[jassel77]

I have had Fibro. for 5 yrs.. However, it was because of an Acute Anxiety Disorder, I was exstremely well taught by a wonderfull counselor relaxation techniques. My favorite thing to do when I am doing these is to lay down and before I know it, I too fall asleep. I guess I just never really thought about using these techniques when I am having my Fibro. flares. Now that you mention it, it seems sort of an obvious alternative. Thank You.

[Perna]

I decided Sunday evening/Monday morning that just this week I would do everything "right" and take no OTC meds, just my asthma and thyroid stuff, the way they are prescribed, I'd eat totally healthily, no alcohol, less caffeine, exercise, everything would be done, for only a week (so I could stand it :-) the way it "should" be and I'd note the results.

Well, last night was our regularly schedule pizza night :-) I ate pretty well but had beer with it. I'd been really achey and slept poorly Sunday and Monday nights; when I got home last night from dinner, I had my usual back of head/neck ache killing me (that I'd awakened with both Monday and Tuesday morning) and my stomach wasn't all that happy after dinner, despite my legitimate Lactaid tablet to help with any cheese in the salad/pizza. So, I said to heck with it and took a Pepcid Complete and then a Tylenol PM, slept "okay"/better and feel almost good this morning!

One can't win/know what is really causing a problem. Sometimes it's one thing influencing (weather) and sometimes it's another (my husband smokes and I have two cats, the house is thoroughly carpeted in really cheap carpet but I'm not really allegic to those things, my asthma is adult onset (in my mid-50's) and I think from an overuse of antibiotics when my appendix burst and there was infection for 5 months) but it's so hard to know exactly what. That's what so frustrating about it all.

I am hypothyroid and have read that fibro may be related to inability to use the oral thyroid pill the same way our body uses our own hormone. I have extreme blood pressure cuff pain: http://www.fightingfatigue.org/?p=1468 and that's all new since starting on thyroid hormone. I've had to battle my doctor for 2+ years to get him to agree that I didn't have high blood pressure (I can tolerate a wrist monitor and they have really accurate ones out now; I bought a top-of-the-line one and take my blood pressure three times a day for a week before appointments and take him in the readings; the nurse checked and found that my monitor is accurate).

It's just so frustrating not to know about something. NONE of my symptoms/"diseases" are understood as to cause by doctors; neither asthma nor hypothyroid. I haven't even bothered to complain/try to do anything about fibro since that's even less well understood yet and I have a hunch it's all tied up there together.

[fearfulfrog]

Two week check-up: haven't taken narcotic pain meds in over a week, still have to use Valium to keep the muscle spasms in check. I can drive if I haven't taken any. Been able to walk 1 mile 4-5 days this past week! MAJOR achievment- pre- surgery I could barely walk up the driveway! Still have six weeks of my brace, then x-rays and follow-up to find out when I can start "rehab"- I have been told repeatedly that I didn't get this bad overnight, I won't get better overnight either.

Up and about the house most of the day- I take a 'rest' and watch a movie to break up the day. So far so good.

[sabby]

(((((((((((((( fearful ))))))))))))))))

That is excellent news!! Congrats hon!

Your doctor must be very impressed with your recovery and ability so soon after surgery. What a blessing for you to have that much ability and it sounds like it will get even better for you.

You must be doing a great job of self care to be where you are so quickly. You go girl!

Keep up the great work


sabby

[Perna]

Good article about Fibro today (one of my favorite Health sites):

http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=638593

[fearfulfrog]

The article was informative. I really feel strongly about the chicken/egg problem with fibromyalgia. I excercised, ate correctly and had very healthy body weight, then in '96 I had a car accident that changed me overnight- I was almost bed-ridden with back pain, couldn't work, even though I didn't overeat I gained weight- the medication was a huge factor. I worked with physical therapists and was able to return to work but at a much less active position. Diagnosed with Fibro during my recovery I was told that for those who are pre-dispositioned to it an accident or trauma like what I suffered seemed to put the disease into overdrive. The only relief I ever got was when I was pregnant- I have followed a couple of researchers(in Europe) who are trying to study and possible work on a management (not cure) for fibro based on the hormone Relaxin that occurs naturally in a pregnant woman's body to prepare the joints for delivery.

