Fibromyalgia (and sister conditions)

Greetings, folks. I'm new. Hi.

My fiance has fibromyalgia, and a host of its sister conditions (rhumetoid and osteo-arthritis; chronic myofascial pain syndrome; irritable bowel; etc.. etc..), as well as endomytriosis. She's been on multiple prescriptions to help treat it, for years. (Currently, Zanaflex for muscle relaxant @ night, Robaxin @ day; Ultram (Tramadol, the only pain pill specifically recommended for firbo folk); Some analgesic/anti-inflamatory I don't remember; and Klonipin (Clonazepam.))

We're trying to find natural methods of helping with the issues... Especially the Endo (as it's really bugging her, lately, and we can not afford (nor can she take time off for it, until summer) another surgery).

So, lay on me all your natural tips and tricks for firbo and endo. Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, etc... are all welcome. Even "go out and pick {certain type} mushrooms" will be welcomed. We just want to find something that she can take that will help, because the prescriptions don't seem to be.

Thus far, she's tried MSM x3/day, but she hasn't noticed a major difference.

Any hope out there for my baby?

Thanks.
-E

 

http://www.shasta.com/cybermom/bacteria.htm

any help??

 

i have firbo too; my doc has me taking high doses of B-complex vitamins which seem to help with energy & i use a cream that is made with Glucosamine & MSM to rub on the sore spots - i get it at the local healthfood store. Also Co-Enzyme Q10 75mg daily, Acidophilus (non dairy form), NADH (NIcotinamide adenine dinucleotide). these help me a lot. Vitamin C is also a must. I'm also on an anti-depressant called Cymbalta that is supposed to help w/ the pain but even with the help i still have flare ups & need my muscle relaxers & vicodin. i haven't found anything that keeps me at 100% but it does make normal life tolerable. hope this helps. peace

 

has she tried dietary changes? I have those same auto-immune issues, and eliminating gluten from my diet and getting more exercise has helped more than anything else. Daily magnesium supplements also make a big difference for me. She should take just enough that it doesn't give her the runs. When I started taking the mag, I must have been really deficient, because I was taking twice what I currently take. The easiest thing with the best pay-off is to drink lots and lots of water. I'm talking two gallons a day. It really helps.

What worked the best for me was to find a specialist who surgically removed all the endo (he's done this twice now, and it's back again). But at least I had two incredible pain-free years afterwards. Second best was diet changes. These are major changes, and have to be a lifelong commitment. I tried the diet before, and didn't think wheat was a problem because my issues got worse when I eliminated it. Didn't know there's a withdrawal reaction if you cut it out too fast that is as bad if not worse than the reaction wheat causes. For me, wheat wasn't enough, I had to eliminate all gluten, even the smallest trace amounts from cross-contamination from food preparation. Other women have different problem foods, but gluten and dairy are very high on the list for most of us. Animal fat contains very high amounts of estrogen, as does anything with pesticides, herbicides, and certain preservatives, and should be avoided as well. Chlorine bleach is another thing I have to avoid. Birth control pills may releive symptoms, but the estrogen in them will feed the growth of more endo, and the problems will be as bad or worse as soon as you stop taking the pills. Other hormonal medications are only temporary fixes, and come with scary side effects, some of them permanent. Natural Progesterone cream helped me some, but came with unwanted side effects, though not as severe as taking the progesterone orally did. Wild Yam cream helped with my pms symptoms, and I think also made it possible for me to conceive my children. There are books written on this subject, some of them good, some not so good. What is so frustrating, is that it's different for each individual woman afflicted by this condition.

It is my personal opinion that my endo and other auto-immune malfunctions are all symptoms of a greater problem. I don't believe doctors will ever figure out how to treat these issues until they figure out what causes them in the first place, and they are looking in the wrong direction. for me, I believe that I inherited an inability to rid myself of certain toxins (dioxin, in particular) and that build up of toxins has led to these problems. I know that I suffer vaccine injury, too, and as soon as my baby is no longer nursing, I'm going to have chelation therapy. If it works for me, I'll shout about it from the rooftops!!

 

i've also found for the fibro, if i avoid the caffeine & the white sugar & flour that helps alot too. For the IBS, i've found out i'm lactose intolerant & that has helped with adjusting my diet.