It was several years ago now that my therapist tried to help me resolve my physical pain by dealing with my suppressed emotions. Ironically, her recommendation to me was to write. She believed that through the process of writing, my muscles would begin to let go of everything they had been storing. Unfortunately I did not get very far with her. Maybe I was not ready to hear her and understand then. Maybe the time was not right. But today as I sit here writing about it, I am so much more aware and accepting of where she was trying to guide me.

My muscles are full of emotions I have spent the last 40 years avoiding.

The pain is stored there because that is how I unconsciously chose to process it. I stuffed it deep down inside to avoid facing it, but it doesn’t just disappear, it simply manifests itself into a different kind of pain.

My muscles are inflamed and toxic because I did not have the skills to manage and deal with the crisis in the moment. Who does have the skills? They are not easy to acquire. I still do not have them, but I am working towards it. It may take me the next 40 years, but at least I am now aware.

Healing is not a simple process.

First we must really come to terms with the source of our pain. For the purpose of this post I am focusing on emotional pain, but as we all know there are many other components to our pain (trauma, infection, toxin, etc.) that make this process even more complicated.

So where do we start?

Again, there is no easy answer. Years ago I started in the most logical place, therapy, and yet it turned out not to be my actual starting point. I had years of stagnant suffering after that, waiting for my health to change, but not actively making the changes necessary for my health to improve.

Looking back on it now, I am learning from my time spent in therapy, but it made little difference in my life at the time.

My true starting point in understanding how my emotions have contributed to my pain is this blog. Writing here has allowed me to explore and examine myself in ways I never would have otherwise. It has allowed me to acquire new tools and resources to actively apply to my intention of wellness.

What does that mean?

Well it means I am no longer sitting on my couch with a tub of mashed potatoes, convincing myself that my misery entitles me to eat it. And it means that I am no longer waiting for better health to find me, I am actively seeking it out. And it means I am no longer discouraged by the many set backs, because I understand it took years for this damage to occur in my body, and it will take years for me to correct everything, but each step I take towards healing tips the balance to the path of wellness and a better life.

For me, the tools and resources I have acquired to deal with emotional pain are writing, yoga, and meditation. The combination of the three have given me a greater awareness of the mind-body connection, which I believe is essential for healing our emotional pain.

Yoga and meditation teach you to connect with and examine your body, scanning for places of tension and pain. They teach you to acknowledge and breathe into those places, and not ignore what you are storing there. It has been an amazing process of self-discovery, and both practices often leave me more emotional but less painful.

Writing is where I come to process everything. This is where I put the piece together and try to make sense of them. Without this blog, I am certain I would still be waiting for my health to change.

So how can you take what I have learned and apply it to your own path to wellness?

First, you have to be ready to take your journey. You have to be ready to do the work and the research to find the best tools and resources for you. Then you have to understand that it is a journey of endurance and not be discouraged by the inevitable setbacks. You have to believe that you are worth the effort and that better health is possible.

If you are not there yet, like I wasn’t not that long ago, keep reading, keep researching, don’t give up. Never give up! Better health is possible. Once you believe it is, your journey will begin.

Rare is the Fibromyalgia patient who embraces exercise.

Not only does it elicit a pain response in most of us, but it also sends our defenses up. Too, too many times we have heard the unsolicited advice, “If you would only exercise you would feel much better.” We could all give examples of some of the insensitive and inaccurate things we have heard, that is not at question here, but what is under consideration is what truth is there in those comments?

It is hard to consider the validity to a comment that has raised our defenses and left us feeling misunderstood. But what if, regardless of how misinformed the comment and commenter, there is an underlying validity to it? Should we continue to be defensive and ignore what instinctively we already know? Who are we hurting if we do this? Not them, that is for sure.

Be Mindful

The fact is, not all exercise is good or even possible for most Fibromyalgia patients, but some form of mindful movement is essential if we ever want to improve our symptoms and our overall wellbeing. And yet it seems so counterintuitive: “It hurts to move, so you are telling me I need to move?” How does that make sense?

