Fibromyalgia

You are all well and good until you decide to dump yourself into bed. Bad move. Crashing into bed like that, so suddenly with everything finally completely relaxing at once and your walls are down, the onslaught of sensation is overwhelming.

It is at this point you realize there is no real “easy” day. Some days the pain is not so bad & on some of those days, we handle it better and think we are ok for a bit.

It is that time at the end of that “easy” day that you know you will always have some pain each and every day. Some days it’s nasty, some not so bad and some days we can handle it better than others – either emotionally, physically or with the help of medicine. We will always have pain, but we also look forward to tomorrow for another “easy” day. We also realize that while yes, we have pain each and every day but we also get through it each and every day. We survive and even thrive despite this disease and what it does to our minds and bodies.

We are strong.

An Inexpensive Massage for Fibromyalgia Sufferers

Regular massages are extremely useful tools for Fibromyalgia pain management. The problem is that often such treatment is not readily available or the costs are simply beyond the reach of the average person`s budget. In these cases, the tennis ball massage is an inexpensive and somewhat useful alternative.

The tennis ball massage is easy to do. Simply take a tennis ball and rub it back and forth around the area of the painful muscle. If the pain is on the surface, gently rub the ball over that location. If the pain is deeper, use a bit of pressure.

It is important to never push hard enough to cause damage. If the amount of pressure exerted causes more pain or sharp pain, then immediately reduce the pressure. This localized massage is meant to help not cause more pain. In this way, if it causes more discomfort, stop using this method immediately.

Tennis Ball Massage for the Back

The tennis ball massage works very well for muscle groups that are easy to reach. Places like the back can be a bit tricky, especially for self-massage. The best solution for these problem areas is finding a support like a wall or the floor. Then, the tennis ball can be placed between the wall or floor and the body part. Automatically, any body movement also moves the ball and the amount of pressure can be easily modified as desired.

Massage is wonderful for relief of localized muscle pain associated with Fibromyalgia. However, often having regular treatment is not a viable option. The tennis ball massage can be an inexpensive alternative.

I am my own worst enemy. Like many others with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue, I find the holidays a highly stressful and painful time of year instead of the joyful and happy time it should be.   I am too focused on the perceived expectations of others instead of the reality of my limitation and restrictions..  I know many of us want to accomplish what our bodies are simply not capable of, so we have to adjust our outlook and re-evaluate our priorities. The holidays are all about spending time with those we love most – keeping time and energy for what we hold most precious and dear. Doing so will help reduce the stress and thus the pain and emotional issues that crop up at Christmas.

Pace Yourself.. 
When you think “I’ll just  visit 1or 2 more shops, go up 1 or 2 more aisles, wrap 1 or 2 more presents, bake 1 or 2 more trays of cookies or do that 1 or 2 more things.” – Don’t! Stop before you get to that tired or hurt point. Don’t deal with a fibro or cfs flare, prevent one.

Decorate, but not too much..

Have a smaller tree with few decorations.   I have invited over the nieces in past and we made an afternoon of putting up the tree.

Have someone put up the outdoor lights.

Get a nativity scene that is pre-made as one unit and/or lightweight, so you don’t have to lug many pieces.  I have a smaller plastic Precious Memories one (which the kids love to play with) and a small water fountain of Joseph, Mary & baby Jesus.

Celebrate

Choose carefully to go only to 1 or 2 holiday parties, don’t accept every invite.

If you can, spend time with those you hold dear, not those who will cause stress.

Plan ahead how long you plan to stay and stick to it.

Always keep a supply of regular meds on hand, in case.

Delegate

Pass on some of the holiday chores to others so that while everyone shares the joy, they also share responsibility.

Cooking

Share these responsibilities or making an easier selection.

Do a pot luck dinner.

Choose a one dish dinner to limit the number of dishes.

Choose easier recipies.

Prep or make whatever can be done beforehand and refridgerate or freeze.

Keep to your normal eating habits as much as possible & do not overdo it on sweets and other foods.

Baking

Do a holiday cookie/snack exchange.

Bake cookies in stages – many recipes require overnight in the fridge.

