Does anyone else have type 2 diabetes and fibromyalgia? Sometime I can’t tell which one is causing the pain. What do others of you take for the pain you experience with either?
I always assume pain is from fibro, probably because I’ve known about the fibro a lot longer than I have the diabetes. Luckily, it’s pretty mild for me and hits more on the fatigue side. I can still avoid daily painkillers if I’m not in a flare up. I do more to avoid being in pain - very very gentle exercise - I walk with a cane. With a sedentary lifestyle, I’m not pushing my body beyond what it can do. It really sucks though when an hour or two at the mall wipes me out. I actually find chamomile tea helps too, with the muscle relaxant.
My mom has had it for a very long time and takes codiene several times a day for pain management, and some times robaxacet as well. Like me, the muscle relaxant really seems to help. It’s been scary to watch it progress with her, as the various things she takes have less and less affect over time.
Heat also makes a difference for both of us - those bags of rice you heat in the microwave hold heat well and can be draped over the worst area (cheap to make your own as well if you’re willing to sacrifice a sock). She also recommends tiger balm which is a heating muscle rub.
Thanks for all the recomendations. Do you and your mom have trouble sleeping? I would love to talk to you more since we have this in common.
Sherry:
Khurt, another member of TuDiabetes, created a network about this very topic:
http://fibromyalgia.ning.com/.
You may want to join that network too.
I wish this site had some kind of notification for replies. Yes, she does have trouble sleeping, and has been on various meds for that. Not sure what she’s on right now, but I can ask if you’d like. I had trouble for a lot of years, but strangely enough it’s more or less cleared up in the last year. Not sure if it’s the weight loss or the diet changes or the new husband, but I’m glad to fall asleep in 15 minutes instead of an hour.
You can send me a message on the site, and I’ll hear about that via my email.
The site will offer this functionality very soon, Laura…
Laura:
You can now mark a particular discussion, so that you will get e-mails when people reply to it.
Just scroll to the bottom of the topic and click on “Follow – Email me when people reply”.
My wife has had fibromyalgia for about a year. She has been on more type of pain medication than I can recall. I know that the pain can sometimes be unbearable to the point of wanting to die. My wife has often expressed feelings of being alone. It is with that thought in mind that I have decided to start an online forum for fibromyalgia sufferers and their families to share their experiences, fears, frustrations, etc. I will post more details here as I flesh things out but I plan to start the ball rolling now and to put things in place over the new few months.
Hi, I have fibro as well as diabetes too, and some other conditions. The diabetes came long before the fibro. It is very important to get sleep, and very difficult for me. The pain is much worse at night. I also have some diabetic neuropathy, I went a long time before diagnosis plus had bad control during my first husband’s final illness and after. When I become desperate for sleep I take xanax, 10mg. It knocks me out and keeps me out, thru all the pain for 11 to 12 hours and it is wonderful sleep. Otherwise I use a TENS machine, either here at the computer or when I am doing paperwork. I have codeine and tramadol to take for the pain too; but I use them sparingly, so that I will not build up a tolerance. I also never permit the pain to keep me in bed. Whatever activity I can have during the day is a plus, and that is what keeps me going. At 69 you have losses due to age anyway, this just adds to the mix. Helen
I was just reading you post. I do not have fibro but nerve pain from an accident. It ends up with the same results. Pain from over active nerves. I am taking Cymbalta for the chronic pain and it also helps with my depression that I was feeling from years of the pain. I just started lyrica also. Combined with the Cymbalta it seems to be really helping. I have mild pain relievers and muscle relaxers for bad days. There are some effects to get used to but I think I will take the bloating instead of the pain.
Interesting to see my post from four years ago. I have been taking lyrica for years and hesitate to mix it with another strong medication like cymbalta with all its side affects. However I do take a small dose of citalopran. I also am taking the hrdrocodone and tramadol on a daily basis, 3 pills together, at a time. Every morning and some afternoons. I would take more; however the constipation is a big problem for me. I tried oxycodone, but find the hydrocodone works better, for me. I also have had quite a few cortisone shots and they help enormously with the stiffness and the ensuing pain. Of course this is bad for the rest of me.
I am trying to find a stiffer upper lip and accept this pain. Perhaps it is under the bed! It is no fun, robs me of what little energy I have. Additionally, since the last post I have had breast cancer and two kidney cancers, lost one of my kidneys. That’s why I can’t find that stiff upper lift. I wish you luck. Helen
That’s where my rheumy says my fibro comes from.
I had Graves disease, and she said it came from that (as opposed to something like a traumatic event that triggers it in some people).
I am so sorry to hear about you downward spiral with your health. My physical therapist makes fun of me for being “broken”. Always needing something fixed. My mother has fibro and has just finished radiation and chemo for breast cancer. Her last blood test was good so we are hopeful. I am also finding bloating and constipation a big issue. It also causes more nerve pain in my back from water retention and the pressure. She started taking protandim. It is a combination of nutrients and supplements that are known to beneficial. It is said to be the right combo to get rid of free radicals? I am looking into it. Want to be sure and ask my doc. But she is feeling so much better this last few weeks after taking it for a month that she was in tears. She is sending me an empty bottle to take to my doc. She said her joints and muscle weakness is so much better and she is waking up with less stifness. I hope that you find your thing that gives you relief so that you can take some deep breaths before you have to wade back in. Thats what my mom and I are liking it to. A rough surf you have to stand up in and try to breath through the waves crashing over you and keep your head up and your feet planted. Not always easy. Need that gentle wave once in a while to gear up for the next charge. Good luck to you. Carla
Sally, I have no thyroid, one of the cancers, and am on T4 therapy. Additionally, I just found out recently that I have all the side effects listed for calcitriol, a medication I take to make up for the death of my parathyroids during surgery. I am supposed to be having a lot of bloodwork done, including the standard thyroid testing, if I could find the sheet to take to the lab. Hopefully, when we discuss the findings, I can bring up getting some T3, even if it is just cytomel. I read that Armour is now hard to find.
Carla, I just read briefly about protandim and intend to read further. As it happens I do take a lot of supplements, including anti-oxidants and also eat Greek style yogurt frequently. However, I do not take any anti-aging agents. Has your mother lost any weight with the protandim? One of the side effects of more hgh.
I had always been a very productive person, up until the thyroid cancer. Looking back, I can see that is when my decline began to accelerate. It has been almost impossible for me to accept.
Who ever thought that being 60 again would be desirable?
Helen