As a fibromyalgia patient, what are your expectations when you arrive for your doctor appointments? Do you arrive prepared to work with your doctor on how best to manage the troubling symptoms of fibromyalgia, or do you arrive hopeful that he/she will have some treatment, some answer that will once and for all end your suffering? One of the first things I tell new members of FibroHaven support group - above everything - we need to learn to be our own best health advocates. Fibromyalgia is a condition with no known cure. There is not, and likely never will be, a single approach to treat and … [Read more...]
Find the Space Between Pleasure and Pain, and Rest There
Recently a great conversation began on the FibroHaven Facebook page when I asked this: What do you do when you are having a relatively good day, but suddenly hit a wall? Do you push through, or do you slow down and give in to it? There is a BIG brick wall looming just ahead of me. Can't decide if I want to try and hurdle it or lay down before I smash my face into it! Let's discuss. I would love to know how you manage. There were many great responses that are worth taking the time to read. After reading them I knew I wanted to continue the conversation with a new blog post, and as often … [Read more...]
Happiness is a Choice, Not a Condition
When I bought my husband tickets to the Carlos Santana concert in Vegas, I was excited because I knew how much he was going to enjoy and appreciate the experience. I had no idea that I would get so much out of it as well. Carlos Santana is much more than a talented musician. He is a spreader of joy, love, and happiness, and he uses his wizardry with the guitar as his platform. Throughout the evening he stopped the music and spoke from his heart. He spoke of the energy that is within each of us, and how we can choose to focus it on the good in the world. He spoke of the beauty in humanity … [Read more...]
Let’s Not Call it Exercise, Let’s Call it Mindful Movement
Say the word "exercise" to a person with Fibromyalgia, and you will most likely get a negative response. Exercise is a harsh and ugly word. It has become synonymous with pain to most of us. 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 … [Read more...]
Tips for Easing Fibromyalgia Pain Naturally
With the June 30, 2009 vote by the Federal Drug Administration advisory committee to eliminate prescription acetaminophen-combination painkillers, Fibromyalgia patients have to be concerned. Concerns of abuse, addiction, and even cases of death, led to their recommendation to ban prescription painkillers like vicodin and percocet. The committee also voted to lower the maximum dose of over-the-counter painkillers with acetaminophen, like Tylenol and Excedrin, due to a rise in cases of liver damage. According to the FDA, acetaminophen remains the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S. It … [Read more...]