Hi, I'm Dave a 53 year old man, who people say, looks like I'm 43, but I feel like I'm 73. Pain and fatigue have been plaguing me for years.

I live in Denver, CO. I'm originally from Wisconsin. I spent 6 years in Germany. Music is my passion and I go to many shows. I enjoy a very large variety of music. I love to discover new music. I like to try new food and see new places. I'm going to China for 3 weeks in October which is a lifelong dream of mine.

I've posted most of this bio on other threads but this looks like the right place to introduce myself. I'm new so I don't have any idea how often people post or respond to posts. That's why I kind of duplicated much of the same stuff on different posts. I'm kind of eager to talk with someone about this medical stuff.

I started having problems about 12 years ago and the last 5 have been awful. The worst is not knowing what the hell is wrong with me or what causes it. I've had problems with depression, anxiety, chronic pain, stiffness and severe fatigue. After all these years I'm fairly sure it's Fibromyalgia. I've suspected Lupus, osteoarthritis, just depression or maybe I'm going crazy, amongst other things in the past. [ I am so tired that lately I've been sleeping 15 to 22 hours a day.] I was in the Army and eventually was kicked out in 2004 after 13 years because of my medical problems. I do receive benefits.

Anyway, I have been taking Gabapentin for about 2 years. I just got a prescription for Lyrica today. I'm supposed to stop my 1200mg 3xday and start my Lyrica (don't have my dosage available now) tomorrow. I hope it helps. I never noticed much improvement with the Gabapentin, only some mild but bad side effects.

I also take Tramadol 50mg 3xday, Celebrex 200mg 1xday, Hydrocodone 10mg 3xday, and Cymbalta 60mg 2xday.

I would like to talk to other people who have had similar problems and to people with advise. I understand that Fibromyalgia is more common among women than men. That's good for me because I like to talk to women more than men anyway.

I have also been reading about Low Dose Naltrexon (LDN) and it's benefits for my symptoms. Has anyone tried it or know anything about it?

I will be happy to talk to anyone here. HI again.

I have been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy - in my feet and lower legs only. I do have pain in other areas of my body. I don't think this would be the right pace to post but this is where you, Mrs. D pointed me to on your welcoming reply (thank you for the warm welcome by the way).

My concern is that merely touching some of the areas of my body hurt, a lot, and I'm not even sure that I should go back to my Neurologist and talk to him about it.

Don't worry, I'll learn my way around and fall into the right places to post. Soon I hope

Here is the link to our PN forum.... I specialize in helping people heal when they have nerve problems. It can be done for some using certain nutrients and supplements.

This is our PN forum:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum20.html

At the top of that forum is the subforum with informational posts on it ...so you need to do some homework to learn about PN.

There are many causes of PN and if some involving life style can be changed, you can get better.

Thanks for the very interesting information. I love this when you post things that are helpful.

I tried the savella, it was a big mistake for me. I take something in every category except the night time sleeping one.

Donna

MRSD:

nice post.

one modification. If I remember right, it is the tender point analysis that is going to be eliminated as a requirement for FMS, not trigger point.

there is a nice summary of the recent Dr. Clauw talk at the "Phoenix Rising" site -- on its front page (although it does not mention anything about tender points or trigger points). I am a new member -- so I cannot post the Web address... just Google it and you'll find the article.

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Dr. Clauw discussed the "tender" (I thought he said trigger).
My mistake. I went back to the syllabus given us at that conference, and it is tender point. I'll correct my previous post.

Googling Dr. Clauw will bring up many new interviews I assume. He is a very good resource and his lecture was the best that day IMO.

Thanks for the heads up.

P.S. that conference which is held every spring is TEN hours LONG...all in one day. It is tough sitting thru it all! (especially with arthritis in my spine!)

