Fibromyalgia and the Miracle Oil

Let’s get a little deeper into uncharted territories and discuss something that has been very hard for me to talk about, my diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Most of you have probably heard of fibromyalgia (thanks commercials!) but have no idea what it really is. Don’t feel bad, I was in the same boat until not long ago.

The best way to describe it is all over pain. Pain levels vary from person to person, with some people having debilitating pain. It is classified as a neurological disorder as it’s roots are found in the way your brain amplifies painful sensations by affected the way it processes pain signals. For a more in depth explanation read the description on WebMD here.

The challenge with fibro is that it is difficult to diagnosis. There are no CT scans, MRIs, x-rays or blood tests that definitively show that you may have fibro. Remember, it is a neurological disorder focused solely on pain receptors.

Let’s take a step back…

I’d been dealing with pain, primarily in my back, for about 5 years. Back pain is not uncommon and is fairly treatable but I’ve had little success in mitigating a lot of it. Any number of things can lead to back pain and any number of things can reduce back pain. I saw a multitude of doctors and they had a multitude of possible causes. I went to a chiropractor. I tried yoga. I worked on my core.

Still, I dealt with back pain, but it was getting worse. The pain was starting to be felt all over my body. One doctor finally recommended that I see a pain specialist where I could get an injection in my tailbone to help reduce my back pain. Sure, why not?

Over the course of my next couple appointments with the pain specialist we discussed my newfound body pain. His questions led to more questions which led to an eventual diagnosis.

You guessed it, FIBROMYALGIA.

It was bittersweet. Finally, I had a possible answer to my pain problems. But what the hell is fibromyalgia and what do we do about it??

The simple answer to treatment is…there is no concrete treatment plan. Great. Story of my life.

Unfortunately, different courses of treatment work for each person and it would be a trial and error approach.

Trial #1

The doctor started me on Cymbalta with a low dose of Lyrica and advised me to continue doing yoga. Cymbalta is primarily used for major depressive disorder and Lyrica to treat seizures. Both have had success with also treating pain related to fibromyalgia. Here we go!

I’ll admit, when I first started the medication I felt amazing. The pain had rescinded and I felt much more like my old self. However, it was short lived. I don’t know if the reduction in pain was mental because I was on a new medication or if it truly was the medication. All I know is that it wasn’t long before the pain returned.

Trial #2

What would you guess the reaction of the doctor was to my telling him that my pain had returned? If you guessed “up the dosage” you’re our big winner!

With this increase in dosage came some unfriendly side effects. I started having panic attacks and increased anxiety – I literally felt like I was going crazy! I decided to wean myself off of Cymbalta (you know, the depression medication) and see if Lyrica could keep my pain reduced on it’s own.

After a short time with an increased dosage of Lyrica my pain did subside. Not 100% gone, but I was functional. Then the side effects started rearing their ugly heads again, this time in the form of weight gain!

Not what a girl wants to happen! And definitely not 30 lbs. worth!

Trial #3

The weight gain made me want to try a different medication. Although the Lyrica was working for pain management, it was crushing my self esteem. I called my doctor and asked to be switched to something else. His recommendation was Gabapentin.

Ugh. I’d heard Gabapentin was synonymous with weight gain. Even so, I decided to give it a shot.

It didn’t take long to realize that Gabapentin wasn’t the answer either. I was now left with a choice, continue Lyrica or Gabapentin and deal with the side effects; or seek out alternative treatments.

I decided on the latter.

Trial #4

I began to do research on alternative treatments for fibro. Most of what I read was heavily focused on diet change due to the inflammatory response of a lot of foods. I knew that a lasting change in my diet was going to be hard to manage so I kept looking. I tried Essential Oils as they have a remedy for everything! While I did find some short-term relief, it wasn’t the lasting effect I was searching for. I starting doing yoga more consistently and again, found short-term relief.

It was a conversation with my brother-in-law that changed everything.

Trial #5

CBD Oil.

You read that right. Cannabidiol oil. The most prevalent chemical compound found in the cannabis plant.

No, no, no. Not medical marijuana. CDB oil does not contain any of the THC that is found in marijuana, thus making it legal in nearly every state (except for Indiana we’ve come to find out).

Troy began researching all of the different manufacturers of CBD oil and at what strengths/dosages to use it. We settled on trying a 1,500mg version of the oil from Endoca. While local stores such as Fresh Thyme sell CBD oil over the counter, they’re capped at what strength they can sell. Given the legal wrangling happening in the State over CBD oil we also cannot be sure they would have it in stock at any given time.

We decided to take the plunge and order it online.

The day finally came when it was delivered and I couldn’t wait to try it, hoping it was my miracle in a bottle. Here goes nothing…

BLAH!! It tasted awful. I mean, like dirt awful. Hey, it’s better than weight gain though!

I started with the smallest recommended dose of one drop under my tongue three times per day. I didn’t know what to expect, honestly. Would this relatively unknown oil really help? Would I be one of the unlucky ones that it didn’t help?

One week went by and my pain had nearly all by vanished. I decided to stop taking Lyrica altogether to verify that the CBD oil alone could manage my day-to-day pain needs. I upped the dosage as instructed to two drops, three times a day.

Another week went by and I hadn’t taken a single Lyrica. Did I find the holy grail of pain management?

Almost.

I still deal with ongoing back pain that has been verified by two doctors to be related to a tailbone issue I have.

But…

It’s now been over a month that I’ve been using CBD oil to manage my fibromyalgia pain and I couldn’t be happier with the results. It truly has been a life changer for me. So much so that I’ve started looking into other CBD products that can help with my other pain issues, such as creams and lotions. I’ll be writing a few more posts about CDB oil and how it’s helped change my life in the future.

Do you have a chronic pain issue that you’ve had trouble dealing with using traditional medication? Have you used CBD oils or looking to use them in the future? I’d love to hear more about your journey in the comments!