This is just a list of the things I can remember that I have tried for fibromyalgia since it started in 2001, and a brief history. Please keep in mind, Fibromyalgia is different for everyone. Some of these things help for some people, or at least that's what I've heard. If you have a food intolerance or vitamin deficiency, then a certain diet will almost definitely help the pain at least a little bit.
Diets (none ever helped): Gluten free, meat free, whole
grain, dairy free, sugar free, caffeine free, paleo, Atkins, low sodium, Weight
Watchers, tomato-free (three full years), all natural organic
Vitamin Supplements (none ever helped): Multivitamins, fish oil, calcium, b-12, vitamin D, iron
Exercises (all made the pain worse): Yoga, Pilates, Water
aerobics, tai chi, meditation, ballet
Medications: Tylenol 3 (helped a tiny bit, very briefly), Tramadol (helped a tiny bit, very briefly) Lyrica (did not help the pain), Savella (did not help the pain), Cymbalta (did not help the pain), Fentanyl (absolutely nothing), Butrans (helped the pain a lot, still have pain though, and very expensive), Norco (helps the pain just enough to be significant), various antidepressants (never help the pain)
Other: Salt Baths (helps a tiny bit while I’m actually in
it), Massages (Help in a normal people way, not a fibro way? lol), Plexus (did
nothing), Juice Plus (did nothing), Weight Gain (from 118 to 145 over the span on a few years, made no difference in pain), Weight Loss (back down to 123, made no difference in pain), Physical Therapy (did not help, occasionally just hurt more), Ice (never helps), Heat (sometimes helps a tiny bit)
History:
Born with turned-in feet, slept in braces as an infant. I was never an incredibly energetic kid, I
appreciated bedtime. That’s not to say I
wasn’t active, just not energetic.
Always had pains, thought they were growing pains. Started ballet when I was 3. The pains got really bad in one ankle when I
was 11, then moved to the opposite shoulder as well. Saw a few doctors, went to
physical therapy which did not help. Had
to quit dance when I was 12 because the pain had gotten so bad. First diagnosed with fibromyalgia at Scottish
Rite when I was 13, but it was “unofficial” because I was “too young” to
diagnose for sure. Saw a million
doctors. Married at 18 and moved to
North Carolina. Started getting migraines,
prescribed daily Propranolol for the migraines which prevents me from getting
them almost entirely. Also diagnosed
with Endometriosis after diagnostic laparoscopy in October 2009, consistent
birth control (Yaz, skip placebos, immediately start next pack) helps a
lot. Re-diagnosed with fibromyalgia in
North Carolina in 2011. Moved back to
Texas in 2013. Continued working out as regularly as I possibly could, which
was less and less over time, until finally in 2015 the pain got so bad I could
not exercise at all anymore, beyond everyday things (cleaning, grocery
shopping, etc.). My primary doctor was
treating me with Norco, wasn’t helping enough, switched to Butrans. Literally life changingly helpful, went from a 7-8 on the pain scale most days to 4-6. Haven't been below a 4 in at least 7 years.