A lot of research has been done on this topic. Article after article has been written touting the benefits of exercise for Fibromyalgia. Here is a summary of the benefits of exercise for those with Fibromyalgia from WebMD:

helps restore the body’s neurochemical balance and triggers a positive emotional state

boosts levels of natural endorphins — pain-fighting molecules

triggers the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones that are known to boost alertness

burns calories and makes weight control easier

gives range-of-motion to painful muscles and joints

improves a person’s outlook on life

improves quality of sleep

improves one’s sense of well-being

increases aerobic capacity

increases cardiovascular health

increases energy

places the responsibility of healing in the hands of the patient

reduces anxiety levels and depression

relieves stress associated with a chronic disease

stimulates growth hormone secretion

stimulates the secretion of endorphins or “happy hormones”

strengthens bones

strengthens muscles

Would your life and your symptoms benefit with even one of the listed improvements? Then let’s step back from our conditioned response to exercise and think about how we can approach mindful movement with more positive results.

Be Gentle

This really is a matter of reconditioning our response to, and expectation of movement. Societies idea of exercising for health is to push through the pain; No Pain No Gain. Absurd really, and an approach that will guarantee failure for those of us living daily in pain. Take that approach and turn it inside out and then upside down. Gentle, mindful movement is the key to exercising with Fibromyalgia.

If you are familiar with my blog at all you know I am a huge proponent of yoga. Well I learned the hard way recently that I need to revise my ardor of yoga.

I Love Yoga, But Not All Yoga Loves Me

My first experience with yoga years ago was a No Pain No Gain experience. Even though I made an attempt to explain Fibromyalgia and my limitations to the instructor, she still pushed me way beyond my means. It was an awful experience and I was done with yoga. Fortunately, Fibromyalgia has taught me to consider and reconsider everything, because, when given the opportunity to practice yoga again, I did and had a completely different experience. It was one of the greatest epiphany moments I have had. Movement without pain. Hallelujah!

But then recently I had a setback to my love affair with yoga. For financial reasons I was no longer able to attend the gentle yoga classes that were having such a positive impact on my health and my symptoms. I was forced to look for alternatives; I tried YouTube videos with no success; found a few sources on Facebook that were okay, but not great; rented a few DVD’s, not even close. Then I resorted to buying a Yoga for Beginners DVD. I mistakenly interpreted “for beginners” as meaning “gentle.” Boy was I wrong. Massive failure and major flare-up.

But We Are Resilient – Remember

So I looked again specifically for “gentle” yoga, and I found a free class being offered at a local library. My love was back. I spent the next restorative hour in mindful movement so gentle I sometimes wonder if it is really benefitting me, but it is. The result was no flare, days of improved cognitive function, better sleep, and decreased pain – all from one class!

Not All Movement is Created Equal

So you tried yoga and it hurt and sent you into a flare and now you are done with exercising. Exercising is not for you. I could not possibly understand how severely exercise hurts you because if I did I would not be telling you to do it.

I understand all of the reasoning behind not exercising, because I used them all myself for many years. And if I had tried yoga again and it had been anything other than gentle and restorative, I would still be reasoning myself out of attempting any form of movement. It is understandable. We have become conditioned by our pain. But the really great thing is that we can also become reconditioned.

First you must trust that your muscles need movement. The longer they remain inactive, the more severely they will continue to hurt, the less energy you will have, and the harder it will be for them to support your frame. Your muscles want and need to move.

Next you have to find the appropriate movement for you. It may not be yoga. Maybe it is Tai Chi or Qigong. Maybe it is some form of water movement. Maybe it is a slow and gentle walk. Find what works best for you. Find what you love and what makes your body say Hallelujah.

Finally you need to accept that you will feel sore and there may be some discomfort, but you should not become discouraged by it. Consider how long you have been inactive. Honor you body and your limitations, but do not use them as the reason for not trying.

As with all things Fibromyalgia, there is no easy answer or quick fix, but if you intend to get better, then mindful movement is a necessary step towards wellness. Do not give up if your first attempt is a failure. Regroup and recommit yourself to mindful movement. When you find what works for you the rewards will be many, including an increased range of pain free movement. And as I like to say – be sure to take baby steps to avoid the making the painful leaps.

