fibromyalgia

New FDA approved Fibro. Medication

2009-06-25T19:45:00Z

Savella (milnacipran HCl) is a prescription medicine recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management of fibromyalgia¹ — a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and tenderness.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SAVELLA
Read the Medication Guide >

Read the full Savella Prescribing Information >

Read the press release about the FDA approval of Savella >
- ¹Savella Prescribing Information. Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc. St Louis, Mo.

Fibro Fog

2009-06-23T21:56:00Z

I hate having FibroFog......I may have something on the tip of my tongue, but can't think of it! It may come to me hours later. Here is an article about things we can do to help our memory. I try to do some each day.. I still have Fibro Fog....

10 Tips to Improve Your Memory

Try the ideas on this memory tip list to give yourself a brain boost.

By Diana Rodriguez

Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

Having trouble remembering appointments, items you need at the grocery store, or where you put your keys? Everyone has moments when something slips their mind. If this has been happening to you with increasing frequently, try doing a few easy brain exercises each day to help improve memory.

Luckily, mental workouts can be just as effective for your brain as physical workouts are for your body.

Memory Tip: 10 Ways to Improve Memory

Start with the first tip and then add one more idea each day to help improve your memory:

Focus on what you're trying to remember. Take time to think about what you need to remember, whether it's a list of names, chores, or items to buy. Spending a few moments actively processing your thoughts can make it easier to recall what you need to remember in the future.
Link your list. Try to remember several things or ideas at once by linking them together in your mind. If you want to memorize your grocery list, for instance, connect the items you need together with a specific image or action in your head. Imagine you're in your laundry room holding a container of detergent, then walk into your kitchen to get some bread and milk, then move to the bathroom to replenish the toilet paper.
Personalize your list. Organize lists into short, manageable sections, and try to connect items to something that's easier for you to remember. Improve memory by linking lists of numbers, for example, to personally relevant dates like your birthday or interesting historical dates.
Create a visual image. If you're trying to remember someone's name, visualize an object that will help remind you in the future. Think of summer for a woman named June or a cat for someone named Catherine.
Create an acronym. Train your brain to remember items in a specific sequence by creating a word to represent the objects. Try using the first letter of each item on your shopping list to form a word. For instance, MOST can stand for milk, oranges, soap, toilet paper.
Use all of your senses to help improve memory. Afraid you're going to forget your next hair appointment or dinner with a friend? Verbally list your appointments out loud and then think about the softness of your hair after a salon visit and the aroma of the food at your favorite restaurant to help solidify the dates in your mind.
Write it down. Even if you don't actually use your list or a note to remind you of an appointment, simply writing the information down will help your brain retain it.
Create a rhyme. How did you learn the alphabet or the number of days in each month when you were little? You probably learned them with the help of a song or rhyme. Try doing the same thing with names, appointments, and lists.
Make it manageable. Organize a long list into shorter lists that are easier to remember. Instead of trying to remember a dozen different items, create four mini-lists with only three things you need to remember from each.
Be positive. Don't doubt yourself — our brains can often do more than we realize. Regularly practice these tips to help improve memory, and you'll be amazed by how much more you can remember.

Memory Tip: 4 Brain Exercises

There are a number of other ways you can strengthen your memory. Try these strategies and exercises to keep your brain and memory sharp:

Be organized. Keep lists and notes, and maintain an appointment book.
Challenge your mind and body. Try new physical and mental activities like yoga, ballroom dancing, tai chi, or chess.
Play mind games. Do crossword puzzles, read as much as possible, and play games like Scrabble or sudoku.
Keep yourself guessing. Stimulate your brain by taking an unusual route to work or by using your opposite hand to do simple activities like placing your key in the door, putting on makeup, stirring your food, or brushing your teeth.

Forgetting things can make you feel flustered and disorganized. But regular workouts for your mind can improve memory and boost your overall brain power. Once you figure out which memory tips work best for you, it’s possible that you’ll never forget a name, birthday, or that last item on your grocery list ever again.

