Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Guide/Tips

FIBROMYALGIA and CHRONIC PAIN GUIDE (LINKS and TIPS)

For those suffering with fibromyalgia and chronic pain, I put together some information on different topics. Hopefully you can gain some help from these different topics.

Lifestyle Changes/Educating Yourself and Others about Fibro:
For all other Fibro issues, below are some of the natural ways I take care of myself. And heed those words- TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. The most important thing to remember when you have fibro is that you come before everyone. This is not a time to have children or get in a new relationship, until you at least have gotten most of the symptoms under control. Fibro takes up your whole life. I haven't been able to work a full time job in TWO YEARS. But you can't beat yourself up for it. You may need to work part-time for awhile. I had to. You may have to sleep 10 hours or more and not feel guilty. I have a small white board I put outside my room and if I had a bad night sleeping, I write a note on there to tell my parents I'll be sleeping late so they know.

Always try to have an open dialog and discussion with your family members and friends to educate them as much as possible so they understand what to expect from you and this disease. You can give them links to materials they can read for themselves so they hopefully will understand the disease you have is like any other disease- but this one happens to affect almost every part of your life and body including sleep, pain, and concentration.

Educating People About Fibro
Educating the people around you about your disease, helps them to understand what you are going through and it also helps pass along the word and educate others. Also, Don't be afraid to talk back to your doctor or challenge your doctor if they are saying something mean or incorrect from what you've read. And never be afraid to change doctors. Your doctor should be your number one advocate. If he or she is not, tell them to take a hike.

Fibrofog:
Fibrofogis a term us Fibro suffers are familiar with that is pretty much summed up by an inability to concentrate or focus and just an overall feeling of fogginess. I have found that the more you take care of yourself, the more sleep you are getting, and the better you are eating and more you are exercising, the sharper my brain will be. I like to plain online games to keep my mind sharp along with writing and reading nonfiction books. Anything you can do to sharpen your mind and force yourself to concentrate is important. I hadn't read a book for fun in years when I started. So I picked something I really wanted to read and would just start by reading 2-5 pages a day and naturally progressed to more.Fibrofogand diminished concentration waxes and wanes also, it is not something we always have control over.

Tips for Fibro Fatigue:
Fatigue is something I do not take medications for. I have read that 5 mg ofAdderallin the morning can help for really harsh suffers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For me, it's usuallyRedbull/ Caffeine and a supplement calledButterbarthat helps. You can buy it at Target asZarbee'sButterbar.Also to combatfatique, I need at least 10 hours of sleep a night. Otherwise, I would never get out of bed.

Chronic Pain and Depression/Anxiety:
Because of all the negativity surrounding this disease, for some people it may be a good idea to see a therapist or a psychiatrist. Dealing with the debilitating symptoms on top of the negativity from doctors and family, is hard enough on a good day. It is good to have someone to talk to.
Also, a lot of people suffer from Fibro also suffer from Depression and/or Anxiety. Doctors are not always sure what came first, but nonetheless, in my case, I first was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety, but at times, my depression gets worse as a result of my Fibro. It's a depressing diagnosis.
Taking an SSRI, like Zoloft, for Depression changed my life. Although it took years of doctors feeding me pill after pill before finding the correct one. Finding the right treatment for Depression was strangely familiar to finding the right treatment to Fibromyalgia

Some people with fIbro never were depressed, and then by nature of the disease (isolation, lack of empathy from friends and doctors, not being as active as before, always being tired and being in horrible pain) a person naturally finds themselves now clinically depressed. If I were you, I would suggest to sticking to SSRIs if you decide to go on medication. The other antidepressants were hell for me-but to each his/her own.

AVOID STRESS AT ALL COSTS:
When I was first diagnosed with fibro I had a LOT of stress going on in my life. Within one year, I went through an abusive relationship and then break up, I moved twice, and I lost my job. Since then, I try my hardest to avoid stressful situations. I had a part time job for a while and my boss was being mean to me for no reason, stressing me out and picking on me. So I quit. Of course now I have the stress of having no money, but the stress of her on my back was too much for me and flaring up my Fibro.
If there are people (Boyfriends, Husbands, Friends, Coworkers, family Members, etc.) stressing you out, work on how you can either avoid them, deal with them minimally, or get them out of your life completely. Stress is the worst thing for fibro sufferers. So other than the basic stress of traffic and bills, keep the stress levels to a minimum.

Moderation is Key:
I believe fibro is a disease where one needs to practice moderation. You have to do everything gently, such as eating, exercising and sleeping. Too much or too little one way or another and you can have problems.

