Making a list & checking it twice

When I’m in pain I think really profound thoughts like “I am in pain” or “I wish the pain would stop”. The other day I sat down & made a list of every symptom & every home remedy/medicine/coping mechanism that might help even the smallest bit. Sure I make grocery lists or lists of things that I need to do around the house like look into Ladybug steam cleaners. However, I’ve never made a list of symptoms. I just thought that it was all in my head so I’d naturally remember the things that would help me. If you’ve experienced fibro fog then you are probably laughing at me right now.

It’s on the fridge right now so when I’m in tons of pain & am thinking my profound thoughts I can just look at the list,. Then I can find my symptom & have five or six ideas of what will help & what won’t. I only wish that I had thought of this sooner, but I had all those profound thoughts in my head.

How to turn a bad fibro day into a good fibro day

One of the biggest challenges I’ve had with fibromyalgia is figuring out how to be happy. It’s difficult when I have extreme fatigue & pain. However, this is pretty much an every day reality with fibromyalgia. Here are a few things that I’ve found that help me. I may not be able to change the fact that I’m tired, or in pain, but I still try to have good days.

Take a nap. Usually this only takes about 20 minutes out of my day. Then I’m much more productive than I was pre-nap.

Meditate. I’ve tried yoga & I really don’t understand meditation to it’s fullest degree. However, if I close my eyes & take a few really deep breathes, I find that I can concentrate better.

Laugh. I have an entire shelf of DVDs that exist solely to make me giggle. I find that laughter helps my mood & my pain level.

Take a break. I tend to push myself really hard at work. However, I have fibromyalgia. It’s ok if I don’t get everything done. In fact, it’s probably better for me if I don’t do everything.

This one goes out to the fibromites

Every once in awhile I’ll find a song that really relates to fibromyalgia, even though it has nothing to do with fibromyalgia. Hurricane & Fire Survival Guide by Cloud Cult was one of those songs. I could definitely relate to the line “I’m sick & tired of being sick & tired.” This video isn’t the best, it made me a little dizzy, but the lyrics are definitely worth it.