To update: 3 weeks post surgery; Able to walk 1 mile every nice day without the slam two days later of extreme pain. PT still won't be started until after my next visit; then I can also consult with the pain specialist to identify where the pain is now that the surgery has removed a lot of it. Three weeks without a migrane headache- that in and of itself was worth the surgery- 2 YEARS of daily headache pain was unbelievable- and nobody could explain why! I look forward to continue to heal- I believe that when my physical pain is under control I am much better able to with my emotional pain!

[lizardlady]

Originally Posted by Perna

Good article about Fibro today (one of my favorite Health sites):

http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=638593

One more thing to prove I'm weird... I was underweight most of my life and physically very active. Then fibro hit...

[LostSavant]

FMS - The Invisible Disease that no one can see, but we sure do feel it.

[Michah]

Today I just want to cry and cry and cry.......

I feel awful and my hands!!! I can't believe how much hands can hurt

Mics

[sabby]

Originally Posted by LostSavant

FMS - The Invisible Disease that no one can see, but we sure do feel it.

You are so right (((((( Lost ))))))). I now have understanding of how folks with MS feel. People will say "oh but you look so good, how could you possibly that ill?" and you just want to pull your hair out and scream!

[sabby]

Originally Posted by Michah

Today I just want to cry and cry and cry.......

I feel awful and my hands!!! I can't believe how much hands can hurt

Mics

((((((((((((((( Mics ))))))))))))))))) Gentle hugs so not to hurt.

I'm so sorry you are hurting so badly. Would some ice or heat help a bit with the pain? I've had some times when my hands hurt, but not as bad as what you are going through. I get more pain in the elbows, hips and knees areas oh and the shoulders as well. Sometimes it's all I can do to crawl out of bed without hitting the floor...LOL "help me I've fallen and i can't get up!" *sigh* Not good when I'm supposed to help someone else get up when they fall......my job ya know.....LOL

Take gentle care of YOU hon. Sending healing thoughts and prayers sweetpea

[tish2010]

I am in a huge flareup since I lost my son....the pain is excruciating some days and nothing seems to ease it..I can't take anything stronger than panadol so just have to put up with it....it moves from the neck, shoulders, to the wrist, to the knees and back again...
I'm sorry for winging but i just wish it would ease up....hugs to everyone suffering this horrible affliction..

[sabby]

(((((((((( Tish2010 ))))))))))))

Please except my condolences on the loss of your son.

I'm sorry for the pain you are experiencing. I'm sure it doesn't help your heart to heal when you are feeling such physical pain as well.

I am thankful that my flares are short and few for the most part (as long as I don't over do it). But, the do seem to be increasing in intensity. Not good.

Sending you healing thoughts and keeping you in my prayers.

Gentle
sabby

[Rhiannonsmoon]

Having a very very powerful flare up and I have frozen shoulder with it and the trigger points in that area are firing something horrid...

Fell and got hurt at a railway station a while ago and am swollen on the left arm (yes the frozen shoulder one), and left knee has a swelling over it that is the same as the arm swelling at the elbow...

What pain relief do I ask for for this pain? I don't think I'm being given anything strong enough...please help me with this,

Rhiannon

[fearfulfrog]

Originally Posted by Rhiannonsmoon

Having a very very powerful flare up and I have frozen shoulder with it and the trigger points in that area are firing something horrid...

Fell and got hurt at a railway station a while ago and am swollen on the left arm (yes the frozen shoulder one), and left knee has a swelling over it that is the same as the arm swelling at the elbow...

