Fibromyalgia #195
 

I am starting a new thread to start off the New Year.

Joanne - Hope you get your shoulder feeling better. This has to be your year, as the last couple have not been the best for you.

Mima - hope the Aspercreme works for you. Like you, I can't take anti-inflammatories, so have to rely on other options. The twist is SUCH fun, but I fear if I tried that, I wouldn't be moving until after a visit to the Chiro lol The arthritis is in the Facet Joints, and they are the joints that give you the ability to have motion, so twisting and turning are out of the question. I am good for a waltz :D

Candice - you didn't say much, but hope you are feeling better.

My gdaughter has now gone back home. Sure enjoyed the week with her. Had my daughter and SIL and Ashley, cousin and her hubby over for dinner yesterday. Had a nice day, and ended up with a game of cards. Just feeling the pits today, as every muscle in my body hurts. The weather has warmed up and it snowed a bit, so that explains the pain. I do sooooo well when it is -30 and the air is DRY. Not much pain from either OA or FM then.

Everybody enjoy the day, and I will endeavor to find somebody who can PIN this for us.

Thanks Anne-Happy New Year. I am congested today-hope it's allergies. Going to weigh in this morning-I am not serious about losing. But I am exercising.
can't wait til Suzanne comes down here with Lily. She is nervous about coming. Like if Lily poops and she can't change her diaper=lol. Lily is so good-she will be fine. They keep me in pics and videos. Bye for now Mima

Thanks happy for the new thread:) The weather does that to me too and if I get chilled I hurt really bad too.

Mima...Why can't she change her? Good you are exercising.

Hi Joanne...your shoulder better?

I good friend of mine passed away New Years eve...after a 3 year battle with colon cancer...I miss her still got gifts here for her:( WE used to go out and eat before she got sick.

Weather is better here right now..a bit warmer and snow is melting.

Candice, so sorry to hear about your loss. When people are so ill, it is a blessing when they go, but still hard on the ones left behind. Sending you soft hugs ((((((Candice))))))

Mima - when is your daughter arriving? That will be nice for you and you can visit with baby.

Going to get my teeth cleaned today. Chiro yesterday. Will be like a new woman soon.

Went to visitation for my friend....she looked good and I know she is not in pain anymore but I really do miss her. She had firbromyalgia too and we met in a water class back in the ealry 90's. She was so much fun to be with and loved to eat and loved for me to bake for her. I'm sending her sister a card and note about what a great person she was.( my way of greiving) Her sister used to come to water class with her, we had lots of fun.

Happy....all my print on the websites is so tiny I can't read it. What do I need to do??? It was not this way before today?????

Click on the % number at the bottom of the screen-mine never stays the way I want it. Or change the font in tools?
Back was brutal this am-they keep adding exercises. Getting a hip shot today.
Finally sleeping better. Must have been Christmas. Now I am working on the taxes. I actually like that.
That's so sad about your friend Candice. But she's not in pain now. You are doing good things for her still.
Art today. Bye and hello all! Mima

Hey There
 

I wish I could say my shoulder was better. Any movement is very painful. This morning I took a pain pill plus a arthritis tylenol. That helped for a while. But I can't do that all the time. I need surgery but that is out because of my heart.
This has not been a fun couple years..
It is in the 70's today. It is supposed to get cooler this week and next week.
Tomorrow is the 6th. There will be big doings here in Tarpon Springs. The diving of the cross, ball, dinners put on by the Greek community. Thousands of people and news reporters. Epiphany .I will stay home and watch some on T.V.
I have seen it many times over the years..
have a good week
Joanne

thanks Mima..it's working right...at the moment. Does your shot help alot? I bet you won't be doing the twist anytime soon! LOL

Joanne..wish I could help your shoulder, that makes everything difficult..grooming yourself too not just those fun things like cooking and cleaning! LOL Staying home sounds like a good idea...I don't like crowds either.

man-what we have to deal with. Not happy with the rheumo-went into his office to discuss MRI-hardly told me anything and couldn't give me the shot because he had to leave and took 20 minutes to set up?????? Going back today after pt. Wish I could change docs but since I need a shot every week-I don'r want to bother Brad. and this one is close. Love my doctor back North. He gives you a shot when you ask him.
Feel better Joanne-that;s so nice about what they are doing today in Tarpon Springs. Be good Candice. Mima

Hi. Joanne, hope it feels better. Try going to a chiro or PT that practices ART. That can help, perhaps. It is a totally different kind of treatment. Hubby went and his shoulder feels so much better.

Sounds like a busy place where you live, right now, with all the celebrations. Are you cooking anything special this year?

Mima - is it a cortisone shot you get? I thought you could only get them every so many months, or the joint will disintegrate. I was having them in my back, and the Dr. told me I could have them often, as it would be a good thing if those Facet Joints did disintegrate.

Hi Candice - hows it going? Hope you are feeling better.

Not doing much today. Starting to do some juicing in hopes of finding some new energy. Made one last night that had Kale, apple and pear in it. Yummy! Going to flood my system with cholophyll and hope it kills the yeast off. Dr. Oz says it does, so hopefully he knows what he is talking about lol

Have a good day.

Hi Ladies,

I'm Natalie :) I saw the Fibromyalgia thread and thought I'd introduce myself.

I was diagnosed at the age of 19. I gave up a healthy gallbladder when I was 20 due to a wrong diagnosis and was heavily medicated and could not work/had to drop out of college. By the way, I'm only 22.

