Take it easy - Tell patients to simplify their lives as much as possible, take time to meet their own needs, use their time and energy to do the things they find most rewarding and fulfilling.

Recommend: Education, stretching, massage, support.  Medicate for symptomatic relief, use visualization, meditation, relaxation tapes, cold/heat, streamline your life, pace yourself.

Avoid: Repetitive exercises, swimming crawl or breast stroke especially in cool water, immobility, yoga (holding postures is stressful), weight training, narcotics, steroids, stairs, uphill climbing, and emotional distress.

There are so many therapies available, both prescription and non-prescription, that are effective in Fibromyalgia it should be possible to find some combination of treatments which will make a patient comfortable and reduce symptoms to a tolerable level.  I encourage you and your patients to be positive, patient, gentle, persistent and determined.