It is too soon to know what, if any, impact this will actually have. The FDA is not required to follow the committee’s recommendation, although historically they do. At the very least it is a good time to consider what options you have to prepare for the possible ban. Prescription painkillers will always be available in some form. With complaints of chronic pain on an epidemic rise, drug companies will see to it. But prescription painkillers need not be the only option for Fibromyalgia pain treatment.

So what can I do to ease my pain naturally?

I am glad you asked! In the midst of a severe Fibromyalgia flare-up, there may be nothing as quick to bring relief as good old - insert your painkiller of choice here, but for daily maintenance and preventative health care, natural is best.

Foods & Herbs

Your food should be your first medicine. In a previous post I listed the many toxic foods to avoid if you have Fibromyalgia. Now lets take a look at foods and herbs beneficial for pain management.

Essential fatty acids are a must. EFAs like Omega-3s are necessary fats that humans cannot synthesize, and must be obtained through diet. Omega-3s have a natural anti-inflammatory quality along with a whole complex of other health benefits. Research indicates that omega-3s may be better absorbed from food than supplements.

Wild salmon is a great source of Omega-3s, as are other fatty fish like albacore tuna, halibut, and sardines. Not a fan of fish? Flaxseed oil and Canola oil are good choices too. Or how about walnuts? Try a sprinkle of walnuts on spinach salad for a nutritious and delicious double dose of essential fatty acids. Summer squash, cauliflower, and broccolli are all very good sources as well.

Herbal remedies also aid in pain relief. Natural pain relief — like herbal medicine, is an increasingly popular way to manage pain.

• Turmeric is gaining great recognition as a natural painkiller. Why not try sprinkling some on that piece of salmon you are grilling up?
• Fresh ginger helps with inflammation.
• Capsaicin applied topically may be beneficial for relieving pain.
• Feverfew has been found useful for treating migraines.
• Ginseng is listed by the American Pain Foundation as beneficial for Fibromyalgia pain treatment.

If you are serious about trying herbal remedies for pain relief, I advise that you consult with your physician or a licensed herbalist who understands how powerful these herbs can be.

Soak on it

More and more research indicates that Fibromyalgia patients suffer from magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is extremely important to many functions in the body, and a deficiency can cause several of the symptoms associated with Fibromyalgia. There are great benefits in taking an Epsom salt bath, rich in hydrated magnesium sulfate, which is easily absorbed through the skin.

As listed on the Epsom Salt Industry Council website, here are some of the health benefits to be had from an epsom salt bath:

• Flushes toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
• Relieves stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
• Reduces inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.
• Improves oxygen use.
• Improves absorption of nutrients.
• Improves formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.
• Prevents or eases migraine headaches.

I don’t think we could ask much more from a simple bath! Epsom salt baths are so relaxing and therapeutic, I recommend you take two or three a week – more if your level of pain dictates. Before bed is a great time, as you will find yourself so relaxed by the natural serotonin boost, you will be able to gently drift off into a restorative sleep.

Just Breathe

Yoga, Qigong, meditation and many other mind-body practices teach the healing properties of purposeful breathing. Conscious breathing can actually change your body chemistry by increasing oxygen supply to your cells and prompting the production of endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain killers. Deep breathing relaxes the muscles and calms the mind.

In her book Yoga for Fibromyalgia, Shoosh Lettick Crotzer teaches The Healing Breath technique. To practice this, begin in a seated pose with your feet flat on the floor and your arms resting lightly on your thighs. Close your eyes, follow the directions below, and let your breath heal.

Inhale and exhale slowly, focusing on how the air feels as it passes through your nose, into your body, and back out. Think of your breath as the gift of life – prana: life force. Let it feel soothing as it flows inside. If you have general pain, visualize this healing breath filling your whole body. If your pain is more specific, on inhalations, bring the breath directly to your pain. Then, for either type of pain, let each new inhalation bring energy to expand and soften, cleanse and release, rejuvenate. With the exhalations, let the tensions and heaviness of your pain flow out with the breath. Breathe slowly, and continue until you feel quiet, heavy, and more relaxed. Come out of the pose when you are ready. Notice the difference you have made in yourself.

