I do a lot of things to be as well as possible with fibromyalgia. But there are some top fibromyalgia treatments I will never give up. I share them with you in this post.
The author is a patient-advocate sharing her research and what works for her, not a medical professional. This information is designed as a starting point for your own research and conversations with your medical team.
Number One Top Fibromyalgia Treatment: Low Dose Naltrexone
In early 2024 it will be my seventh anniversary taking low dose Naltrexone. It has changed my life. Every major step forward came after starting this medication. It is an opioid antagonist that seems to calm neuroinflammation. For more information about it, see this post here.
To sum it up, it is relatively low cost, low dose, low side effect profile and brings so many benefits to me. The number of people it helps without serious side effects is higher than any other medication used for fibromyalgia. It’s the number one thing I recommend people research. Of course, it’s not a cure. And it doesn’t help everyone. But those it does help, it feels like magic.
Number Two Top Fibromyalgia Treatment: Yoga Nidra (Calm the Nervous System)
At the root of fibromyalgia is central nervous system dysfunction – our sympathetic nervous system is overactive. This has many effects. At this point in time, there is no way to calm it once and forever. But we can continually be teaching our body to get into the parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest response. The best way to do this, in my opinion, is Yoga Nidra guided meditation. Why? Because it simultaneously calms our nervous system AND gives us profound rest. I credit Yoga Nidra with teaching my muscles a level of relaxation they’d never known before.
The best part? It’s free, unless you want a dedicated course teaching you the ins and outs. Download your free practice here.
As part of this you will want to minimise stress in your life as much as possible. A lot of the stress in our lives is our health, so you will be hitting multiple birds with one stone here.
Number Three Top Fibromyalgia Treatment: Sleep: Quetiapine
Number three is sleep. The great news is the first two treatments will help with sleep. Calming your nervous system certainly helps your body relax for sleep. However, the deep sleep disorder in fibromyalgia usually requires medicinal support (according to all prominent doctors who treat fibromyalgia).
I have excellent sleep hygiene systems in place (go to bed and get up around the same time, comfortable sleep environment, mindful bedtime routine, no caffeine after lunch, early morning sunlight etc. etc.) but I also need help to sleep.
For me that answer was quetiapine. An atypical antipsychotic medication taken at a low dose has finally enabled me to get deep sleep. Prior to trying it in 2022, I rarely got deep sleep, which is the cause of much of the problems in fibromyalgia.
For all the details about how I’m sleeping now, see this post.
Number Four Top Fibromyalgia Treatment: Normal Healthy Living Habits
This is the section I call normal healthy living habits. Those things all human bodies need to be well. The research is undeniable that they help us to live well. My focus is on making them accessible to us and I will be sharing much more this year about them.
- Avoid ultra-processed foods
- Eat lots of protein
- Avoid personal intolerances
- Supplement personal deficiencies
- Move your body in a way that is accessible to you (I love yoga and walking)
- Get outside/natural sunlight
- Breathe well
- Mindfulness
This workbook will help you work through your daily healthy habits and routines. It shares my current routine and how to make your own daily routines.
Number Five Top Fibromyalgia Treatment: Pacing
Regular/healthy people call this work/life balance. No matter how much I improve, I must still adhere to my limits. My activity to rest ratio is still skewed toward rest. I must take many micro breaks through the day, my full stop rest break (Yoga Nidra) in the afternoon and I can’t stay out late. Pacing is crucial to managing all of my responsibilities.
Number Six Top Fibromyalgia Treatment: Perpetuating Factors: Chiropractic Care
I’ve lived with what I call a “giant ball of fibromyalgia” for a long time. New symptoms were automatically chalked up to fibromyalgia. When in fact, I had endometriosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, interstitial cystitis and my sacroiliac joint goes out of place too easily (potential hypermobility).
All this to say, don’t assume all is fibromyalgia. And the thing helping me the most right now with this is chiropractic care. It’s made the biggest dent in symptoms over any other physical treatment.
Honorable mentions
- Recovery Factors Supplement
- Epsom salt baths/magnesium
- Electrolytes
- Physiotherapy
So these are my top fibromyalgia treatments as we begin 2024. What are yours?
