Things that help me

I thought I'd share some of the things that help me as I live with fibromyalgia. These are in no particular order. They don't always work & I don't use them all at the same time.

1. My TENS unit - When my back is spasming or muscles are hurting, this often helps me.
2. Hot Showers - A lot of time my muscles are tight & the hot water helps them to relax & eases my pain.
3. Horse Lineament - I know it's for horses, but this helps my sore muscles better than any arthritis creams.
4. Rubdowns - My Hubby has gotten very good at giving me rubdowns. It helps my whole body to relax.
5. Prayer - sometimes all I can do is pray through the pain. God always gives me the strength to endure the pain.
6. Friends - sometimes just chatting with a friend helps. Letting my friends know I am hurting helps me know I am not alone & it lets them know that I need prayer.
7. Medications - sometimes I have to take pain pills or even just Tylenol PM to help ease the pain.
8. Stretches - My physical therapist gave me a lot of different stretches to help with my pain. Sometimes doing the stretches will ease the pain or at least make it bearable.
9. Trigger Point Therapy - I use the Trigger Point Therapy workbook. Sometimes this hurts more at first but then as the trigger points release the pain gets better.
10. Chocolate Therapy - Sometimes, you just have to eat some chocolate & relax!

I hope this will help you or someone you know who lives with fibromyalgia.

Fatigue

Fibromyalgia has many faces. It can manifest itself as pain, headaches, achiness, fatigue, irritable bowel, etc... Most of the time, I am faced with pain & achiness. I've gotten pretty good at handling these.

The last 2 days, I've been experiencing fatigue. Not just being tired, but having no energy to do anything. It's been all I could do to help the kids with school & fix meals. When I first get up, I feel shaky & like my muscles will just give out. Once I start moving around, I feel better but wear out quickly.

I'm so thankful that this only happens every once in awhile. I'm not sure I could handle this everyday. Well, in truth, I could handle it with my Savior's help. The only way I make it through each day is with the strength God gives me. I have to take it one day at a time.

Good & bad moments

It's been a weird week. Lots of changes in life happening here including our Pastor of 19 years stepping down as God is calling him somewhere else. Also seeing some other changes coming.So I think this week my health is being affected by stress.

I've also been affected by the weather changes this week. Our week has included 70 degree days, 23 degree nights & every thing in between. We've had sunshine, rain, wind & even a little snow.

With all these changes, my health has been up & down all week. I've had headaches that have come & gone. I've had some really good hours in which I decorated for Christmas, cleaned my kitchen & cooked some yummy stuff. I've also had some bad hours where I just laid on couch praying for headaches to go away & muscles spasms to cease.

All in all, I feel I've stayed upbeat and persevered.  Sometimes you just have to ride out the bad so you can enjoy the good moments.

Sudden Changes

After spending the afternoon at a friend's for a birthday party, we stopped at the store so Hubby could run in & get some milk. I was feeling good & excited to go home & start getting out Christmas decorations. Unfortunately, due to no fault of Hubby's, what was to be a 15 min wait turned into an hour wait.

And just 10 min before Hubby returned to the van, I started getting achy. By the time he returned, I had pains in my legs & hips and was feeling lousy. That suddenly!!

I did manage to get the bare Christmas tree up, but that was it. I'm sitting here now praying for a good night's sleep. Also praying that as suddenly as my body aches came on that they will go away.

Just another day with fibromyalgia! In just a moment's notice, everything changes!

Good & bad update

I've been on the meds for depression/fibromyalgia for a week now. Friday & Saturday went really well. I felt like my old self & even caught myself humming. I just felt like a weight had been lifted off of me. I felt less irritable & even "happy".

Sunday I felt a little under the weather. I'm not sure if my sinus infection is back or what. Then yesterday I was so tired. I fell asleep on couch for 4 hours & woke up feeling horrible. I just wanted to go back to sleep. Today I have been real tired too. I'm not sure if it's another sinus infection or fibro-flareup or the depression.

Hubby left today on another business trip, so that could be part of why I feel a little blue. I hate that he has to travel but am so thankful he has a job in this economy.

I'm truly praying that this fatigue will pass & tomorrow I will wake up feeling how I did on Friday & Saturday.

I do have to say that I'm proud of myself today because I really just wanted to come home from taking Hubby to the airport & not do anything. But we did math & Bible for school work & I fixed supper (even though it was just TV dinners).

Just need to keep praying for God to carry me through this & for the depression to lift. I'm going to keep on fighting!