I am 35, Diagnosed with Fm and have had herniated disk 3x this year(due to work and excessive lifting). About 8 months ago I started having pain in my joints that throbbed and ached. Then in my elbows, on top of the pain I have been having stinging running from the joints down my arms. i cannot move my hands, feet or ankles in the morning. it feels like my skin has been pelled so tight it will tear. They are so stiff, my husband moves them until i can. My knees constantly throb. My Rhuemy put me on Cymbalta and tramadol. Back in Feb. I told him that the meds were not helping.He literally interrupted me after looking at the rash on my hands and feet and said anyways. I will see you in August. This was after he checked my blood and my Crp levels were elevated to 1.6. He rechecked them a month later and they were 1.8. Just the Fibromyalgia he said. I spend each day in severe pain. If not for the herniated disk I wouldn't have had any pain meds that worked at all. At that I had a whopping 40 pills for the last 5 months. What fun! That and the siatica was great to add to the mix. The predisone seemed to help but I hate the weight gain and am not on it very long. I need to know if anyone knows what is wrong and if anyone has leads to a good Dr. in Indianpolis or nearby. I need one that will do what it takes to get me back to me and to my kids. i hate this life right now. I want to wake and not be in pain and frustrated. Thanks for any info. Sorry so long. Heather

What is the rash like?
Any swelling, color changes of the skin?
Skin sensitivity?? - temperature changes, breezes, touch?

If so you might want to read about RSD also called CRPS - we have a forum here - http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum21.html

any thing can set if off like a minor injury, surgery, or sometimes nothing.
Some of the RSDers have FM also.

If you have a work comp claim for your work related injury we have a forum for that too.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum30.html

Hi Heather, I hope I may be able to help.
My daughter has severe M.E., and is very much into research on her illness and health in general, including my muscle and joint pains.
The best thing that we have found for my pain relief is magnesium oil.
I've been on it for just a month and have had an amazing absence of muscle soreness for the past 2 weeks.
Have a read about it on-line, see what you think.
Here's a start:
http://web.mit.edu/london/www/magnesium.html

Bear in mind that if you use it, you MUST take also:
600g calcium
2g vit C
fish oil
multi vit with minerals.

This is the first supplement, of the many I've tried, that has had a noticeable effect, and of course beneficial.
Still find it hard to believe, after 20+ years of treatments.
Remedial massage is the only thing that comes close, but doesn't get to the cause, which the mag oil does.

Heather,

I live in Indianapolis. If you want PM me, and I can give you the names of the docs I use for my spinal issues as well as Central Pain Syndrome.

Hey Peter,

You can also take mega magnesium this has all the other things needed in it to absorb properly and is a lot cheaper than adding other things to the mix.

Or you can take 600mg Magnesium Oratate & 600mg of Calcium Oratate the Calcium helps with a much more powerful absorbtion of the Magnesium. I've been taking these now for a number of years and they really work well.

The Magnesium oil is wonderful and can be sprayed on the skin and absorbed that way if you can't stomach it,

Cheers,

Rhian

Hi Rhian, thanks for the info.
I've been taking too much orally in one go, so i now put 1/2 teaspoon of the oil in a 600ml flask and drink that throughout the day. Much gentler on the stomach.
I'm so pleased to have found this as it really does make a huge difference to my muscle pain.
Of course, feeling better, I've overdone it today!!

Mama,

Has your doc said it is okay for you to continue to do the work and excessive lifting that you do ?