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Archive through December 28, 2007

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Oct. 2007 ~ Dec. 2007: Health Center: Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain: Archive through December 28, 2007 users admin

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Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 7:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
MB, get yourself one of those damn old people seven days a week medicine boxes and put your pills in there for the week. At your age and living where you do, I know for sure you need the calcium and Vitamin D (I get the calcium pills that also have vitamin D in them. One less pill). And if the doc says you need the thyroid and iron, well, then you need them. Take them. Simple as that. Get used to using the pillbox, and it will make you take your pills if you can keep track of what day it is.

Sage, start exploring those options right now! That inheritance ain't going to do you any good if you are disabled by the depression.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 8:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
(((Sage))) I hope you find something that helps you get the meds you need. Thoughts and prayers going out to you

Sage
Member

07-20-2000

Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 10:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sage a private message Print Post    
Thank you Juju and Pamy. I have spent the last hour researching resources in my area for basic health insurance and physicians. I also looked at the Partnership for Prescription Assistance website, and will discuss that program with whatever doctor I choose. I am going home Monday, so after the holidays, I'll make all the necessarry calls to get this ball rolling.

I really thought I'd be ok without the prozac, but I guess I was wrong about that. It keeps the anxiety and depression at bay, so I need it.

Also, being diabetic, I really need a doc for that. And, who knows, perhaps a new doc will have some new ideas for treating the fibro too.

I have been in denial about how much health care I need for all these stupid ailments I find myself plagued with. Ugh.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 10:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
Sage, have you tried Corvalen, a vitamin supplement ? it has helped my fibro.

Sage
Member

07-20-2000

Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 11:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sage a private message Print Post    
No, I haven't, but I'll check it out for sure. Thanks.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 10:05 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
go to Corvalen.com it is cheaper there

some of us also take Calm, a magnesium sup, we mix them together. I get Calm at Needs.com

you can actually get both of them at needs.com if that is easier for your first order

Sage
Member

07-20-2000

Sunday, December 23, 2007 - 11:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sage a private message Print Post    
Thank you so much Pamy. I ordered both from needs.com. I'll report on how well it works for me.

Sharinia
Member

09-07-2002

Monday, December 24, 2007 - 7:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sharinia a private message Print Post    
Juju, glad to hear you don't have fibro. I am honestly amazed at how many ppl here do. It's freakin' epidemic.

How does one get banned from the hair thread lol ??

(lol pamy)

Mames, that is wonderful news - no RA!

Happy Holidays FFF


Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Monday, December 24, 2007 - 8:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
Sage, great! I cant wait to hear how you like them!!!

Shar, I know, I have heard more ppl say they have it in the last year than I have in the last 4 yrs, very weird.

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FFF!!!!! I wish you all a pain free day

Holly
Member

06-19-2005

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 1:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Holly a private message Print Post    
Help! My Fibro has been just awful the past few days--worse than it's ever been before actually. I spent 2 hours having acupuncture this morning but so far, don't feel any different (except I'm $85 lighter!!!!) and the pain is every bit as bad as it was beforehand. I'm now ready to try some of the supplements that some of you have had success with. Can you advise on what's worked for you and where to get it PLEASE. I don't remember feeling this miserable in a loooong time. :-( I even used muscle relaxers last night along with anti-inflammatory, to no avail.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 2:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
(((((Holly))))), I go for massages, and in between I use an electric massage mat. Also microwaveable heating pads on sore areas... or I alternate heat with ice depending on the spot for about 10 or 15 minutes appiece.

On my worst days I use muscle relaxants, for the stiffness, AND tylenol 3 (w/codeine) for the pain, and that helps quite a bit.

Hot baths... (or some say hot showers with the water hitting on the sore spots.) Personally I'm a bath person... and bath salts are very helpful too.

I am sooooo sorry you are in such tremendous pain hon. Hope you rally soon and feel better.

Gentle Hugs.

Holly
Member

06-19-2005

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 3:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Holly a private message Print Post    
Hi Mame, thanks for posting. Well...I had a one-and-a-half hour massage yesterday and then came home and soaked in epsom salts for a while (which helped for a bit).

I've been having weekly massages for about 3 months now, and it's just not helping anymore--in fact, I feel it's started to exacerbate the problem. I'm also wondering if the synthroid meds my doc put me on for hypothyroidism (about 3 months ago) are causing these muscle pains/spasms. Anyone have any info on side effects of thyroid meds?

I've spent thousands on this FM and general malaise in the last year, so I really think I need to take another approach and try taking something internally, rather than massage/energy work. I think Karuna and Pamy have had success with some supplements they take, so I hope they post about it and point me in the right direction re where to get them and how much to take, etc. I decided today (after my $85.00 shock--I had been expecting $50 at most) that I'm giving up on the massage and acupuncture route. It's gotten too expensive on a weekly basis and is showing no results anyway. <sigh> I've even used narcotic painkillers in the past week and a half, with no noticeable relief either.

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 3:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Holly, Pamy and I are taking Corvalen plus a magnesium supplement (called Stress Calm). Both can be found at www.needs.com.

There is excellent research that Corvalen diminishes both the pain and fatigue of Fibro and CFS. This is one of the treatments advocated by Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum ( and Dr. Oz of Oprah-fame).

To be honest, it hasn't really helped me with the pain much at all, but it certainly has helped my energy levels.

Since I've never been actually diagnosed with fibro, I'm kind of shooting in the dark. Well, one doc said he thought I 'might have fibro", one said definitely not, and another said it could be a kind of fibro, but it's not typical of fibro. Sigh.

At any rate, since I do have horrific muscle spasms/pain, I've sort of adopted the attitude that in case it is a 'kind of fibro' to try those types of treatment.

