Hey all. I've been very lucky and all my Fibro symptoms disappeared while I was pregnant. I haven't been on my usual 10mg Amytriptiline since last August. However, my baby is now 2 weeks old and I can feel all my tendons becoming tighter and 'clicky' again. I'm not in pain yet, just a stiff neck and stiff shoulders in the morning, so I dont really want to go back on the Amytriptiline if I dont have to. So I was wondering, are any suppliments proven to help loosen tendons? If not I guess itll be a trip to the Drs as I dont want to let my tendons get as bad as they were before pregnancy (I couldnt get off sofa, couldnt straighten fingers, couldnt walk up stairs etc). Any suggestions would be a massive help xx
Congratulations on the birth of your little one, and lucky you for being symptom free while pregnant. Are you now planning a very large family? Lol. I don't know of any supplements that would help, the only thing I can think of are muscle relaxants that you would have to get on prescription. Have you tried Epsom Salts baths as I find they help my stiffness. Sorry can't be of more help. Enjoy your baby. Take care Jeanne xx
Don't really have any answers for you alb...but congrats on your new baby..and what a miracle that is not needing the Amithriptilyne. Well done you...that's awesome...I've been on Amitriptilyne now for over 16 yrs-same dosage...it's .the only med I take and that gives me a painless night and a great sleep...muscle relaxants are like Valium..so I personally wouldn't recommend them to you..like Jeanne said they are prescription too..I have shocking muscle spasms and cramps...all over...at times...all I take is magnesium..double the recommended dose...also if you can get into a bath..soaking in Epson Salts-magnesium is great..as Jeanne suggested too....I use plenty of hot water bottles when it's bad..I have a sauna at home really really helps..it's an infrared one sooo it goes deep...the only excercise I can do is hydrotherapy...just walking up and down a heated pool..sooo good for the muscles...great circulation....hope my little experiences help...be blessed..have a lovely day...:-) xx
Thankyou Jeanne, I haven't tried Epsom salt baths, I'll keep a look out for some. And yes a large family sounds good, but unfortunately I can't afford one haha! It makes me wonder whether it's possibly hormone related? Or maybe the relaxin you produce when pregnant loosened all my tendons for me. Think I'll ring the Docs and see what they say, as I had to have physio last time as my tendons were so tight xx
Thanks Christine! Luckily I can get in the bath now, as I have been able to strengthen all my joints whilst being pregnant (while they didn't hurt). This is why I want to do something ASAP as I don't want to spiral into that whole stiffness scenario again, where I can't use my joints. Before I was pregnant it felt like everything had ceased up - so trying to catch it before that happens this time (wishful thinking).What does the magnesium help with? I've read online a lot of people take it but not sure what it's supposed to help with. Hope you have a lovely day too xx
Yes I'm not sure what the link with pregnancy is, but I know you are not alone with the symptoms disappearing while pregnant. Interesting. xx
Hi alba90. During pregnancy certain hormones are released in your body, softening your ligaments and tendons. Sadly these decrease quickly once baby is born. I don't know of any supplements to relieve your condition. However I did read somewhere that oily fish can help. This means fresh fish because much of the oil is lost in the canning process. Fish oil supplements may also help, also flaxseed oil capsules. Good luck and congratulations on the birth of your baby.
angie.
Thankyou Angie. I might venture to Holland and Barrett and see if they can recommend anything :-) xx
Hi Alb90
During both my pregnancies first one in 1997 and the second in 2004 I was pain free completely but soon after each birth the Fibro soon returned. We are inn 2015 and I am still suffering.
Congratulations on your new baby, what lovely news.
I take magnesium to help prevent muscle cramping and it seems to help. I take it with appropriate almounts of calcium, as the body needs both to absorb it properly. If you are personally feeding your baby, then you may need to check with your doctor what supplements are safe to take, as they will be passed on into the milk.
Best of luck with baby, enjoy.