What pain relief do I ask for for this pain? I don't think I'm being given anything strong enough...please help me with this,

Rhiannon

Interesting you said you have frozen shoulder-3 1/2 months post op for my cervical spine fusion and I woke up July3rd with a frozen shoulder! On the following Wednesday ( when I could next get in after the holiday they said it may be frozen shoulder- sling it?- to hold it up and start PT to keep it moving- do I move it or keep it in a sling????? I was schedules with an orthopedic person- but not until the 27th! I had finally graduated out of my neck brace- but the sling puts too much pressure on my neck- so brace and sling- in 90 degree heat!

I keep wanting to "fix" the broken parts so then i can deal with "maintaining" and managing my pain- but it never comes.

I am on Lyrica 3X a day PLUS Valium for the muscle spasms; Norflex for the muscle cramps( why can't one medication do both?); Ibuprofin at the max dosage every day; Vicodin and dilauded for the really bad pain- all this prescribed by my doc who know exactly what I already have at home and is a ware of my addiction issues!

Does my pain make me mentally unstable? or am I more sensitive to the pain because of my emotional state? Am I taking my pain meds for REAL pain or Psych pain? My mind questions everything!

[Rhiannonsmoon]

I think pain exacerbates emotional states, and that isn't a good thing. I know at the moment the frozen shoulder which I think is to do with RSI and FM is chronic and there is only one sling that does any good. It is the one made by Dr Scott...I've been trying to get one sent over here. I'll see if I can get a link...

[Rhiannonsmoon]

http://http://docinthehouse.info/products/index.html

This device doesn't put pressure on the shoulder or neck. It really is something I want to get hold of...it is posted on the NeuroTalk site...

This isn't an endorsement, just some info on the support itself

[beingme]

Originally Posted by Michah

Today I just want to cry and cry and cry.......

I feel awful and my hands!!! I can't believe how much hands can hurt

Mics

Oh I just want to be there and make you warm and hold your hands. I know exactly how you feel. Last time my hands were the worst hit, my fingernails were so painful I cried.
warm hugs...

[beingme]

I'm new to PC... I'm fairly sure I've had fibro since I was about ten (I'm 38 now), but it's only really affected what I can do (as opposed to "will do cos I want to and I'm not going to listen to the pain) is in the last 7 years.

No doubt having a little boy with serious medical issues who gets me up 5 or 6 times a night in pain has something to do with that.

I'm on duloxetine - for depression with the hope that it might affect the fibro (doesn't for me), lyrica (helps) and clonazepam to help me sleep if I'm in a lot of pain...

My older son who is in special residential school is home for the summer = a lot more stress + being kicked, punched and pushed down the stairs = not good for pain!

[fearfulfrog]

Daily narcotics for pain. Called PCP, she said call neurosurgeon, said call orthopedist; said do PT; Pt said can't do more- it isn't helping, call orthopedist- scheduled me an appointment for tomorrow, also said call PCP- anyone feel like they are a gerbil on a wheel? Going and going and not getting anywhere!

Diagnosis of FM by more than 3 doctors- OK I have FM; Herniated cervical discs- clearly evident on MRI- surgery to correct- had been having pain, tenderness, weakness and swelling on right side of body along with migrane headaches daily for 2 years- once post-op pain was gone ( about a week !) no more rightsided issues, no more headache. 2 months post op started PT to get my muscles back where they should be- doing great, month later wake up with Left arm in pain; 6 weeks of PT, back on narcotics, now have a TENS unit and able to get off the narcotics- yet pain has not decreased, if anything increased!

Went to eye doctor because I had totally red white part of eye- asummed allergies that caused infection- 6 weeks later, three different eye drops- STILL not cleared up! I despise wearing glasses- I have been wearing contacts since I was a teen. Connected??

Watching mystery diagnosis- I want to find the doc that links all my symptoms and says this is how we treat!

Making matters worse is that I haven't been able to keep up the house, hubby leaves stuff for me to deal with- tripped over a container the other day- yup, fell on my rear- but I caught myself before the bum hit- my left arm ( the bad one ) broke my fall, I was close to the back door- so my head ended up against that- pushing my still recovering neck too far to one side. I have given up on ER doctors so I just encased myself in ice for the day and went the ring on which doctor would see me.