Cheat – buy your cookies.. I know, not the same, but nothing’s the same anymore, is it?

Shopping

Online/catalogs/mail order gifts.

Gift cards & gift certificates.

Plan ahead, make a list & write it down.

Organize your trips into several short shopping trips.

Shop in the morning, or later in the evening when the crowds are thinner.

Start early – once I started on Dec 26th.

Take regular breaks to rest.

if you use a mobility device (cane, crutches, walker), take it with you even if you don’t need it yet

Use a shopping cart for stability, to carry parcals & outterwear.

Use a coat check if your mall has one so you don’t have to worry about your jacket.

Get salespeople for help if you can find them.

Always keep a supply of regular meds on hand, in case.

Wrapping Presents

Wrap using gift bags & tissue paper.

Take advantage of on-site wrapping services – many are for charity.

Holiday Cards

Do them well ahead of time like October or November,

Make labels so you’re not writing address after address, if even it’s ony the return address.

Prescription pain medicine addiction grabs headlines when it sends celebrities spinning out of control. It also plagues many people out of the spotlight who grapple with painkiller addiction behind closed doors.
But although widespread, addiction to prescription painkillers is also widely misunderstood — and those misunderstandings can be dangerous and frightening for patients dealing with pain.
Where is the line between appropriate use and addiction to prescription pain medicines? And how can patients stay on the right side of that line, without suffering needlessly?
For answers, WebMD spoke with two pain medicine doctors, an expert from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and a psychiatrist who treats addictions.

Here are seven myths they identified about addiction to prescription pain medication.

1. Myth: If I need higher doses or have withdrawal symptoms when I quit, I’m addicted.

Reality: That might sound like addiction to you, but it’s not how doctors and addiction specialists define addiction.
“Everybody can become tolerant and dependent to a medication, and that does not mean that they are addicted,” says Christopher Gharibo, MD, director of pain medicine at the NYU Langone Medical School and NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases.
Tolerance and dependence don’t just happen with prescription pain drugs, notes Scott Fishman, MD, professor of anesthesiology and chief of the division of pain medicine at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine.
“They occur in drugs that aren’t addictive at all, and they occur in drugs that are addictive. So it’s independent of addiction,” says Fishman, who is the president and chairman of the American Pain Foundation and a past president of the American Academy of Pain Medication.
Many people mistakenly use the term “addiction” to refer to physical dependence. That includes doctors. “Probably not a week goes by that I don’t hear from a doctor who wants me to see their patient because they think they’re addicted, but really they’re just physically dependent,” Fishman says.
Fishman defines addiction as a “chronic disease … that’s typically defined by causing the compulsive use of a drug that produces harm or dysfunction, and the continued use despite that dysfunction.”
For instance, someone who’s addicted might have symptoms such as “having drugs interfere with your ability to function in your role [or] spending most of your time trying to procure a drug and take the drug,” says Susan Weiss, PhD, chief of the science policy branch at the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
“Physical dependence, which can include tolerance and withdrawal, is different,” says Weiss. “It’s a part of addiction but it can happen without someone being addicted.”
She adds that if people have withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking their painkiller, “it means that they need to be under a doctor’s care to stop taking the drugs, but not necessarily that they’re addicted.”

2. Myth: Everyone gets addicted to pain drugs if they take them long enough.

Reality: “The vast majority of people, when prescribed these medications, use them correctly without developing addiction,” says Marvin Seppala, MD, chief medical officer at the Hazelden Foundation, an addiction treatment center in Center City, Minn.
Fishman agrees. “In a program where these prescription drugs are used with responsible management, the signs of addiction or abuse would become evident over time and therefore would be acted on,” says Fishman.
Some warning signs, according to Seppala, could include raising your dose without consulting your doctor, or going to several doctors to get prescriptions without telling them about the prescriptions you already have. And as Weiss points out, being addicted means that your drug use is causing problems in your life but you keep doing it anyway.
But trying to diagnose early signs of addiction in yourself or a loved one can be tricky.
“Unless you really find out what’s going on, you’d be surprised by the individual facts behind any patient’s behavior. And again, at the end of the day, we’re here to treat suffering,” says Fishman.
Likewise, Weiss says it can be “very, very hard” to identify patients who are becoming addicted.
“When it comes to people who don’t have chronic pain and they’re addicted, it’s more straightforward because they’re using some of these drugs as party drugs, things like that and the criteria for addiction are pretty clear,” says Weiss.
“I think where it gets really complicated is when you’ve got somebody that’s in chronic pain and they wind up needing higher and higher doses, and you don’t know if this is a sign that they’re developing problems of addiction because something is really happening in their brain that’s … getting them more compulsively involved in taking the drug, or if their pain is getting worse because their disease is getting worse, or because they’re developing tolerance to the painkiller,” Weiss says.
“We know that drugs have risk, and what we’re good at in medicine is recognizing risk and managing it, as long as we’re willing to rise to that occasion,” says Fishman. “The key is that one has to manage the risks.”

