Fibromyalgia Is NOT My Friend!

One thing I don’t like to talk about is Fibromyalgia. For various reasons, one is either you believe in it or you don’t. Many people say it is a “waste paper basket” diagnosis, I say “Yeah? Well, try having it for about 3 months and then get back to me on how you feel afterwards!”

Mayo Clinic defines it as this: “Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain.” They forgot the COGNITIVE issues…like forgetfulness, brain fog, tongue twisting or my favorite…*Drum roll here* word substitution. When you mean to say one word in the context of the conversation and say something totally off the wall…as in you hear your phone ringing and you say out loud to the missing device and others…”Where’s the house?”

I was diagnosed about 7 years ago with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Osteo Arthritis. Heck, I was only 34 years old at the time, had 3 children at home, hurt like H*** and was beyond exhausted infrequently. When I say exhausted, I mean ZERO gas in my tank!

For people like me with Fibro, it is an exhausting disease (pardon the pun)! We live day in and day out with pain that migrates all over the body-hence I call it “Pain du Jour.” There are days I feel great and live life normally, and then there are days I feel as if an elephant has walked on my back, hands, wrists or knees! It’s a feeling of achiness and burning, are the main ways I would explain it. We call it “Flares.” Sometimes it comes with swelling, redness or heat. Any way it comes…it stinks!

I have found that what works for me, (and I say me, because no two patients are alike) is this;

1. Learn to manage stress
2. Sleep is the ESSENTIAL tool to keeping Fibro flares away.
3. Motrin and Alleve are your best friends!
4. Don’t wear yourself out, physically!!!
5. Giving all your worries to God!!!! (Some we still internalize over, but knowing things are in His hands is comforting)

Aiding in Diet and Fibro:

1. Eat a healthy diet-Avoid sugar! Sugar when converted from ANY POOR FORM causes MORE inflammation. More inflammation equals more pain!
2. HIGH nutrient dense foods (Fruits & Veggies)
3. Stay far-far-far away from all preservatives and just crap food! You are what you eat!
4. Learn to moderate exercise. (Hard for this former martial arts & gym rat!)
5. Take good supplements: Fish oil, Multi-vitamin, B-stress vitamins, Vitamin D in liquid form, magnesium and Vitamin C (I also take Arnica Montana & Bromelain, along with prescribed Armor Thyroid-helps aid in neuropathy pain sensitivity (fine nerve pain).

** If you know of someone who suffers from Fibromyalgia, PLEASE don’t discount it, or think it’s all in their head. Trust me, we have doubted it ourselves and had many friends, family members and doctors on our quest to find out what is wrong with us, tell us the same thing, until we have found the RIGHT doctor who is knowledgeable, compassionate and helps us!