Just dealing with the pain is enough- I cry because I can't clean my home ( OCD anyone?); Yet I am also dealing with being our own lawyer for bankruptcy ( fertility treatments are expensive- went on disability 1 month after stopping); I am also our lawyer for the custody battle with my sister to get my son back. I studied medicine in college ( although not enough to Dx myself); now i am learning "legal-eeze".

I am trying to hold it together- see my therapist weekly ( yeah insurance pays for it!), but I have days when I just want to curl up in bed and have blanket therapy ( cover head and pretend the world doesn't exsit ), but I am up early every morning and out of bed because once the muscle relaxers wear off the pain shoots up! Even taking medication for the pain doesn't help- i can't go back to sleep.

I fully admit I am an addict- ALL my doctors know this- yet when I called that I had fallen and had an increase in pain- 3(THREE) doctors offered me more narcotic pain killers! What part of addict did they not get?? I had to detox Sept 08 from narcotics to start a different med for the headaches- I don't want to go through that again!

I am now being asked about the outcome of my surgery and if there are limits to what I can do by the Guardian ad litem so she can recommend to the court if we should get our son back- I can't lie- the only limitation set forth from the docs is no lifting more than a gallon of milk and no working above my head with both arms ( heck i can't even french braid my hair since the surgery!). Seeing as my son is 7 and 3/4 ( the 3/4 is important at this age) I don't think these limits will interfere with caring for him- he isn't a toddler that has to be picked up all the time, he can get in/out of the car himself and get all buckled in ( once my husband re-installs the booster). If anything he will be able to help me. My only concern is him seeing me for an entire day. right now I can hide my pain for our 3-5 hour visits, but daybreak to bedtime I won't be able to hide the pain. He is a very empathetic child- anyone know any good books on how to talk to your kids about pain?? I can talk easily about drugs but how to ease his concern about my pain??

I have rambled long enough and the pain is getting worse- time to go electrocute myself ( using my TENS to stop the pain). I can't even just leave it on all the time because my skin breaks down too easily.

Gentle hugs to all!

[CedarS]

Reading through this thread is a big help to me today.

Gentle hugs for us all.

I had a mini meltdown yesterday - got upset that I wasn't able to think clearly, which of course didn't help matters any. Today my mind has cleared enough to know that I'm in a flare of symptoms and that I should just ease up on myself today. Maybe I should always ease up on myself, but hey, one day at a time.

Feel physically quite yucky. Distraction is helping.

[CedarS]

Hugs to all us fibro folks! How is everyone doing?

[Aunt Donna]

I am having trouble sleeping for longer than an hour because of the pain right now. Going to ask the doctor about it Thursday. I am glad for people who understand.

[fearfulfrog]

My stress level is beyond belief! I know my increase in pain is a direct result. Today is a day of tears- regret, remorse, refusal to quit, yet having a hard time to stay on task, focused and optimistic. Psychological pain causes worse physical pain; Chronic physical pain causes psychological pain- how do I get off this roller coaster??? I am dealing with waves of emotion that make everything difficult- The anxiety causes me to be unable to relax- pain everywhere in my neck, back and shoulders; the heartache and crying gives me a headache; the trying to push through and still do some work to change the situation means searching the internet endlessly- sitting in a chair for hours- gotta do what I can before the pain turns my brain to mush- the leg and back pain just get worse. But to take a muscle relaxer means foggy brain; So in order to think I have to deal with the pain; If I deal with the pain I feel unproductive- and deadlines mean I don't have any time to waste!

[CedarS]

I recently moved, am all unpacked and settled in, now I'm really feeling the effects. I think I could sleep for at least a week, more like a year. Now that all the excitement has quieted down I need to remember to pace myself.

Time to crawl into bed with a good book.