Fibromyalgia treatment looks different for every single Fibro Warrior. Since this condition affects everyone differently it seems obvious that treatment plans also affect everyone differently. I believe we have all tried many different avenues whether it be complete trust in the medical field or the exact opposite and only trusting in holistic. While others have gone down the path of combining the two methods. I thought I would take a few minutes and share my Fibromyalgia treatment plan.
Pharmaceutical Medicines
If you have already read the story about my Fibromyalgia journey then you know about my lack of trust in the medical community. At one point in my journey several doctors had me on several different medications and when I became beyond frustrated with the lack of diagnosis and the uncertainty, I stopped all medication. Please do not do this. This is a dangerous path and I DO NOT recommend this to anyone. When I made it to the other side of the side effects and withdrawals, I actually felt better. I am not sure if this was a placebo effect of taking control of my life or if it was actually due to the lack of medication.
Since that long road, I haven’t attempted any medications. I have seen two different rheumatologists since and neither of them recommended medications which only supported my decision. My main doctor has recommended a low dose of a type of pain killer, but I have not pulled that trigger as of yet. I am sure at some point I will need to have medications, but I will hold off as long as I can.
I know Fibro patients that swear by their medications and I know others who can’t stand them. As with everything with Fibromyalgia, everything is different for everyone. You must make your own decision and trust in yourself.
Counseling
Counselors are there for you to listen, provide a shoulder to cry on, and give advice. You must find the right “chemistry” with you and your counselor. Due to this, it might take several attempts to find the right one but as soon as you do, it is a huge relief. This is an individual that has an unbiased ear and can listen to everything that you are having to manage.
Majority of Fibromyalgia patients feel isolated in this world. Family, friends, and coworkers do not understand what they are experiencing. A lot of us loose friends, some even family, due to this illness. People can’t see it and there is a misconception that this is a made-up illness. Counseling provides you an outlet to vent about everything you can’t with your loved ones.
I am 100% a believer in counseling and go every 2-3 weeks. Always feeling a sense of relief when I leave her office. I have tried not going for a while and the few times I have done that I have realized that counseling needs to be part of my Fibromyalgia treatment plan no matter what else I am trying.
Massage
Society tends to think about massage as a luxury, splurging on yourself, and a tool for relaxing. That is probably the case for a lot of people. However, I cannot manage everyday life if I don’t get a massage. I go every 2 weeks like clockwork. If life gets in the way of this, I am hurting and know that I need to get to an appointment.
As with a counselor, you need to find the correct massage therapist. I will not get a massage on a vacation nor will I schedule with someone else if my therapist isn’t available. You need to find someone that understands chronic pain and that your body will require a different pressure every time you go. I love deep pressure, but my body doesn’t always allow for this. There are many times that I am in tears on the table and she feels so bad and tells me that she is barely touching me. Remember my comment about it not being relaxing. 😉 My massage therapist has also become very good at predicting flares. She can tell one is coming or that I have just come out of one better than I can. She also helps me realize where I have inflammation.
Epsom Salt Baths
This is a new treatment for me. I am typically a person that goes a hundred miles an hour, a multi-tasker, and someone who doesn’t sit still very well. Fibromyalgia is preventing all of the above! I have been told by massage therapists, doctors, and physical trainers for years to soak in Epsom salt for 20 minutes. I would buy the salts and then be “too busy” to sit in a bathtub for that long. That has certainly changed! I swear by them now! I will take them at night and sleep so much better. If I have had a stressful day or I think I feel a flare coming, I will jump in as soon as I can. My Epsom salt baths have become one of my #1 items in my treatment plan.
Diet
Oh my, this is a biggie and probably the most difficult for me. I am the first to admit that I am a picky eater and definitely not the healthiest. When I was struggling to figure out what was wrong with me, I was eating terribly. I can’t believe I am going to admit this, but I was probably averaging 64oz of Coke a day, starting my day off with a candy bar, only eating once or twice a day, and living on fast food. Baked goods, chocolate, Mexican food, and anything that contained sugar were my go-to. My argument was I was so exhausted that this would all help me get through the day. Sugar was my drug of choice.
I have started eating regularly throughout the day. Fueling my body three or more times has definitely helped with the fatigue. In fact, if I miss breakfast, I know I will definitely be taking a nap during lunchtime. I try to eat three meals and have two healthy snacks during the day. Since I travel frequently, prepping and taking food with me is also a lifesaver. Recently I was on an 8 day trip and I lost four pounds thanks to taking fruit and healthy options versus eating in the airport and restaurants the entire time.
Sixty plus days ago I made the decision to eliminate processed sugars. I am still eating natural sugars and I am not 100% perfect, but I am a million times better with my sugar consumption than I was all those years ago. I will definitely say I have noticed a difference. The few times that I have splurged, I have paid for it later that day or even the next day.
I should eliminate a lot more in my diet but truthfully, I wanted to get very comfortable with no sugar and have my head wrapped around that prior to cutting something else out. Other common diets or items to eliminate are:
- Gluten
- Dairy
- Any inflammatory foods
- Grains
- Nightshades (Potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.)
- Processed Foods
Essentially, they recommend a complete plant-based diet. I won’t ever be able to do that, so I am going to try one thing for a while and then add in another. I will probably attempt a gluten free diet next since we all know gluten causes all the world’s problems!
More of my Fibromyalgia Treatment Plan
- Essential Oils
- I diffuse lavender to help me sleep and others to help my mood and focus during the day.
- I will use various oils directly to the muscles that are so tight I can’t wait till my massage and sometimes for pain control when it gets that bad
- Fluorescent Lights – this is a new discovery, but I am learning that I feel better when not exposed to fluorescents for extended time periods
- Reducing Stress – work in progress but I am trying to discover a work/life balance
- Toxic People – I’ve been labeled as an empath. I am not sure about this, but I have learned that some people effect my physical wellness more than others. I am learning how to decrease my exposure to people that affect me in a negative way.
- Physical Therapy – I am about a month in and am going twice a week. At this point, I think it is helping but I am not sure if it will become a regular part of my Fibromyalgia treatment plan. Time will tell.
The above listed items are only a handful of helpful tricks. There are so many other options that I have researched or have heard about that I will probably continue to try and see if any help me. Some examples of those are heating pads, cryotherapy, exercise, acupuncture, meditation, chiropractors, and more.
When you decide that you want to tackle your Fibromyalgia head-on, you will need to go through a lot of trial and error. This requires thoughtful planning of what your treatment plan will look like. I highly suggest journaling your various methods. The key is trying something for a while and determining if it is providing any relief. If it is, wonderful add it to your Fibromyalgia treatment. If it isn’t, move on to something else and continuing the search.
Hopefully by sharing my Fibromyalgia treatment plan, it helps inspire you to add new ideas to your list to try. I know that it is frustrating to have the trial and error process but please give it time. You will start to be able to control more of your life and start living with Fibromyalgia!
Please remember that this is my story and my story alone. I am not in the medical field and I encourage you to seek help to make your decisions.
