What alternative & complementary therapies have you tried and how did they work for you?

*As a sufferer and therapist, its all down to the individual, but my personal opinion is: Reiki,spiritual healing,reflexology,homoeopathy,acupuncture.

*I love Gabaphintin. I have no idea how to spell it but I do that and I drink sleepy time tea before I go to bed.

*My girlfriend finds that a warm jacuzzi helps loads with her aches and pains, that and lots of cuddles.

*I had started a course of massage but became too ill to continue, I hope to be able to start them again soon. Although I didn't benefit so much physically it helped me a great deal emotionally, and it was something just for me.

*I used to get acupuncture, wasn't a cure-all but it did help with the headaches and back pain.

*Heat, Heat and more Heat and Exercising doesn't hurt either lots of hot baths and get out in the sun when it is a warm sunny day the heat from the sun helps.

*I AM UNDER CARE WITH AN UPPER CERVICAL CHIROPRACTOR (DR BARRY HOBBS, WESTLAND MI USA). IT HELPS A LOT ESPECIALLY DURING A FIBRO FLARE. ONLY REAL RELIEF I GET. BLESS HIM FOR WHAT HE DOES FOR US WITH FIBROMYALGIA.

*Hands on healing - very good with right healer; Morrell Reflexology - great; aromatherapy massgae - great; crystal therapy - so, so; Indian Head Massage - great; Mindfulnes - great; relaxation music - great!

*Diet and warm baths (okay extremely HOT) have been my best 'therapy'. I have been non-medicated for five years and have done much better without out it than I ever did with it. I steer clear of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, greasy foods, processed foods as much as possible. I kept a diet journal for a long time, and found obvious patterns in what I was consuming and the extent of my FM/CFS symptoms. I can almost guarantee a 'sugar coma' after giving in to any sweet treat, and caffeine gives me the fibro flu like symptoms almost every time.

*I love my chiropractor and my masseuse

*Chiropractor - can afford it any more but definitely helped a lot. Swedish massage too. Prayer though that's not a "complimentary" therapy!

*massage really helps me

*Sunshine is another good healer for me too, I also do hot baths (with no cold water at all) because it's the only way to warm up the inside of me

*Melatonin

*Kinesiology, Bowen, Reiki, Massage (by someone who understands fibro) EFT , all given some benefit in their own ways

*I am/was a Holistic therapist, I can do Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Swedish Body Massage, Indian Head massage etc. Well I could do them until I had Fibro anyway my arms gave up! In my personal opinion any kind of massage is fab for helping with Fibro. I personally can't afford to get treatments myself, but I do find Good diet and plenty of exercise despite it hurting along with a nice sauna session is the most useful in helping with Fibromyalgia. Screw the pain just do it you wimps!

*Tried massage and couldn't walk for a week after it and tried acupuncture and it gave me migraines. I stick to hot baths and keeping warm and try to holiday in hot and dry places, Vegas preferably!

*Vegetarian, sugar free, non processed diet when I get into a down spiral helps bring me back up. slow walks in the sun, and really hot baths. I am stubborn and tend to push myself to hard with work sometimes, when I do this it is a long process getting back "up". but the diet and non exerting exercise is the only way back out of the spiral.
Actually home with heating pad and sleep today. First step in my climb back up. Over did it at work again this winter.

*GOOD QUESTION -- Back when I was seeing patients, I had MANY that were coming for hand therapy that weren't getting better and I could tell they had chronic illness and they'd go to their doctors and come back with no answers. They didn't have resources about alternatives to turn to, so I created one.

Lumigrate.com, my website, that it's about 'integrative medicine' which includes allopathy and all the other disciplines considered 'complementary'. 60% of people in the US say they want alternative/ complementary and 75% go on-line now so it made more sense to make a new business, Lumigrate, and quit my OT business where I could only help the people who could afford insurance and health care AND at most I had time for 10 people a day. In less than a year, Lumigrate has met my goal of helping more people/day than I used to.

*oh ya, and natural meditation, that's just sitting quietly by water or somewhere peaceful, letting your mind wander and smiling at the birds etc.

*I had reflexology once a week for a year and actually managed to go without any pain meds for 6 months!

*Physical therapy works for me. My therapist is amazing. We have been in the partnership of managing my body for 3 years. We observe patterns together and she is able to teach me how to correct certain issues fibro tries to bring into my life. Pain and fatigue still haunt days but along with proper diet overall I am better. Together we are able to contol the fibro "extras" and focus on the basics of fibro. The month of March continues to be my worst month of the year. Glad it is almost over. I am miserable.

*Meditation, regular Acupuncture, which in our area is available on the NHS for chronic pain sufferers, Reiki and healing, homoeopathy and OPTIMISM which seems to be something that all could do with a hefty dose of.

*Tried everything imaginable, but most help from Dr St. Amand's guaifenesin protocol.

*Adding flaxseed to my daily diet and exercise has done wonders for me. I actually feel slot better during the day now. However, fibro pokes me with aches and pains while I am sleeping to remind me that this monster is still here.

*Reflexology and cranial osteopathy has worked fantastic for me.

*Massage,hot baths and nutrition help me control symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I am functioning on a completely different level.

*I had a herbal treatment from a Chinese doctor it was powder especially mixed to my needs I had to mix with a little water 3times a day. It worked brilliantly though it looked and tasted like mud! Unfortunately at £100 per six week course it became too expensive for me.

*I have had acupuncture and acupressure which did help but the cost for 10 sessions was £600 pounds ,,, also been to kinesiology which also helped,, but again keeping up the cost was impossible.

*I am on HERBALIFE and it works wonders. I get an episode about once a month, but I am full of life energy and feel great. I am able to play with my kids finally after all the time I've been spending in bed!

*I have tried acupuncture, it did nothing. I have tried Dry Needling, no help. Also have tried massage, no help. And I have also tried MyoFacial Release Therapy and it didn't do anything. I have tried pretty much everything for pain and nothing has helped.

*I tried the herb Fibromyalgia but it interacted with my asthma, helped a little. Now someone is telling me to try grapevine herb by natures sunshine. The jury's still out on that one.

*Have tried reiki(didn't really work) did relax me but that was it. Acupuncture (helped a bit) massages definitely a big help. Herbal did not do a thing.

*I have reflexology once a month. it is wonderful to be able to relax my body for an hour or so.

*Hot stone massage is a must

*Tried EFT and it works !

*AquaDetox footbaths, yoga, vitamins, minerals, herbs and staying away from gluten, dairy and sugar. Med-free and pain-free with great energy for almost a year.

*Acupuncture, disaster! More pain than before I started and when the practitioner left a needle in my back and sent me home unaware, I gave up. Not my scene I'm afraid.

*Hot bath, massage, colonic, good diet, exercise, sleeping 8 hours at night, trying to stay happy and have a little fun.