Finally accepting Fibromyalgia diagnosis after 15 years

[Gingery]

After a terrible 4- month flare and ruling out pretty much everything else, I am finally accepting that the Fibromyalgia diagnosis made 15 years ago is true. Looking to learn how to look forward to and design a future that helps me manage pain and pace myself.

I will be talking to my doctor on Friday to discuss managing pain. I’m already on bupropion for depression, Propanolol for anxiety, and Cyclobenzaprine for muscle cramps. So I guess we’ll have to look at changing all that to address those concerns in a more fibro-centric way.

I am looking at Kava Kava, as a natural route, and wondering what other supportive therapies and life changes will be beneficial. I think I really need to consider moving to a warmer climate.

 

[sunkacola]

A warmer climate may help. It does for some people, especially if it is a dry climate. In case you haven't yet checked out my post of alternatives to medication, you might want to read it for ideas on other things you can do in the way of supportive therapies and changes you can make that can help you.

My advice for managing fibromyalgia (especially for newcomers)

I am not a doctor or anything, just a person who has lived with fibromyalgia for several years now and has done a lot of research and trial and error experimentation. What follows is just basics. There are a lot of variations. You will find your own versions of everything I say, as this is not a...

www.fibromyalgiaforums.org

 

[EzbG]

Hello,
Sorry you are dealing with a bad flare. Those can seem to come from nowhere, and bite you in the backside! After 23 years, it still will bite me - HARD!!! I take NO medicine for the Fibro - only what is needed for my back injury. When I’m stable (not ”in pain,” above my back injury), I will FORGET I have Fibro. When I “hurt for no reason” hubby will ask if I might be flaring. Oh, yeah…. Okay, back down for a few. Relax more. Take a few days off. Then, take a bite. Then, another. Just learn to close the eyes to what you don’t NEED to do. Chores will get done. Learn to accept the new life. Even us type “A”s can deal with this.
The one thing your doctor may tell you that I’ve recently learned to “ignore’” - exercise. If even gentle exercise causes pain and exhaustion beyond “normal new exercise pain” - back off. Wait a week, and try again. Cut the number of reps, shorten the walk, etc. SLOWLY, SLOWLY build up.

 

[Auriel]

Hi Gingery, Welcome to the forum ️ I love the way your handling getting ready to move forward with all of it. Different things I guess work for different people but what made a difference (and what exacerbated mine was) cutting down caffeine (coca cola and fizzy drinks really wound it up)alcohol, stress, cold weather, wheat and gluten products, processed carbs, and not good sleep, I've never tried kava kava, but I found green tea made a bit of a difference to the weird leg pain/sensation, I also take gabapentin (tried other things but the side effects were weird and some a bit dangerous) love to move somewhere warm

 

[EzbG]

coca cola and fizzy drinks really wound it up

Sodas with HFC (high fructose corn syrup) are really bad for everyone. The body doesn’t know how to process it, so it stores it in the liver, and it causes inflammation.
Personally - I am allergic to it. My throat swells when I have it. When I removed it from my diet (It’s in A LOT of foods, including ketchup!) I lost 20 pounds in 1 month! That was the inflammation declining.

 

[Auriel]

Ooh I'm having ideas now maybe cutting out sodas , oh and ketchup, maybe be nicer to my body (I think I might have stressed it out over the years with everything I've put in it)

 

[sunkacola]

Cutting out sodas is a very good idea. There are so many sparkling water options these days it doesn't make any sense to poison the body with sugar and chemicals in a soda. I like to add a little bit of pure fruit juice (such as pure lime juice) to a sparkling water. But of course, you can do 50-50 with the fruit juice, too, and that's very good as well. Just make sure the fruit juice is not also full of sugar. Once a person gets used to not having all that sugar or caffeine, just the sparkling water with a bit of flavor is every bit as refreshing and a lot healthier.

 

[JayCS]

I like to add a little bit of pure fruit juice (such as pure lime juice) to a sparkling water

My wife likes to do that, plus then add a dash of pure lemon juice on to that. (I can't stomach water, fizz, fruit juice or lemons, but loved to too.)

 

[Auriel]

There was a youtuber ( i can't remember who) he's got a water bottle and it's got a scent circle on the top (comes in different flavours) it makes it seem the water has the flavour of that circle scent I think I might get one (long as they're not stupid expensive)

 

[Gingery]

Thanks for the link, the suggestions and wisdom, and your caring reply.

 

[Gingery]

Thanks for your welcome and tips. I’m thinking of quitting all the meds and focusing on what I know makes me feel better in general and reevaluating meds when fall comes. I like 10 minutes of qi gong in the morning to loosen up. No awkward body position holds or aerobics involved.
Thanks for sharing that you manage without meds and adjust your lifestyle during a flare.

 

[Gingery]

Hm, not sure I want to give up coffee. But I can consider cutting down to one cup only.

 

[Gingery]

I’m allergic to high fructose corn syrup. You wouldn’t believe how many foods it is in. I have to read every label, including bacon, crackers, cereal, lunch meats, salad dressing, spaghetti sauce. It’s literally in almond everything in America. There are lots of corn-syrup-free options now, even Heinz makes a good one I can get at Costco.

 

[Gingery]

I like water a lot. I find pure water so refreshing tasting. Nothing like a good glass of cold clear water. However, cutting out Gin &Tonic will be an issue. Sigh.

 

[Gingery]

Why not just drop a teabag in your water bottle? There are lots of choices, and you can have a different flavor every day. Most are high in antioxidants and some herbal ones are high in minerals. Some even help the nervous system (oat straw, skullcap, lemon balm)