My progress 6 months on from Diagnosis with Fibromyalgia: NEWS!

 

I have NEWS – there have been big changes.

Initially it was all rather slow, frustrating and two steps forward and one step back.  My last post was very up and down.

However, it looks like it all accumulates into one big sudden improvement, once you have ticked off a large enough percentage of the changes needed.  (I’m not fooling myself btw, I know there is still lots of work to do).

 

Here are some of the improvements:

I HAVE WALKED the dog every day for a fortnight.  This is amazing.  I tried before to gradually increase my walking and failed.  I can’t tell you what a difference it makes to be able to do it.

I am no longer in constant chronic pain.  I have constant pain, but it’s not unbearable or depressing.

I don’t feel like an 80 year old any more when bending down to putting the washing in the machine or walk down the stairs.

My TMJ (jaw pain) is much reduced.

I seem to have moved on to just get 1 flare per month, rather than 2; which is much more manageable.

Neither of my arms hurt.

I can pick up Little Dimples – what a relief, it was so awful not to be able to carry her when she needed me.

I’ve had some sleep.

I’ve adapted to no longer being competent – heh, who cares if I’m unreliable, ditzy and dis-organised from now on?

I’m beyond fighting it, not identifying myself as the victim of the story of it, and now more in a place where it is a guide for a while until I get the changes really sorted in my life.

I have no doubt that I will have it totally managed in the next 6 months.

I have hope that it’s possible to be free of it.

 

What have I done?

I was found to be very low on VITAMIN D, despite taking it in a multi-fit (I was 42, it should be 72).  They put me on a big dose of Vit D3 (gell capsules are best).  I now buy my own and take a pill if there is no sunshine on a day.  I’m going to ask to get my levels checked.  This reduced my pain DRAMATICALLY (along with a big dose of sunshine in Lanzarote in the February half-term).

Found 5-htp and magnesium (must take the malate version – it’s gentler on the stomach) to improve my sleep.

CBT from the NHS (cognitive Behavioural therapy) – I need to blog about this some more, it’s helped, but I wonder whether it is a little shallow and only helped because I have a therapy background and could do a lot of homework.  It was very helpful though in highlighting for me what causes a flare (e.g. freezing cold in a motorhome in Brighton will do it, or visitors who don’t help out!).

I’ve also tried EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) for the discomfort in my back (almost itches and hurts from the inside) from the Adrenals and reduced the pain from 8/10 to 2/10.  I can start to learn EFT myself and use it at home, so it’s a great find. (If you are local, try the lovely Mel at TherapHealing for EFT)

I’ve turned the tide on my weight and am at last working back downwards, if VERY slowly (I had just tipped over into an unhealthy weight).

Come off the drugs – I CONFESS – I realised on the friday of the bank holiday that I had awful Edema, so bad that my legs were ripping.  I knew there was no chance of a Dr’s appointment, so I stopped taking the Amiltriptyline.  That is wrong.  I know.  But I was only on 10mg.  I probably should have cut the pills in half instead.  I had a couple of bad days with headaches and insomnia.  But I’m glad now.

I’ve dropped sugar in my tea, I have the odd cake, but no more biscuits, and found a natural alternative to sugar for my tea.  The horrible, hot burning pain in my hips is dramatically improved from this – if I make a mistake I know it immediately.

The MOST AMAZING change has come from taking Cherry Active concentrated sour cherry juice morning and evening.  This is the reason that I can walk the dog.

Curly Headed Boy says I seem happier and look healthier than I did before I was ill.

 

Continuing with Previous Things:

Continuing with the Pilates – to strengthen my muscles means I don’t have to use as much of them, hence have less pain.

Still taking Omega 3, 6 & 9 (for brain fog), Optibac Probiotics (for IBS) and a good multi-vit.

Stopped taking Floradix – I feel I’m taking enough!

I’m going to a womans group monthly.  We meditate, do something personal-developmenty, chat, drink tea and eat biscuits; it’s perfect!  (If you fancy a supportive, fun, monthly group for women check out Actually Mummy’s review of our ‘Vision Boarding’ get-together),

Still meditating weekly, and a shamanism group monthly, which are great for support.

Warm showers every morning.  Cold if the pain is burning (brrrr, but it works).  Hot flannel for the muscles in my face to relax and if I’m tired, plus a big splash of cold water.

Hot bath with a couple of cup fulls of Epsom Salts and some aromatherapy oil once a week for at least 20 mins.

Aloe Vera Gell for the ‘hip burn’ (it itches and burns from the inside).

 

My Work

I have a PUBLISHING DEAL!!

This means that edition 2 of “Six Steps To A Sparkling You and Enjoying Being a Mum” will be out in September along with a NEW paperback version.

Plus the first edition of “Get Healthy, Fit and Strong without Diets and Bootcamps” with a paperback version straight away.

How exciting!

And book 3 “Who On Earth Am I?” is brewing nicely – look out for new posts along those lines soon.

I’ve also decided that I will definitely not return to teaching the Demartini Method, when I’m healthier, but instead go back to what I did 13yrs ago doing a mixture of healing and coaching.  It’s a lot easier to fit into life with 2 children, and although less lucrative, it’s less tough on me as well.

This is a HUGE decision as I worked blinking hard, spent many years and a lot of money to get my senior certification, but it’s the right one.  I’ll still use all the philosophies with my coaching.

If you have Fibromyalgia check out my page about my Fibro journey and all the things I have changed or tried.  I’d love to know if there is anything you have tried that has worked?

If you have a relative or friend with Fibromyalgia, please let them know about my page as it’s often very difficult for people to get information about it.