3. Myth: Because most people don’t get addicted to painkillers, I can use them as I please.

Reality: You need to use prescription painkillers (and any other drug) properly. It’s not something patients should tinker with themselves.
“They definitely have an addiction potential,” says Gharibo. His advice: Use prescription pain medicines as prescribed by your doctor and report your responses — positive and negative — to your doctor.
Gharibo also says that he doesn’t encourage using opioids alone, but as part of a plan that also includes other treatment — including other types of drugs, as well as physical therapy and psychotherapy, when needed.
Gharibo says he tells patients about drugs’ risks and benefits, and if he thinks an opioid is appropriate for the patient, he prescribes it on a trial basis to see how the patient responds.
And although you may find that you need a higher dose, you shouldn’t take matters into your own hands. Overdosing is a risk, so setting your dose isn’t a do-it-yourself task.
“I think the escalation of the dosage is key,” says Seppala. “If people find that they just keep adding to the dose, whether it’s legitimate for pain or not, it’s worth taking a look at what’s going on, especially if they’re not talking with the caregiver as they do that.”

4. Myth: It’s better to bear the pain than to risk addiction.

Reality: Undertreating pain can cause needless suffering. If you have pain, talk to your doctor about it, and if you’re afraid about addiction, talk with them about that, too.
“People have a right to have their pain addressed,” says Fishman. “When someone’s in pain, there’s no risk-free option, including doing nothing.”
Fishman remembers a man who came to his emergency room with pain from prostate cancer that had spread throughout his body. “He was on no pain medicine at all,” Fishman recalls.
Fishman wrote the man a prescription for morphine, and the next day, the man was out golfing. “But a week later, he was back in the emergency room with pain out of control,” says Fishman. “He stopped taking his morphine because he thought anyone who took morphine for more than a week was an addict. And he was afraid that he was going to start robbing liquor stores and stealing lottery tickets. So these are very pervasive beliefs.”
Weiss, who has seen her mother-in-law resist taking opioids to treat chronic pain, notes that some people suffer pain because they fear addiction, while others are too casual about using painkillers.
“We don’t want to make people afraid of taking a medication that they need,” says Weiss. “At the same time, we want people to take these drugs seriously.”

5. Myth: All that matters is easing my pain.

Reality: Pain relief is key, but it’s not the only goal.
“We’re focusing on functional restoration when we prescribe analgesics or any intervention to control the patient’s pain,” says Gharibo.
He explains that functional restoration means “being autonomous, being able to attend to their activities of daily living, as well as forming friendships and an appropriate social environment.”
In other words, pain relief isn’t enough.
“If there is pain reduction without improved function, that may not be sufficient to continue opioid pharmacotherapy,” says Gharibo. “If we’re faced with a situation where we continue to increase the doses and we’re not getting any functional improvement, we’re not just going to go up and up on the dose. We’re going to change the plan.”

