text: fibromyalgia success stories please!? i am battling fibromyalgia, with my main complaints being full body flu-like pain, fatigue, "fibro fog," & insomnia.  has anyone had success in overcoming this disease?  i would also like to try exercising, but each time i try anything i have a serious flare up (sometimes i even get a fever) that lasts for several days.  please help me overcome this!! i have had fibro for twenty years now and i can tell you from my personal experience, pain medications do not work. i have tried everything up to fentynl patches with actiq suckers. the amount of pain medication that i require is too toxic to my system. after being on pain meds my liver function was consistent with hepatitis induced from drugs, i had type ii diabetes, high blood pressure, rotting teeth, and terrible bowel problems from the pain meds shutting down my gut. i awoke one day with paramedics looking over me with my husband. i had come out of a seizure (which i'd never had before) and a temp of 107.5. scary. moral of the story, pain medication is not effective in fibro pain treatment because if increasing resistance to the medication it builds up to toxic levels. you are really better off taking a good muscle relaxant (i am on zanaflex)  as far as insomnia, first have a sleep study performed. mine was ordered by a neurologist this will tell you what is happening when and if you sleep. for instance i found out that i had three types of insomnia: chronic, initial (can't fall asleep), and maintenance can't stay asleep). i also get no rem sleep which explains the extreme fatigue. you can then work with your doctor to address your problems.   the fibro fog can be from medication side effects &/or the bodies concentration on the pain signals it is constantly receiving. i believe the fog is a combination of both and it is genuine. sometimes i can't find words to say that i speak all the time. or i forget things a lot. my computer calendar has helped tremendously. a study was performed to explain why we feel so much pain. you can find it at http://www.fibrohugs.com/article.php?story=20040301120311535 the increased pain response kicks our bodies into the "fight or flight response". medscape explains that pain alerts the central nervous system to the presence of a major stressor to the body; one that demands a response. pain experiences are typically accompanied by systemic responses similar to those that characterize the "fight or flight" dynamic. these responses are caused by the involuntary release of norepinephrine and adrenaline, which causes increased mental alertness, muscle tone, respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. facilitated clotting factor, shunting of blood from the viscera to skeletal muscles, increased visual acuity, and sweating also occur when catecholamines are released. the "flight or fight" response, although clearly beneficial to the endangered organism, can be a threat to the individual with chronic pain. further, the level of high acuity and anxiety commonly associated with the "flight or fight" response is often caused by the anticipation of a painful event rather than the actual "experience" of one.  try taking warm baths in epson salt. it contains magnesium magnesium allows oxygen into your muscles, reducing cramping and spasms. consult your doctor or a nutritionist to have your magnesuim level checked- it is a simpe mouth swab and not painful. if you have a low level, which most people with fibro do have, take magnesium and malic acid supplements. there are a few studies listed below that explain the rationale of using the combination in treatment of fibro.   try eliminating monsodium glutamate from your diet. i did and some of my symptoms (chronic headaches and nausea) went away. it is in everything from doritos to chicken soup. a few key finding's of an fda study found msg to cause a "burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms and chest".   if you need adjustments try to see a d.o. that is familiar with firbro instead of a chiropractor. in my opinion chiropractors tend to be a little more violent in their adjustments and can cause more pain in your soft tissue. d.o.s do a more passive adjustment.  before you exercise make sure you really stretch out and breathe de