Learn more about mental fitness.

Types of Chronic Pain

2009-06-23T21:50:00Z

I subscribe to a Free Health Newsletter. I get lots of good information from it. This is a recent article I got which explained some basics of Chronic Pain in a way I had not seen before.

Types of Chronic Pain

Kamiah A. Walker
Medical Writer
SpineUniverse
Wheaton, IL

Sign up for our FREE eNewsletter, SpineAdvisor, where you will find more articles about understanding and living with chronic pain.

Chronic pain falls into a couple of broad categories. These categories help doctors treat the pain because every type must be approached and treated differently. The generally accepted forms of chronic pain are:

neuropathic pain: Pain caused by damage to or malfunction of the nerves themselves.
nociceptive pain: Nociceptors are the receptors in the nervous system that get activated when there's an injury. If there isn't an injury from outside the nervous system, the nociceptors aren't active. Nociceptive pain, then, is pain caused by an injury to something other than the nerves. In chronic pain, though, the nociceptors may still be sending pain messages long after the original injury has healed.

Neuropathic Pain
The peripheral nerve system includes all the nerves that lead to and from the spinal cord. These nerves transmit pain signals to the brain. If they're injured, neuropathic pain may develop—pain caused by injury to the nerves themselves. You may also hear the term peripheral neuropathy, which is another way to say neuropathic pain since it is damage to the peripheral nerve system.

Damage to the central nervous system can also trigger neuropathic pain.

Chronic neuropathic pain can be especially challenging to treat because it can be difficult to pinpoint where and how the nerves are damaged.

Nociceptive Pain
Nociceptive pain is caused by an injury or disease to a part of the body. It's called nociceptive pain because the injury or disease stimulates the nociceptors, which are the receptors on the nerves responsible for transmitting pain messages from the affected area. The various types of chronic nociceptive pain are:

somatic pain: Soma means "body," so somatic pain comes from injuries to the outer body—skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints, bones, etc. It's generally easy to identify where somatic pain comes from, and the pain can be sharp or throbbing (depends on what part of your body is injured).

Bone pain is a somatic pain. Bones can ache. If the bones have been weakened by another condition, such as cancer or osteoporosis, then you can have a very achy and very intense dull pain.

Bone pain can also be acute: if you break a bone, for example, that is acute pain. If the bone heals but you still have a throbbing pain (it may be constant or it may come and go), that can be considered chronic bone pain.

Muscle pain is a somatic pain. Chronic muscle pain is more than a strained muscle. Your muscles may have a chronic muscle spasm that causes them to be tense. This form of muscle overload can cause long-lasting pain, especially in the back.

Muscle pain can also develop as part of certain chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia.
visceral pain: Your viscera are your internal organs—specifically those contained in your abdomen and chest cavity. The stomach is an example of a visceral organ. Not every organ has nociceptors, so not every internal organ can send pain messages if it's been injured (the lungs, for example, don't have nociceptors).

However, if you injure an organ that has nociceptors, you will probably feel a deep, achy pain, and it will be hard to pinpoint where the pain is coming from. Visceral pain can also have referred pain. That means that the brain can't distinguish the pain from the organ from pain from another part of your body. For example, if you have a kidney problem, your low back may be painful.

Figuring out what type of chronic pain you have may be a difficult process, especially since many types of chronic pain may not come from any noticeable injury or disease. Also, since pain is such a subjective experience, you must be thorough in describing your pain to the doctor. Working together, you and the doctor can figure out the best way to deal with your chronic pain.

You can learn more about living with pain at Everyday Health, a SpineUniverse partner.

Last Updated: 06/19/2009

Continue Reading: Anatomy of Chronic Pain

Darn you tasty spicy chicken sandwich!