Supplements for Fibro:
Women's Daily Vitamins: The Gummies are easy to digest, gets you are your vitamins for the day
Magnesium: Helps with body strengthening, constipation, and sleep
Red Krill Fish Oil: Relaxation, Heart Health, Cholesterol, and Sleep
Vitamin D: Helps depression, fights Winter time blues, and various other positive attributes
Vitamin B: Energy, fight depression
Acidophilus: Helps digestive issues. Brings in good bacteria into the stomach to fight off bad bacteria. Also helps ward of UTI infections, which are more common in fibro patients
Ginger: Helps inflammation, etc.
Butterbur- Excellent supplement sold at Target under name Zarbee's. It Gives you energy and helps with allergies/sinus issues
Other OTC Fibro Cures-
Icy Hot
BenGay
Biofreeze
Mucinex- There has been research that shows that this OTC cold medication can possibly help fibro patients. What it was originally intended to drain the sinuses when congested. Perhaps the medication helps "Drain" the body of built up toxins or "fluid" if it is indeed a Rheumatoid disease similar to arthritis or gout where you get bodily fluids that build up. I have found it to actually work a little bit- so who knows!

Relaxing Activities for Fibro:
Massage
Acupuncture
Hot Baths (with epsom salts and lavender oil)
Aromatherapy oils (peppermint-stomach upset
Halsa Pillow or Mat (awesome acupressure device that really helps!)
Meditation
Listening to Relaxing Music
Reading

Physical Activities for Fibro:
Physical Therapy
Daily Stretching
Exercising
Walking
Yoga
Elliptical
Swimming- Your own pool, friends pool, community pool, a clean lake, or get in the bath

Other Helpful Fibro/Pain Activities:
Gardening- Having a few indoor plants or an outdoor garden is a nice hobby; it is peaceful, relaxing, and some people even grow veggies to eat!
Indoor Sanctuary: You can create your own sanctuary, perhaps in your bedroom or spare room. Create a place where you can play relaxing music, have a yoga Mat, a Halsa Mat, Candles, a small Waterfall, Indoor Plans, Aromatherapy burner, Posters or Photos that are relaxing, Mandala or Relaxing Sheets On Wall, etc.
Having Simple Hobbies: Crocheting, Gardening, Cooking,Playing Guitar, Singing, Writing, Knitting, Reading, Painting, Drawing, Art Projects etc.

Going to Church or Chronic Pain Meetings

Being around people maybe one of the hardest things to do when you have fibro, but it is also one of the most important. If are religious or just interested (they have non-denominational churches) try going to church one Sunday. It could uplift you and help you find new friends. Although sparse, there are chronic pain meetings around. If there are ones by you- take advantage. If not, they have meetings online and many chat boards that I personally read through that helped me. Here's a link to finding Chronic

Pain Meetings:
http://www.chronicpainanonymous.org/services/

Volunteering:

Giving Back to Others Can Help More than you could ever Imagine. Whether it is only one day a month at a soup kitchen or around the holidays collecting canned goods, or even just donating old clothes. Doing a good deed for someone else boosts your self esteem. If you volunteer to the sick or elderly, that can also give you perspective on your disease.

Pet Therapy

If you have a dog or cat, be around them as much as possible. If you don't and can afford one, do it! Pets make the best friends and studies show pets help ailing patients. Can't get a dog or cat? Get a fish. Can't have your own pet, volunteer at a shelter or take a trip to the zoo or visit friends/relatives who have pets.

Humor & Positivity- Laughter is the best medicine! Whenever you are feeling extra down have a collection of funny movies or TV Shows ready to watch. You could even make it a night out and go to a local comedy show, laugh and be around funny people. Positivity and humor are the best medicines.

Hiking or Biking/Get out into Nature- A study said that being in nature for a few minutes a day helped a person relax so much more and significantly improved levels of depression and anxiety. So if you can, get out into nature. Listen to the sounds of nature- birds, a running waterfall, and get exercise while you hike. Maybe even try biking on flat trails.

