Survey of Treatments That Work
There does not seem to be one effective treatment for fibromyalgia. But we can still share what seems to work best. Mike put together a survey listing many different treatments. The idea is to not only list treatments we have tried but to grade them on how effective they were for you. This will be the basis of our July meeting. The form should not take more than about 5 minutes to fill out. Since this is sensitive medical information, the survey is anonymous and will be kept confidential. This information will only be shared as a composite and not be shared outside of our group. You can download the survey below. (Adobe Acrobat 6 format) Please contact me for more information. Treatments That Work Survey
Meet Dr. John Kelly
There is a reality about the medical system. During a typical office visit we don't always have time to ask all the questions we need answered. I'm sure all of us have gotten to the car just in time to remember the question we meant to ask. This is why we were pleased to have Dr. John Kelly from the Southeast Center for Headache & Pain come and answer some of those forgotten questions. We thank him for taking out a Saturday morning to join us. Many of us already are treated by Dr. Kelly and appreciate the compassion and knowledge he brings.
Some Highlights of the Discussion
Just because there isn't a test for FMS doesn't mean it does not exist. Over 80 million people suffer from migraines. Even though there is no definitive medical test, no one seriously doubts migraines exist. Why should FMS still be in question?
Fibromyalgia is probably a central nervous system disorder. The pain stems from an amplification effect in how pain is sensed. In fact those with FMS are often hypersensitive to many stimuli - touch, lights, sounds - that would not be painful to others. For example people do not usually feel the pressure of sitting on a chair. People with FMS often do, and can not sit for too long because of it.
Because the pain isn't in the muscles, true pain killers (opiates) are often ineffective at eliminating the pain. They can be effective treating other conditions that may exist along side the FMS, but not fibromyalgia itself.
Those with fibromyalgia need to get restorative sleep. Often we do not get past stage 2 sleep. Improving sleep should be a high priority and a huge step toward feeling better.
Herbal remedies can be effective. Unfortunately doctors have no solid studies on their effectiveness - a big disadvantage. Dr. Kelly pointed out a very pragmatic reason why these studies have not been done. When Merck does a study on its new blockbuster drug, they and only they get to reap the advantage of the 5 million dollar investment (they own the drug). If one company does a study on, say ginseng, all companies benefit. Not so good an investment. Since benefits and side effects are not as well defined, if you use nutriceuticals, keep your doctor informed.
More on medicines. The answer to fibromyalgia does not come from a pill bottle. There is no medication that directly treats the large range of symptoms. The question should be: Does this treatment allow me to function better? Can I do more things? Also keep in mind, pharmaceuticals have side effects. Be judicious on the number of medications you take because people with FMS tend to be more prone to these side effects.
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