6. Myth: I’m a strong person. I won’t get addicted.

Reality: Addiction isn’t about willpower, and it’s not a moral failure. It’s a chronic disease, and some people are genetically more vulnerable than others, notes Fishman.
“The main risk factor for addiction is genetic predisposition,” Seppala agrees. “Do you have a family history of alcohol or addiction? Or do you have a history yourself and now you’re in recovery from that? That genetic history would potentially place you at higher risk of addiction for any substance, and in particular, you should be careful using the opioids for any length of time.”
Seppala says prescription painkiller abuse was “rare” when his career began, but is now second only to marijuana in terms of illicit use.
Exactly how many people are addicted to prescription painkillers isn’t clear. But 1.7 million people age 12 and older in the U.S. abused or were addicted to pain relievers in 2007, according to government data.
And in a 2007 government survey, about 57% of people who reported taking pain relievers for “nonmedical” uses in the previous month said they’d gotten pain pills for free from someone they knew; only 18% said they’d gotten it from a doctor.
Don’t share prescription pain pills and don’t leave them somewhere that people could help themselves. “These are not something that you should hand out to your friends or relatives or leave around so that people can take a few from you without your even noticing it,” says Weiss.

7. Myth: My doctor will steer me clear of addiction.

Reality: Doctors certainly don’t want their patients to get addicted. But they may not have much training in addiction, or in pain management.
Most doctors don’t get much training in either topic, says Seppala. “We’ve got a naive physician population providing pain care and not knowing much about addiction. That’s a bad combination.”
Fishman agrees and urges patients to educate themselves about their prescriptions and to work with their doctors. “The best relationships are the ones where you’re partnering with your clinicians and exchanging ideas.”

It’s been a hard day, and Joe’s back is killing him.
His wife has some Percocet left over from a trip to the dentist, and there’s that big bottle of Tylenol under the sink, so Joe grabs a couple of each and washes them down with a slug of beer.
Luckily for Joe, he’s a fictional character invented for this article. But there are a lot of real-life Joes out there making big mistakes with over-the-counter and prescription pain pills.
Can you spot Joe’s mistakes? Joe didn’t make every mistake in the book. But he made quite a few.

Here’s WebMD’s list of common pain pill mistakes, compiled with the help of pharmacist Kristen A. Binaso, RPh, spokeswoman for the American Pharmacists Association; and pain specialist Eric R. Haynes, MD, founder of Comprehensive Pain Management Partners in Trinity, Fla.

Pain Medications Mistake No.1: If 1 Is Good, 2 Must Be Better

Doctors prescribe pain pills at the doses they believe will offer the greatest benefit at the least risk. Doubling or tripling that dose won’t speed relief. But it can easily speed the onset of harmful side effects.

“The first dose of a pain medication may not work in five minutes the way you want. But this does not mean you should take five more,” Binaso says. “With some pain drugs, if you take additional doses, it makes the first dose not work as well. And with others, you end up in the emergency room.”

If you’ve given your pain medication time to work, and it still does not control your pain, don’t double down. See your doctor about why you’re still hurting.

“This ‘one is good so two must be better’ thing is a common problem,” Haynes says. “Patients should follow the instructions their doctor gives. Ask before leaving the office: Can I take an extra pill if I still hurt? What is the upper limit for this medication?”

Another bad idea is trying to boost the effect of one kind of pain pill by taking another.

“There may be Advil, Tylenol, Aleve, and ibuprofen in the house, and a person may take them all,” Binaso says.

This can escalate into a very bad situation, Haynes says.

Pain Medications Mistake No. 2: Duplication Overdose

People often take over-the-counter pain drugs — and even prescription pain drugs — without reading the label. That means they often don’t know which drugs they’re taking. That’s never a good idea.

And if they take another over-the-counter drug — either for extra pain relief or for other reasons — they may be getting an overdose. That’s because many OTC drugs are combination pills that carry a full dose of pain pill ingredients.

In Joe’s case, he’s taken a prescription pain pill that contains acetaminophen along with a second full dose of acetaminophen from Tylenol, putting him at risk of injury.

Pain Medications Mistake No. 3: Drinking While Taking Pain Drugs

Pain medications and alcohol generally enhance each other’s effect. That’s why many of these prescription medications carry a “no alcohol” sticker.

That sticker shows a martini glass-covered by the international “No” sign of a circle with a slash. But it applies to wine and beer just as much as it does to spirits.

“A common misperception is people see that sticker and think, ‘I’m OK as long as I don’t drink liquor — I can have a beer.’ But no alcohol means no alcohol,” Binaso says.