Meg
🌺
Hi Alb; I add my congrats to you too, as having children is lovely. I agree that your Increased levels of Hormones, especially the hormone that allows the muscles/tendons to become loose, especially for the delivery....the Very Strong Tendon/Sinew at the Symphis Pubis, that has to "pull apart" for the babe to pass through the birth canal, does this particulary........yes a trip to your doc is probably the best, as if you wait too long, and your symptoms become too bad, again, and you have to start the Long process again??? Bron
MUSCLES...THE BEST..WE NEED:-)
Thanks Bron, I saw Dr yesterday and she has prescribed the Amitripyline again. Reluctant to take it as I'm scared I wont wake up for baby. My partners here with me though so I might try it tonight as I've woke up quite stiff this morning! Better to catch it before it cripples me like last time xx
Hiya albi, you take quite a low dose I think..however, we do all need different dosages...I take 25ng per night...I'm woken up by any noise, and can go off to sleep again ok...admittedly my husband has to get me up in the mornings..but it's very easy once I'm up..I'm really awake but I lay there like a possum...pretending...lol...I do love my bed...I can hear him wake anyway his movement wakes me, so please don't worry stress is the worst thing you can do for Fibro..I'm sure you will be right...happy mothering.,:-) xx soo exciting..:-) xx be blessed xxx
Me again alb; yes I can understand re your concerns re waking/being there for baby. Do you only have probs with the "stiffness of muscles"??? I actually only take the Amitriptylline for the Pain (burning sensations etc"...am wondering if there is something Natural that may work for most nights regarding the stiffness (I make a lot of use of my physio for this problem)....perhaps if we all research some more natural methods for the muscle stiffness, then you may only have to take the Amitriptylline a couple of nights a week, until babe gets a bit older??? Are you breast feeding/bottle feeding? I think if you start some oral Magnesium sups (I take Bio-Magnesium as it also has the Vit D, B12 and C) they help with muscle cramps etc? I will go into some sites, and if you feel you would like to trial some more natural therapies, and add the Amitriptylline when you need them, would this suit you more? I am a big believer in the Amotriptylline, but I do understand your concerns re being too drowsy for when baby calls etc......let me know what you feel? Bron
Hey Bron. I'm bottle feeding as I thought it'd be better if I had to go back on meds. Yes all my problems are due to tight tendons. I also had a lot of swelling in my joints before pregnancy, especially in all my finger joints and also had carpal tunnel. I'm not actually in pain as of yet - just a bit stiff (took some paracetamol for my neck this morning and it went away, so not bad at all yet). Im going to nip in Holland and Barrett tomorrow to see if they can recommend anything too. Is amitripyline just for pain? Or does it relax muscles/tendons too? It did help ease symptoms before xx
I'll do more research re Amitriptylline before giving you An Exact answer (would hate to mislead you)....yes it does relieve my pain (the burning etc which I only find comes in severe hot weather), but maybe a Rhuematologist could give you some Cortisone injections for sore joints when they appear....I have had quite a few over a period, a few years ago, and havn't had that pain for a while (usually comes a lttle in winter, but have invested in some Osteo gloves..they have tips cut off, so makes typing/doing things easier..they are very light/not cumberson...bought them from Aldi, so you maybe lucky enough to find same...don't buy the Heavier ones with metal over knuckles, as they don't help, and are cumberson...but the injections really have helped in a Big way..but need to be given by a Rhuematologist who really knows what they are doing...I would get three at a time, into sore joints (fingers.wrist.toes/ankles etc)....perhaps you may like to try...the injection sights were sore for a few days, and I would strap them up with Sports Adhesive Tape, but I only needed to do so for a few days, and was worth the pain of injections in the Long-term, for havn't needed one for a few years now.....will get back to you re more info on the Amitriptyline....if you are having trouble sleeping, as I suggested in earlier post...maybe even some Vitamin B12 may help to relax and give you some sleep..for we all know, we all suffer from Sleep Deprivation with a new bub.. or something similar....and don't worry re the Bottle-feeding (if someone tries to make you feel bad for being an uncaring mother....all of mine were botttle-fed, as I didn't make enough milk, and they all survived and prospered well...even gave hubby/father the chance of that special bonding time, too).......Bron
Bless you, thanks Bron. Will look into everything you have suggested xx