2008-08-09T20:48:00Z

I thought it might help some, and to remind myself in the future as I've made this mistake before and forgotten. Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich and fries will destroy you. I felt all right last night, perhaps a bit of restlessness but not bad heartburn, then I went to sleep two hours later. This morning I had a distinctly horrid flareup, waking up on my belly, rips aching to the touch, chest and upper belly like something died within. This flareup is particular, I knew I had felt it before and usually ascribed it to alcohol, but alas, I wasn't drinking when I got the spicy chicken craving, it was all the Wendy's this time. And thus I warn all, avoid that the ginger girl's demon chicken sandwich at all costs.

fibro and meds

2008-06-14T04:08:00Z

hi im tammy,

i have suffered with fibromyalgia for about 6 years. this is such a difficult disease to cope with for so many reasons. there are still so many doctors who don't believe in fibro, so if i get a really bad flare-up and can't get ahold of my doc, i take a risk going to urgent care, never knowing which doc i will get. i have kaiser and there are only so many that work at the urgent care center and i know right away if i am going to get any help or if i am going to be treated like i'm drug seeking. i really am blessed though i have a great doc. all she cares about is makeing sure that i am comfortable.we have gone round and round though trying to find the right combination of meds.i have tried,darvocette,norco,dilauded,ultram,morphine,fentynal patches,and we have finally settled on methadone, with morphine for break through pain.it is by far the best thing i have ever tried.i am so grateful to have a doctor who really cares about me and doesn't give up easily. here is to hopeing you all find the kind of doc i have

mqy the grqce of Jesus Crist the Lord be with you always

How to lubrigate your joints from inside

2008-05-21T23:02:00Z

For the past 3 weeks I have eaten one avacado each day. A week after I started this I felt more comfortable deep down where the pain gets excrutiating. I still get my usual pains, but I have found a "smoother" feeling when I move around. It is difficult to describe. Anyway, I just wanted to share this with my fellow fibro computer buddies. Let's put it this way. I get much better results from eating the avacados than I did from taking flaxseed oil and fishoils. I had been taking these oils for quite a while. Now I feel like I don't have to buy the oils anymore. One other thing I wish to share: Effexor is one of my meds for pain and depression. I was starting to get agitated from it, so I take half the dose when I go to bed. This way, when I wake the next morning I can get up and put my coffee on so much easier. Effexor acts as a stimulent for me. So, with my slow metabolism the night time dosing helps in the morning. I hang on to this med with dear life because it gives me good relief of pain and helps me have more energy during the day. I finally don't have to be in bed most of the time because of this fabulous med for me. I consider it a miracle drug for me personally. Thankyou Disaboom for being in my life. Disaboom has been wonderful for me not to feel so terribly isolated since I don't go anywhere. Love to all of you at Disaboom and your wonderful blogs to read.. Thankyou, Grandmadeb

One Day At A Time

2008-05-14T13:18:00Z

Look, I have been looking to talk to a Rabbit Lady or a Wendi, I recieve there emails all the time....I just want to say that we have to put our heads together and find out what works best for all of us.. Sure, our pains are different, but we have the same goal.....Personnaly, I have not had a good day in around 2 weeks. I stopped counting. But most important, I will not give upp... the pain is so great somedays I just want to end it...I am frustrated like you all. I cannot do the things I use to do at all...One thing I do do. for the women...I put on a Happy Face, makeup, even a little. It makes you feel better...I do walk with my walker around the high school track at least 2 times a week. and bellieve me some days are so painful, that my husband litterally pushes me the rest of the way, I get really slow at walking beacause of the pain. My biggest fear is to end up in a scooter and not be able to walk again....I feel like I am on a roller coaster and I can't get offf.

I feel for Wendi, My kids are grown and on there own. I sometimes wish my husband would read some ot the stories, so he would n't think I am crazy with the pain....

