Are Fibromyalgia Patients Crazy?

Are Fibromyalgia Patients Crazy?

Have you’ve been told that you’re crazy, lazy, or depressed? If so, you are not alone. Friends, family, and doctors may try to make you think your illness isn’t real. They’ll probably say, "its all in your head."

Ok, so you forget appointments, cancel at the first sign of bad weather, get lost on the way, show up on the wrong day or at the wrong time. You ask the same questions over and over and often lose your train of thought in mid-sentence, you have strange reactions to medications and suffer with an assortment of health problems; yet all of your lab results look normal. You’ve got numerous complaints including anxiety, depression, fatigue, chronic pain, insomnia, IBS, MVP, chronic sinusitis, tingling in your extremities, night sweats, chemical sensitivities, headaches, reflux, and other symptoms. Are you crazy? You may think you’re a brick short of a load, but in your defense, I’d feel crazy too if I went days without sleeping, had diffuse chronic pain, had no energy, had no life, no hope, and had been bounced from one doctor to another and given dozens of tests, had taken numerous drugs which didn’t help, and then proceeded to get worse year after year!

The traditional drugs of choice for fibromyalgia include NSAIDS, antidepressants, anticonvulsant medications, muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, and pain medications. These drugs may provide short-term relief but their results are often fleeting and their side-effects are detrimental. It’s not unusual for FMS patients to be taking twelve or more prescription drugs, many of which contribute to erratic behavior.

The sleep drugs Ambien and Lunesta may cause short-term memory loss, fatigue, flu-symptoms, and depression. Tricyclic antidepressants, including Trazadone and Elavil, may cause early-morning hangover, mental confusion, and lethargy. SSRI drugs may cause anxiety, depression, mental blunting, and lethargy. Klonopin and other benzodiazepines may cause depression, fatigue, and decreased mental function. Beta-blockers (Inderal and others) are commonly prescribed for MVP. These drugs may cause depression, mental and physical fatigue.

Neurontin and Lyrica have potential side effects that include depression, somnolence, fatigue, thought disorders, fuzzy thinking, and ataxia. Zanaflex and other muscle relaxant drugs may cause mental confusion, speech disorder, lethargy, psychosis, and even hallucinations. Adderall and other stimulants may provoke nervousness, mental instability, and psychosis. All of these drugs are known to deplete at least one or more essential mood-dependant vitamin, mineral, or nutrient (B6, B12, CoQ10, Folic acid, etc.). Individuals with fibromyalgia are also deficient in the brain chemicals, which help regulate mood and mental function.

Tags: Fibromyalgia