Ok, Many of you know that I suffer from Fibromyalgia, but a lot of you have no clue what it is. Janice and I were talking a while back about how we should start a thread to educate people about Fibromyalgia, so here it is. I'm posting some info from WebMD and if there are any questions you have, or you want to ask me about how I cope, please feel free. I'll be glad to answer any questions because I want people to understand that this is a REAL disease, not something someone made up. Here's some info:


Pain Management: Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), or fibromyalgia for short, is a musculoskeletal disorder that causes pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons -- -the soft fibrous tissues in the body. Fibromyalgia symptoms vary from person to person but people with the condition usually experience pain most acutely during rest.

FMS can occur in people of any age, but more women than men have FMS.

What Are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia symptoms vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms are:

Pain
Fatigue
Sleep disturbances
Many people with fibromyalgia say that their entire bodies ache as if they have the flu. Their muscles may feel like they have been pulled or overworked. Sometimes the muscles twitch or burn.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is not known, but there are triggering events that may make the condition more likely to occur. Some triggers include:

Infection (viral or bacterial)
Automobile accidents
Development of another disorder (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or hypothyroidism, for example)
While these triggering events probably do not cause fibromyalgia, they may awaken a physiological abnormality that was already present but previously unnoticed.

Can Fibromyalgia Be Prevented?
There is no known way to prevent fibromyalgia. However, maintaining a good diet, doing safe exercise, and getting adequate rest are important to prevent any medical condition, including fibromyalgia.

How Is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed?
Doctors apply pressure on 18 tender point sites on the patient's body to diagnose fibromyalgia. Patients must have chronic, widespread, musculoskeletal pain that lasts longer than three months in all four quadrants of the body. These quadrants are above and below the waist and on both sides of the body. In addition, back pain of some kind must be present.

How Is Fibromyalgia Treated?
Traditional treatments for fibromyalgia are meant to improve sleep quality and limit pain.

The FDA has approved Lyrica as the first drug treatment for fibromyalgia. It reduces pain and improves daily functions for some patients. The drug's most common side effects include mild to moderate dizziness and sleepiness. Lyrica can also cause blurry vision and trouble concentrating. The FDA advises patients to talk to their doctor about whether the use of Lyrica may impair their ability to drive.

In many cases, medications to increase the body's level of serotonin and norepinephrine (neurotransmitters that modulate sleep, pain and immune system function) are prescribed in low doses. Some of the medicines used to aid sleep include Ambien, Klonopin and Desyrel.

In addition to medications, most people with fibromyalgia will need to use other treatment methods as well. These may include:

Injections with lidocaine into the pain sites (called trigger points)
Physical or occupational therapy
Acupuncture or acupressure
Relaxation/biofeedback techniques
Osteopathic manipulation (a whole system of evaluation and treatment designed to achieve and maintain health by restoring normal function to the body)
Chiropractic care
Therapeutic massage
A gentle exercise program
Lifestyle modifications may help people with fibromyalgia conserve energy and minimize pain. A main component of lifestyle management is listening to your body and not trying to over-do-it. Your doctor may be able to help you develop strategies to manage your lifestyle, or may refer you to a therapist who can work with you to change your daily activities to suit your situation.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Neuroscience Center.

Great job Lulu. I can't even imagine the suffering a young girl like you must deal with regarding this illness.

I first learned of this illness after reading abt it 8 years ago. I never imagined ever knowing anyone who suffers from this.

We all could learn from this information and hopefully those who don't understand the illness, can learn from you. ;)

My neighbor has Fibromyalgia, Lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis. She keeps trying to live on her own, but she really can't do it anymore. She was diagnosed in 1996. She's only 54.

Who's more likely to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia?

My neighbor has Fibromyalgia, Lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis. She keeps trying to live on her own, but she really can't do it anymore. She was diagnosed in 1996. She's only 54.

Who's more likely to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia?

Most of the people who have it are women over 40. The doctors couldn't believe I had it, they even tested me several times to make sure. Men can get it too, but it's more common for women to have it.

I wonder what might have triggered it....?

My neighbor has Fibromyalgia, Lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis. She keeps trying to live on her own, but she really can't do it anymore. She was diagnosed in 1996. She's only 54.

Who's more likely to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia?
My nephew's wife of two years was diagnosed three months after they were married, with Lupus. She is in her 20's. :(

I wonder what might have triggered it....?

In my case they think it's possibly herriditary. My grandmother has Schogren's Syndrom, which is the same type of condition, but it's much worse.

I know a lady who has this and she has cancer to boot. She always tell me about her pain. I feel for her. I have had bouts of anemia which are very tiring. I get such a fatigue that slows me down. I hate it.

My nephew's wife of two years was diagnosed three months after they were married, with Lupus. She is in her 20's. :(

My aunt has Lupus. She's in her late twenties. I think she was diagnosed in her teens. I should e-mail her. Never did thank her for the Christmas present she sent.

I know a lady who has this and she has cancer to boot. She always tell me about her pain. I feel for her. I have had bouts of anemia which are very tiring. I get such a fatigue that slows me down. I hate it.

That's the bad thing about Fibro, it can lead to other health problems. It drops you immune system down to zero, so I stay sick.

I knew nothing about this disease, Lauren. I'm very sorry to hear about your pain. :(

I knew nothing about this disease, Lauren. I'm very sorry to hear about your pain. :(

Thanks Mike, that's why I want to educate people. People need to understand what is it, because more and more people are being diagnosed every day.

I wish you didn't have to go through so much pain.

My aunt has Lupus. She's in her late twenties. I think she was diagnosed in her teens. I should e-mail her. Never did thank her for the Christmas present she sent.
I think you should email her. ;)

My mother has fibromyalgia. She was diagnosed a few years ago. It's a terrible disease to have. There are days when she is fine, but then there are others when she is all swollen and in pain! She can barely move on those days. My heart always goes out to anyone with this disease, since I see for myself how painful it is. God bless you Lauren!

My mother has fibromyalgia. She was diagnosed a few years ago. It's a terrible disease to have. There are days when she is fine, but then there are others when she is all swollen and in pain! She can barely move on those days. My heart always goes out to anyone with this disease, since I see for myself how painful it is. God bless you Lauren!

:(

Reading threads like this are a real reality check. I realize how lucky I truly am.

I wish you didn't have to go through so much pain.

:bighug: :kiss:

My mother has fibromyalgia. She was diagnosed a few years ago. It's a terrible disease to have. There are days when she is fine, but then there are others when she is all swollen and in pain! She can barely move on those days. My heart always goes out to anyone with this disease, since I see for myself how painful it is. God bless you Lauren!

That sounds all too familiar Kelly. Tell your mom I know how she feels! :bighug:

Reading threads like this are a real reality check. I realize how lucky I truly am.
You said it. I am blessed for the overall health I have. I have my back pain and other issues, but I know I am alive and I have learned to deal with it (sometimes).

You know how much I love you Lulu and I keep you in my prayers, not only for your illness but your overall mental and physical well-being.

:bighug:

You said it. I am blessed for the overall health I have. I have my back pain and other issues, but I know I am alive and I have learned to deal with it (sometimes).

You know how much I love you Lulu and I keep you in my prayers, not only for your illness but your overall mental and physical well-being.

:bighug:

I love you too Irene, more than you'll ever know! :bighug: :kiss:

Good info Lauren. :bighug:

So sorry about your pain, thanks for the info ;)

My niece suffers from this, and it's so sad because she's so young. I feel so bad for her, and my nephew is young too & has (crohn's disease); not sure of the spelling but, I just feel bad for the two of them; it's not fair.

