Thomas C. Monroe, M.D. LFACOG
The page link re:fibromyalgia was not available. This is in answer to the Single Mother of Three. Fibromyalgia has only now just begun to be accepted as a disease. Probably of Autoimmune orign. Most Doctors think that it is still fabricated. Some very symptoms of the disease are, 1. Migratory pain, not involving the joints, 2. Seldom does more than one area cause pain at the same time, and this pain is more severe than degenerative or osteoarthritis, 3. There is no known cure at this time. Some rheumatologist are offering a tricyclic antidepressant on a take it or leave it basis. The disease does cause deformaties as the person, usually female, ages. These are fibrous tumor form 2 - 10 mm in diameter and are not usually painful to touch unless deep pressure or trauma. Although I am an OB/Gyn, I have seen this disease hundreds of time and recognize it easily. The non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drugs (NSAIDS) offer some relief but are know to cause upset stomach to peptic ulcers. Some of the later one such as Vioox, cause less grastric disturbance than the older drugs but still have as high as 5% gastric side affects. So you see, there is someone out there who knows such a disease exists and how much it hurts. I just do not know how to treat it adequately. There are sites on the web that advocate large doses of Humabid LA that is used mainly as an expectorant in colds, bronchits, pneumonia, but these sites are recommending large doses up to 3-4 grams a day. It might be worth a try but I have had very little compliance with such large doses of a bad tasting medicine.