything anyhow..makes her itch. She tried Ambien-made her dopy, she tried Percocet/Vicoden/Darvocet-dopey and scratchy (itchy too...)

Not too sure of my moms depression status...as much as I know..she's ok in that region. But I do see a HUGE connection with FM and thyroid disorders. I work for an endocrinology practice, a large number of women pts with hypothyroid tend to have the dx of FM somewhere in their chart.

My mom has had hypothyroid since she was 12. She's on an Armour-Thyroid dose that I never knew was made because its so large!!

The only thing I don't really get is the FM "bumps" what are they? where do they come from? Are they little muscle fiber clumps that cause pain?

Specializes in Nursing assistant.

I just don't know how to help. This has been going on for years. Every one in my family (sisters and mom, not my offspring) has chronic pain.

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are dx when everything else has been ruled out, right?

Specializes in ICU,ER.
You can see a FM patient a mile away and at triage you are just anticipating it coming out of thier mouth.

Let's see.... white female....30's or 40's....pale, overweight.... dramatic behaviour......

Nahhh.... I have NO idea what you are talking about.:)

Specializes in ICU,ER.

I actually had a patient tell me once that she was in "End Stage Fibromyalgia".

I have suffered with fm for years. When first dx, the doc had me on so many meds I could not function. I decided I would suffer the pain rather than be so doped up from pain meds. They actually thought I had MS at first and after numerous tests this was ruled out. Pain is not funny - different people handle pain in different ways. I was so bad that I could no longer fuction at my job in insurance and to give up a $42,000 a year job - believe me, I did not want to have to go on disability. I have fought back - I am in pre-nursing classes and plan on becoming a nurse. There are days my body is in horrible pain - but - I have decided to not let this control my life any longer. I do not take ANY pain meds - sometimes I have to take extra strength tylenol. I have chronic fatigue also. I am not a drug seeker, nor am I "Proud" of what I have. I do not sleep well. I have a 4.0 at college, am 54 and have two boys ages 6 & 8 that are both dx with ADHD and one is bi-polar. I am a single mom and determined I will make it. It is not easy trying to live on disability and raise children, so I just made up my mind to go on with life. I have pain every day, if I am going to have pain regardless of what I do, then I am determined to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse and have a better life for my children and myself. For those of you who do not have FM, I pray you never have to experience the severe pain and problems that go along with it. Blessings to all.

My mom has fibromyalgia et has days that she can not even pick up my two year old because she hurts so bad. She is not a drug seeker as she takes only Naproxen for the pain et takes Tylenol. I think she really hurts because she cries some days when she can not even hold/pick up the kids or play with them.

blaming the victim and belittling those who hurt are acting out of ignorance...if you hurt after a hard day's work then imagine hurting like that when you wake up in the morning and it increases during the day

i have fm and have never been to the er so maybe the people who have to go are worse off than i am, i am not clinically depressed and neither are the vast majority of those who suffer with the sx

as mentioned before too many of the health care providers who do not have the problem use it as an ego booster, LOOK AT ME, I AM SO GOOD I DON'T HAVE IT, SO ERGO NOBODY ELSE HAS IT EITHER

some diseases are only dx by symptoms...was aids less of a disease before there was a blood test

we need more open minded health workers and we need some research..too many people are wasting their lives due to this

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