My Lulu Rogers; sweetie, you are one of my favrorite people; you will always been in my thoughts and in my prayers; what a courageous and strong person you are, I am very proud to call you a, FRIEND:)

That means so much to me Tara! I love you! :bighug: :kiss:

Wow I'm so sorry Lauren. I had no idea either. :(

Wow I'm so sorry Lauren. I had no idea either. :(

Thanks Sonny, I appreciate that :)

I hope you feel better. I know you don't know me that well but you seem like a nice girl

I hope you feel better. I know you don't know me that well but you seem like a nice girl

Thanks Hun! :)


The past few days have been murder! Thank God it's starting to warm up outside, this cold, damp weather is killing me. :(

It definitely sucks. Janice and I have talked about it too. I was diagnosed with it 25 years ago and suffer off and on still from it. You honestly feel like you've been hit by a truck and your whole body is bruised. That's as close as I can come to describing the pain. :(

My niece suffers from this, and it's so sad because she's so young. I feel so bad for her, and my nephew is young too & has (crohn's disease); not sure of the spelling but, I just feel bad for the two of them; it's not fair.

My mother and two brothers had/have Crohn's and it's horrible. Unfortunately when my mom and one brother first suffered from it they were treating it completely wrong. One brother has recovered, although he was on meds for a long time afterwards, There is hope now though for it.

Hopefully they'll have better things for fibro too. I was on Naproxen, 750mg X 2/day for years and it didn't seem to help. I find you can't let yourself get run down or it flares up more and worse. And as much as it hurts, work through the pain and keep active. Moderate exercise and free weights.

It definitely sucks. Janice and I have talked about it too. I was diagnosed with it 25 years ago and suffer off and on still from it. You honestly feel like you've been hit by a truck and your whole body is bruised. That's as close as I can come to describing the pain. :(


I knew she had mentioned that someone else had it, but I couldn't remember who.

That's a pretty good way to describe the pain, sadly :(

It definitely sucks. Janice and I have talked about it too. I was diagnosed with it 25 years ago and suffer off and on still from it. You honestly feel like you've been hit by a truck and your whole body is bruised. That's as close as I can come to describing the pain. :(

I didn't know that! I guess it's a much more common disease than I could have imagined! :(

It definitely sucks. Janice and I have talked about it too. I was diagnosed with it 25 years ago and suffer off and on still from it. You honestly feel like you've been hit by a truck and your whole body is bruised. That's as close as I can come to describing the pain. :(
Oh I'm so sorry Cathie. It sounds awful. :(

Oh I'm so sorry Cathie. It sounds awful. :(


Thanks Sonny and Max. Yeah, it's pretty nasty when it flares alright. You hate even bathing - just having to rub soap on yourself is agony. And people don't understand because you "look fine". I have it along with RA (also diagnosed at 22 but I'm pretty much in remission for the most part thankfully with that). Now I've got a bit of osteo setting in (left thumb joints). Luckily over the years I've learned bio-feedback and self meditation to help control the pain. The meds did little and just gave me internal bleeding which ended up almost worse than the arthritis itself. You learn to use other body parts to open things too - lol. Sounds funny but it's true.
Super HOT baths help too. You need someone with you though because you're so weak after you can barely lift your arm but they helped me a lot.
The worst I found dealing with is how for a while, it changed my personality. You get depressed and miserable and take it out on ones you love. I had to decide that I wasn't going to let it win and maybe I just lucked out, but I feel I control it now.
You just can't let yourself get too run down - lots of rest or it flares up.

What doesn't kill ya - makes you stronger and always keep in mind that there's someone worse off than you. Mind over matter!

I feel for you Cathie! Fibro is a bitch on its own, add RA on top of that...I can't imagine.

I get pretty much no support at home. My family thinks I'm making it up when I say I'm in pain. My mother was with me when the doctor diagnosed me and she still says she's not sure that I really have it. :rolleyes: It's much easier to deal with if you have support because some days you just need someone to literaly carry you because you just can't take another step.

I feel for you Cathie! Fibro is a bitch on its own, add RA on top of that...I can't imagine.

I get pretty much no support at home. My family thinks I'm making it up when I say I'm in pain. My mother was with me when the doctor diagnosed me and she still says she's not sure that I really have it. :rolleyes: It's much easier to deal with if you have support because some days you just need someone to literaly carry you because you just can't take another step.

I know Hon - my mom was the same way at first. Even when I was sent home with muscle relaxants (yuck) and had to wear a neck brace at night (which was supposed to do what I don't know and of course never worked). It really peeved me cuz my mother had RA and her mother had really bad RA that crippled her. Like I said, you look normal so what's the problem.
Have you ever seen the Golden Girls episode where Dorothy is finally diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which to me, is very similar and possibly related to Fibro)? If not, try to catch it sometime. You'll love it - it talks about how nobody seems to take it seriously.

More and more though the medical community is coming around to these things so hopefully there won't be the same stupid stigma. You've always got our support though and if you ever need to PM me with something feel free. I'm working again so might not get on as often as I'd like, but I'll answer. ;)

I know Hon - my mom was the same way at first. Even when I was sent home with muscle relaxants (yuck) and had to wear a neck brace at night (which was supposed to do what I don't know and of course never worked). It really peeved me cuz my mother had RA and her mother had really bad RA that crippled her. Like I said, you look normal so what's the problem.
Have you ever seen the Golden Girls episode where Dorothy is finally diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which to me, is very similar and possibly related to Fibro)? If not, try to catch it sometime. You'll love it - it talks about how nobody seems to take it seriously.

More and more though the medical community is coming around to these things so hopefully there won't be the same stupid stigma. You've always got our support though and if you ever need to PM me with something feel free. I'm working again so might not get on as often as I'd like, but I'll answer. ;)
I've seen that ep many times - I know exactly what you're talking about. Dorothy got SO mad at the docs. She even traveled to NYC to see a doc, who basically thought she was nuts. I remember Rose traveling with her... there was a scene where they're in their hotel room there, and Dorothy loses it. Rose has to comfort Dorothy, and Rose tells Dorothy that she knows Dorothy is telling the truth - she can see it. She's seen Dorothy suffer. etc etc.


As for me, I have a bad arthritic knee that acts up all the time. I've taken regular painkillers for it (ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, naproxen) on top of regular and extra-strength hydrocodones I had left over from last summer. Out of these, only the extra-strength hydrocodones helped, and not for very long and it also makes me sleep. That's good and all, but I'd like a strong painkiller that WON'T make me sleep. I have yet to have it diagnosed... but holy mother of god, it hurts so bad. I have days where I don't even want to take the bottom half of my clothes off - the pain is mind-numbingly horrible. I honestly feel like House some days. But I can still dress myself otherwise... I cannot imagine having fibromyalgia. :( I had a good understanding of it before this thread, but had no idea of how bad it can get and how people with it suffer, because they don't really talk about that aspect on TV.

Have you ever seen the Golden Girls episode where Dorothy is finally diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which to me, is very similar and possibly related to Fibro)? If not, try to catch it sometime. You'll love it - it talks about how nobody seems to take it seriously.


I saw that a few months back and I was so thrilled to see it! Great ep! :D

Thanks Hun! :)


The past few days have been murder! Thank God it's starting to warm up outside, this cold, damp weather is killing me. :(
I know what you mean. Before I ever hurt my back, I would hear people say how the cold weather affects their overall body as far as pain was concerned. Now, I know what they mean. When it gets cold, my back stiffens up and it hurts bad!!! As a matter of fact, it is cold outside right now and I have the heater on because the soreness is really kicking in and I can't get comfortable. Lying down is the worst right now. But yeah, I know what you mean abt the cold weather.