Have a Good Day Just Believe and just take it One Day at A Time

Mary beth

Fibromyalgia, & Natural Medication

2008-04-18T22:16:00Z

I have tried a form of acupressure which helps by stimulating the hormones this in turn releases chemicals into the body which and can boost your energy levels, unfortunately for me it only worked the first 2 times. As most of your hormones are based in the pancreas and I am diabetic (my pancreas don’t work properly) it was not going to work for me, the guy I went to see was very honest and up front. But I can say it did work for me so it was worth having a go. I am trying Homeopathy at the mo that to has made a difference as I was having a lot of irritable gut problems. Pauline who I see is very nice and desperately want to help me improve. The reality of FMS is its never going to go away but it is possible to make if easier to live with. Another help has been a product I take called Ambrotose the website is https://www.mannatech.com/Country.aspx there are a lot of people with all sorts of illnesses have benefited from taking it. The reason I started taking this product is: In August 05 I was diagnosed with Diabetes and although I was treated for this my other symptoms where not happy and I just went down hill by the January of 06 I can only describe as if I was dieing, dramatic maybe but that’s how it felt. I new about this product but not working because of the illness I was put off by the cost. But out of desperation I started taking it and with in a few weeks I felt a difference. I took a few months to make a real difference but I can say it does work. They say you should give it at least four months to let it get into your system. It works by providing the body with nutrients it needs to heal or help it self. Some people have had great benefits from it, others say it made no difference but it’s worth a try.

mike

Polyarthralgia & Fibromyalgia

2008-04-18T20:43:00Z

What is Polyarthralgia; this is from what I was told a general inflammation of the joints. This was my diagnosis after a year of tests could not find all the other nasties out there. The main one they looked for was Rheumatoid Arthritis, a lot of my symptoms pointed to this but nothing showed up in my blood so as it was not confirmed the diagnosis was Polyarthralgia.However looking at RA symptoms this is what I got, but i do know some people that have this and it was the same for them one friend had it for ten years before it showed up in there blood. For others it has still not shown up, not knowing I believe is worse then knowing as there is always the possibility that it may be something worse.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that involves inflammation of the joints and joint pain. I take Nabumetone this works within reason although there are some nasty side effects to this drug so I don’t know what I may be in for in the future.I was also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia yet another type of pain to deal with I been told that this may be caused by (leaky gut syndrome) you may want to look that up. This can induce fatigue and tiredness cause legs and arms to feel like lead or that you have just done a marathon, when you have only just got up out of bed. In fact I tend to wake up more tired then I was going to bed.The pain and the fatigue are very debilitating they take the very life out of me at times and the sad thing is this is not who I am, I suppose that the strangeness that other people feel when they look in the mirror, it like one person described life they said even though I am 80 years old I still see myself as a 20 year old I still want to do the things of a 20 year old but my body just wont go with it.The biggest gripe I have while I'm at it LOL is when people say "But you look so well" boy does that grind me. As if I put this on for attention seeking, if I was look in for attention I think there are a lot better ways.One of the sad effects is my reduce activity with my family not being able to interact with them at play, my son plays golf something that I started a year or two before this happened and now I cant even get around the course on a scooter with him, Although I will try a day out with a proper golf cart in the summer as a treat more expensive but I guess its what you got to do. Another sad effect for me is not being able to work, who would employ someone who can only do 3 - 4 hours a week at intervals that are unpredictable. Any level of stress makes it worse so I can only see it being worse to try then not to. Then you got the problems of the state benefit system, and the "We don’t believe you cant work" attitude is it any wonder why people in our condition are petrified of even finding out if we could do some work. I was earning nearly £30K when this happened and now would be on between £40 and £60K as the demand for my skills has gone through the roof. I think that’s just a bit more then my benefits. LOL.Life sucks at times and looking through a window and the same four walls all the time it can suck for most of it.Sorry if your depressed even more buy now, but I am sure you to feel the weariness of illness. I am going to write another blog on my boat trip last year, It was just a day out with friends but the sun was up the sky was blue it was a hot day and it was great and the fact that I'm still talking about it says something about how good it was. I even wrote a song about the boat going along the canal for my friends who own the boat.

