Fibromyalgia Treatment Options

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that affects countless people across the globe. Wide-spread pain, chronic headaches and chronic fatigue plague fibromyalgia patients. There are many treatment options available, from over the counter medications to prescription medication. Some great resources for fibromyalgia are WebMD and The National Fibromyalgia Association. There are also treatments that do not involve taking medication, more natural ways of treating fibromyalgia.

The first step in treating fibromyalgia is to talk to your doctor. Seems obvious, but many people tend to self-diagnose based on symptoms found on the web. While research isn’t a bad thing, many other illnesses mimic fibromyalgia symptoms, so it’s best to rule out those first. Fibromyalgia also likes to piggyback onto other illnesses, which changes your treatment plan. There is no one size fits all treatment plans, no magic pill fibro sufferers can take…rather like the many symptoms of fibromyalgia itself. Though we all wish there were magic pills! There is a lot of trial and error with finding a way of treating your fibromyalgia, and even when you do find something, somewhere down the road that particular treatment may not work anymore. Fibromyalgia is one of those chronic conditions that won’t kill you, but may wish you were.

Some prescription treatment options are Lyrica, anti-depressants, and muscle relaxants, Gabapentin, pain medication or some combination of the above. Your doctor may have other ideas as well. Personally I’ve been on all of them to varying degree, until most of them stopped working. I’ve worked with a rheumatologist as well as my primary care physician to treat my own fibromyalgia. The major downsides to prescription medication are that it can actually start to make some symptoms of fibro worse, especially chronic fatigue. I already had a bad case of it to begin with, but I’ve more or less slept the past two-three years away due to the various medications I’ve been on. Other side effects that I have noticed were insomnia, hot flashes, foggy memory, weight gain and with a few an actual increase of fibro symptoms. I took myself off the medication that I could, with my doctor’s support.

Now let’s dig into the natural ways of treating fibromyalgia. Heat is your best friend, with or without prescription medications. Heat seems to soothe the nerves that are flaring, and are amazing for any muscle spasms or headaches you may get. Vitamins and minerals are another great way to treat fibro, as long as you keep your doctor informed and follow their advice. I personally take magnesium and Vitamin D on top of my regular multi-vitamin and it really seems to help. Other good ones are C and E. Through my own research I have found that many fibromyalgia and other chronic pain sufferers are low in these vitamins. Keeping a food journal can help as well, as some people with fibro tend to be sensitive to certain foods and beverages. Discuss everything with your doctor, especially before taking any medications or vitamins as interactions or side effects can be disastrous.