Wow, ALL OF YOU!! I feel SO sorry for all that you go through health-wise and physically. I even hate getting a headache, I can't imagine dealing with all your ailments!!!:bighug:

I know what you mean. Before I ever hurt my back, I would hear people say how the cold weather affects their overall body as far as pain was concerned. Now, I know what they mean. When it gets cold, my back stiffens up and it hurts bad!!! As a matter of fact, it is cold outside right now and I have the heater on because the soreness is really kicking in and I can't get comfortable. Lying down is the worst right now. But yeah, I know what you mean abt the cold weather.


That's the other thing that really annoys me! I don't know how many doctors I've heard say that cold weather doesn't affect arthritis. I've seen it in publications and everything else - they are full of sh*t! You're darn right cold and damp affect pain - and I'm sure not just forms of arthritis/fibro.

Funny, when I was little, the doctor told my parents the best thing they could do was to move to Arizona for my asthma and allergies. They couldn't just pickup the whole family (2 other brothers) so I understood, but wished they always had. I'm sure my health would have been much better overall with the dry heat. Oh well - stuck here getting lake effect snow in the great white north! ;)

That's the other thing that really annoys me! I don't know how many doctors I've heard say that cold weather doesn't affect arthritis. I've seen it in publications and everything else - they are full of sh*t! You're darn right cold and damp affect pain - and I'm sure not just forms of arthritis/fibro.

Funny, when I was little, the doctor told my parents the best thing they could do was to move to Arizona for my asthma and allergies. They couldn't just pickup the whole family (2 other brothers) so I understood, but wished they always had. I'm sure my health would have been much better overall with the dry heat. Oh well - stuck here getting lake effect snow in the great white north! ;)
I had at least two doctors affirm that cold can cause pain. WHOO HOO!!! I'M NOT CRAZY, I AM NOT CRAZY!!!!!:crazy: :lol:

I complain abt the cold, but at least it isn't snow. I feel for you...I really do. I would be in excruciating pain. :eek:

I had at least two doctors affirm that cold can cause pain. WHOO HOO!!! I'M NOT CRAZY, I AM NOT CRAZY!!!!!:crazy: :lol:

I complain abt the cold, but at least it isn't snow. I feel for you...I really do. I would be in excruciating pain. :eek:

Thanks! Please explain that to my husband and brother when I crank the thermostat so that it feels like a nursing home in here! I love our fireplace. I'll actually sit right up by it and just cook myself. It's soooo soothing! Funny, but the cold in Southern Ontario is almost worse than it is north of here in Central Ontario where I was born. The temp itself is actually much colder, but it's drier. It's the humidity that comes off the Great Lakes that just gets you to the bone and it aches like you wouldn't believe sometimes. It's a big reason I bought my Jetta with the heated seats. They rock!

Everything's relative though - your blood will be thinner so you'll feel the cold in your own way too. Yeah, I'd avoid Canada in the winter if I were you - January and February can be brutal.

Now here, earlier today, my thumb felt like it was going to act up and it's fine again now. It's been damp here too, but I'm o.k.. Tomorrow could be different so you do what you can while you're having good days. ;)

Thanks! Please explain that to my husband and brother when I crank the thermostat so that it feels like a nursing home in here! I love our fireplace. I'll actually sit right up by it and just cook myself. It's soooo soothing! Funny, but the cold in Southern Ontario is almost worse than it is north of here in Central Ontario where I was born. The temp itself is actually much colder, but it's drier. It's the humidity that comes off the Great Lakes that just gets you to the bone and it aches like you wouldn't believe sometimes. It's a big reason I bought my Jetta with the heated seats. They rock!

Everything's relative though - your blood will be thinner so you'll feel the cold in your own way too. Yeah, I'd avoid Canada in the winter if I were you - January and February can be brutal.

Now here, earlier today, my thumb felt like it was going to act up and it's fine again now. It's been damp here too, but I'm o.k.. Tomorrow could be different so you do what you can while you're having good days. ;)

Hey brother and husband, LEAVE CATHY ALONE AND LET HER ENJOY HER HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was that loud enough? If not, turn up the volume on your speakers. ;)

When I take a shower, I turn on the hot water extremely hot. And I mean HOT! It is so soothing on my back. I will dress very warm and have like three heavy blankets on me when I sleep. Now mind you, that's when it is cold outside.

Got this e-mail yesterday I know it's rather long but well worth reading.

SWEET POISON

* A MUST READ *

In October of 2001, a woman I knew started getting very sick. She had
stomach spasms and she was having a hard time getting
around. Walking was a major chore. It took everything she had just
to get out of bed; she was in so much pain.

By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and
was on 24 various prescription medications. The
doctors could not determine what was wrong with her. She was in so much
pain, and so sick, she just knew she was dying. She put her house,
bank accounts, life-insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter's name, and
made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of.

She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to Florida
(basically in a wheelchair) for March 22nd.

On March 19 I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she
said they didn't find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS.

I recalled an article a friend of mine emailed to me and I asked my
sister if she drank diet soda? She told me that she did. As a matter
of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment. I told
her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda!

I emailed her the article my friend, a lawyer, had sent. She called me
within 32 hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped
drinking the diet soda AND she could walk! The muscle
spasms went away. She said she didn't feel 100% but she sure felt a lot
better. She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and
would call me when she got home.

Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! He is going to call
all of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial
sweeteners of any kind. In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the
Aspartame in the diet soda and literally dying a slow and miserable
death.

When she got to Florida March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and
that was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning! She is well on her way to a
complete recovery. And she is walking! No wheelchair! This article
saved her life.

If it says 'SUGAR FREE' on the label; DO NOT EVEN THINK
ABOUT IT!

I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD INVIRONMENTAL
CONFERENCE on 'ASPARTAME,' marketed as 'NutraSweet,'
'Equal,' and 'Spoonful.'

In the ke ynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the United
States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic
lupus. It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this
to be rampant.

I stood up and said that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject.
I will explain why Aspartame is so dangerous: When the temperature of
this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME
converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid,
which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison
found in the sting of fire ants. The methanol toxicity mimics, among
other conditions, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus. Many people
were being diagnosed in error. Although multiple sclerosis is not a
death sentence, Methanol toxicity is!

Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis,
especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. The victim usually
does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit. He or she continues its
use; irritating the lupus to such a degree that it may
become a life-threatening condition.

We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptotic, once taken
off diet sodas. In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis,
most of the symptoms disappear. We've seen many cases where vision loss
returned and hearing loss improved markedly.

This also applies to cases of tinnitus and fibromyalgia.

During a lecture, I said, 'If you are using ASPARTAME (NutraSweet,
Equal, Spoonful, etc) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms,
shooting, pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness,
headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, unexplainable depression, anxiety
attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss you probably
have ASPARTAME poisoning!' People were jumping up during the lecture
saying, 'I have some of these symptoms. Is it reversible?'

Yes! Yes! Yes! STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartame on
food labels! Many products are fortified with it! This is a serious
problem.

Dr. Espart (one of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be
symptomatic for MS and during his recent visit to a hospice, a nurse
stated that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet
Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond
coincidence!

Diet soda is NOT a diet product! It is a chemically altered, multiple
SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you
crave carbohydrates. It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight!

These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat cells,
particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin
and is used primarily to preserve 'tissue specimens.' Many products we
use every day contain this chemical but we SHOULD NOT store it IN our
body!

Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of the 'diet
products' and with no significant increase in exercise; his patients
lost an average of 19 pounds over a trial period. Aspartame is
especially dangerous for diabetics.

We found that some physicians, who believed that they had a patient with
retinopathy, in fact, had symptoms caused by Aspartame.

The Aspartame drives the blood sugar out of control. Thus diabetics
may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and
phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other amino acids
necessary for a good balance.

Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE. Especially with diabetics, the
Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then eteriorates the
neurons of the brain; causing various levels of brain damage, seizures,
depression, manic depression, panic attacks, uncontrollable anger and
rage.


Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non-diabetics as
well.

Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children
diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turnarounds in their
behavior when these chemicals have been removed from their diet. So
called 'behavior modification prescription drugs' (Ritalin and others)
are no longer needed. Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first
place! Most of these children were being 'poisoned' on a daily basis
with the very foods that were 'better for them than sugar.'

It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of diet
Coke and diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War,
may be partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War syndrome.

Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental
retardation, if taken at the time of conception and during early
pregnancy.

Children are especially at risk for neurological disorders and should
NEVER be given artificial sweeteners. There are many different case
histories to relate of children suffering grand mal seizures and other
neurological disturbances talking about a plague of neurological
diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly poison.'

Herein lies the problem:

There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was included 100
different products and strong objection was made concerning
its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent
hearings, and still nothing has been done. The drug and chemical lobbies
have very deep pockets.


Sadly, MONSANTO'S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED! There are now over
5,000 products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there
will be thousands more introduced. Everybody wants a 'piece of the
Aspartame pie.' I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame,
knows how deadly it is.

And isn't it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American
Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and t he
Conference of the American College of Physicians?


This has been recently exposed in the New York Times.

These [organizations] cannot criticize any additives or convey their
link to MONSANTO because they take money from the food industry and are
required to endorse their products.

Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require
label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding
pregnant women, children and infants. The bill would also institute
independent studies on the known dangers and the problems existing in
the general population regarding seizures, changes in brain chemistry,
neurological changes and behavioral symptoms.

The bill was killed.

It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible
for this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death
on an unsuspecting and uninformed public. Well, you're Informed now! YOU
HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW!

Got this e-mail yesterday I know it's rather long but well worth reading.

My mom is a heavy diet soda drinker and her eye doctor once told her anything sugar free *especially diet drinks loaded with Aspartame* can not only cause vision problems but he's seen it cause people to completely lose their vision. Her doctor also told her it eats away at the bones. Thankfully she's cutting back and eventually stopping all together.

I never touch the stuff and I'm so glad for that! If you're going to have soda make it the original! Yeah, sugar (in excess) is bad as well but it's a 100x's safer than drinks or anything else with aspartame.

Snopes claims that the aspartame thing is a myth.

Snopes claims that the aspartame thing is a myth.

This is why I have absolutely no use for Snopes, The aspartame controversy has been around for years with plenty of scientific evidence to back it up yet these clowns try to find some way to disprove anything written about it. I prefer to believe the evidence not an urban legend website. I can't say for sure how much truth is in any of that post because I'm certainly no expert but I seriously doubt that aspartame is 100% safe. It's an interesting subject but Snopes is one of the last places I'd look to for anything concerning it.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp


That very article you posted above which you say you received in an email is the same one that SNOPES has on their page.


The one doctor mentioned above in the article who was a supposed speaker warning abt Aspartame (Dr. Espart...his name sounds familiar to the actual product ASPARTAME), if you google his name, you will see his name linked to this very same article above. I can't verify that this supposed doctor is in fact real.

The other doctor mentioned, Dr. Roberts, is in fact a real doctor whose speciality is diabetic patients. So he is in fact real. However, when reading abt him on the internet, he has had patients who are diabetic who have had reactions to drinking sodas that have aspartame. He had them refrain from ingesting aspartame and they improved as far as their insulin levels and other diabetes-related symptoms. However, he never mentions anything like Lupus, MS or any other muscle or pain related problems. This sounds logical as my daughter is diabetic and her own doctor told her that diet sodas are not good for her, but not because of aspartame, because there are healthier things for her to drink and sodas will only cause her to be more dehydrated.

That very article you posted above which you say you received in an email is the same one that SNOPES has on their page.

My apologies in advance if I'm wrong but it sounds like you don't believe I received any such email.

My apologies in advance if I'm wrong but it sounds like you don't believe I received any such email.
Oh on the contrary, everyone received that. My sister received it and talked to her own doctor abt it and he warned her to not believe everything she receives in emails. ;)

I was reiterating the fact that the very article you posted is the exact same one on SNOPES and they stated it is a myth overall. You can take bits and pieces of that article and find truth in it, but overall it is up to each individual to consult with their doctors what is best for them.

Oh on the contrary, everyone received that. My sister received it and talked to her own doctor abt it and he warned her to not believe everything she receives in emails. ;)

I've been hearing about the aspartame controversy for years and certainly long before I received that email. I don't necessarily believe everything in it but I would like to find more credible evidence to support these claims. To be totally honest, I've been a diabetic for several years and my Doctor said that diet sodas were fine and I've had no known problems with them. I appreciate the Snopes link because I haven't read everything they've had to say but I'm going to along with the links they've provided. The one with Dr. Dean Edell looks very interesting and I'd certainly like to look at this from more than one point of view.

SNOPES is a very reliable website. Much more reliable than these Chicken Little emails that go around.

All you need is one disgruntled ex-employee who worked for some company and next thing you know that company's product is killing everyone!!


I for one, can't stand diet drinks or food and other than the odd piece of Trident never consume the stuff. Even at that, I didn't start chewing Trident until 1988 and I was diagnosed with Fibro in 1983 so it sure doesn't explain mine.

SNOPES is a very reliable website. Much more reliable than these Chicken Little emails that go around.

That may be and I certainly didn't know that email has been circulating as long as it has but I'm not surprised by it. I only posted it because I thought it might contain some useful information. If I'd known that there was gonna be controversy about it, I wouldn't have posted it.

That may be and I certainly didn't know that email has been circulating as long as it has but I'm not surprised by it. I only posted it because I thought it might contain some useful information. If I'd known that there was gonna be controversy about it, I wouldn't have posted it.
There is certainly no controversy, far from it. I just feel when it comes to stuff we get from emails and the claims of it being factual, you have to take it with a grain of salt, just like Wikipedia and IMDB. You and I know how those sites are, some truths, some factual errors. I trust Snopes solely because they take their time and energy to find out whether something is in fact real or myth. They will go as far as to provide you with links to verify certain things.

For a thread such as this, I don't think we should post anything unless it can help those who suffer from this disease. We don't need to scare anyone with information that may be filled with lies or myths. I think this thread can be useful and helpful.

For a thread such as this, I don't think we should post anything unless it can help those who suffer from this disease.

That was my reason for posting it, I'm just sorry that my intentions were not as good as I had thought.

My primary care doctor, whom I've had for 13 years, is convinced I have Fibromyalgia. She's sending me to a Rheumatologist. The thing with Fibro is that there is no definitive screening for it. No blood test. They rule out other conditions that mimic fibro, and go by your symptoms. There are 11 points on the body, that if you have pain there, that more or less gives you a diagnosis.

All I know is that my entire body is often sore to the touch. The latest is my thighs, which are so sore. My arms, hips, etc. I get pain in my face sometimes. Some days, my body may be sore in three places, other days, it feels like my entire body is on fire. It's awful.