Mike

Hi I'm New to this group

2008-04-18T20:39:00Z

Hi My Name is mike I,m new to this group, I'm 41 with FMS and RA symptoms and Diabetes

I generally have pain in one joint or another. Around the house I don’t use a stick unless I'm in real trouble, or if I am only going a short distance, depending on terrain or how bad i am that day. But If I am out for longer periods then I take it as the pain just gets worse. The other side of this is my hands, my hands are always in pain and some inflammation, so using my sticks can make this a lot worse. I wish I could say my disability is not going to stop me but it already has, just how much though well that depends on where I am going. I tend to look at where I am going or being invited to by analyzing it, this is more of a subconscious thing. If its just keeping some one company then if I not to bad that day I will probably go along, if not then I will stay and reserve my self for some thing else. a show or a day out. That way when I suffer afterwards for the activity I don’t mind so much.Not always using my stick or sticks seems to cause a lot of confusion to people, they can look puzzled,
Oh your feeling better NO its just that I am only going a short distance to and from my car. Or We missed you last week where were you, I was laid up in the house because I was in such pain and feeling sick either because of the illness or the meds.People don’t see the times when I crawl up the stairs or shuffle down because my hips or knees or feet are inflames and pain. Or when I cant eat a meal because my jaw is inflamed and I struggle to even drink, or when I cant even hold a cup. That’s just the way life is I didn't ask for it but I have it, I except it why cant you. I know other disabled people that are in a bad way worse then me in ways and they have suffered for longer, there family have been a strength to them as mine have to me and at the end of the day that’s what counts. So from me a big thank you to all the carers and families who give of them selves to help there loved ones in there hour of need, for giving encouragement, for holding a hand or shedding a tear.As for those with the negative waves I say Bye bye. It was nice knowing you.

Mike

Member Introductions

2008-03-25T00:40:00Z

Are you new? Introduce yourselves to everyone here!

Name:
Patient or Loved one:
Diagnosis:
Age of Onset/Diagnosis:
Current Age:
Anything Else:

Fibromyalgia and CFS Patients Connection

2008-03-25T00:39:00Z

Are you diagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome?

If you are looking to connect with other patients, share a little about yourself here!

Partners & Caregivers Connection

2008-03-25T00:37:00Z

Are you the partner or caregiver of a person with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome?

Let us know here if you are looking to connect with other partners or caregivers!

fibromyalgia

New FDA approved Fibro. Medication

Introducing Savella^™

Now FDA Approved for the Management of Fibromyalgia

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAVELLA

Fibro Fog

10 Tips to Improve Your Memory

Try the ideas on this memory tip list to give yourself a brain boost.

Types of Chronic Pain

Types of Chronic Pain

Darn you tasty spicy chicken sandwich!

fibro and meds

How to lubrigate your joints from inside

One Day At A Time

Fibromyalgia, & Natural Medication

Polyarthralgia & Fibromyalgia

Hi I'm New to this group

Member Introductions

Fibromyalgia and CFS Patients Connection

Partners & Caregivers Connection

fibromyalgia

New FDA approved Fibro. Medication

Introducing Savella™

Now FDA Approved for the Management of Fibromyalgia

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAVELLA

Fibro Fog

10 Tips to Improve Your Memory

Try the ideas on this memory tip list to give yourself a brain boost.

Types of Chronic Pain

Types of Chronic Pain

Darn you tasty spicy chicken sandwich!

fibro and meds

How to lubrigate your joints from inside

One Day At A Time

Fibromyalgia, & Natural Medication

Polyarthralgia & Fibromyalgia

Hi I'm New to this group

Member Introductions

Fibromyalgia and CFS Patients Connection

Partners & Caregivers Connection

Introducing Savella^™