Yes and yes. My trainer is amazing! I take regular (dressage/jumping) and lunge line lessons with her. There are days when I have no stirrups or reins and the entire session is posting trot and transitions, there are other days when the stirrups stay on and we work on position only. She’s really good at gauging what I’m physically capable of on the day, and she also asks how I feel which is rather refreshing. I’ve been riding with her for quite some time though and she has a very good understanding of what I am capable of.
I have a 5 yr old I raised, schooling 2nd level now. I sometimes clinic or go for a lesson but nothing regularly.
For those little muscle nodules I went with manual trigger point therapy. It’s almost a type of massage that involves putting manual pressure on a nodule and holding it until the nodule (trigger point) begins to release. It does hurt, a lot, and it took a long time/many sessions to beat back the worst of the trigger points but it’s been several years now and the worst of them seem to be staying okay. Along the way I learned a lot of self-massage and self-trigger point release that I use when I find new or recurrent trigger points.
Btw - I’ve been on Lyrica for several years and am now in the process of weaning myself off it. It is a horrible medication that actually exacerbated my muscle spasms, interfered with my coordination, and gave me speech problems.
I have a very low tolerance for many things and Lyrica/Gebalin is one of them. I did notice a bit of a difference in the nerve pain which even a little relief is a blessing! Both of these drugs make me feel extremely high, disoriented, dizzy and tired. Even small doses of 5-75mg taken at all different times of the day/night made no difference. I was told the average dose is 300mg and if I was on a very small dose I cringe to think of how I would have felt on the 300mg.
My doctor put me on Lyrica and I had serious problems with my balance and coordination, brain fog, and muscle spasms, not to mention feeling (and acting) zombie-like. I was on 300mg a day and over a period of two years have weaned myself to 50mg - the withdrawal has been horrible. I hope to be completely off it within the next few months. The side effects I mentioned have all disappeared. I’m also weaning myself off the antidepressant I was prescribed and withdrawal from it has also been a nightmare. I I’ll stick with my opiates, sleeping meds, and exercise.
Oh the Lyrica withdrawl!! OMG!!!
Lyrica didn’t work for my fibro pain. It made me sleepy at first, which was good as I couldn’t sleep, but I had to max out the dose. While I didn’t have many side effects, taking that much eventually stopped providing any benefits so I tapered and got off it. I would like to try gabapentin or cymbalta to see if they help, but I’m too afraid of the withdrawl after what I experienced.
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It is horrid and it lasts forever, or maybe it just feels like forever. I took the 300mg for a couple of years and I became less able to function over time due to the drug side effects. Now that I’m on my last step to getting off it I feel so much better. I still have pain but tramadol, exercise, massage, and meditation keep it manageable and I have my balance and coordination back! The problem I struggle with now is the overall loss of fitness and muscle that I lost over a four or five year period. I used to be extremely active.
I itched all over and had zapping nerve pain for more than two months after my last dose. I also felt manic and I couldn’t think clearly. It was awful.
Tramadol also helps me, as does cyclobenzaprine Sleep remains a challenge unless I add a sleeping pill to that mix. Though I wish I could take my cocktail more often: doctors are stingy with the tramadol so my work day is a painful challenge.
I refused medication other than Advil pm to sleep at night. Tried Xanax but it only worked for a few months but wow what great sleep I got! Currently am trying maca as menopause has been creating its own problems. I also discovered that forskolin helps my mood and sleeping. Just did my first horse show after 6 years and did fine physically so am feeling good that I am on the right path dealing with the fibromyalgia.
I tried the Gabapetin and I was walking into walls and falling asleep sitting up…and that was on a low 75mg dose. I stopped taking it after the 2nd week I was on it so I didn’t have any withdrawal symptoms. It did help with the pain though.
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Glad I found this thread. I have a variety of health issues involving neuropathy, fatigue, and autoimmune disorders that present with symptoms VERY similar to fibromyalgia. I started seeing a specialized neuropsychiatrist about 6 months ago, who is widely respected in my area. He specializes in complex medication management for patients with chronic, unresolved fatigue, depression, etc, who have underlying medical issues. My oncologist (I’m a breast cancer survivor) and endocrinologist (I also had Hashimotos and have had my entire thyroid gland removed) both referred me to him… they recommend him to a lot of patients.