My doctor told me that while many peope are predisposed to fibro by genetics or having auto-immune diseases such as RA, Osteoarthritis, Lupus, etc. I've had Osteoarthritis for 10 years now, but I could manage it with OTC meds. My doctor also told me that emotional trauma can trigger Fibro. It sort of piggybacks off of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Many Veterans returning from battle are at risk. Same for rape victims, battered spouses, even those who were molested as children.

Anyone who knows me here, knows that I suffered a series of devastating losses in 2002 and 2003, with the death of my parents (who I watched waste away, together, for 10 months), and the sudden death of my second and only sister. That's my entire family wiped out in 18 months, with the exception of my brother who moved to California. My friends used to tell me how strong I was and how well I handled it. Well, maybe I didn't handle it so great after all, and it manifested itself in my health declining. My doctor told me that she thinks I suffered from PTSD, which triggered the Fibro. It makes sense to me. Toss in a neck problem, that feels like it's broken, and it's no joke.

The impact that stress has on our health cannot be overstated. I posted an article here a while back about it, that I'll post after this. I found it fascinating. Stress KILLS. Not try to sound like a drama queen here, but it literally wipes out your immune system and leaves you susceptible for every disease known to man.

Thanks for posting this Lauren. It's heartbreaking that a person so young as yourself could come down with Fibromyalgia, a disease that its main symptom is mind-numbing, debilitating pain. That's so crazy when you think about it. My husband has high blood pressure, diabetes, heart issues, but he doesn't suffer from chronic pain.

Anyone who has good health, appreciate it, treasure it and never take it for granted. Good health is worth more than all the money in the world. It can be taken away in a instant. Without good health, everything else takes a back seat, for me anyway. It's hard living your life in pain. It's hard to be happy when you're hurting.

The Effects of Stress on Your Health

Stress has far-reaching consequences to the breakdown of the human body. It goes beyond simply depleting your C and B vitamins; stress breaks down your glands and knocks out your immune system.

Dr. Alfred Coodley of the University of Southern California Medical School says that stress is the most widespread medical problem in America today. It's a major contributing factor in 100 percent of diseases.

Stress can knock out your immune system. Stress can make you sick by wreaking havoc on your immune system, allowing disease to strike much more easily. Stress causes the white blood cells of the immune system to be greatly altered, and this allows sickness to set in, says Dr. Robert S. Brown, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Selye did extensive experimental work with rats that had been subjected to stress. The rats were subjected to many kinds of stress that we, as humans, face every day: too much heat, cold, frustration, hunger, fatigue, and unpleasant situations. In each instance, there was a control group not subjected to these stresses. When both groups were autopsied, the comparisons were startling.


Glandular Breakdown

The adrenals and thymus glands, which help control the body, as well as the stomach linings of the rats exposed to undue stress, were almost unrecognizable. These organs were gorged with blood, misshapen, enlarged, and diseased. In the control group (those not exposed to undue stress), the same organs were smooth and healthy. The changes in the rats exposed to stress had not been caused by bacteria, virus, poison, or disease, but by emotions that had produced similar ravaging effects.

The thymus and adrenal glands are two very important parts of the human immune system. Most people are being confronted with an incredible number of stresses that were unknown a hundred and fifty years ago.

When a breakdown of the immune system occurs, it can lead to a range of illnesses that stretches from a common cold to cancer.


Disease

Dr. Selye believes that stress is the most common cause of disease. This is understandable, as we begin to examine the variety of daily stresses to which we are exposed. If the alarm goes off late, if we miss a bus, if the mortgage comes due, if we have an argument with someone, if we overwork and become overtired, if we hear bad news, if we cut our finger, if the car battery goes dead, if a woman gets a run in her stocking? All of these situations are ones that produce stress.

When organs are disturbed in their functions by stress, they cannot keep the body running smoothly. Dr. Selye says that stress can upset the glandular system and lead to arthritis, blood pressure, diabetes, coronaries, ulcers, allergies, kidney trouble, and a host of other conditions. Yet, the owner rarely suspects the cause. At first, the body can bounce back. However, if pressured too far, and too long, irreparable damage may occur. Dr. Selye believes that the degenerative or aging disease may also result from the cumulative effects of stress.


Dr. Hans Selye won the Nobel Prize for his research on what stress does to the human body (Selye, H., The Stress of Life, McGraw-Hill, New York, N.Y. / Selye, H., Canadian Med. Assn. J. 61, 553).

Ok, Many of you know that I suffer from Fibromyalgia
Lauren, the FDA just approved a medication to treat Fibro. It's called Lyrica. I just started taking it this week. My husband's been taking it for about a year for the diabetic neuropathy aka the pain he gets in his feet. I'm starting to see commercials for Lyrica for the treatment of Fibro.

It takes about six weeks to start feeling results, but it's supposed to really work. It's the first and only medication for Fibro. Don't be scared by the list of side effects. Those are listed on most of the medications we get from the pharmacy. You should discuss this with your doctor.

http://arthritis.about.com/od/pregabalin/a/Lyrica.htm

That was my reason for posting it, I'm just sorry that my intentions were not as good as I had thought.
Don't apologize for posting something Charles. And I'm with you regarding Snopes. Who's watching them? Who annointed them the end and be all, the last word on everything? Not to me. Urban legand website, you got that right. I'm not getting into it, but I've read articles with compelling evidence that Snopes has a political bias.

Just don't ever apologize for posting an article. I think you're right, by the way. My husband has doctor who specializes in diabetes, and she told him to stay away from diet sodas, all sodas. I guess different doctors subscribe to different philosophies. Anyone can google 'diabetes and aspartame', and judge for themselves. This isn't the time and place to discuss it. This is Lauren's thread about Fibromyalgia, and I'm not going to hijack it.

My primary care doctor, whom I've had for 13 years, is convinced I have Fibromyalgia. She's sending me to a Rheumatologist. The thing with Fibro is that there is no definitive screening for it. No blood test. They rule out other conditions that mimic fibro, and go by your symptoms. There are 11 points on the body, that if you have pain there, that more or less gives you a diagnosis.

All I know is that my entire body is often sore to the touch. The latest is my thighs, which are so sore. My arms, hips, etc. I get pain in my face sometimes. Some days, my body may be sore in three places, other days, it feels like my entire body is on fire. It's awful.

My doctor told me that while many peope are predisposed to fibro by genetics or having auto-immune diseases such as RA, Osteoarthritis, Lupus, etc. I've had Osteoarthritis for 10 years now, but I could manage it with OTC meds. My doctor also told me that emotional trauma can trigger Fibro. It sort of piggybacks off of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Many Veterans returning from battle are at risk. Same for rape victims, battered spouses, even those who were molested as children.

Anyone who knows me here, knows that I suffered a series of devastating losses in 2002 and 2003, with the death of my parents (who I watched waste away, together, for 10 months), and the sudden death of my second and only sister. That's my entire family wiped out in 18 months, with the exception of my brother who moved to California. My friends used to tell me how strong I was and how well I handled it. Well, maybe I didn't handle it so great after all, and it manifested itself in my health declining. My doctor told me that she thinks I suffered from PTSD, which triggered the Fibro. It makes sense to me. Toss in a neck problem, that feels like it's broken, and it's no joke.

The impact that stress has on our health cannot be overstated. I posted an article here a while back about it, that I'll post after this. I found it fascinating. Stress KILLS. Not try to sound like a drama queen here, but it literally wipes out your immune system and leaves you susceptible for every disease known to man.

Thanks for posting this Lauren. It's heartbreaking that a person so young as yourself could come down with Fibromyalgia, a disease that its main symptom is mind-numbing, debilitating pain. That's so crazy when you think about it. My husband has high blood pressure, diabetes, heart issues, but he doesn't suffer from chronic pain.

Anyone who has good health, appreciate it, treasure it and never take it for granted. Good health is worth more than all the money in the world. It can be taken away in a instant. Without good health, everything else takes a back seat, for me anyway. It's hard living your life in pain. It's hard to be happy when you're hurting.
Janice, I got to this part of the thread and reading your story just makes me wonder sometimes abt all the genetic stuff we keep hearing and reading abt. What if it is a gene? What if it lies dormant within one's body and one day just releases itself? I wonder, do you happen to know or anyone else here, has there been any correlation between Fibromylagia and having it come abt because of something stressful? Let me see, that doesn't sound right, ok can it come abt because of a trigger of some sort that is stress related? For example, you fall down and that causes some release of the disease? I ask because just last year I had heard abt a woman who had stepped on a knitting needle and even though she went to the E.R., got stitches and so forth, weeks went by where she felt tired, her whole body hurt, she had fevers, etc. After many tests she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Apparently the knitting needle going into her foot triggered the disease to "start." That was very interesting to hear abt that case.

Janice, I got to this part of the thread and reading your story just makes me wonder sometimes abt all the genetic stuff we keep hearing and reading abt. What if it is a gene? What if it lies dormant within one's body and one day just releases itself? I wonder, do you happen to know or anyone else here, has there been any correlation between Fibromylagia and having it come abt because of something stressful? Let me see, that doesn't sound right, ok can it come abt because of a trigger of some sort that is stress related? For example, you fall down and that causes some release of the disease? I ask because just last year I had heard abt a woman who had stepped on a knitting needle and even though she went to the E.R., got stitches and so forth, weeks went by where she felt tired, her whole body hurt, she had fevers, etc. After many tests she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Apparently the knitting needle going into her foot triggered the disease to "start." That was very interesting to hear abt that case.
That is interesting. I didn't know that physical trauma could trigger diseases. I know what emotional trauma can, and did do to me. Anything is possible. You want to hear a creepy, sad story? I lurk a lot at a Chronic Pain website, and someone posted this story.

A man was doing yardwork, and a branch fell and hit him in the upper part of his body. It wasn't a particulary powerful blow, but the results were horrifying. Unbeknownst to him, he had a bone spur in his neck, which is the top part of your spine. A bone spur is a small bony growth formed on normal bone. Many people have spurs and don't even know it. He never had any symptoms with his neck. The bone spur, however, was positioned as such, that when the branch hit him, it jammed the bone spur into his spinal column (his neck), and paralyzed him from the neck down. After someone posted that story, another member of that forum posted that the same thing happened where they lived. You just never know. Live every day like it's your last.

That is interesting. I didn't know that physical trauma could trigger diseases. I know what emotional trauma can, and did do to me. Anything is possible. You want to hear a creepy, sad story? I lurk a lot at a Chronic Pain website, and someone posted this story.

A man was doing yardwork, and a branch fell and hit him in the upper part of his body. It wasn't a particulary powerful blow, but the results were horrifying. Unbeknownst to him, he had a bone spur in his neck, which is the top part of your spine. A bone spur is a small bony growth formed on normal bone. Many people have spurs and don't even know it. He never had any symptoms with his neck. The bone spur, however, was positioned as such, that when the branch hit him, it jammed the bone spur into his spinal column (his neck), and paralyzed him from the neck down. After someone posted that story, another member of that forum posted that the same thing happened where they lived. You just never know. Live every day like it's your last.
:eek: Oh my God...how incredibly sad is that? That is terrible. You are right, we don't know, we have no idea how some things occur or even why. Just like lung cancer. We assume it can be avoided by not smoking, but the late Christopher Reeves' wife, who found out she had lung cancer and died of it yet, never smoked in her life, proves we don't know all there is to how diseases come abt. At times I feel thankful to live in this day and age with all the technology we have, yet we are still in the dark abt many many things and sometimes have more questions than answers.

At times I feel thankful to live in this day and age with all the technology we have, yet we are still in the dark abt many many things and sometimes have more questions than answers.

It's part of being human. I hope we never know everything.

But you're right. Just live life. Enjoy everything. I know I'm trying. And now I have roommates to help me do that! :)

Janice - I swear emotional trauma and stress is the leading cause of Fibro. Now this is just my opinion, but I know first hand when my nerves go, or if I'm not getting enough sleep, Fibro flares up every time.

I haven't been on the boards much this week because we're coming down to the crunch on a legal settlement and emotions have been running extremely high (as you know - the email I sent you last weekend I was looking for the number to the crisis centre) and last night wasn't much better. I can barely move.
I've also now broken out into a rash, my eyes are swollen almost shut and I'm awaiting an MRI and more testing for what's going on with me fainting and having small seizures. The anorexia is back full force and my blood sugars are all over the place. One doctor mentioned a new term I'd never heard of "Emotional Epilepsy". Beautiful. Turns out that extreme stress and emotion can cause seizures and blackouts. I've had extreme bouts of anger that the least thing can trigger. I'm terrified of this. I could lose my new job and license (it happened behind the wheel of my car a couple of weeks ago and I crashed into a snowbank - luckily no damage). I was taken to hospital and they started EEGs but I checked myself out. I can't lose this job.
The only blessing right now is that I don't have the energy or strength to even commit suicide. As much as the rational me loves life, I wish I were dead right now.

Janice - I swear emotional trauma and stress is the leading cause of Fibro. Now this is just my opinion, but I know first hand when my nerves go, or if I'm not getting enough sleep, Fibro flares up every time.

I haven't been on the boards much this week because we're coming down to the crunch on a legal settlement and emotions have been running extremely high (as you know - the email I sent you last weekend I was looking for the number to the crisis centre) and last night wasn't much better. I can barely move.
I've also now broken out into a rash, my eyes are swollen almost shut and I'm awaiting an MRI and more testing for what's going on with me fainting and having small seizures. The anorexia is back full force and my blood sugars are all over the place. One doctor mentioned a new term I'd never heard of "Emotional Epilepsy". Beautiful. Turns out that extreme stress and emotion can cause seizures and blackouts. I've had extreme bouts of anger that the least thing can trigger. I'm terrified of this. I could lose my new job and license (it happened behind the wheel of my car a couple of weeks ago and I crashed into a snowbank - luckily no damage). I was taken to hospital and they started EEGs but I checked myself out. I can't lose this job.
The only blessing right now is that I don't have the energy or strength to even commit suicide. As much as the rational me loves life, I wish I were dead right now.

God, I have been there so many times. When the pain is just so bad you wish you were dead. :(

I'm having a lot of pain in my legs this morning. They're really stiff and my knees are swollen once again. I'm about to go get the ice pack. I'm 20 ****in years old and I have to ice down my knees when I get up in the morning! ohno:

Sweetheart, you are in my thoughts and in my prayers; please, try to stay strong as much as possible (I know, easier said than done); but, you are such a wonderful person and it hurts me to see you go through this. I know that life can be a royal bitch:( but, you have someone in California that is thinking about ya; and wishing you, nothing but inner strength and happiness in the future:bighug:


Thanks Sweety. I've run out of prayers for myself and really don't believe in God at all anymore. If there were one, he would have answered something. My mother in law constantly has been praying for a good ending to this but its not coming. It's just getting worse.

I just want to go "home" to be with my parents.

Thanks Sweety. I've run out of prayers for myself and really don't believe in God at all anymore. If there were one, he would have answered something. My mother in law constantly has been praying for a good ending to this but its not coming. It's just getting worse.

