Fibro Sunday, What Works For Me!

Hi there! Welcome back to my Sunday Fibro post! Today I am going to write about how I try to deal with the pain and what I try to do to survive the rough days.

1. One of the things that I have learned is not to fight a flare or the everyday pain. Sometimes I forget that important piece of advice and when I do, I seem to get knocked down!! So I just acknowledge that I have pain, trying to fight it takes too much energy. Trying to ignore it and hope it just goes away, is ridiculous. I try to stay relaxed and breathe, and basically just give myself a break.
2. Try it, just take a few deep cleansing and relaxing breaths, and acknowledge the pain. If you can stay home and recover, do it. If you have a family to care for or must go to work, give yourself the time and patience to get through your day until you can rest. Slow down, and be gentle with your body.
3. Another thing to remember is that stress can aggravate your pain. It is next to impossible to avoid stress in our busy lives but if you can learn to walk away from drama, or learn how to deal with difficult situations in your life by asking for help it can really help alleviate the stress.
4. You know that saying “Not my monkeys, not my circus”? Keep that in mind! But if they are your monkeys, ask for help. Acknowledge that at this very moment you are having difficulty with the pain and need a little help.
5. That being said, my next topic is to change my attitude. If I am not able to get the house cleaned or the laundry done like I had planned, I just try to realize that my body needs some rest and needs to recover before I try to do anything.
6. Be prepared for bad days, take it easy and take care of YOU!
7. Praying helps. If you pray and believe in a higher power, then pray. Be thankful for the good days you have, be thankful for the good days yet to come, and be thankful for your support system. If you don’t believe in prayer, then journal about your fibro journey. It will help you vent and you can also look back on the good days you’ve had and give thanks.
8. Drink plenty of water, eat well, take a hot bath with Epsom salts, use a heating pad – just a few things to remember on days with pain. Cuddle up with a book and a pet, watch movies. Just breathe and relax and know that tomorrow is another day. I always remind myself there are others that have a much worse health condition. I might have pain that makes me curl up and cry but it could be soooo much worse!
9. Exercise. It is so darn hard some days, heck even most days! I once went to the gym several times a week. I used the treadmill, weight machines, and some of the lighter free weights. But it became very difficult. Then I stopped. Even walking a few blocks was exhausting. But I am back to my yoga, meditation, trying to swim at least twice a week, and walking as often as I can. I don’t always want to but if all I can do is a few blocks on my walk, or a few yoga stretches and poses, I figure it’s better than doing nothing. Just be gentle with yourself and don’t push yourself beyond what you are capable of handling for the moment.

These are just a few things that work for me. Hopefully, they will work for you. Feel free to post what works for you!

Fibro Sunday

I have decided to… well, rather TRY something different here on my blog. I want to devote Sunday to writing about Fibromyalgia.

Sometimes, especially when I am in a flare, I need to vent. And I feel as though I may possibly be pushing my luck by complaining to family and friends.

And I figure there might be a few of you out there that are feeling the same way.

So here goes!

I was diagnosed with fibro about 5 years ago. I used to go to the gym about 4 times a week but suddenly I was finding it difficult to do any of the weight machines. And I couldn’t do the time, speed or incline on the treadmill. And I was exhausted.

I decided to give myself a break, thinking that some depression over my parent’s death was creeping into my life since I never really had the chance to grieve. Instead I had to deal with the estate.

But then the pain started. And I blamed menopause.

The pain got worse and I was convinced I had cancer. So I went to my doctor. And as I sat there and told him everything, he walked over to me, put his hand on my shoulder and just simply told me that he was sure it was fibromyalgia. He sent me to a Rheumatologist. She did a lot of tests and confirmed the diagnosis.

I was in tears.   I was always healthy and active, how the hell did this happen!!!

Then I realized I was lucky. I didn’t have it as bad as some people and I didn’t have cancer. So I moved on.

I went to physical therapy which helped get some movement back. And even though I already made sure I was eating healthy and not eating processed foods, I cracked down a little harder to make sure I was doing all that I could.

And I read. A lot! I have read so many articles on fibro, and I have tried different vitamins, different diets, and massage. Nothing has made a difference. A few times I felt that maybe something was working and I was feeling better and then BAM! I am in a flare!

That just happened too! I started taking a magnesium supplement and after several months, I noticed I was almost pain free for about 2 months. Then the pain was back and with a vengeance!!

I have also found that I have the most pain at work. In fact, sometimes I sit at my desk in so much pain that I begin to cry waiting for the pain pill to kick in. So far, I have been lucky enough that no one has walked in my office during that time!!! I also use a heating pad at my desk. It really helps, anywhere I have pain I just put the pad. The back of chair for my back, wrapped around my hip for hip pain, under my thigh for leg pain. Hey it works!!!

I have pain at home too, but its just not usually as bad.  Usually.  When I am home and have pain I can rest and recover.  At work I cannot.  Plus, I think sitting in a chair just aggravates the pain.

I do get up and stretch and move around but it is just not the same as being at home!

So, stay tuned for next Sunday and I will pick it back up with some things I have come to accept and how I deal with it all!

Live and love well!

 

 

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Hope you have a fantastic day!