Mindful breathing will bring you more in-tune with your body. It is something we should all practice everyday, regardless of our level of pain.

Good Health Requires Mindfulness

Self care is critical in the management of Fibromyalgia. There is no magic pill that will reverse all of the symptoms we live with. There never will be. So instead of waiting for the magic bullet, we should focus on simple and manageable things we can do to help improve our health and wellbeing. It may take a great combination of holistic and natural remedies, combined with the care of our doctors, to really achieve optimal results. Be your own best health advocate and practice the Healing Breath technique, cook yourself some salmon for dinner, and then take a relaxing epsom salt bath. You are worth the effort.

Here is the press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PRINT READY ATTACHMENT INCLUDED) 
The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle 
“Perhaps the most sensible book on fibromyalgia ever written” according to Frederick Wolfe, M.D., Master, American College of Rheumatology and lead author of The American College of Rheumatology 1990 Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia. 
This is the book that changes everything for patients, healthcare providers, and everyone with an interest in truly understanding the cause of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain. 
In The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle, author Jeff Sarkozi, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., F.A.C.R. provides the revolutionary insight and understanding that redefines the landscape of fibromyalgia knowledge, diagnosis, and treatment by exposing the fallacy of pain from nowhere, revealing the failure of the fibromyalgia diagnosis, elucidating the true cause of fibromyalgia pain, and offering real treatment for what’s really going on. 
The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle is the most ground-breaking and transformational book ever written on fibromyalgia and chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. It does what no other book or publication has ever been capable of doing. Through original, cutting edge clinical research results and evidence-based analysis, it actually identifies the cause of pain in fibromyalgia, the mechanism by which it evolves, how it is modulated, and how to effectively treat it. 
This compelling, scholarly, yet immensely accessible new knowledge demystifies fibromyalgia and chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain and makes everything that is unknown about the relationships between pain, tenderness, disability, sleep, weight related issues, psychological and psychosocial disturbances, and sexual difficulties clear and understandable.
Written for patients and healthcare providers, The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle will transform the lives of individuals afflicted with fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain. Its enlightening blend of traditional and complementary therapies guides and empowers patients and their healthcare providers with the most unique, integrated, and thoroughly effective self-managed wellness recovery program ever published. It provides the substrate of truly justified hope and faith in the ability of individuals to transcend the suffering of fibromyalgia to make positive changes in their health and overall well-being. 
Jeff Sarkozi, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., F.A.C.R., is a rheumatologist expert specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain for thousands of patients over more than two decades. Dr. Sarkozi has researched, developed, and patented numerous unique orthotic devices and created original, innovative treatment programs to relieve symptoms and improve function in patients with fibromyalgia, chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, and other arthritic conditions. He currently directs the Fibromyalgia Polypain Arthritis Center in Orange County, California. 
Ordering Information: Web Store: www.missingpiecesfibromyalgia.com. Telephone: 714-973-0106. Fax: 714-973-0124. Mail: Sagecoast Publishing, 801 North Tustin Avenue, Suite 503, Santa Ana, California, 92705. Softcover ISBN: 978-0-9819223-3-1, $29.95. To contact Jeff Sarkozi, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., F.A.C.R. for interviews, speaking, or lectures use contact information above or email: speaker@fmpolypain.com. 
#      #      # 

Marla Sarkozi
Media Director
The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle
Sagecoast Publishing
Phone: 714-973-0106   Fax: 714-973-0124 

 

7/30

Take the latest ad for example:

Lady walking out onto her porch with a beautiful tray of food says: “My fibromyalgia muscle pain is real, but I’m not the type of person to just lie down and quit.”

Lady takes the tray to a table of family members, continues speech: “Not with all these people counting on me. I walked right in and asked my doctor about Lyrica.”

Really? Is Fibromyalgia really just so neat and tidy as all that? Really? Is Fibromyalgia really just about the muscle pain and if you take a pill it will really all just go away? Really? And if I don’t walk right in and  ask my doctor about Lyrica, am I then the kind of person who does just lie down and quit? Am I not taking care of the people counting on me if I am not taking Lyrica? Will my tray of food not be as lovely as yours if I am not taking Lyrica?

