Fibromyalgia medication help.?

I have recently been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I also have Rheumatoid arthritis. I'm 32 and mother of 2. My Rheumatologist perscribed Lyrica but the insurance co. is refusing to cover it even at the Dr. written request! (Don't get me started on this one!) Is there any medication that anyone has tried that they think works on the pain? I have Darvocet but rarely take it because I need to function, besides it really doesn't help much. I take Tylenol Arthritis also. I get such terrible flareups that I can barely function. I lost my career (firefighter) because I didn't feel I could function safely and not be a liability and then had to quit my job as a server because it was too much on my joints. I could really use some advice and hear personal experience with different meds/home remedies. Thanks!

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doktorangbaliw January 26, 2009 at 9:04 pm: Brown K needs to get an education about Fibromyalgia and Auto-immune Disorders. These aren't conditions you acquire by being lazy and can be solved by going to the gym. Fibromyalgia and Auto-immune Disorders can strike anyone at any age. -I used to go to the gym and could bench 40kg (about 88 lbs) 3 sets with 15 reps per set before I got sick with Polymyositis (auto-immune disorder - immune system destroying the muscles) AND Fibromyalgia. -

With that out of the way, you can try Neurontin. The generic name is Gabapentin. Physican's Desk Reference would say start at 300mg three times a day, but I have never gone over 100 mg per day (I take my Neurontin at night because it makes me sleepy). With good sleep (sleep has a lot to do with how fibromyalgia affects us), I'm pretty good for the following day unless something really strenuous or physically straining happens that day.

I also feel better since I've started using LifePak (Pharmanex). Try to look for this book called "Reversing Fibromyalgia" by Dr. Joe Elrod. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Reversing-Fibromyalgia-Overcome-Arthritis-Related-Diseases/dp/1580540058
He has treated and studied our disease for a long time. He found that we lack certain micronutrients. There are some that I could not get from the usual OTC multivitamin supplements or were hard to find in foods sold at the local grocer, but were in LifePak. (I did my research =))