BITE ME

Did you know?

Anger and sadness increase pain

in women with Fibromyalgia.

La Dee Da,

La Dee Da.

So I read this article because I was interested in the findings. First of all, anger and sadness increase pain in women with and without  Fibromyalgia. As far as I'm concerned the fibro was just a way to get into the headlines. They could have just stated that anger and sadness increase pain. I'll buy that one. Negative emotions do have an impact on our stress levels and our bodies. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Maybe I'm just being pissy but these kinds of articles irritate me to no end. 

First of all, let me address cognitive behavioral therapy which they think is a very promising avenue in the management of Fibromyalgia.

BITE ME.

Behavioral therapy is supposed to change the way your mind influences your body. In other words, when you focus on something wonderful you can change the way your body reacts to the pain.

BITE ME.

I have a high tolerance for pain. I am not unfamiliar with techniques that I've used in the past to breathe my way through painful situations. No, I'm not talking about Lamaze. I've had ankle sprains and the pain that I experienced was off the wall.  Through deep breathing and focusing on something else I was able to tolerate excruciating pain. That is something totally different than what I've got going on here.  

You know what's coming. Chronic pain that you have to deal with on a daily basis is becoming chronic acute pain. It's the pain that is at an 8 or above on the pain scale. You focus, you breathe, you get in the bathtub, you cry and scream and all the while you're praying that it doesn't get worse. This isn't a momentary re-focus.  This is the kind of pain that isn't affected by the medication. This is the kind of pain where you just want to be knocked out.  This is the kind of pain that you CANNOT manage by behavioral therapy. Believe me, we know because we've all tried it. If it worked we'd be doing it every available minute so we could get our lives back. Every single one of the women I know do everything they can to rise above their pain and deal with their everyday lives.

They say the good thing about this kind of therapy is that it has none of the side effects that can occur with other management tools, such as pain medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy isn't what comes out of the pain fairies wand and makes it disappear. It sounds to me like they are worried about dependence on opioid pain medication. The people who depend on these medications to deal with chronic pain do not abuse them. They need them to function in this world. 

Tell me they really think that this therapy could take the place of medication.   I'd say they must be on the very drugs that they don't want us to take. 

It makes me angry when I see articles like this. Gee, you think my pain will increase?

Breathe.

Just breathe.

Was it as good for you as it was for me?

MOTHER NATURE DIDN'T GET THE MEMO

Evidently, 

someone didn't get the memo.

It's fall!

Not summer!

You know, those with chronic illness have enough to deal with on a daily basis. We are at the mercy of so many variables; weather being just one of them. In Las Vegas, because the heat of the summer is so unbearable, you really look forward to September because the heat will finally break and it's nice to finally get some decent weather.

No such luck this year.

I don't do well in the heat. Well, let's face it, I don't do well in the heat, the cold, the rain and in humidity. That doesn't leave much does it? I'm sucking down every vitamin that I can think of and the only plus of that is it doesn't leave room for food. Before we get a huge hooray, and nope, I'm not losing much weight.


I'm finding my symptoms have been wandering lately. It is always in my hands; that hasn't changed, however, the muscle spasms have increased in intensity. I've looked at my diet to see if I've eaten anything that would cause the increase in spasms but I'm fairly consistent in that area. Could it be the heat? I've looked at the nightshade issue but, for me, tomatoes don't cause any problems or increase in pain. 


Could diet really have an effect on pain? 


In my case, I'm not so sure. If this is a neurological disorder then stress and environmental factors would have more of an impact than diet. I'm not saying that a healthy diet isn't important, I just think everyone is different and reactions to certain foods are also different for every person. Allergies, intolerances, everyone reacts in a different way. I don't process sugar well and, for me, I shouldn't eat it. I love it but I shouldn't eat it. To lose weight I need a more protein based diet but in my daughter's case she needs carbs included to lose the pounds. Like I said, every body is different.


So it's back to hiding in the house because I hate the heat. I hope next week is better and there is a break in the 100 plus degree weather! 


I'm going to sleep. 


Wake me up when the cold weather arrives.

SPRINGS AND MUSH

This is my brain.

The good thing about Fibromyalgia is that it doesn't kill you.

The bad thing about Fibromyalgia;

 it doesn't kill you.