I just want to go "home" to be with my parents.
I'm so sorry, Cathie. I'm so sorry that you're going through all this. You're a good person, and you don't deserve this. I find myself missing my mother so much these days. She had a way of helping me sort things out, and she never tired of listening to me. I've found that a lot of people don't want to hear it, or they have a certain window of time that they'll devote listening to health issues. My mother, I could go on all day.

I know there are no substitutes for mothers, but I'm glad that you have a wonderful mother-in-law. It seems that she loves you as a daughter.

Lauren, the FDA just approved a medication to treat Fibro. It's called Lyrica. I just started taking it this week. My husband's been taking it for about a year for the diabetic neuropathy aka the pain he gets in his feet. I'm starting to see commercials for Lyrica for the treatment of Fibro.

It takes about six weeks to start feeling results, but it's supposed to really work. It's the first and only medication for Fibro. Don't be scared by the list of side effects. Those are listed on most of the medications we get from the pharmacy. You should discuss this with your doctor.

http://arthritis.about.com/od/pregabalin/a/Lyrica.htm

I wish I could take it. My mother, the Pharmacy Tech, says that someone my age would suffer a lot more from the side affects. :(

Thanks for posting this Lauren. It's heartbreaking that a person so young as yourself could come down with Fibromyalgia, a disease that its main symptom is mind-numbing, debilitating pain. That's so crazy when you think about it. My husband has high blood pressure, diabetes, heart issues, but he doesn't suffer from chronic pain.

Anyone who has good health, appreciate it, treasure it and never take it for granted. Good health is worth more than all the money in the world. It can be taken away in a instant. Without good health, everything else takes a back seat, for me anyway. It's hard living your life in pain. It's hard to be happy when you're hurting.


Yes, it is very hard to deal with. I'm icing down my knees as we speak. They're swollen and sore, one of the many side affects I deal with on a regular basis.

It's funny that there are people in this world who think this disease is made up and the people who "claim" to have it are just crazy. ohno:

I wish I could take it. My mother, the Pharmacy Tech, says that someone my age would suffer a lot more from the side affects. :(
The Pharmacy Tech...I take it that is sarcasm?


I feel for you and Janice and Cathy. Man, I know abt pain, but I do what I can to live my life and yet, here are all of you dealing with it on a level that I used to know. No one can understand until you have been there. Laying in bed aching all over; laying in bed and can't even get comfortable because no position feels good; you take medication that makes you feel like a zombie; you take medication and it upsets your stomach; you end up with other symptoms like headaches, migraines, irritability, mental stress, etc; you wonder when it will all end; you wonder "What do these doctors really know?" You ask yourself, "Why?" People tell you, "You will get better" but you know it won't, at least for a very long time and in the meantime you are in this pain that you wouldn't wish on anyone else (except serial murderers); I am trying to lighten the moment here ladies. :) Seriously though, I think back to what it was like to walk with a walker, to never leave my apartment because I happened to live on the second level and the thought of walking any stairs was just that, a thought. Sneezing and coughing brought out this wretched pain like someone stabbing me with a butcher knife. Having to have my daughter help me to the bathroom or taking a bath. Surgery didn't help. Thank God my mental state lived through all that and helped me to deal with the pain in a rational way.

Sorry ladies, just venting my feelings. I cannot do anything for you here on a board, but I can send you a cyber hug :bighug: and keep praying for some relief and hopefully a cure for your pain, physical and mental. KEEP STRONG MY SISTERS! :rock:

The Pharmacy Tech...I take it that is sarcasm?

No, mom really is a Pharmacy Technician, she just gets on my nerves! :rolleyes: ;)


I feel very scared, lonely, and vulnerable right now. I wish I had someone to hold me, but I'll all alone. :crying:

No, mom really is a Pharmacy Technician, she just gets on my nerves! :rolleyes: ;)


I feel very scared, lonely, and vulnerable right now. I wish I had someone to hold me, but I'll all alone. :crying:
Oh she is. I would think with that career, she'd be there trying to assist you with some meds to ease your pain. Then again, I know abt your family, especially your mom. I shouldn't assume. :(

I am sorry you feel all alone. That is the worst thing to feel when you are so damn sick. You know we all love ya and if we could, we'd be there for you. Hell, if I could, I would send Trapper over ASAP!!!!!!! :seeya:

Oh she is. I would think with that career, she'd be there trying to assist you with some meds to ease your pain. Then again, I know abt your family, especially your mom. I shouldn't assume. :(

I am sorry you feel all alone. That is the worst thing to feel when you are so damn sick. You know we all love ya and if we could, we'd be there for you. Hell, if I could, I would send Trapper over ASAP!!!!!!! :seeya:


:D I appreciate that. I wish he were here to hold me. Hell, I wish ANYONE were here to hold me. Everyone here is in bed and could care less. *sigh*

:D I appreciate that. I wish he were here to hold me. Hell, I wish ANYONE were here to hold me. Everyone here is in bed and could care less. *sigh*
And to think your mom is wanting you to get a job. :rolleyes: I am sorry, but that is so selfish to want your child to find a job when they feel so horrible. If you were my child, you'd be taken care of like the daughter you deserve to be treated. ;)

And to think your mom is wanting you to get a job. :rolleyes: I am sorry, but that is so selfish to want your child to find a job when they feel so horrible. If you were my child, you'd be taken care of like the daughter you deserve to be treated. ;)

When can I move in? ;) :lol:

When can I move in? ;) :lol:
*irene clearing a space for Lulu* :D

*irene clearing a space for Lulu* :D

Seriously Babe, I'd KILL to get out of this house! :(

Seriously Babe, I'd KILL to get out of this house! :(
I imagine you would.

I imagine you would.

Who am I kidding? I'll be stuck in this hell hole for years

Lauren, you should consider applying for disability. It can take years, but at least you can get it going. They do allow a person to work a little. My doctor advised me to apply, and I plan on doing just that. I couldn't work if my life depended on it. I wouldn't hire me, lol.

I know you feel alone. There's a good fibro forum on this Chronic Pain site. These people feel your pain.

http://messageboard.spine-health.com/

Lauren, you should consider applying for disability. It can take years, but at least you can get it going. They do allow a person to work a little. My doctor advised me to apply, and I plan on doing just that. I couldn't work if my life depended on it. I wouldn't hire me, lol.

I know you feel alone. There's a good fibro forum on this Chronic Pain site. These people feel your pain.

http://messageboard.spine-health.com/


Thanks Janice. I mentioned that to my parents and they said, "So, you want to be a lazy, pathetic loser for the rest of your life?" :rolleyes:

Thanks Janice. I mentioned that to my parents and they said, "So, you want to be a lazy, pathetic loser for the rest of your life?" :rolleyes:
Oh boy. There's nothing pathetic or lazy about being too sick to work full-time. You know, I wish I could give my pain to some people for an hour, just an hour. I mean no disrespect to your parents, Lauren, as I'm referring to all the people who don't get it. Being a chronic pain patient causes depression. It's only natural. When all you have to look forward to every day is pain, who wouldn't get sad and depressed? They'll never get it (understand), unless they get it (the pain).

Thanks Janice. I mentioned that to my parents and they said, "So, you want to be a lazy, pathetic loser for the rest of your life?" :rolleyes:

It hurts me to think people can think like this..they clearly have had no pain and illnesses in life to know how you feel. :rolleyes: Just because they are parents...doesn't mean they know everything. Which by that statement they made it totally clear they dont.

Oh boy. There's nothing pathetic or lazy about being too sick to work full-time. You know, I wish I could give my pain to some people for an hour, just an hour. I mean no disrespect to your parents, Lauren, as I'm referring to all the people who don't get it. Being a chronic pain patient causes depression. It's only natural. When all you have to look forward to every day is pain, who wouldn't get sad and depressed? They'll never get it (understand), unless they get it (the pain).


