Dear Samantha: I would never chastise anyone for doing whatever they can to relieve symptoms. While it is true that I have never smoked anything at all, that isn’t to say that I have a moral attitude against it. In fact, it seems very reasonable to me that it should be legalized! My view of smoking in general is that it isn’t good for anyone’s lungs and I have advocated putting marijuana in food to avoid the lungs involvement. I wish you very best wishes and better health ahead. Regards, Barbara

Don’t say anything because you have never smoked marijuana so you have no right to say this. I myself have fibromyalgia from genetics. When I smoke pot all my pain is relieved yeah sure it helps for awhile and after it hurts again but one thing I know is that it is the only thing that has helped my symptoms. Don’t get me wrong I have tried other things I tried pain reducers and i am currently on an antidepressant and I can tell you they don’t help for sh**. It’s people like you that make it so hard to legalize a drug that was once used all the time. There is no study of significant danger of marijuana. No one has died from smoking marijuana alone. When I have the symptoms I can’t eat, i can barely move, my muscles tense so bad i start to cry because I can’t do anything for it even after i have taken my pain medication. Due to this condition I have lost so much weight I’m sure I can only eat about 600 calories a day forcing myself. So tell me what can I do if you say not to smoke weed what now? The creator of this earth put it here for a reason to use it. Trust me it’s not harmful it’s when those stupid teenagers (not all, the stupid ones) start to do other drugs because they’re bored of marijuana that’s the reason why the perception of marijuana is so bad in today’s society. Try marijuana and then you can speak because I do want to hear how you felt, no pain after smoking, how everything was relaxed, you deserve to feel it.

Hi Dee: Although I have never tried marijuana, there are certainly those who have and have found some degree of temporary relief. I would say that meditation, mild exercise and proper diet are the big #3 for working with fibromyalgia,especially if you are smoking as the lungs will suffer! I agree that moderation is sensible! Good luck, Barbara

As I said in an earlier post, I have fibro & hypersomnia/narcolepsy. Due to the narco/hypersomnia, I can’t take any muscle medications besides IB Profun because of the extreme sleepiness and grogginess (I tried just flexaril once a night for 2 months & slept for 12 hours+ each day; I couldn’t wake up. Then I tried Klonopin for anxiety and panic attacks. I slept for hours and couldn’t function for the 2 weeks even on half of a regular pill!) I have found that not only does Medical Marijuana help my muscle pain and stiffness, it also helps my hypersensitivity by kind of “slowing” my brain down. It helps me to be less anxious for sure, and also helps me to pay attention (Usually I am distracted and can’t focus for long before my brain starts worrying or thinking about something else and I move onto another activity. Watching a movie in one sitting is basically impossible) and relax even if just for a few hours. It has been a life saver to me after years of pain, tests, and sleepiness/brain fog due to prescription medications. Each person is different, but I am glad in the way that I treat myself. It has made me feel so much better to go off ALL prescription meds except Nuvigil to treat the narcolepsy. I wish it were not illegal however so I could not be afraid to discuss how much it truly helps (in moderation of course — too much of something is NEVER a good thing!)

Dear Lyn: You could be my clone! Except I have never tried marijuana, otherwise ditto everything about you is like me! Barbara

I have suffered with fibromyalgia for 10 years. It has changed the way I do most anything. I used to be outgoing, upbeat, and ready for most anything. Now I have to prepare myself mentally and physically for events or family get-togethers I must attend. Others can’t understand what you are going through. Many have said, “but you don’t look sick”. I tell them it is like having the flu.
I take several medications to ease the pain and to sleep. I do not like taking them, as they all have side effects, and you don’t know the damage to your body. I have an infared sauna that does help to calm the pain, but I can’t sit in it all day. I have a hot tub that helps also. I listen to meditation tapes and do my best to relax and keep my stress low. I don’t exercise as often as I should because I have a difficoult time getting myself going when I feel the way I do. I have tried marijuana in a tincture and it seems to help. I too do not want to feel the high.

I have also learned to say no. I know my limits and help others when I can, but when I can’t, I say so. I hope the medical system will be more aggressive on finding a good treatment and cause for fibromyalgia.

Good for you Rachelle! You have the right attitude!So many are on a gluten free diet and do NOT actually have celiac disease like you and all they do is feed into hype about gluten. At least you know for sure you have it and can control it with avoiding gluten. You are a strong individual and have a good message to share with others, thank you! Barbara

hello all! I too have fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorder (ELS -LUPUS) and celiac disease. I was overweight and so frustrated with the so many anti depressant/anti-anxiety meds and the doctors that missed the positive ANA test results, refused to believe that it was the medication that they were prescribing me was not right. I began medical marijuana a few years ago, quit taking medications that were not specifically designated gluten free. Began a highly gluten free eating habits and lost 45 lbs in 6months. The weight loss itself was a great pain relief and to combine that with a better direction of what is actually wrong with me and the patients of a good doctor who understands your medical history and genetics is the most beneficial of all. many other situations for me that helped were, sleep – you really need a good rest, so tell your friends/family to leave you alone when your sleeping, it is your best medication. Therapy be it either counseling or physical pool therapy it will make a difference in your strength and your bodies ability to fight that nasty winter cold that usually takes me down for days – so much for the 24 hour flu for me. Keep your air clean around you and send the stress packing. You don’t let someone hit you and take it do you? fight back and take control of yourself – you WILL feel better over time.

Like many of us with fibro, I have spent years having doctors tell me it’s in my head or think I’m a medication seeker (which is farthest from the truth). I am comforted by the fact that I have been able to see a change in the last ten years in acknowledgement and acceptance of fibro as real. My best friend who is 20 yrs older than I am (I’m 37) has has had unnecessary surgeries due to the ignorance. She has lost everything from her appendix to a full hysterectomy. I am grateful to live in a time where there is at least acknowledgement if not understanding.

I was discharged from the military medically and when I was treated by the VA, at one point I was on over 17 meds all contradicting each other and making me a zombie. I walked away from all of that, stumbled into accupuncture which helped a bit. For me, that’s how it seems to go, something will help a bit and then no more.

I have gotten migraines since I was 3 years old and after giving me enough morphine for a full grown man with no relief even after I begged them not to, I was finally given an injection of Toradol which took the pain away in 20min. So I went home and researched the chemical make up of Toradol and found there was a prescibable version that called Tramadol. My pain management doctor has prescribed it three times a day and I find a definite, huge relief in pain. I also take oxycontin three times a day and have been for about 8 years. Many worry about addiction but I am very blessed to not have a problem with it. I am able to stop if necessary as I did to have my child but after every since anti-depressant and mood stabilizer and every other drug didn’t work after doing this med thing for about 14yrs now, I know what works for me. Diet definitely has an an effect and stretching helps too. I also have these wonderful patches I can place on my lower back which help.

I hypothetically tried MJ one time but it made me goofy and foggy and underneath I was still aware of the pain. I don’t think it is for me.

This is a life sentence. There are good times and bad times and most of us will process our life before and life after as if we were grieving ourselves because we are. We are grieving a loss and it hurts but we then have to step in and make a new life. It’s never all roses. It breaks my heart to not play with my son like I want to or to have to lay down after loading the dishwasher which seems to be my hardest chore. But there are those days when I look at my husband and tell him my pain is only a 2 or 3 and we enjoy a nice family day and that’s what keeps me going. I refuse to let this awful disease defeat me. I am not fibro, I simply have it. But that doesn’t mean I can’t wait for them to find a cure.
Good luck to you all and many blessings.

Great news for you Marcy! Hope others can benefit form reading your comments! Regards, Barbara