Thanks for the great responses Once again the TE ladies pull through. I should have said something earlier.

As of now I am just going blindly on my way and trying to figure things out exercisewise.

Like you mlove I figure I had it for about 12 years before being diagnosed - After many different types of dr. visits it was finally a psychiatrist that diagnosed it, he said mentally I was fine (some of my friends may beg to differ ) and sent me over to the rheumatologist.

I have tried to read what I can find about it but I have never read anything by Pellegrino - thanks for sending it along. My daughter was also diagnosed at 17 years old (she is 19 now)

My pain can be very much weather related and fatique related (mainly not enough sleep vs working out too much) I started going to bed earlier and have felt much better. 8-9 hours of sleep vs 7. I used to swim at 6am and was exhausted all the time - now that I have switched to evenings I feel much better - I have always said "life begins after 4PM"

One of the best things I have done is quit all caffiene products, I will drink 1/2 and 1/2 coffee once in awhile but not often enought to get addicted again.

Very interesting han grrl re heart rate - I have never heard that - are rates usually higher or lower? Mine is usually above target even though I feel fine. I have been blaming my asthma meds for that

Knotted Yet - I have never heard of using a PT for FMS. WOW! makes sense, how is one able to do that? Do I need to go through a physician? I suppose so. I will check w/ my ob-gyn practicioner vs my rheumatologist - as I said he just gives me the once over, fills the script, says i am doing great, keep it up and sends me on my way. The former one we had was much better.

Mlove I am glad to hear that you too are not opposed to pain killers. I have friends w/ fibro who refuse to take any. They are also overweight and out of shape because it hurts too much to do anything. I figure a few pain killers a day aren't going to hurt me as much as not being physically active. All my Dr's said as long as I stay w/in daily limits I will be fine. most days are 2tabs, some days are 4 and in extreme circumstances 6.
I am taking 5 milligrams of cyclobenzaprine (flexerol) before bedtime - that is my miracle pill. Apparently it works for about 45% of people - I lucked out. My daughter is on Ametrypteline (different dr's) but she doesn't like it I need to see that she switches meds.