If I had the video of the commercial to share with you I could go on and on with my “really” rant. There is a dog, and a tree swing, and a beautiful stone walkway, and a picnic table with a picture perfect family. The grass is green, the sun is shining, and it is all made possible with Lyrica! Blech! If you would like to watch the commercial you can watch it here.

So today I am reading the Fibromyalgia Network Newsletter and I read this:

Pfizer’s Fibro Put Down

Even if Lyrica has not been helpful for controlling your symptoms, the many widely publicized TV commercials sponsored by the drug’s manufacturer, Pfizer, have certainly improved awareness of your medical condition. Some advertisements have been better than others, but some Members feel the latest TV ad starts off as a put down to fibromyalgia (FM) patients everywhere. It shows a woman with a tray full of food at a family gathering making the following statements:

“My fibromyalgia muscle pain is real. But I am not the type of person to just lie down and quit, not with all these people counting on me. I walked right in and asked my doctor about Lyrica.”

It’s doubtful that Pfizer intended to imply that “other” fibromyalgia patients are the type who just “lie down and quit,” but this is how the commercial is being perceived, and it couldn’t be further from the truth. The 2008 Fibromyalgia Network survey on employment issues clearly showed that patients are doing everything possible to hang onto their jobs and careers. You are definitely all fighters and you don’t take anything laying down!

As a survivor, let Pfizer know a few key factors about living with fibromyalgia that you would like their next commercial to portray. The company has a website that invites FM patients to share their stories. Click on this link to the Lyrica website and identify yourself as a fibromyalgia patient representative and consumer, and then briefly point out what you would like for them to convey in their next commercial (in other words, state how you would like a person with fibromyalgia to appear). Are there certain strengths that you would like the patient in the commercial to portray? Also, are there specific symptoms of fibromyalgia that you would like to see emphasized? Please give this some thought and take the time to offer useful advice and constructive suggestions. Without your input, Pfizer could very well botch another commercial!

I think this is a fair idea. I just spent the last 30 minutes telling you all what I hate about their commercials. Now I should be more proactive and tell Pfizer how they can be less offensive! Whether I want them to be or not, they are the face of Fibromyalgia on our television sets. But it is clear the people writing their ad copy do not have Fibromyalgia or even a great understanding of it. I am going to have to give it some thought as to how I would want Fibromyalgia represented and marketed. It has to make sense to both me and Pfizer. The bottom line is this really is about Pfizer’s bottom line. Fibromyalgia is profitable for them and it is doubtful they will consider any suggestion that could negatively effect their profits – regardless of their totally offensive commercials.

Hooray for those of you who are feeling better since taking Lyrica! But I really would like to know, do you think these commercials are a fair representation of your life since being on Lyrica? If so I am sooo happy for you. If not what would you say to Pfizer that could help them portray your life with Fibromyalgia more accurately?

So you are probably wondering, what is Takesumi and why should I be interested in it. In a previous post, I listed the several toxins and infections Dr Shores tested me positive for: 

• Heavy Metals
• Arsenec
• Borrelia Burgdorferi – lyme
• Chloroform
• Formaldehyde
• H-pylori

Takesumi, which is a carbonized bamboo supplement, is an effective and the most gentle way Dr. Shores knows to rid the body of toxins and infections. Here is a description fromMichael Lebowitz D.C.:

 Takesumi, on AK testing, fairly routinely blocks positive tests to toxic metals, chemicals, and often foods too. I look at it as a supreme detoxification product. It also appears to adsorb myco and endotoxins (and other bio-toxins) from various organisms, take the load off the liver and kidneys and thus act in an anti-aging fashion. Takesumi is also reported to adsorb radiation (radon, nuclear, etc.)

 

Michael Lebowitz D.C. has been a researcher in applied kinesiology and nutrition for over 30 years, and this statement was based on his clinical testing and research. Takesumi also has anti-fungal, anti-bacteria, anti-parasitic and anti-viral properties.