Mostly I have gotten relief from treating my sleep issues. That's helped more with the muscle spasms than anything!

Holly
Member

06-19-2005

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 3:41 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Holly a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Kar. The muscle spasms are relatively new for me but have been getting really bad when I lie down. Even during the massage and today during the acupuncture, when I have to lie on my back it gets really worse. I read back in the thread and went to the sites Pamy (I think) listed. They seem to list a lot of "Calm" products. Which one is it y'all use? Or should I just take the Corvalen on it's own do you think?

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 4:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Holly, I use magnesium for a couple of reasons - it calms anxiety and spasmodic muscles and it also helps with sleep. I also use it because the Corvalen by itself is just bland. I get "natural calm' in the raspberry lemon flavor, and fix half a teaspoon of that with one scoop of the Corvalen and dissolve it in very hot water (about 1/3 cup). I do that three times a day.

There is also a type of Corvalen (Corvalen-m I think) that has magnesium and something else in it - a bit pricier! You can just sprinkle that on food, or mix with any liquid I believe.

It does take about two weeks (per Teitelbaum) to see results, but I felt better in 4-5 days.

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 4:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Also, for anyone who is interested, I was able to record that radio show with Dr. Teitelbaum and Dr. Oz. I can try to transcribe the main points here - or... if anyone wants a copy I can download it to a cassette tape. Sorry, but I don't have the equipment to do a CD.

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 4:55 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
By the way, I don't know how you feel about it, but if you are in extreme pain, you may want to ask your doc about Lyrica. It really really helped me with the pain, and got me through until I could figure out some of these other longer acting supplements and sleep issues.

The downside to Lyrica, as I've posted, is that it can cause large weight gain. I gained almost 25 pounds in 6 months, and then went off it. I've lost 2 so far. :-)

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 4:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Holly hon, I was hoping that massage would do for you what it does for me... and I go a massage school where the senior students work on me under the sharp eyes of the instructors. The first gal was okay, but the young fellow is terrific and I always request him. Instead of about 90.00 for one massage with a pro, I pay either 25 bucks a massage or if I buy a package of 10 massages it comes to only 20 bucks a massage!

I'm glad Kar was able to give you the meds info you were seeking.

Keep us posted on how you are doing...

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 4:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Oh! And I understand that sugar can cause pain to worsen considerably, so could it be that you have been eating a lot of sugary stuff over the holidays? That might have worsened this flare up for you. Just a thought.

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 4:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
hiya Mame! Been meaning to ask you how your light was working out? Is it helping at all?

Holly
Member

06-19-2005

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 5:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Holly a private message Print Post    
Kar, too right on the sugar consumption rising drastically over the past week or so. And that's what the masseuse came up with yesterday too when we talked about what could have caused this bad exacerbation.
BTW, I would love a copy of the cassette if it's no trouble for you. Or if you want to transcribe that would be great too, but it seems like a lot of work for you. I can PM my address to you and let me know if I owe you for the tape if you decide to dupe it for me, please.

Mame, I've been getting massages for years now and they always helped in the past but this time, they seem to be making things worse. Then again, I can also trace this back to about the time I started taking synthroid and just getting progressively worse over the months until it's reached this point. I think I'm going to just stop the synthroid as I don't like what it's doing to my skin or nails either. I just don't feel right on the stuff.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 5:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Yikes Holly - do you have hyper or hypo thyroidism? I have hypo and am SUPPPOSED to be taking sythroid pills (low dossage)... It's among the many pills I'm supposed to be taking, but haven't bothered - uh, yet.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 5:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Kar, dh uses it every morning before he heads out to drive in the dark to work in the early morning. He says it definitely makes a difference. I love bright lights and I use it but where we have it, it's too far away to be of much therapeutic use to me, but the bright light cheers up the place, I get irritible in the gloom.

Not sure if that makes ANY sense... I'll try to be clearer. sigh.

We have the lightbox on top of our entertainment centre/tv stand. DH takes it down in the morning and puts it on the coffee table where he has his coffee while watching the traffic and weather report on tv. The plug wire is just fine for that. BUT where my desk is (where I spend my life, er, my day), it's too far for the plug wire... It's about a foot too short to do me any therapeutic good. So I keep it on top of the entertainment centre and keep it facing my desk and it's basically behind me and lights up my work area, which is nice. I also have a ton of other lights on too... so it is BRIGHT and cheery in here. Luv it!

Rubyroo77
Member

08-13-2005

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 5:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rubyroo77 a private message Print Post    
Holly- I am so sorry that you are hurting so badly..it's good you came here!

Have you had your thyroid checked recently? Perhaps you are on too much synthroid, or not enough. My chiro gets really upset with docs because they go by bloodwork..and not by how the patient feels best and on what dose.

One of my girlfriend's is on synthroid and she told the doc she was jittery and he said her thyroid was fine and should continue on the dose he prescribed. So she cut the meds down herself, and that's what was wrong, she was taking too much synthroid, and it was making her thyroid hyper. Do what you feel is best.

I hope you feel better..and remember- when you eat a lot of junk food, you need more magnesium/calcium. Magnesium is really good for you and for your heart, too!

Holly
Member

06-19-2005

Friday, December 28, 2007 - 6:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Holly a private message Print Post    
Thanks Rubyroo for the magnesium tip. And yes, my doc checked the thyroid after two months on the synthroid and put the dose up to 100 mcg from 75 mcg. I don't know where this dose places on the chart, if it's low dose or not. Anyone know?

Mame, I have hypo, same as you. But I really, really do not like this med and the side effects I'm having.