Exactly Janice. It sucks that someone so young and nice has to deal with these illnesses but we have people who are probably in good health criticising those who have something beyond their control. If there's one thing i can wish up it is a magic wand that will direct pain to whoever we chose. What a good thing that'll be though, like whenever women are pregnant and their husbands are being a***s, they can direct the pain (from swelling feet to constipation lol) to them. Boy, what a wonderful world it'll be if we were to have this magic wand :lol:

You will get out. Because it's something you need to do for yourself. You will get out. You'll find a way and you will be better for it. Your confidence will rise and the world will be a better place because you will be a happier person.


I know this. Because it's what needs to happen.

Exactly Janice. It sucks that someone so young and nice has to deal with these illnesses but we have people who are probably in good health criticising those who have something beyond their control. If there's one thing i can wish up it is a magic wand that will direct pain to whoever we chose. What a good thing that'll be though, like whenever women are pregnant and their husbands are being a***s, they can direct the pain (from swelling feet to constipation lol) to them. Boy, what a wonderful world it'll be if we were to have this magic wand :lol:
:lol: Man alive, would I love to crack that wand over a few heads. Some people, even well-meaning people, simply don't get it. The problem is that people with a chronic pain disease (and lucky me, I have two), they look fine. So, some nitwits think that if something looks fine, well then, it is fine. It's like a beautiful car that has a multitude of problems under the hood.

It's interesting because I have a bad neck. It's got DDD (disc degenerative disease, arthritis, bulging discs, cord compression, etc). The pain is often blinding, as our necks is our spine, our cervical spine. When I'm home at night, I wear a compact soft collar. I take it off before bed. For the most part, nobody sees me wear it, except for my husband. My neurologist recently told me that he wants me to wear it when I'm in cars. I'm at an increased risk for injury. A case of simple whiplash for someone else, could paralyze me. I hate wearing the collar outside the house, and I take it off when I get out of cars.

The interesting part is that when I'm wearing the collar, people seem to take my illness more seriously. Wearing it, I get a lot of, "How are you feeling?" things like that. Human nature is such that people react to tangibles, what they can see. I'm the person who will have the handicap placard, and get dirty looks from strangers in parking lots, for parking in the handicap spot. Things are not always as they seem.

[QUOTE=Janice I'm the person who will have the handicap placard, and get dirty looks from strangers in parking lots, for parking in the handicap spot. Things are not always as they seem.[/QUOTE]

You can say that again. I had one in the 90s because I had gotten so bad. Even then, if I wasn't feeling too badly that day, I'd park in a regular spot because I always figure there's someone else worse off. But when I'd have to park there I'd get the looks and even comments. One a$$hole actually said as I was struggling to get out of the car that "you're not in a wheelchair - you shouldn't be parking there". How ignorant is that? Like everyone has to be in a wheelchair to have a handicapped permit?

It's like I can't believe how many people still believe that people with CP have mental deficiencies. They'll make comments right in front of them. I have several friends with Celebral Palsy who are near genius levels. I don't know how they put up with the ignorant masses out there. :rolleyes:

I'm actually about to faint right now! I decided to bring up applying for disability again this morning to my mom. She said, "Well, If that's what you feel like you need to do then I'll help you apply." :faint:

Who the hell is this woman and what has she done with my mother? :eek:

I'm actually about to faint right now! I decided to bring up applying for disability again this morning to my mom. She said, "Well, If that's what you feel like you need to do then I'll help you apply." :faint:

Who the hell is this woman and what has she done with my mother? :eek:

Now there's a step in the right direction.

This does not excuse you from a hike. :) ;)

This does not excuse you from a hike. :) ;)


:p :D

I'm actually about to faint right now! I decided to bring up applying for disability again this morning to my mom. She said, "Well, If that's what you feel like you need to do then I'll help you apply." :faint:

Who the hell is this woman and what has she done with my mother? :eek:
Who cares!!!!!!! :lol: She is being a mother! Finally.

Seriously, I think you need to do that because if an income is what you need to help you and it is obvious you can't work because what would be the point of getting a job with your limitations and pain? The sooner you start, the sooner you get the money.

My mom says I can't apply for disability at my age. :( She said I haven't worked long enough, but the point of getting disability is because I CAN'T work!

Does anyone know anything about applying for disability?

Thanks Babe, I'll check it out. You are so sweet to do that for me! :bighug: :smooch:

I'm thanking God for this warm weather, it really helps. Falling doesn't help too much though, lol, I have a huge bruise on my hip. :crazy:

hey, I know about falling, beleive me!!!:lol:

It, unfortunetaly, happens frequently to people with my disability.:( (which is H.S.P. which is Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. I posted information about it in a thread a couple months ago) so I can identify with you, Lauren. That's part of the reason I use a walker.

And; I'll say it again: it's good to have you back, sweetie. And, I'm glad you're feeling somewhat better!:bighug:

It's like I can't believe how many people still believe that people with CP have mental deficiencies. They'll make comments right in front of them. I have several friends with Celebral Palsy who are near genius levels. I don't know how they put up with the ignorant masses out there. :rolleyes:

Oh Lord. That bothers me SO much. I have cerebral palsy, but it's a mild form of it. So most people can't tell just by looking at me. Nevertheless, it's frustrating to deal with at times. But when I see other people with CP walking around(the ones where it's noticeable), I want to slap all the people who make comments about them being "mental *******." UGH

Knees are swelling again :(

oh, I'm sorry.:( Wish there was something I could do.

:bump


My Fibro has been better lately. My doctor recomended water therapy, but I wasn't able to afford the actual therapy, so he suggest I go to a gym and use the pool. I was already a member of our local YMCA, so I started going to their indoor pool and occasional attending a water aerobics class. Let me tell you, the water loosens your joints and eases the pain, it's WONDERFUL! When summer rolled around, I started using my grandmother's pool, but believe me, when it starts getting colder, I'll be back in the heated pool at the YMCA! The warm water is AMAZING! :D

that's GREAT, hon!:clap: :hug:

I'm so happy for you!! I'm going to ask my doctor if he thinks water therapy will also help me with my balance problems, from my H.S.P.

Fibromyalgia is a monster that sucks the life right out of a person. It's a disease of the muscles, tendons and ligaments. If the joints are hurting, that's most likely arthritis. It feels like your insides are being stretched, like being on one of those torture stretching machines. My thighs and feet burn. My arms often get so weak, that lifting a glass is a chore. The fatigue is awful.

I'm holding onto a small hope that I've been misdiagnosed and that my pain has been coming from my neck. That's what my chiropractor thinks. I'll know as I see him more. All I know is that fibro is hell. People have varying degrees of it. I had a doctor tell me that I have the second worst case he's ever seen. A nightmare, that's all I can say about fibro.

oooo, Janice, now I can understand what it's like for you & Lauren! And I though I have it bad, with my gradule musle deteriration, and my speesh, balance, and walking problems!

I know this doesn't mean much, but I hope you start feeling better soon, like Lauren is. Have you tried water therapy, like she suggested?

My ankles have been KILLING me this week! They're swollen and extremely sore and I don't know what to do about it. :(

I'm soory sweetie, really I am. I can understand how frustrating that must be for you, and after reading Janices post and reading about Fibromyalgia on webmd, I know how painful that must be. Take care!!:bighug:

I'm feeling that I'm getting a little worse; and I have a doctors appt. friday.


:yourock:



(by the way, your latest aviator is from my favorite Paul Newman movie)