When we post a story....where does it go? I submitted a short experience, but know not whee to look. Thanks eveyone! zzzowl

Hi Zzzowl!

Nice to meet you, but I am sorry to hear that your story didn't get posted, as it should have!!

Since the first of the year, both Kellie and I have undergone some terrible reactions to a new medication, and we just haven't been up to doing all of the things we normally do. (Both of us are taking Lyrica... the med supposed to be the only one approved by the FDA for Fybromyalgia, which we both suffer from). We are finding that this drug seems to help initially, but within days or weeks, it starts doing some dreadful things to our bodies... such as increased swelling, weight gain, dizziness, heart palpitations, increased joint pain, etc. We hope to start the process of being weaned off of it soon!!! Wish us luck!

If you would like, please post your experience in the ghost forum (or whatever forum it fits best in), and that way, at least it will be out there for people to read and reply to. I hope you won't mind doing this for now, and we hope to get back on our feet soon, so that we can better handle the duties here at SpiritKeep!!

Also, anyone with stories to post, please go ahead and post them where they seem most fitting, and we will go through them as best we can, and edit or remove anything that is contrary to the SpiritKeep way of doing things. We welcome your stories, and please don't let this scare you off!! {{{{HUGS}}}}

Love and hugs,
Mare

AZSPIRIT and KELLKELL, I'm so sorry to hear that you're expeiencing such negative side effects from the new medication for fibromyalgia. This is a familiar senerio, as I have suffered with chronic pain for over 25 years myself. Pain is as much a part of my being, as the color of my eyes. Coping with chronic pain is routine....YET I reject it's abuse, and refuse to bend to it's will. Medication adjustments, or changes is necessary to one's mental and emotional survival. It takes real strength to endure this burden. Be well...be patient...AND do what ever it takes to live life as comfortably and freely as possible. Blessings, zzzowl

ZZZowl, thank you so much for your words of comfort and wisdom. I am determined not to allow Fibromyalgia rule my life... but, it is so easy to allow pain to stop us from doing the things we want to do.

I am so sorry to hear that you are yet another sufferer of chronic pain. Bless you, and may you find ways to be more comfortable. {{{{HUGS}}}}

This past week has been a really tough one for me, pain-wise, and not even prescription pain meds seem to touch it. I hope that the Dr appointment on May 6 will be the beginning of weaning off of Lyrica, and getting it out of my system. Overall, I am sure it has made my pain frequency and intensity worse than it was before I started taking it... and I am using prescription pain meds with it, which I did not use before. I guess Lyrica may help some people, but at $100 for a 90 day supply via my insurance plan, it just isn't worth it!!

My advice to anyone who has been prescribed Lyrica is to ask your Dr for samples to cover your first 6-8 weeks on this med, or at least get the smallest prescription possible, so you won't buy something you will find you may be unable to use. In these financially troubled times, no one needs medications they can't use!

Thanks so very much for your kind response....

Love and hugs to you!!
Mare

[ May 02, 2008, 07:13 PM: Message edited by: azspirit ]

Forgive my delayed response as I am still stumbling about a bit..well, maybe a lot LOL! on navigating my way around spiritkeep. I am just begining to understand how really expanse this site is. Thank you for taking a moment to share your experience with debilitating, and chronic pain. I too, have days which are quite intolerable. But!, as I have shared, I'm a real bugger and fighter. Once I learned (keeping in mind that I am mearly a "student" of wisdom) I have been humbled by the tenaciousness courage of others affilcted with conditions far worse than I. For me, I had an auto-immune break down of ediopathic nature, which destroyed the Myelyn Sheath on my spinal cord. The legion on my cord is located (damn) at cervical 2 . Can't get much higher than that (damn again). Well, everything below the point of damage is disrupted neurologically. They called the attack, Transverse Myelitis. Sometimes it is a pre-curser to MS, but I haven't had a second attack, which indicates that I will luck out!!! I thank God for the small ones...they're what really count. Hang in there and continue to pray for the strength and courage to to cope with whatever 'That Higher Power' has chosen for us. Blessings and comfort (((hugs))) zzzowl

I am so sorry to hear of all the pain that my friends are having to endure..I pray for each one of you the strength to fight and live life to the fullest. I am 44 and have osteoarthritis in my lower lumbar. I see a chiropractor once a month, unless I need him sooner. I'm restricted to what I can do because of my last disc (there is no carthilage between the 2 bones but spurs). So pain is a part of my life also. We must be really strong souls to have to put up with that much pain in our lives. Bless you all...

Oh Ghostwatch, it's so nice see you. Have been thinkning of you. I'm so sorry that you suffer with a chronic pain condition as well. You're right. We are strong souls! I am certain that I do not corner the market on pain, but I'm positive that I do own a piece of real estate on that corner. It can be very lonely coping with chronic pain as it is invisible to those around us. I'm grateful that others who identify with this burden are willing to share their experince, strength and hope. Gifts Abound! blessings, zzzowl

I'm sorry to hear Azspirit and KellKell, that you're both dealing with such negative and painfull side effects from the new medication for fibromyalgia.I am sending you both white healing light and prayers. I hope that your doctors will be able to help you both, so you won't have to be going through so much pain and medical problems .Take care of yourselves and be good to yourselves.Thanks for keeping SpiritKeep going and online for all of us.
Linds
California

[ June 06, 2008, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: Gremlin ]

zzzowl & ghostwatch, thanks so very much for sharing a little about your own battles with chronic pain. Sometimes, it gets pretty tough, and I know I long for just one day occasionally without pain. It hasn't really happened yet.

Many blessings to all who left their prayers and good wishes here for us!

Love & Hugs,
Mare

Of course...it's a pleasure. I believe I have a good grasp of your experience with chronic pain. Please know my spirit offers your spirit a compassionate hug. Sometimes...thats all it takes to fight for another day. (((hugs)))