Here's an online article about the topic:
http://www.uofmhealth.org/news/archive/201409/walking-depression-and-beating-stress-outdoors-nature-group

Eating Healthy with Fibro:
There are entire articles and books out there on this subject along with recipes and experts much more qualified, but I will just give you an overview of basic tips about Eating Healthy With Fibro from my experience.
Avoid:
High sugar drinks and food
High fructose corn syrup
Fake sugar, use min. regular sugar or stevia
MSG
Processed food
High fat foods
High salt foods

Other Tips:
Drink a lot of water!!
Watch how often you are going out to eat. In general, you eat more calories, salt, and fat when you go out to eat. So limit your outings, but also don't deprive yourself.
Although dairy is good (especially Greek yogurt, which helps fight bacteria)- watch eating too much dairy foods. Some people with fibro have food allergies, specifically lactose intolerance. If you can get food allergy testing, or suspect you have lactose intolerance, They do have Lactose Free Milk as well as delicious Almond Milk and Soy Milk as a substitute.
Try to buy food with less than 5 ingredients in it or stick to natural foods like fruits, veggies, and nuts with vitamins, nutrients and protein.

Positive Fibro Eating Practices:
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
Get plenty of protein but not all from just meat- beans and nuts are a great source of protein.
Eat Light Meals.
Don't eat too much red meat. Twice a month tops.
Practice food substitutes as much as possible, i.e., instead of eggs use egg beaters, instead of Regular Milk drink Low Fat Milk, instead of milk chocolate eat dark chocolate
Don't deprive yourself of a dessert or something you want. As a person who has struggled with weight my whole life, I believe it to be essential to eat healthy, but never deprive yourself and savor your food.
Essential Fibro Teas:
Ginger
Green Tea
Chamomile
Earl Grey
Peppermint

Sleeping with Fibro/Chronic Pain:
Do not exercise, eat, drink caffeine, and all the usual "no-nos" they talk about in article- too close to bed.
Do not use your bed for anything but sleep.
Have your doctor prescribe medications to help you sleep if you are having problems after a week.
Try Melatonin (an over the counter supplement)
If your medications are not helping you sleep,try listening to relaxation music. I personally love listening to rain and distant thunderstorms, sometimes ocean waves, they have rainforest music, they relaxing piano music.
Some people read before bed and that helps them. I like to do some stretching while I'm in bed to relax my body one last time and do some deep in and out breaths.

Breathing Exercises with Fibro:
Breathe In (positive thoughts) and Breathe Out (negative thoughts)- Heavy breathing techniques can be done anytime of day. Learning diaphragmatic breathing (like a singer uses or a woman going into labor), can be very useful. It can help relax you, help you to fall asleep or just calm yourself down from a negative situation. To learn "diaphragmatic breathing" just type the term in Google or Youtube.

Here's one of many Youtube videos showing you how to practice deep breathing correctly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7ySGgAFAAo

Pain Journal:

Also keep a Pain Journal or Go Online to the American Chronic Pain Association for a lot of online tracking tools. Here's a Fibro Daily Tracker (http://theacpa.org/fibrolog/default.aspx). The Internet in general is a great resource.

List of PainBooks:
The Complete Self-Care Guide to Holistic Medicine: Treating Our Most Common Ailments Hardcover by Robert S. Ivker

The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief by Clair Davies NCTMB (Author), Amber Davies CMTPT LMT (Author),

Fibromyalgia For Dummies by Roland Staud and Christine Adamec

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual (2nd Edition) By Devin J. Starlanyl and Mary Ellen Copeland

The Ultimate Fibromyalgia Book Guide: How to Successfully Live with Fibromyalgia and Recipes for the Fibromyalgia Diet by Mia Soleil

The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils
by Gill Farrer-Halls

**Go on Amazon to find all the above selections. There are many more books out there on various fibromyalgia subjects! Low on cash, Try your local library or discount bookstore.

Educate yourself with up-to-date information:
The Internet also helps to educate yourself. Read all the medical literature you can about fibro and chronic pain as well as Drug Trial Info and News about Fibro (just go to Yahoo- type in Fibromyalgia and hit News Tab and things will come up). The more educated you are about your disease the better advocate you can be.
You Can go to Google and Type in "Fibromyalgia" and a TON of sites will come up. The most reputable sites include ".org" and other University/Medical websites.

Websites About Fibromyalgia:

Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/basics/definition/con-20019243

WebMd:

http://www.webmd.com/fibromyalgia/

American Chronic Pain Association
http://theacpa.org/

National Institute of Health
http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/fibromyalgia/

National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA)
http://www.fmcpaware.org/

Fibromyalgia Awareness Association
http://www.fmaware.org/

Fibromyalgia Forums
http://www.fibromyalgiaforums.org/

Fibromyalgia Support Groups and How to Find One
http://www.fmnetnews.com/coping-resources/support-groups

On Facebook you Can Join Groups Related to Fibromyalgia, including some I belong to:

Living Better with Fibromyalgia (my site)
New Life Outlook-Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia Network
Fibromyalgia Awareness
Fibromyalgia Support Group