I began taking the Takesumi over two weeks ago. Some of the effects I have been feeling are headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, my skin (especially on my face) feeling hot, and some dehydration. I naturally drink a lot of water each day, but I have had to increase my water consumption considerably and I still wonder if I am drinking enough. Dr. Shores warned me about the side effects of doing a detox, and I am not experiencing anything out of the ordinary, but I am experiencing it for longer than anticipated. Although the effects sound similar to a fibromyalgia flare-up, they are not at that level of severity – thank goodness!

Now for the good news. My fibrofog is much diminished since starting the detox! Even though my body is feeling achy and fatigued, my brain is feeling as sharp as it has since the accident. I have been much more productive and organized, even with the headaches. Honestly if it were not for the improvement I am having with my cognitive function, I am not sure I would continue with the detox, but it has made me a believer and I am sticking with it in the hopes that I soon see other improvements as well. Another of my support group members, who is also on the detox under Dr. Shores supervision, has already tested negative for all of the infections he originally found in her, and she has been taking the Takesumi just a week longer than I have. That gives me even more hope. Every evening after I mix up the carbonized bamboo with some water I yell “TAKESUMI” in my loud ninja-warrior voice and then swallow it down. Silly, yes, but I am a warrior in my battle against fibromyalgia, and if I have to be a warrior, being a ninja is a pretty cool thing!

I will keep you posted on any changes and improvements I have with my detox. If you have any questions about the Takesumi, please leave them in the comments. Dr. Shores has been generous enough in the past to have direct dialogues with readers via the comments. If he is unavailable I can try to look into it myself. 

And now for my little disclaimer:

In a continuing effort to live well with Fibromyalgia I am going to be researching and trying new and different things to help improve my health.  I will report on my research and my own personal experiences, but I am not a doctor and therefore will not be telling anyone to try what I do. If you think you may benefit from my experiences, please check with a medical professional to see if it is right for you.

Some days I just get mad.  Today is one of those days.  Hell, I’m not mad; I am pissed.  I need to stop censoring myself just because I don’t want to offend anyone reading this.  I am pissed!

I’m pissed that I still have hope – hope that somewhere inside me there is still a vibrant healthy person, but everyday I feel myself slipping further and further away from her.  I am pissed that I cannot just wake up in the morning and take control of my day.  I am pissed that I can’t always finish the laundry when it needs to be done or scrub the damn toilet.  I am pissed that my head and neck hurt so bad I’m half expecting an alien to rupture out at any minute.  I am pissed that my dog has so much unreleased energy he is becoming neurotic and I can’t walk him.  I am pissed that I have so many damn limitations in my life.  I am pissed because I don’t believe my life will be like this forever, and yet I have no idea how to change it.  I have hope; hope with no place to direct it.

And then I see on the local news that there is a Chiropractor who claims to have the cure for Fibromyalgia.  He has the cure, and if you give him your life savings to come to his clinic for treatment you will no longer suffer from FM.  So she does it.  A lady here in San Diego, at her wits end because she cannot live another day with the pain and fatigue of FM, she gives him her life savings and she goes to his clinic for weeks of treatment and guess what?  She still hurts!  She hurts and now she is broke and more stressed which will lead to more pain.  She placed her hope in him and he let her because he is trying to capitalize on a condition that is misunderstood and under-researched.  He is a snake oil salesman!

Dr. Whitcomb claims he “figured out a long time ago what was causing it and how to treat it.” Well great!  Then why not share it with the few researchers who are actually trying to discover a cause and treatment for Fibromyalgia?  And why not make all of the information on your website simple and easy for everyone to access?  Why not share your miracle cure with the world if what you are truly after is helping people and healing people?  Why?  Because you are not, because what you are really after is the $7,000 – $12,000 you charge for treatment.

And you have plenty of testimony from people you have helped.  Well sure, daily massage and chiropractic adjustment can help alleviate chronic pain and reverse chronic symptoms, and I am sure the patients you did help suffered from those aliments, but that is different from Fibromyalgia.  You cannot take five minutes to diagnose someone with chronic pain as having Fibromyalgia, and then help their symptoms, and then declare you have found the cure to Fibromyalgia.  How can you have the cure when just last month legitimate researchers proved there are blood flow problems in the brains of people with Fibromyalgia.  Does your great cure address this?  Did you already know this and decide not to share?  Do you even realize that you can have chronic pain and not have Fibromyalgia?  You are a charlatan! 