“The patient should heed that alcohol warning, because it can be a major problem if they do not,” Haynes says. “Alcohol can make you inebriated, and some pain medications can make you have that feeling as well. You can easily get yourself into trouble.”

Drinking alcohol can be a problem even with over-the-counter pain drugs.

“Drinking is an issue with ibuprofen. It can lead to bleeding ulcers,” Binaso says. “And the FDA is looking into acetaminophen. It is very safe, but we have reports of people who had more than one drink and took more than one daily dose of acetaminophen for a long time, and ended up with liver damage.”

Pain Medications Mistake No. 4: Drug Interactions

Before taking any pain pill, think about what other medicines, herbal remedies, and supplements you are taking. Some of these drugs and supplements may interact with pain medications or increase the risk of side effects.

For example, aspirin can affect the action of some non-insulin diabetes drugs; codeine and oxycodone can interfere with antidepressants.

You should give your doctor a complete list of all the drugs, herbs, and supplements you take — before getting any prescription.

If buying over-the-counter medications, Binaso recommends showing a list of everything else you’re taking to the pharmacist.

Pain Medications Mistake No. 5: Drugged Driving

Pain medications can make you drowsy. Different people react differently to different drugs.

“How I react to a pain medication is different from how you react,” Binaso says. “It may not make me drowsy, but may make you drowsy. So I recommend trying it at home first, and see how you feel. Don’t take two pills and go out driving.”

Pain Medications Mistake No. 6: Sharing Prescription Medicines

Unfortunately, it’s very common for people to share prescription medications with friends, relatives, and co-workers. Not smart, Haynes and Binaso say — particularly when it comes to pain medications.

“If a fairly healthy person is taking a medicine because she is in pain, and wants to give some pills to Uncle Joe because he is hurting — well, this is a potential problem,” Haynes says. “Uncle Joe may have a problem that keeps his body from eliminating the drug, or he may have an allergic reaction, or the drug may interact with a medication he is taking, with life-threatening results.”

Pain Medications Mistake No. 7: Not Talking to the Pharmacist

It’s not easy to read drug labels, even if you can make out the small print. If you have a question about either a prescription or OTC drug, ask the pharmacist.

“That’s why I’m in the store,” Binaso says. “You may have to wait a couple of minutes for me to finish what I’m doing. But you’ll get the information you need to take the right medicine the right way. Just say, ‘Tell me about this medicine; what should I be on the lookout for?’”

Pain Medications Mistake No. 8: Hoarding Dead Drugs

Joe’s wife is actually to blame for one of his mistakes. She should have disposed of those extra pain pills once she was over her dental pain.

Why? One reason is that pills stored at home start breaking down soon after their expiration date. That’s especially true of drugs kept in the moist environment of the bathroom medicine cabinet.

“People say, “That drug is only a year past its expiration date; isn’t it good?” But if you take a pill that’s broken down, it may not work — or you may end up in the emergency room because of reaction to a breakdown product. That is really common,” Binaso says.

Another reason that it’s dangerous to hoard is that the drugs may tempt someone else into making a very bad choice.

“Teen drug abuse is really up, especially with pain medications,” Binaso says. “It is not uncommon for kids to go to their parents’ or grandparents’ medicine cabinet and then go to a party and put the drugs in a bowl.”

Pain Medications Mistake No. 9: Breaking Unbreakable Pills

Pills are actually little drug-delivery machines. They don’t work the way they’re supposed to when taken apart the wrong way.

Scored pills should be cut only across the line, Binaso says. Those without scoring should not be cut at all, unless you’re specifically instructed to do so.

“When you start chopping up pills like that, the pill may not work,” she says. “We find more and more people are doing this. And then they say, “Oh, that pill had a really bad taste. That is because they cut away the coating.”

International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia Awareness Day is next week on May 12th. I’m going to take a break from articles on internet wastes of time, movie reviews and news updates. Instead I’m going to take a moment to highlight these illnesses and the necessity for awareness.

Five Things You Should Know About Fibromyalgia

1. 3-8 million people in the United States have Fibromyalgia and up to 80% are women.

