Mom's Medication and Treatment Regimine

Mom has been on a number of different medication regimines over the course of her dealings with FMS. In the months immediately following her diagnosis, she was on many different types, in an effort to relieve pain, aid with sleep disturbances, bring feeling back to her feet, and to help deail with hormonal and allergy-induced problems. All of this together caused a lot of problems with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Recently (in early 1999) she has changed her routine, and has included more herbal medicines. Doing this, Mom has been able to eliminate some of the prescriptions she was given, and has regained some control over the IBS symptoms. Below is a summary of her current medication and therapy routine, as well as a look back at her old routine from one point in 1998.

Mom's medication, therapies and herbal treatments as of March 1999:

"6:30AM- 0.5mg.Xanax, 1 Lorcet 650mg. for pain.
              {1 or 2 Deconsal II for allergies and asthma [600 mg guifenex]if we are in high allergy season}
              1 folic acid supplement
              1 Premarin 0.625 mg.
              1 multi-vitamin supplement
              maybe 1 Symax -Sr depending on the status of IBS the day before

One hour in the Lazy Boy recliner with heat and massage and a microwave
heating pad on the back of my neck.

7:30AM With breakfast
Herbal remedies used in place of Deconsal and symax whenever possible:
2 capsules Red Clover, 2 capsules Barley grass, 2 capsules Marshmallow Root, 2 capsules Horsetail,

Throughout the day for pain, I use 2 capsules Kava Root or 1 0.5mg Xanax
every 4 to 6 hours.

Lunch Repeat the Herbal remedies as needed or use prescriptions if symptoms of IBS and allergies are too high.

Bedtime - 1.0mg. Xanaz and 50mg. Elavil plus 1 Lorcet.

Through out the day I use a magnetic strip across my lower back most days to help relieve the lower back pain. I have insoles with magnets for my shoes, but so far they are not doing too much for my numb feet.

Sometimes twice a day I use Lasix and K-Dur a diuretic and Potassium supplement for swelling.

I still use heat for back, shoulder, and leg pain both in bath soaking form and heating pads.

Even though at this point I don't see any significant difference in my symptoms, I have been able to eliminate a few of the prescription medicines sometimes to ease the work on the liver. Nothing is helping the numbness in my feet and they continue to be a source of great discomfort.

So I guess that is the routine at the present time. I am still looking for a used scooter to be able to be more mobile and I am considering whether or not to purchase a magnetic mattress pad for my bed since I do see a difference in the lower back when I use the magnets. " (Nancy Bird, March 1999)

Below is a summary of Mom's medication schedule as of August 17, 1998:

"Raised the Neurontin from 1800 to2400mg/day - it's supposed to be
helping the numb feet, but hasn't done anything so far after 4 months of it,
so we're trying the maximum dosage for a month... Kept Premarin at the
same level - heaven forbid I lose balance of my hormones... Continue taking
Symax-SR twice daily - it's supposed to grease the digestive track from
top to bottom and when bad IBS flare ups do occur, take new med
Hyoscyamine .125mg sub peco (that means under tongue) 1 or 2 tablets
every 4 hours during attacks... Changed Zanax at bedtime from .5mg to
1mg to get me to sleep, then 50mg Elavil to keep me asleep... Lasix and
K-Dur to keep the kidneys flowing and Potassium level up... Lorcet 10/650
for pain every 4 to 6 hours... Deconsal II or Atrohist Plus, twice daily for
sinus and/or allergies, depending on nature's activity... and I do believe
that is the current drug report for this month.

"My doctor did give me an exercise program to try for the lower back disc
problem, but said to discontinue it if it made the pain worse (like I'm going
to continue it if it made it worse anyway). He was also very honest about
trying water aerobics and said it really wouldn't do much for me except
make me feel good while in the water. So at $90.00 initiation fee and a
$45.00 monthly fee, I can soak in warm water in the bathtub and exercise
in the living room without the embarrassment of being seen in public in a
swimming suit as well as save some money." (Nancy Bird, August 1998)

Jenny's FMS page

Harris Front Door

Graphics Credits: