Have you researched guaifenesin for FM? Studies are in their infancy and it is complicated, but sounds promising.

I totally understand.I haven't been to a pain dr yet but my last GP told me to take 1-2 neurofen when the pain gets too bad.So I take 168 neurofen a day.....joking of course,I try to stay away from that type of medication.This is the GP that laughed at me when I said a specialist recommended I be tested for FM.The GP said "why be tested,there is no cure anyway".

I have tried guaifenesin.Taking one 30mg dose at night caused me to be bed ridden all the next day in tremendous pain.I even had black eyes like I'd been in a fight.I waited a week and tried again thinking it may have been a one off reaction.The same thing happened,I almost thought I was dying.I gave it to one other person/friend who has FM and they had a similar(but not as bad)reaction.Of course the pharmacists said they had never heard of anyone reacting to it.According to them,it's one of the safest cough medicines on the market.I can honestly
say,that was the worst reaction I've ever had to a medication.

You're supposed to take pure guaifenesin, as well as avoidance of skin contact with salicylic acid... it's very complicated. I was looking for uricosuric drugs when I found this FM site by accident. I'm sure I saved it, but seem to have lost it.

I did do a fair amount of reading about it first.There is quite alot of unproven theory involved,although some people say that it does work for them.As far as the salicylic acid is concerned,I'm not sure what to think.Mainly because when I use products that contain it,I have no problems at all.One of the products I use on my skin(and internally) is basically a zinc-boron-salicylate and I feel fine using it.
I recently just completed a seminar which gave me some interesting insights into causes of FM(and possible treatments).One thing that came out of the seminar was that opiates are extremely suitable for FM pain in the majority of sufferers.

I was very interested in the guaifenesin . On many of the fibro sites you hear of people"s successes. The thing with fibro is what works wonders for one can be totally ineffective or even produce more symptoms than others.
I go in spurts where I will try whatever the newest "cure" is and then get so frustrated I won't try anything.
I am also hearing more positives re: the use of opiates which totally help me to function.
My next project is cutting sugar out of my life. My chiropractor has been bugging me to do that and a sleep study for the last 2 years.
I am very scared because i LOVE sugar. It is my drug of choice.

I can say from experience that refined white sugar and heated/fried fats/oils are two of the worst offenders when it comes to FM.I find using fructose doesnt bother me as much.
There are other sweeteners like xylitol and stevia but I find fructose works ok for me.
I remember reading a study years ago,maybe someone else remembers it,where they found a few teaspoons(approx.)of white sugar was enough to suppress the immune system by up to 50% in alot of people for a 24hour period.

wow, I never paid a lot of attention to all that stuff until recently my dad has been ill and put on a strict diet. No sugar, salt, white wheat, no raw fruits and veggies, and very little red meat. It is hard to cook that way I have found that out and was so surprised at the amount of salt in one T. of soy sauce 1,110mg.

wow higby,that doesn't leave much left for him to eat.
But often even a short break from certain foods can improve your health quite alot.

My mom can not find relief from her pain.

This is what I know she takes.

Elavil
Paxil
Lyrica
Parafon Forte
Pain Patch
Sometimes she will take Vicodin

And with this stuff she is STILL in chronic, excuciating pain. No Dr can help her. At this point, what can be done for her?

Her good days are few and far between. She is going to be 60 this year. And has suffered for 10+ years. She is not able to drive due to the muscle pain and weakness.

So frustrating.

That is the how it is for most FM sufferers.The worst part is seemingly having no control of your body or life anymore.And to top it off,the majority of dr's won't take it seriously enough to help properly.Your left to be your own dr,and then be condemned for doing so.In over 20years of dealing with dr's,I've only ever met one that the general community thought was helpful.All the rest are thinking of their next golfing holiday and alot wouldn't know their [censored] from their elbow.

MJ gives some of the best relief for FM and other painful conditions, too bad it's not legal. If it were to be legalized for treatment of medical conditions, big pharma would lose millions of dollars, which means many lawmakers would lose millions as well, but by taxing it like cigarettes, the US could balance the budget almost immediately. The lawmakers do not run this country, the lobbyists do.

She was actually told the pain clinic couldn't see her anymore. This was the old place she used to go. Her Dr there and the other Dr parted ways and the Dr that stayed supposedly wasn't taking all the other Dr's patients.

No, I don't think she is taken seriously enough. Her current Dr took a urine specimen to check drug levels in her. What do they think she isn't taking her meds? F'real? I didn't ask her that, but it made me wonder if that's what they were thinking. Or are they really trying to see how much, what is whatever? No clue.

I'm rambling. I'm bad about that. LOL Sorry.

Last weekend I seriously considered finding some and taking it to her. I'm certain she would refuse though.

Sometimes they check levels so they can see how you are responding.In other words,you might take the same dose as me,but after a few weeks/months we have completely different blood levels because our metabolisms are different.
The doctor can then adjust or change things accordingly.
Make sense?

Have any of you noticed a severe weight gain from Lyrica? I was 112lbs when I started and now I am about 230lbs. I have had Gastric Bypass and I am still unable to eat the portions of a normal person. I am sick of being told to lose weight when there is nothing I can do about it.

I'm not on Lyrica personally, but know several people who are and that is their biggest complaint - the weight gain.