Hope this post isn't too long, but since I have improved so much over the years I had to explain how. In my 40's I felt like 90, but now at 60 feel more like 50. Still can't work full time, but do work a demanding job 28 hours a week.
I have had fibro since 1985 and was diagnosed around 15 years later. My most prominent symptoms have been fatigue and severe muscle pain and stiffness which progressed to significant fibro fog over the years. Was finally diagnosed with clinical hypothyroidism (slow deep tendon reflexes, edema, etc) with almost normal thyroid blood tests and was referred by my endocrinologist to a book "from fatigued to fantastic" 2007 by Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D He discusses the links between CFS and FM and the role of mitochrondria. I have been on his recommended supplements: acetyl carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, CoQ10 (now on ubiquonone) with the addition of ginger since 2000 and after about 4 years, the rhuematologist that I saw was most impressed at how much the tender points had improved! I used Ribose for about 6 months, but did not see much change. I was an athlete but with children and work had been rather remiss about regular physical exercise. I started walking - in the beginning could walk about 1/4 mile before getting too tired and am now at the point where I can climb a bit in the White Mts! I try to walk about 7 miles a week. This is limited by work as much as fatigue. I no longer take any pain medicine on a regular basis.

Also was diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency (below 20) and with supplementation 5000 IU a day am now in the mid range.
Recently diagnosed with primary hypersomnia (a form of excessive daytime sleepiness) and take Nuvigil for this. Possible that the fog was from the hypersomnia and not fibro.

Summary: Fibro rx: alpha lipoic acid, acetyl carnitine, ubiquinone, ginger

Thyroid: armour thyroid
Vitamin D
General: Omega 3 fatty acids, Exercise and adequate sleep.
Pain at night definitely makes the fibro pain worse which ends up in a vicious cycle.

P.S. U.S.A. research seems to focus on pain, but other research abroad has done interesting work on mitochondria which can only use Ribose for energy. For some reason, people with fibro the mitochondria may have switched from the normal aerobic metabolic paths to anaerobic paths which results in a build up of lactic acid which then gives muscle pain.

I have had fibromyalgia for 18 yrs and essential tremor for 30 yrs. After many Dr.s, ad nauseum, I finally resorted to fentanyl patches for pain. Many feel that opioids are not effective, but for me it has been the only relief, with no side affects. I have used them for over 10 years and would like to discontinue this pain reliever in order to assess my current pain level. Unfortunately the patches are extremely addictive, a fact that has been of no concern to my many drs. My tremors are getting more disabling, but according to my dr.s, this is not a result of the fentanyl. I have my doubts. And the depression! Every day is challenge. Any thoughts/info about Fibromyalgia and essential tremor would be greatly appreciated.

Hello! I'm sorry you are having tremors. I have had FM for likely 20+ years, been on every med, allergic to most of them or ineffective, and also attended pain management for a month in early 2000s (was worth it at the time, but I'm far worse now with other issues). I have internal tremors as part of my small fiber neuropathy with TS-HDS antibody - a condition that validates FM. I also have Paroxysmal Hemidystonia - a movement disorder. Have you seen a movement disorder neurologist? They deal with tremor issues such as Parkinson's and dystonia, etc. Might be worth a shot. It took me about 10 neurologist and neurosurgeons to get to this doctor and only after I researched many medical journals and shared ideas with my doc. Be your own advocate! Good luck.

I've been diagnosed with Fibro, CF, IBS, Hormone Imbalance, and suspected of having Lyme disease. Have read the most about Lyme, and now I am starting to find out more about Fibro. Thanks for the information from the conference! I was especially interested to hear that chiropractic and massage help very little.

I have needed chiropractic adjustments for 7 years, almost every day at first, now a couple times a week. I suspect the Lyme bacteria has damaged my ligaments, and has compromised my ability to hold my adjustments. Has anyone else ever had this problem? I have tried so much, and am tired of being in this frustrating cycle. The pain and muscle tightness gets debilitating if I don't go back in for relief. ANY HELP OUT THERE?