Mum plagued by fibromyalgia, the same chronic pain condition as Lady Gaga, is helped by ‘miracle’ £9.95 cream
A MUM who suffers from the same chronic pain condition as Lady Gaga has praised a “miracle” £9.95 cream that eased her agonising condition.
Julia Sexton, 55, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia last year after suffering from debilitating pain for several months.
What started out as pins and needles in her legs ended up developing into nagging joint and skin pain that felt like she was ‘being slowly burned alive’.
Her symptoms became so severe that she was left house-bound and medication to help her condition left her feeling dizzy and nauseous.
But then she discovered a drug-free, natural remedy called Celafen, which she claims has helped her condition.
“I was fairly amazed to be honest when after about three days of using the Celafen cream twice a day I started to feel an easing of the pain in my legs,” Julie said.
“At first I thought I was imagining it.
“I have now been using Celafen for about three months and I would say my pain has improved about 40-50 per cent, which is frankly miraculous considering it’s not a medication and is made from mostly natural ingredients.”
Julie, a divorced mum-of-two, first began experiencing symptoms at the beginning of 2017.
“At first it felt a bit like pins and needles and then over the period of a few weeks it developed into a nagging joint pain in my ankles and knees,” she said.
“My legs were also very restless and at night it kept me awake.
“After about a month I was starting to find I was in quite a lot of pain when I walked and the pain was spreading and getting quite rapidly worse week by week.
GAGA'S NIGHTMARE CONDITION What is fibromyalgia? Symptoms of Lady Gaga’s condition and tips on how the severe pain can be treated
“The joints in my wrists started hurting and the pain spread quickly up to my shoulders and then into my spine.
“My entire body had started to ache.
“At one stage it felt like my whole body was literally on fire. All my joints felt hot and aching.
“It was a kind of pain I have never experienced before, not even in childbirth.”
The charity administrative assistant, from Gwent in Wales, saw multiple doctors and underwent several blood tests before she was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
Her GP then referred her to a specialist, thinking she had a viral infection.
“By June I was barely able to leave the house and one day I just collapsed on my sofa and in that moment I seriously just wanted to die,” Julia recalled.
“I took pain killers but they didn’t even touch the pain and if anything they made me feel worse and even less able to cope.
“I was so bad I had to eventually take some leave from work just to try and rest. Even getting out of bed took all my energy.
“My whole personality changed, I felt completely defeated.
“At times I didn’t even know who I was anymore. The pain was so intense it made me feel almost delirious.”
When she finally saw a specialist she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and prescribed Pregabalin, a strong painkiller, but that came with its own side effects.
Left feeling ‘like a zombie’ by the medication, which caused her to feel dizzy and dazed, Julia began searching for other options.
That’s when her daughter recommended Celafen after reading about the cream online.
It is chemical-free blend of fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties, celadrin (a blend of fatty acids), menthol, vitamin E, antioxidants and extracts of arnica.
According to the manufacturer's website, Celafen is an "effective alternative" to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to manage daily pain.
A CHRONIC PAIN CONDITION THAT CAUSES STIFFNESS AND FATIGUE
Also known as fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), fibromyalgia is a long-term condition which causes pain all over the body.
As well as chronic pain, fibromyalgia can cause increased sensitivity to pain, fatigue and muscle stiffness, according to the NHS.
Sufferers can also have difficulty sleeping, as well as memory loss, concentration problems, headaches and irritable bowel syndrome.
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but researchers believe it may be related to chemicals in the brain and could be affected by genes inherited from your parents.
There is no cure for fibromyalgia, although in many cases symptoms can be controlled to make it easier to live with.
Exercise has been found to help ease many painful symptoms, while others find relaxation techniques can help keep the condition under control.
Treatment could include a combination of lifestyle changes, painkilling medication and counselling or another form of therapy, like CBT.
“After about three weeks of using the Celafen twice a day I started to be able to sleep at night, which made a massive difference to both my pain levels and my wellbeing as I hadn’t slept through the night or even more than a few hours straight for almost a year,” she said.
“I can’t express how relieving it feels to have found something that can help me manage and slowly reduce the pain without having to take something that makes me feel almost as scared of its side effects as the pain of the fibromyalgia, like the painkillers I was on.
“Most importantly I feel a bit more back to my old self again.”
MORE ON FIBROMYALAGIA
Pop star Lady Gaga was forced to cancel the remainder of her world tour last week due to her “severe pain” caused by fibromyalgia.
The Born This Way singer shocked fans with the news she suffers from the chronic pain condition in her new Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two.
In the trailer for the documentary - which was filmed over eight months last year - Gaga can be seen wincing in pain as a physician works on her shoulder.
Celafen can be bought online here.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368