I know I haven't been on the board in forever. I have been reading a lot of posts tonight and I just don't even know what to say, or how to feel or what to even try to think about doing next to try to just keep going. If that sounds confusing,it's cause I feel really confused,depressed hopeless and frustrated. Then of course is the never ending pain and exaustion. I have had really bad headaches too everyday now for over a week. I recently saw my PCP and it was a waste of time, a waste of gas to get there, and a waste of my energy...what little I have. All I got was a sample bottle of Cymbalta thrown at me.



I am going to call a new Dr in the next couple of days and see if he can help me. At this point,I just cannot see myself spending the rest of my life like this. I have NO life anymore. I had to quit my job because of the pain. I can't do much of anything these days. My BF is frustrated and feels so bad for me. He understands, to a point,but he doesn't really know how horrable I feel every moment of every day.


I am more depressed now than I ever have been in my life and sometimes it is everything I can do to just keep trying to make it through each day.


After reading 2 pages of horror stories about the cymbalta, I am really afraid to take it. I am just praying that I can find a Dr who will actually try to help me. After 21 solid years of this, I just can't take anymore. I hope my current Dr Rots in Hell.

Hi sky23.. Iam so so sorry your having such a rough time ,, your post really touched me as I too am going through a really rough time ,, I have been stugging too with how to handle being in pain 24/7 ..I have many issues myself ,my c3c4c5c6 ruptured in my neck in a work accident . along with a failed neck surgery and back herniation up and down my spine.. along with ddd ,spinal stenosis central stenosis, dr testing me for ms,,, nerve damage and arm and leg problems .. It can be very depressing ,that I totally understand,, I have tried many medications and to be honest they work but they pain is always there ..There are days when the pain isnt to bad and I can sit outside and enjoy the sun shining (on my pale face)... but even when Iam stuck in bed I always try to remember that although it isnt as bright through my blinds ,the sun is there and life can and is beautiful and good . And even though we may feel alone and trapped in our bodies sometimes,are souls are always shining brightly ,.... take care sky and everyone ... sincerely Faith

I've been on every medication known to man and still seem to be in pain. This is a terrible disease to have. I'm confused like Sky. I go see a new pain management doctor on 04/01 or next Tuesday. I hope he understands Fibro and has something in mind that may help me.

Has anyone been presecribed Robaxin for Fibro. It's a muscle relaxor sort of like Flexeril. Comments about it's effectiveness?

I bought some in canada. It worked well enough and didn't give me a hangover like flexeril does. Made me a little drowsy but I only took it at night. I understand in Canada you can buy it with codeine in it.

I tried Lyrica for the Fibro which Ive had since 05 and I swelled up like the stay puff marshmallow. Funny, they don't tell you about those side effects.....LOL>

How long did you take Lyrica for Flyinghigh,if you dont mind me asking? Or more specifically,how long before you started to 'swell up'?

For me the swelling didn't even take 24hours, and I REALLY did look like the michelin man!!! I put on 31 lbs of water weight gain, it was awful. I was scared to death, I was convinced my doc was trying to kill me. I think that drug is USELESS for Fibro and it did nothing for me. I can't speak for everyone, but I think it's a joke.

Wow,24hours is quick.That almost sounds like an allergy.
I agree its a strange med.Sometimes it really helps me,and other times nothing at all,and at other times I can't tolerate it.I also think in a few years it will have a different reputation(a worse one).
Thanks Flyinghigh.

I have to second this side effect from Lyrica. My grandmother instantly gained a severe amount of water weight from it which dropped the minute that she quit taking it. The odd thing was that I had been on it a few months without much side effects and then I blew up. Even Lasix wasn't cutting it. Then I remembered my grandmother's reaction to Lyrica and stopped taking it. In one day alone I "dropped" 10 lbs of the water weight. My doctor was stunned as she hadn't heard of that happening. I agree that down the road this isn't going to be made into the wonder drug that it's being touted today. Unfortunatly I am afraid as others are that doctors will tell you that it is Lyrica or nothing for Fibro. Grrr! I am fortunate to have a very understanding PCP who is willing to work with me.

Did your dr give you something different to replace the Lyrica findanewway?

Has anyone with FM ever been prescribed Methadone for the pain,and if so did it help without too many side-effects?

I was just diagnosed in December, but have had the severe pain for about a year. My doctor is one that doesn't believe in prescribing opiates, too. I tried Cymbalta and Requip for RLS. I ended up sleeping for about 2 1/2 hours every afternoon. The Requip really did help me sleep, but the rebound in the afternoon was terrible. The Cymbalta made me so drowsy I could barely stay awake driving. Then, the doc added Wellbutrin to keep me awake. It didn't help.

So, my last visit, my doc prescribed Prozac (at my request) for the depression and Lyrica. I'm too scared to take the Lyrica, though. The side effects sound too awful. I asked for pain meds and my doc was very hesitant. She did end up prescribing Ultracet, but she prescribed 3/day and I really need 6/day to get real relief. I haven't called yet to up the dosage, though. Oh, and my insurance company will only cover 13 days worth at a time, so I have to keep going to the darn pharmacy every week!

I don't know why ANYONE would think the opiates don't help. My boyfriend's Lortab does wonders for my pain and doesn't knock me out at all. He's kind enough to share when I'm in really bad shape. I would LOVE to get a script for that.

Just popped in my mind. Do ROP's treat, prescribe for Fibro? Anyone treated by one for pain?

If so, this would be a fairly great option for those suffering.. Though I would imagine even the OCS docs might be hesitant on such a 'phantom' condition.