And now I am even more pissed!  I am pissed that you took her hope and capitalized on it.  What does she do with her hope now if she has any?  How will she know where to place it, and whom she can trust with it?  You took that from her.  You took her hope and deposited it your bank account.  Great!  Now you can advertise your “cure” even more.  Buy yourself a soapbox and a covered wagon with your profits.  And don’t forget the damn top hat!

Living with Fibromyalgia means you constantly have to make choices, choices that can be the difference between a good day and a flare-up. Some days I have to choose between cooking dinner and doing a load of laundry. These are relatively easy choices. I check the status of Rob’s underwear drawer, and if I can see the bottom, laundry it is! It is true. Everyday is a balancing act, trying to measure the most I can get done against doing too much and exacerbating my pain. Self-maintenance and moderation are crucial to my daily success. But sometimes the choices are clear and easy and I still chose to do the risky thing.

Saturday night we went to a Halloween party. I love Halloween! A chance to express myself in a way I cannot get away with everyday. I was feeling like a punk rocker this year. So at the party encircled by death, a donkey, and a Sarah Palin zombie I had to make the choice – do I drink or not? Alcohol is a toxin and can lead to dehydration. I know alcohol is not good for me, which is why I seldom drink. But sometimes I just want to do the risky thing and deal with the consequences. I am able to make the risky choice because over the years I have learned how to minimize the consequences.

Several years ago we went to Michigan for a good friends wedding. I know, not another wedding story, but this is important, because it was on this trip that I was really forced to listen to my body. I had not yet made the connection between the things I put into my body and the effect it had on my Fibromyalgia. I had to learn the hard way to listen to what my body was trying to tell me. On this trip it spoke very loudly!

Cathy is another of my best friends from high school. Her wedding was an event. The three or four days leading up to the ceremony were constant celebration – showers and parties and dinners and more parties – just non-stop festivities. And then the wedding itself was a grand occasion. It was a wonderful time and I let myself enjoy every minute of it. But of course it was not without consequence.

The day we left to fly home I felt awful. Five days of gross consumption and celebration were taking hold. We had a short flight from Saginaw to Cleveland and with each passing moment on that plane my pain intensified. By the time we got off in Cleveland to make our connecting flight I was in one of the worst full-blown flare-ups I have had to this day. I could barely walk. The gates were not close and the airport was packed. I could not stand upright the pain was so extreme, and each step I took sent waves of fire up and down my backside. My head felt like it would burst.

The airport was buzzing with intense and impatient people. I could feel them flying up behind me, and I could hear their grunts and sighs of disapproval at the speed I was moving. Overwhelmed with the pain and the pressure, I almost broke down. I was miserable and desperately wanted out of the chaos. I remember I asked Rob if we could just go get a hotel somewhere in Cleveland and then fly home the next day. I couldn’t bear the thought of getting on another plane in the pain I was in and I just wanted out of that damn airport. But we got on the plane and I spent the next four hours in a misery I will never forget.

The pain was so unbearable I could not sit back in my seat. I sat on the very front edge to have as little contact against my body as possible. I was weak and unstable but I could not lift my arms up to help support me, so instead I pressed my forehead against the seat in front of me for balance. And I remained like that for the long, miserable, four-hour flight home. I could not talk, or turn my head, or even acknowledge Rob. We waited until everyone behind us got off the plane and then I painfully stood and made my way to the exit. I have never been so glad to be home.

I don’t remember how long my recovery from that flare-up took, but I will never forget that flight home. I imagine that flare-up lasted quite awhile because most of mine did back then, and the reason they did is because I was just in the beginning stages of learning how to listen to my body and understand that what I ate or drank or did directly impacted my Fibromyalgia. I am years ahead of where I was then and that is why I allow myself to make the occasional risky decision. I know better now how to go into it and how to handle it after to avoid, or at the very least minimize, the potential flare-up.

So this Halloween I took a risk and decided to drink. I knew my body was well hydrated because it is the most important thing I do for myself each and every day. I had also eaten a healthy dinner before going to the party so I was not tempted to eat the chips and dip, and cheese and crackers, and pizza, and candy etc. Taking the risk to drink was made less risky by the good choices I made beforehand.

