Hi everybody,
I was diagnosed with DM about 14 years ago. Like everyone else I have been dealing with a lot of pain on a daily basis. I created my own pain mgmt system where I am on a morphine patch, percocet and xanax everyday. I was wondering if anyone out there uses anything natural instead of drugs. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
Robert
I started drinking Buckwheat Tea. I randomly or I feel more like divinely picked it out from an assortment of teas. I drank it for about a month and had a routine test done checking sed rate. My sed rate was the lowest it has been in over ten years! Lower sed rate = less pain:)
Thanks for the tip. I will look for it in the supermarket or the health food store. Anything is better then all of these meds.
Robert
I've never heard of buckwheat tea. I wonder what it tastes like. I would like to try it myself.
Have you or your dr considered that it might be something else? My dr told me that even in remission of the d/m it seems to keep inflammation in your body. Now that was a long time ago because, as you are 14 years out, I am 11 years out. I have been diagnosed with other autoimmune disease too.
Well, it was just a thot and I'm like you in that I am so tired of trying things to lessen the pain I still deal with too. Are there certain areas that give you more pain than others or maybe something you do that makes it worse? I'm just looking for answers too. Hope you have/had a good day.
Hi Marilyn,
I always get the pain in the same spots. Upper arms and thighs. Standing to long or lifting heavy items even the weather effects me. Started pt again hoping it will help.
Do you have a lot of pain? Mine is daily.
Rob
Hi! Robert are you going to a rheumatologist? Mine is the one who checks my bloodwork and my strength, etc. I am also wondering if you have any other autoimmune diseases. I'm not trying to be nosy but it seems that once you have one autoimmune disease you seem to get another one or two or !!! What you have written sounds like myself only I also have back pain. I use a cane when I go to church or anywhere I know I will have to be standing and visiting. I don't need it to help me so much with walking altho my one foot does sort of drag sometimes when I'm really tired or have been standing a long time and go to walk. At this stage standing a long time might be only 15 minutes. The weather also makes a difference. When there's a front coming I get more achy however, the cooler weather with less humidity seems to make me feel better. The heat from the sunshine helps too but I have skin cancer and so have to be careful in that too.
Have you noticed pain in certain small places? I can barely push on a few areas and it feels bruised, even tho it isn't. Altho I have upper body strength more than lower body I find that if I lift heavy things my arms and legs have a dull ache but my back is what hurts worse. Usually the next day the pain is worse. I go to pain management. I did do pt a long time ago but the pain got to be significantly worse and my strength improved but then we were getting a series of afternoon storms and I couldn't keep going due to how they affect me. This was the third time trying pt tho. The first two times I did, it did help a bit but not enuf to keep going until I had to pay all of it myself. I'm trying lately to do core exercise. That's the only one I've been concentrating on.
Well, I'm not going to keep rambling on but I am interested in what you and your dr has to say.
I do see a rheumy for everything. He orders all my blood work and checks me for everything. I am able to ride a stationary bike every evening and do about 10 miles. I am limited on walking and also use a cane when away from the house. I have also been having lower back pain the past few months. My pain is pretty much spread all over. I have 13 year old twin boys that play travel soccer and I try to attend every game. Its rough because it involves a lot of walking. The percocet and morphine patches help a lot.
Robert
Robert, I don't know how your rheumy feels about fibromyalgia but have you talked to him/her about it. It was a few months after I was in remission and I asked him about the 'bruised' places. He took time to press on certain places. He told me it was secondary fibromyalgia. It reminds me a lot of what you seem to be feeling. I know there's no cure for it but it just helped me some to give the pain a name. I've tried some of the drugs that the tv promotes but they haven't helped me.
Oh, wanted to mention that I told the rheumy today about the lower back pain and it keeping me from exercising by walking. I go to pain management and have had 2 nerve ablations in my back and one worked and the other worked a bit. Said that to tell you that she gave me some sample lidocaine patches to try. Tonight I was out doing some things that do make my back hurt bunches but if I don't do it it won't get done... well, they probably won't get done how I would really like them to be done :) Anyhow, I came back inside in my usual bent over position that comes with the things I had been doing.. Went and hunted up the patches she gave me today. Lo and behold... they seem to be helping. I had taken pain meds earlier so I know it wasn't them doing this.
Well, I do hope you are feeling ok and that you are able to go to your boys' games. Have a good weekend.
marilyn
Hi Marilyn,
My doctor never mentioned anything about Fibromyalgia. One of my main problems is lack of sleep. I only sleep about 2 to 3 hours a night. Seems to always effect me. I just got the patches you mentioned. I am going to try one later. You should also look into the voltran cream. It is like motrin in a cream.
Went to therapy today and feel a little better. She used the machine on me that is like a small jackhammer. Felt really good. Try and relax and have a good weekend.
Robrt
Hi Robert,
I'm wondering if you might ask a dr or your rheumy about fibromyalgia. I know what you mean about lack of sleep. Lately I've been doing a bit better because my rheumy prescribed a muscle relaxer for me to take in the evening to try and help me get more sleep. Lately it seems to be helping but its another pill. Seems like I have so many and yet I know some take lots more. Would enjoy not having to take anything or something more natural. However, If this is what I have to do to get sleep... well, guess I'll stick with their plan.
I'm so glad to hear that the PT is working for you a bit. You might even ask the person who is doing the PT about fibromyalgia altho some don't believe it is 'real'. One of the therapists told me he believed it was just inflammation from something I was eating.
Like I said earlier I take a muscle relaxer before bed but I've read and also done this... don't get on your computer or turn on the tv when you can't sleep or are going to bed. The best thing to do is to read. The computer and tv keep your mind active and not relaxed. Reading can relax the mind and you aren't thinking all those thots that keep you awake. 'Course it doesn't do anything for the pain. I'd be a more avide reader than I am if that was the case :) I don't know if it will work for you but my husband and I have tried it and it did help.
Hope you continue to see good results with the PT. Have the best weekend you can. marilyn
Robert,
My myositis pain is the same place as yours thighs and arms. I had to walk with a cane for three months when I had a really bad flare and many days I want to take it out to help. I am trying water exercise I can't say it helps with the pain but it does help me with sleep. I am blessed to have three pools at the local Y. Walking in the pool may help just be careful not to over do it because you don't realize how much work you are doing until you get out of the pool.
I feel your pain. My thighs have been very weak lately making it diffucult to stand or walk for extended periods. My upper arms are still killing me. My cane has been helping a lot. It’s another night of putting on pain cream. I also try working out in a pool. It helps a little.