I've got the whole constellation of ailments going on too. I developed Sjogren's syndrome January 1997 and fibromyalgia just two months later. I have no idea which illness is causing the neuropathy in my limbs or if it is a separate problem altogether.

I do suspect, though, that my bodywide nerve pain which is constant (though luckily mostly in the background, like white noise) may be the result of fibromyalgia. I have gotten so used to it that I hardly ever notice it unless it gets better, which it has, briefly, in response to medication on three occasions since 2002. Unfortunately, the pain came roaring back after only a few months each time and quit responding to any meds after that.

One reason you might want to see a rheumatologist: to find out if your fibromyalgia is secondary to an autoimmune disease. If so, you may find that if you can manage the autoimmune disease, the fibromyalgia will improve as a result. Sounds weird, but it's like the fibro "feeds" off of other ailments that cause pain.

If you have chronic myofascial pain, it is a disease in which your muscles develop knots in them. These knots are known as trigger points, and when they are pressed, they will send pain signals traveling to other parts of the body, like when a tight neck muscle shoots pain or numbness into your hand. I manage this with massage in which the therapist physically works the knots out of the muscles so that range of motion is restored.

You can also do self-massage to get rid of trigger points. Try "The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook" by Claire Davies. And to find out more about the relationship of fibromyalgia to chronic myofascial pain, read "Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain" by Devin Starlanyl.

A word on meds. Fibromyalgia in isolation is not generally inflammatory in nature, so stuff like Voltaren might not help a lot. But if you have a concurrent ailment that does cause inflammation (another reason to see a rheumatologist), you'll need to address that.

I take Meloxicam for arthritis cause by Sjogren's. All I can tolerate that really seems to help the fibromyalgia specifically is Baclofen, and I limit its use due to side effects. But there is a huge amount of variation from person to person as to what works for fibromyalgia.

Hope something in here makes sense. Our bodies can be such complicated mazes.

fanfaire
:cool:

Thanks for your reply. I understand. I have tenderspots all over that I often refer to as globs of tissue. When pressed they radiate pain everywhere. Exercise,sleep,& swimming sure helps me alot.

One of my biggest issues is that I don't sleep well enough because I take Beta Blockers. I need the beta blockers because I have a bit of anxiety,HBP, & I also was going tachy.

On the rare occassion in which I get enough "refreshing sleep", I wake up and I feel like I can move mountains. I'm full of energy and I am equal to anything.This is without any regulare pain meds too.

But since most of the time I don't sleep enough, I wake up with headcahes,fatigue,in pain, and the list goes on....

My GP thinks that I need to stay on the BB and I tend to agree for now.

beta blockers
 

Hi Aussie,

I've taken beta blockers for years for heart arrythmias - when I first started on them I took took at night and went from sleeping like a stone to having wild nightmares - finally found out that was a side affect - now I take half in AM and half around 6PM and no more nightmares - worth a try?

Hi Karen
 

I take my meds at 7am,and then again at 3pm. I used to take at 5 or 7pm,and that was entirely too late. From what I hear from so many BB's are well known for causing fatigue and insomnia.

How much BB do you take and what kind?

Aussie
 

Hi - I was originally prescribed 60 mg/day - I was able to get away with 20 mg a day until I got PN - now its up to 40 - and I keep it close by all the time in case of tachy attack - and pop another 20 mg - which will usually stop the tachy in between 15 to 45 minutes.... the less med the better - that stuff keeps your heart from beating faster when it should - as you know - and also makes you dizzy when you stand up....

Aussie Again
 

Sorry - forgot to add - I take Corgard (Nadolol) - they tried calcium channel blockers but they just made me pass out (this is when I was otherwise healthy), so these seem the easiest to tolerate...:) (also, I dont know how bad of attacks you get - but my cardiologist had me get a wrist monitor so I can watch the pulse instead of trying to count - makes it very easy and I just lie flat on the floor until they let up)

Now that I think about it...
 

I was originally put on beta Blockers because my original neuro had put me on a tryciclic which caused palps and tachy.

I then at some point developed sever panic/anxiety which caused the feeling of tachy, so they kept me on the Beta blockers.

I may not even be tachy anymore.

Aussie
 

Trycyclics will do that - thats why I cant try them for PN... but if they cant find any heart issues - maybe best thing to do to ask doc if you can go off them and try something more appropriate for what you are being treated for? I know withouth my beta blockers if I even miss a dose I start getting tachy - so unforutnately I'm stuck with them - but - the less meds the better and ifs theres something that would be more on point for you???????

The only problem I am now having and the reason I got stuck on the Beta Blocker is because it's so fast acting. I have high blood pressure and I need medication. Around 2 pm it starts to crawl up, so what I do is take an extra 50mg of metapropal and problem solved, and I can continue working.

It's cheap and it works fast. 100 50mg pills only costs $11.00

My other BP med is quite dear, and only lasts about a month maybe less and costs $22.00

So the issue is that just like every person with HBP the meds are very effective all day,and my mid afternoon BP starts to rise again. I need to quickly take something to stop it from getting high because as I have discovered I am extremely sensetive to the effects of HBP. I start to panic even.

So I need to speak to someone who really understands BP, and see what the alternative to these nasty BB's is. The BB has destroyed my sleep for the last 2 1/2 years. I cannot continue without sleep.

Aussie
 

Hi, I'm not much here, sorry - I already have low BP so the beta blocker, while essential for heart rythm - has the unfortunate side affect of lowering BP even more.... no generic alternatives for just BP med alone that doesnt have nasty side affects?