# What am i to do?



## TheInvisableGirl (Dec 21, 2008)

Hello all! I am new to all of this fobro stuff being that i was only hesitently diagnosed as of earlier this week and i need a little help. Im really not sure where to go for information or ideas. Ive tried a few websites but you have to pay to get the detailed info and i cant afford that on top of my other expenses which include a special wheat-free, glutem-free, nut-free, cow product/derrivative-free, preservative/dye-free diet for my IBS, my numerous percriptions, and just general living expenses. I cant really find anyplace else for support or info outside of here and there doesnt seem to be much since the system failure







. I dont know what to do.... im at a loss for words, information... everything. I'll take naythign you have web-sites, message boards, magazines, support groups, ect... Now ive heard of hot water therapy and yoga but i really dont care for yoga one bit and my cheap insurance company wont pay for water therapy (not a fan of water anyway) so is there anything else besides basic stretching i can do? I go back to my doctor after the new year and i want to get a hormone test for any deficientcies (my cycles have been of and my skin horrendous) which ive heard may be related to Fibro and to talk to her about something for the fogginess (ive been hearing alot abotu small doeses of adderal???) other than that im cluless so if anyone has any experiance id be more than gratefulfor the advice. XOXONatalia


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Hello and welcome to the forum!







Just in case you haven't checked it out yet, I'll suggest our Fibromyalgia FAQ. It contains some of the information that might help answer some of your questions.The general course of treatment for Fibro is tailored to each patient, and is generally done by making a list of (for example) your worst 5 symptoms. Then, you begin treating 1 symptom at a time. So, for example, if leg pain is #1 on your personal "worst symptom list", you can start trying to find something to help with your specific pain. You could try checking out a Yoga video from your local library, many patients have found that it helps some. You could also try to do some massage techniques at home, some general stretching, and even some light strength training to try to build up the muscle strength. You can even try some different pain medicines. Start with over the counter meds and see if they do anything for you. You could also try using some braces, or other medical devices. If your wrists or knees give you trouble, try out using a brace during the day, and an immobilizer at night. You don't need an Rx for them, and can pick them up at most pharmacies, or ask a family member if they have one gathering dust in the closet from an old injury. Some patients even find some pain relief by taking a hot shower, or warm bath, especially before bed, or from using a "bed buddy" - a microwavable tube with rice in it that puts out gentle moist heat. (You can put them in the freezer too.) If you google it, you can probably even find the directions to make your own - they're easy to make, cheap to make, and last for a long time.The Arthritis Foundation (found here: http://www.arthritis.org/ ) also has some nice information on Fibromyalgia. Type "Fibromyalgia" into the search box, and check out the results. At one time, they had a light exercise video targeted towards Fibro and Arthritis patients.There is also a book called "The Fibromyalgia Handbook". I can't vouch for it as I've never read it, but you could look for that at your local library too, and any other books they might have on Fibro.Now, if your worst symptom is fatigue, or insomnia, you could start working on that. There's a great book that I swear by called "No More Sleepless Nights". Look for it at your library, or try for a used copy on Amazon. It will help you figure out what things you can do for yourself to help improve your sleep. It covers sleep hygiene (the things we do during the day and right before bed) and pharmaceuticals. It helps you chart your own sleep so you can find different patterns in what might be helping or hurting your sleep habits.If you keep good records, eventually you'll see that you've made at least SOME progress on your first symptom. Then, you can move on to the next symptom. The variety of symptoms makes it hard to be able to say just do X and Y for every Fibro patient. But if you can focus on specific symptoms, you can tailor your own treatment to what you most need at the moment. This is a lot of info to post at once, so I'm sorry about that! But, at the same time, I know there is lots of information that I'm forgetting. If you have any particular symptoms you'd like help with, please feel free to post them. And if I can remember any other more general information, I'll add it here. I hope this gets you off to a good start for now!


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## TheInvisableGirl (Dec 21, 2008)

Thank you! I will begin looking at the links now. I could use the disraction as i am currently dealing with my lifes resident @$$ [email protected] (exuse me for that please).


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

How are you feeling these days? About the same?I'm hoping that you at least now have more or less a direction to look in, so you can start trying to move forward with some kind of treatment regimen. Hope your new year will be getting off to a good start!


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