I have to say it was a little tough after the blog carnival. Standing that close to the fire and stirring up thoughts that you try to keep at bay was uncomfortable. I had to shake off the mood and I wasn't doing a real good job of it. All these feelings were bubbling just underneath the surface. I figured I'd put on a real sappy movie and forget about it. It didn't work.

My brains felt like mush. 

I still can't seem to get it together. I feel like I'm a bubble off. Then to top it all off my muscles are ganging up on me and trying to stage a rebellion. Everything is jumping and twitching and driving me crazy! I've got one more hour and then it's more muscle relaxers.  Why aren't they listening tonight?

I'm a survivor. I always have been but there are times that I wish this disease would put me out of my misery. Tonight is one of those times. It feels like a spring is being wound up and tightened just until the point it is going to release. When it releases the tightening starts again immediately. A baseball bat beating the crap out of me would feel better than this does.

On top of it all the fog has rolled in with a vengeance. I couldn't seem to remember anything today. When I went for my morning walk I not only forgot my cell phone but I had to drive around the block twice to make sure I shut my garage door. Also,  I usually take a bottle of water that I've put in the freezer so I can drink it as it melts. This way the water stays very cold. I really hate room temperature water. So what did I do? I forgot to put a bottle in the freezer last night. I was stuck taking a bottle of water with me that was warm by the time I got done with my walk. Yuck! 

I also can't seem to keep my thought processes moving. They start, then stop and then I can't remember what I wanted to say or what I was evening talking about for that matter.  All in all, it has been a very frustrating day. Can you even imagine how I'd remember everything that has happened in this last year and a half if I hadn't been blogging? I can't remember what I did ten minutes ago let alone eighteen months ago. 


I must be starting one hell of a flare. I've stopped typing four or five (I can't remember) times tonight because my hands are aching. I think I'm going to slug down another muscle relaxer and call it a night. I'm going to walk in the morning and if I don't try to sleep I'll never make it there. I really am committed to this for a couple of reasons.


1. I am waiting for this to help me with the pain.
2. I would like to look decent for my daughters wedding.


I'm tired of feeling like a big, fat lump. I need to lose 20 pounds. My (gasp!) 40 year high school reunion is in a month and I would like to lose a little of this extra weight. I know everyone has aged and probably put on a little weight,  but that doesn't matter. I want to look good! If I have to slug down a few pain pills to get into a pair of my gorgeous heels that have been collecting dust in my closet, so be it. I know I'll probably regret it but I'm going to do it. Plus, if I add a few inches on the height I'll look skinnier. I haven't worn them in so long I'll probably trip and look like a real loon. It should be a real interesting evening and will probably make a great story!


So I'm on a mission. 


That too could change by the morning.


I probably won't remember it.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

I like this idea.......

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS - BLOG CARNIVAL ROUND 2

There is strength of the body.
But when depression strikes,
it takes a true strength of faith and will
to climb out of the darkness
into the light.

Jolene at Graceful Agony has chosen a subject that is, unfortunately, near and *dear to those who's life has been touched by chronic pain and illness. As you can see the asterisk next to the dear because there is nothing dear about depression. It's a bone chilling experience that leaves us wondering and doubting if we will ever be the same again. Every time that cold, bony finger touches us and scars us it takes every bit of faith and strength that we have to climb up that ladder and back into the light of day.

The women that are a part of this group and who wrote about their own personal experiences are truly courageous. I know there are others who didn't participate in this round who bare their souls on their posts and have been touched by depression as well. 

Admitting depression doesn't show weakness, it just admits that we've been strong for too long.

Pain's evil touch makes us doubt our faith and our strength. Maryn's post, "Whisper me softly." speaks to me. I've read and re-read this post countless times. Each time I feel so strongly how depression is just a whisper away and that fighting it is the only option I have. I tend to hide and deny. Other people fight it in their own way. No matter how you fight it's a fight that will last a lifetime and we must be cognizant of that fact. 


It is the wolf in sheep's clothing. We must stay vigilant and aware. It will try anything it can to maneuver itself into our mind and heart. It will tell us this fight isn't worth it. It will beckon us over to his side with the promise that the darkness will soothe our souls more than the light. 

We must always remember that he lies.

I hope that we will all read the posts and take them to heart. They are written by some amazing women who I'm proud to call my friends.