2. Fibromyalgia most commonly hits between the ages of 20-40 years old, at the “prime of life.”

3. It has been nick-named “the pain disease” because of the characteristic wide-spread, migrating body pain patients have. The pain has been described differently by each patient from dull aches to deep bone pain to burning, tearing, singeing, stabbing or shooting. The breadth of pain descriptions is what makes diagnosis difficult.

4. People with Fibromyalgia have cognitive difficulties, such as memory problems and attention issues, that has been nicknamed “Fibro fog” or “brain fog.”

5. Fibromyalgia is considered as functionally disabling as rheumatoid arthritis but is much less accepted and recognized by both the medical establishment, Social Security and the community at large.

To learn more check out www.fmsaware.org.

My day started very early, so last night I was in bed before 9:30 – unheard of when I’m not crashed out. This morning I rolled out of bed at 6:10am – amazing accomplishment considering I don’t normally get up til noon. Got dressed & packed up & out the door to get the van we were renting for the day. Finished at the Rental agency by 7.30. Head up north to the arena ( I live 20km/12mi from the arena) to drop off the other half. Off to pick up my stepson & grab breakfast & back to the arena by 9.30am. Help unpack the van.

I take a few minutes to watch the Peanuts play (those are the little anklebiters) & then off to be girl friday (even tho it’s Saturday).. Most of the next few hours was spent between doing some in-house tasks & sitting down to read. Oddly enuf, I was *still* doing good.. No pain, no fatigue.. So, at 11.30 I drop off my step-son & get my lunch. I come back by 12 & eat while Rob’s on the floor coaching the Novice kids.. He’s just bouncing off the walls in enthusiasm.. I had to run (yes, run-or as close as I can get to a run) to the change rooms to get an Ice pack for an injury – twice (yes, twice) When his game finishes, I head out to pick up his lunch while the third novice game is on to see who wins. I’m back shortly after 1pm & decide to head to his parent’s place for a nap.

So I’ve been a busy body with bits of activity & bits of no activity, but no real “rest” periods, not like my doc wants (I’ll explain rest to ya’ll another time).. But I’m still not having pain.. & not the devastating fatigue of the CFS.. What I haven’t done by this point is taken my meds… at 12 noon, I am supposed to take my codeine contin – 12 hour release that I take at 12 noon & 12 midnight.. So, no wonder when I wake up form my nap & I’m sore and achey and still & starting to hurt.. *this* is when I realize I haven’t taken my meds. Of course, where are they – the arena.

When I get to the arena Rob’s ready to go.. immediately loads up the van & off we go – no real time for me to take anything.. with a detour to Dollaramma & I fergot about my meds again.. So I don’t get my meds until dinner – we hit the Keg on the way home and while waiting in the bar for our table, I take them.. 5 of ‘em.. ya, that’s a small chunk of medication. But interestingly enough, I’ve started to feel better after I had gotten moving around.. And interestingly, My leggs didn’t ache when I got up from sitting at dinner like they normally do.. When I sit for extended periods, like a social chatty dinner that lasts almost 2 hours, then ya, the leggs are usually difficult to get moving..

So, now we’re home, the van’s unpacked, I’ve got the overnight info for parking the van cuz we’re not going to take it back tomorrow morning. I’ve gone on FaceBook & Feed my virtual roses.. I’ve done a blog post & now writing this one at almost 11pm and I am still going.. Where’s Rob? Crashed out on the bed. But I am heading to bed soon too..

I was told the other day by the person who I look to most for help & support with my fms & everything else, exactly that. He doesn’t believe me. He thinks I’m either making it up & have fooled all the doctors and specialists, Or it’s all in my head. He said he’s never really believed me since he met me.. He thinks I’ve been lying to the world this whole time, that I have been putting myself through test after test after test, several invasive just to play sick? He thinks I’m a leach on the government rolls because I get disability (and we all know how easy that is to get). That it’s my self esteem that’s screwing me up. He’s thinks that I’ve got nothing of value.. Nothing to offer.. I’m nothing of value.. *sigh*

How much more of a stab in the heart is that?? How much more hurtful can one person be??