How can I cope with fibromyalgia?

Coping with fibromyalgia starts with a visit to your doctor. Make sure you have an accurate diagnosis, and talk openly with your doctor about the symptoms. In fact, bring a list of symptoms so you don't overlook anything. Your doctor will prescribe one or more medications to help with the fibromyalgia pain, sleep problems, anxiety, and other symptoms.

But fibro isn't like a broken arm; you don't just fix it up with a cast and move on. It's a tricky, chronic condition, and it can affect your self image and your daily life. Once you start the medication regimen, reach out and join a fibromyalgia support group. This is a group of other people who have fibromyalgia. You can talk about any of your concerns with these people and get support and new ideas on how to live better with fibromyalgia. If you are having a difficult time coping, then see a counselor or therapist. Talk about your problems with fibromyalgia. The therapist will help you gain some new coping skills and teach you ways to retrain how you understand living with a chronic and painful syndrome.

Successful ways to cope with fibromyalgia exist. One important tool is a daily pain journal where you record your pain symptoms. You can also write down the location of the pain and the intensity on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the worst). Take this notebook with you to your doctor's appointment. Reviewing this information together will allow your doctor to prescribe the most effective treatment, including medications, moist heat applications, exercises, and complementary therapies such as massage that may help your symptoms improve. 

There are many ways to manage the chronic widespread pain of fibromyalgia, including taking a prescription medicine. But your prescription is only part of a complete fibromyalgia treatment plan. One way to approach your treatment is to think of it as a series of steps:

1. Learn all you can about fibromyalgia
2. Work with your doctor to set a treatment goal—even one as simple as "be in less fibromyalgia pain"
3. Work with your doctor to form a fibromyalgia treatment plan. Consider using more than one method—for instance, complement taking medicine with alternative treatment approaches
4. Track progress over time—this will help you know when you’ve met your first goal

Many people can benefit from creating a fibromyalgia treatment plan that combines medicine and alternative treatment approaches.

• A healthy diet can make a difference
• Restful sleep can make a difference
• Being active can help
• Consider alternative treatment approaches, including physical therapy, chiropractic therapy, nutritional counseling, etc.

Talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet, exercise routine, or treatment plan.

For many with fibromyalgia, prescription medicine is an important part of treatment. Ask your doctor if prescription medicine, such as LYRICA, could be a part of your fibromyalgia treatment plan. In clinical studies, LYRICA was proven to provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain compared with a placebo, so patients felt better and could do more.*

*Individual results may vary.

Coping with fibromyalgia is the same as it is with any chronic illness. The first step is acceptance; until this is achieved forward momentum is stunted.

It is impossible to answer this question with one or two paragraphs. Our book is full of helpful information for coping with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue immunodysfunction and myofascial pain from myofascial trigger points. It takes a multimodal approach and includes how to relate to others, including your physician, identifying stressors and blocks to mental and emotional health. Also included in our book are the many different therapies, addressing aggravating factors and comorbid conditions and much more.  I started writing as a way of identifying my own needs for coping effectively, I am an RN, educator, and last but foremost, a patient. When I say I get it, I really get it.

All blogs, posts and answers are based on the work in Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection by Celeste Cooper, RN, and Jeff Miller, PhD. 2010, Vermont: Healing Arts press and are not meant to replace medical advice. http://www.thesethree.com

Author of Chapter Five, Living with and Coping Effectively Through Fibromyalgia: Detecting Barriers, Understanding the Clues, in Fibromyalgia Insider Secrets: 10 Top Experts, 2nd Ed. Ebook complied by Deirdre Rawlings, ND, PhD

http://www.fibromyalgiainsidersecrets.com/idevaffiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=121_0_1_59