This doctor took detailed intake information on my symptoms. And he has required me to maintain a journal tracking symptoms, etc. He said he sees a lot of folks who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, as well as a lot of people who haven’t, but who have a very similar collection of symptoms. SEVERE fatigue, muscle weakness, and neuropathy. In my case, I had specific chemotherapy as part of an aggressive regime that is known to damage nerves. I also had physical nerve damage mentioned earlier during surgery and radiation, and now have hormone deficits (from oophorectomy and thyroidectomy).
Anyway, we started trying some new medication additions and adjustments 6 months ago to help symptoms. The neuro-psych coordinated with my endocrinologist, and we dropped my Synthroid dose (t4) and upped my Cytomel dose (t3). So my TSH level is still in an appropriate range… but I feel better. He apparently tries this with a lot of patients. I also have had severe insomnia for years (medically induced menopause in my 30s… brutal) and have been prescribed Lorazepam and Ambien in the past. This doctor doesn’t mind Lorazepam occasionally… but is opposed to Ambien. He says it can have really negative long term impacts on the brain, and create issues with intractable insomnia - he avoids prescribing it now. He prescribed low dose Gabapentin for me, and had me take it only at night before bed because of the sedative effect. So I’m now on 400 mg of that at bedtime… it’s been HUGELY helpful with insomnia AND nerve pain. I wake up everyday in so much less pain… it’s crazy. Especially at the base of my head, in both shoulders, throughout the right arm and hand, and in both ankles and feet.
I also recently started Cymbalta, and have gradually worked my way up to 60 mg. I had previously tried Lexapro as an antidepressant… it helped some, but wasn’t a great solution for anything. Cymbalta seems ok so far, and the doctor thinks it will help chronic pain.
Everyone who suggested magnesium to help nerve pain is on point as well. Add in Vitamin D regularly, and a B complex occasionally. I’m not a fan of melatonin personally for insomnia. Discuss it with whoever is providing you prescription sleep aids if you choose to use it. It can be contraindicated.
As as far as riding, I’ve been out of the saddle most of this year, and just kept my horse out in a training board situation. It’s really expensive, but she’s doing great, and I am trying to get me healthier. Im lucky to have had this option. I’m setting some modest goals for the next 6 months to get going again, and the folks I have my horse with are very supportive of me sliding into the schedule, and riding one, two or three days a week… and reducing training rides accordingly. Hopefully with a bit more fitness, I can resume lessons too soon. My horse is a nice young warmblood, and when I first took her to this place for training, I thought I was never going to be a good fit with her, and that I should just sell her. She’s a bit of a push ride. The primary dressage trainer with their program (its an eventing barn) has worked with both me and the mare on lightness, and connection. She doesn’t believe horses or rider’s aids should be heavy. The results have been awesome for me and my horse. So between finding a great program, which has been wonderful for my horse and bought me time to figure out my health, and finding a great doctor this year who has helped with pain… I’m hopeful I am starting on a better stretch of life for a while. I have lots of other stuff going on with horses… but this nice young horse (who has loads of potential) and my overall pain, fatigue, and weakness has been a specific puzzle for awhile that some of you might relate to.
I strongly recommend to anyone struggling with chronic pain and fatigue, and who loves horses but feels discouraged by health stuff… don’t give up. Do the best you can, and just groom and hack out or lunge your beast on days you aren’t feeling great. Set smaller goals. And if you aren’t getting great results from doctors… keep pushing, asking questions, and look for second opinions or different specialists. I’ve been INSANELY blessed with incredible doctors for multiple issues who have really supported and helped me. It’s really important if you are dealing with major chronic health issues to have medical help that you believe in, and have good communication with.
Wishing the best to everyone else who is struggling with health this holiday season. Enjoy the little victories, and keep going forward 
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