DEAR DR. GOTT: For the past 17 years, within two hours of falling asleep, a painfully stiff lower back would wake me and continually plague me throughout the night. Before this started, I was active — riding my bike, golfing and exercising regularly. Eventually, I gave up all activity, including my daily 30-minute walk, because the more I moved during the day, the worse the pain became at night. I tried pain pills, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, lidocaine patches, heating pads, ice packs, stretching, walking around, sleeping on the couch and sleeping in a chair. Nothing worked. Sometimes it got so bad I would just stand in the middle of the room crying, begging for relief. Orthopedic specialists, physical therapists and chiropractors all examined me. The only diagnosis I received was that I had a form of fibromyalgia.
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