Current Fibromyalgia Treatments

As another base post for my blog, I thought I'd let all my fibro friends know what I'm currently doing and taking to treat my Fibromyalgia symptoms.

Drugs:

• Pristiq (aka desvenlafaxine; SNRI antidepressant) - 50 mg taken every morning
• Doxepin (tricyclic antidepressant) -25 mg taken every night
• Skelaxin (muscle relaxant) - 800 mg taken every morning and every night
• Zolpidem (aka Ambien; sleep aid) - 5 mg taken every night
• Tramadol (aka Ultram; pain reliever) - 50 mg as needed (I don't take this often)
• Naproxen (aka Aleve; pain reliever) - up to 500 mg as needed for migraines

Other treatments:

• Vitamins (multi, Calcium, C, B-complex) and a BioBeads, a probiotic (for IBS)
• Daily gentle stretches using the Pressure Pointer Manual as a guide
• Bi-weekly massages at Massage Envy for back, neck, shoulders
• Heating pad on my back whenever I'm on the couch
• Warmed up (microwaved) sock filled with rice for neck, shoulder, or low back pain, especially at bedtime
• Journaling (no rules in the journal - I'm free to express everything there)
• Supporting other fibromites online in various support groups or wherever (it helps me to help others, as I don't feel so useless)
• Walks around the block or in my garden, taking photos, taking time to dawdle, etc.

I have tried quite a few other meds and therapies since being diagnosed, including Lyrica, which dried me out and Cymbalta, which made me so nauseated I couldn't work. I even went on the controversial yeast-free diet for three months with Nystatin powder three times a day. I lost weight on that diet, but it was stressful and actually seemed to aggravate my symptoms. I have since gained back most of the weight lost on the diet anyway. I do eat mostly healthy, with some indulgences for beers and desserts now and then, but without the activity level to even out the net calorie intake, of course I am having difficulty maintaining a skinny figure.