Sunday I woke up feeling exactly as I knew I would – tired and dehydrated, the early signs of a flare-up. First thing I did was to get up and make myself an Emergen-C energy drink. This is a very important tool in my maintenance. Here is a description of the product from their website:

Feeling good is better than feeling bad. And it was upon this brilliant concept that Emergen-C was founded.

Emergen-C gives you 1,000 milligrams of Vitamin C for the immune system. It gives you a full complement of energetic B vitamins. It gives you 32 minerals and electrolytes. It gives you a health and energy boost. It just gives and gives and gives.

I can’t tell you how many mornings I feel just plain awful and I drink an Emergen-C to feel better. Emergen-C is one of the things I have learned to rely on in my quest to manage my Fibromyalgia. It is a great natural aide and if you have never tried it you can request a free sample on their website (and no, I am not in any way affiliated with them).

Like I said before it is a balancing act. I have not given up everything I enjoy that is detrimental for me. I just prepare better and enjoy in moderation. Listen to your body and learn. If you know Saturday is going to be a busy and taxing day for you, plan to take it easy on Friday and/or Sunday. Learning to say no to some commitments enables you to enjoy the times you say yes even more. These are just general examples and may not apply directly to you, but it is important to think about self-maintenance and moderation. They are two very key components to living well with Fibromyalgia.

I had a great time at the party Saturday. Sunday I re-hydrated and relaxed. I did not clean the floors or the bathroom like I had planned, but it was a good trade off. I allowed myself the risk and did not feel guilty about the consequences.

In a continuing effort to live well with Fibromyalgia I am going to be researching and trying new and different things to help maintain my health.  I will report on my research and my own personal experiences, but I am not a doctor and therefore will not be telling anyone to try what I do.  If you think you may benefit from my experiences, please check with your doctor to see if it is right for you.

I have read repeatedly that Magnesium Malate may significantly reduce pain in people with Fibromyalgia by increasing muscle efficiency.  But for me to try something new, it is not enough to read that it helps.  I need to understand why it helps, so I did more research on the topic (what did we do before the internet?) and here is some of what I learned.

The following quote is from Fibromyalgia: A Journey Toward Healing by Chanchal Cabrera.  She is a medical herbalist and clinical aromatherapist who has taken a holistic approach to understanding and treating Fibromyalgia.

Malic acid plays an essential role in the metabolism of glucose and the production of energy through the Krebs cycle.  It tends to spare oxygen and provide greater stamina and endurance in muscle cells.  It is found in abundance in apples and may contribute to the traditional use of apple cider vinegar as a treatment for rheumatism.  Research from the Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio demonstrated significant benefit from the use of magnesium malate in FMS.  Malic acid also helps to remove aluminum, which may contribute to significant cellular disruption, from the tissues.  Doses up to 1,500 mg/day are normal.  It is often taken in the form of magnesium malate and this is particularly helpful in FMS.

This seems logical to me.  If there is truth to the theory of researchers who believe that there is a malfunction in the body’s ability to manufacture energy for people with FM, then it makes sense to take a supplement like Magnesium Malate which can help increase muscle endurance.

The fatigue I feel sometimes is simply irrational.  I wake up tired.  I have a nice relaxing day and I am tired.  Could it be that my muscles are not getting the oxygen they need to produce energy?  Could it be that my muscles burn energy faster than they can produce it?  Could it be that I am magnesium and/or malic acid deficient?  These are all theories from researchers, and if magnesium and malic acid have been proven to be important substances in the manufacture of energy – well then sign me up. 

I don’t know if it will work for me.  The brand I bought is 1000 mg per pill and it suggests taking between 1-3 each day.  I think I will start slow and just take one a day.  One of the reasons I am looking to more holistic methods of treating my FM is that I do not tolerate medication well.  But my body needs these supplements so in a way it is like taking my multi-vitamin.  At least that is how I am going to approach it.

I will be sure to update what if any changes I feel taking it.  And I would be really interested in hearing from anyone else who has taken it and what your results were. Post something in the comments so we can get a dialog going.