A Gift for Me

My sister can do wonders with pictures. I bought a new camera and she wanted to see some of my pictures. I sent them to her last night. She picked out these and lo and behold, I got up to this in my e-mail. What a sister!

Taking pictures will be a new and exciting hobby for me. Something to overshadow my pain and uplift my spirits.

Having hobbies helps keep the pain level down. What is your hobby or fun thing to do that helps you when you are flaring?

Aspartame

Thank you Carmen for asking about aspartame.

I personally do not know whether it is good or bad but there are both sides on the WWW. I'm sharing 3 links concerning the pro's and con's. Chain letters have been circling the web for years. I guess after reading both sides each person needs to determine for themselves what they are going to do about it. So much that is sent via e-mail through the web is not creditable and I pay little attention to them. I think if there was a real risk the FDA would be jumping in to get it off the market.

http://www.aspartame.net/

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/aspartame.asp

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/aspartame

What do you have to share?

I'd love to receive questions or concerns or comments from you. We could share them here and hopefully find some answers concerning the big monster - Fibromyalgia..

Feet Hurt

Julie commented about her feet hurting. I understand ....

I have to wear sturdy shoes (no higher heels) with a good arch support or my feet hurt. Mine I think is from the arthritis and weight.

I don't believe there are tender points for fibro in the feet but I do think when we hurt we do not walk well ( that balance thing...staggering like a drunk without having a drink). Many times our posture is not good when we hurt and that affects the whole body if the back is not straight.

There are some good roll on's that help stop the pain. A favorite of mine is celedren from Avon Products. A menthal base and it really works for me on muscles and my feet.

Putting a water bottle into the freezer (not clear full of water, it will expand) and then rolling your feet over the frozen bottle helps.

Doing foot exercises help. Making the toes and feet in circles helps the ankle. There are more you can do. I'm sure if you put "foot exercises" into Google there will be links.

When our feet hurt we hurt all over even if someone doesn't have fibromyalgia. Hope these ideas work for you, Julie, and others who read this.

Will Fibromyalgia ever go away?

Flares can be a day or two or several months. We don't know exactly why they happen. I've had fibromyalgia close to 40 years and I've had some times during that time when it stayed in the background.

Stress seems to make it worse. Possibly because when most people are stressed their muscles tighten up and therefore shorten up. That is why stretching is so important with Fibromyalgia. For me, a hot shower on the muscles before stretching allows them to stretch easier with less pain.

I've been in and out of a constant flare for several months. Weather has not helped. For many of us other diseases/conditions come into play and they have a battle within our bodies trying to decide who is #1 (don't you agree?).

I have arthritis and have had 3 total joint replacements, soon to possibly have the left shoulder joint replaced. That will make both shoulders and both knees. Fibro and my arthritis have both been flaring. They both cause fatigue.

With the heavy fatigue, rest is important. Walking will help the spirits and the joints and the muscles. I have not been diligent about walking as I must get in the car and leave my hill and find a flat place to walk. My goal is to get back to walking as soon as it warms up a little. The weather has been so cold.

In my opinion, Fibro doesn't leave us, it just hides now and then and comes out fighting. Learning how to live with it will help us endure it. My faith helps me face most days when I'm hurting. I rest in Him.

Fibro Fog

Fibro Fog can be upsetting and embarrassing. Medications can seem to make it even worse.

How many times have you lost your thought in the middle of a conversation? A plain ol' memory blank. Or someone asks you something as simple as the name of one of your grandchildren and your mind is a blank?

Have you had the wrong words come out of your mouth? They are not connected in any way but the word is completely different than you were meaning to say.

How many times do you describe what you are trying to think of in order to get the word? Our spouses and friends sometimes need to be puzzle solvers with us.

It can be scary, it can be funny, it can be maddening. We might be afraid we are "losing it" or getting Alzheimer's or something.

If it is happening to you, don't panic. You aren't going crazy or losing your memory. It's a side affect of fibro. Discuss it with your doctor, hopefully, you have one that is compassionate and helpful.

Fish Oil Capsules

I was told that fish oil could help my pain. I have been taking at least 2400 mg a day for about a year now and I think it helps but in reading a lot about it, I know it is also good for my heart.

You might want to try it and see if it helps you. Ask your doctor about it. Mine was agreeable about me taking it.

Get your information and History on Paper

If you are considering applying for either work disability or social security you must have records. Keep a journal of doctor appointments and findings, how your life changes, day by day (what you used to do and can’t now)....pain levels....relationship changes .....memory changes...etc.

Your doctor must keep good records of how you are feeling, symptoms, work place and home changes you cannot do anymore and must be willing to work with you to validate the need. Some doctors are willing to work with you and others are not. Keep your records from other doctors if you have had more than one.

Been gone to the Oregon Coast

We spent a few days at the Oregon Coast. Very rainy and windy. My arthritis and fibro are flaring tonight so will write again as soon as it lessens.

It's time's like this that I lean on my faith in God. It gives me peace and comfort to rely on His love during bad flare ups.

Laughing helps

When I am really hurting and life seems a pit, I've found that if I can think back on humorous situations in my life and laugh out loud about them, it helps my attitude toward my pain.

At one of our face to face Fibromyalgia meetings, one of the attendee's found things to make us laugh. Leaders were in on it and so we belly laughed. Soon everyone was really laughing and there was a new feeling in the air.

You might find a funny movie that can make you laugh. Perhaps it's joke web pages you read that starts the laughter. Playing with your pet and laughing at their antic's can change your attitude.

Call a friend that can get you laughing, tell them you need cheered up. Maybe it will be "Remember the time, we" or "I've got to tell you the story about"

We once had a gal coming to the meetings. Lovey was in pain so much of the time but she always had us in stitches. She wrote about her Fibromyalgia experiences but found the humor lurking behind the situation. She would read these writings to us and we'd laugh and laugh. One experience was about trying to get out of the bathtub. She turned a painful situation into the funniest thing you ever heard. I miss Lovey, think I will give her a call.

When in pain, it is easy to get into pity parties and slide around the top of the pity pot. But we sure don't want to fall in to it. Remember, if it is to be it's up to me.

I'd love to hear about some of your "being able to laugh about" experiences with fibro. Fibromyalgia isn't fun and the pain is real but we can do things to help us get through the ugly pain days.

Have a great weekend, hopefully pain free.