The doctors told me I'd be on meds for the rest of my life, but I took myself off my meds 10 months ago and had never felt better.

I'm starting to really focus on my eating & exercising more to help relieve some of the aches and pains I've been having. It doesn't help that I live in Canada and it's been -10C (18F) outside. I was in North Carolina for 6 months and since being back the cold really irritates my body - especially my joints in my hands/knees/back/shoulders.

Looking forward to talking with you.

HI Nat....I too was on a ton of meds and am doing better off...I think alot of find this to be true. Eating right or better helps and the cold bothers me too. WElcome and visit us again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mima...yes the shots can hurt a joint if too much.

Happy the kids are coming this weekend for x-mas, so making my healthy turkey chili and x-mas cookies for dessert. Hope they all get eaten soon! Been cleaning since my gal called in sick this week and can't for awhile so of course over doing. Left all my decorations up for the kids...outside and in and love jsut being albe to enjoy them for now. I to the Monelt heathmster for x-mas so want to try it soon, haven't had time to read the recipes. Have a juicer too but want more fiber. What are you using???????

Hi Joanne...better yet?

Happy what is ART?

Hey There
 

Hello Everybody.. No the shoulder is not better.. I went through this last year and got very little relief till the warm weather set in. I have had the injections ,but, can only get them every three months.I have had the P.T also and that was no help.
It is cool now but will warm up again next week. then it gets cool again. That is the way it is here in Fl.
I guess I better just forget my troubles and get busy. This place needs a good cleaning.. I have some quilting waiting for me too.
Have a Great Weekend Everybody.
Joanne

I want to make a quilt for my daughter's gf's new baby. I can dend it home with Suzanne.
Got a new bathing suit at penney's -had to fight for my % off because I had gift cards but the cashiers were super. I love Penney;s.
Hi Nat-pt is saying you gave to exercise. I know about getting too many shots. But it was too painful. My hip is sore because my leg turns the wrong way/
I got the shot using ultrasound to guide the needle. It wasn't bad but after it was SO PAINFUL> Now it's better but still hurts. Never again. I can see why he doesn;t have time spur of the moment.
I got some pics on 2 e-mails from Suzanne that were sent by Lily playing with the phone. She also called her uncle last week/
Art meeting this morning.
Grandma Sandy is taking Evan so we all get to go to lunch together/
Have dood days everyone. Mima

Mima - glad you found a new bathing suit. Thought you had bought a couple last year. When is your daughter coming to visit you?

Candice ART - Active Release Therapy. You can read about it here. It is a good treatment used by chiropractors who are trained in as well as PTherapists. http://www.activerelease.com/about.asp

Welcome Nat. Hope you find a way to relieve your pain. I can't take meds, so I try lots of different things.

Joanne - hopeyou are feeling a bit better today.

Blizzard going on here. Miserable blowing snow, and then it is going to start to get cold. Right now it is 20F and by Friday it will be -30 for a daytime high. I am actually looking forward to that cold, as the pain reduces quite a bit for me, when the air is complete void of moisture. Getting progressivley colder as the week goes on.

Everybody have a good Sunday.

Mima..that shot sounds painful! Do you still get them in your feet? That was you wasn't it?

Happy....Same here with moisture and upa nd down temps bother me too..if it would get cold and stay that way..but I guess that would be a perfect world huh? No such thing.....

Joanne...hope you can keep using your shoulder so it doesn't freeze up. Hope you are not too sore from cleaning.

The kids were here and it was nice but a lot of work and I did simple....even simple is hard anymore:( They were tired and not real talkative...I love the gifts from them, couple of snowman things, a gift card to Kiva online donations...(still reading about it...not sure what it is) any of you know? ..and some hand cream and foot cream from New Zealand (got it on their honeymoon)

WEll I am hurting..so will ned to rest a few days I'm sure.

It does take a lot out of us but fun. I got shots in my foot this summer and it hardly hurt. Just the ones from the other doctor. The massage wand works best.
Wonderful news from back home-Brad;s cousin with pancreatic cancer is doing well. Will have surgery in a few months. So upbeat. PTL
Saw Lily and suzanne on Skype. She is a jumping bean.
I am doing better, Went for a walk and hip did not hurt. Getting that leg to go the other way.
More pt today. Bye for now. Mima

Mima, how can you quilt when your shoulder hurts so bad? It's all I can do to run the computer. I went to the rheumatologist a week ago and he wants me to have a MRI on mine but I said no thanks. I asked him what they would do and he said either surgery or PT and I don't want either one right now so why have the MRI. All he did is give me more pain meds. Took away the Darvocet (actually they pulled them off the market) put me on Hydrocodone and Ultram. Told me to double up on the Ultram and then stagger the two of them & liquid Acetamenophene. THAT'S A LOT OF PAIN MEDS. I just don't want to get hooked on anything. But I'm in a lot of pain so what do you do?

I use Aspercreme every day but not the 'hot' kind ... hate that stuff. It'll burn your skin off.

It's still snowing here ... no church again tonight. Just as well, I wasn't going anyway. I finished up my 'job' last Sun. I have someone else doing the Worship Service the next 3 Sundays and then someone else will be taking over, don't know who that will be, they haven't chosen anyone yet. No one is volunteering ... it's a hard job. I still have 3 more weeks to do the bulletin, though. That's a big job, too. There is a lot of time consuming work attached to that position. (Probably why no one wants it!) :p As far as me taking time off ... I'm not doing anything! I'm a reg couch potato! Anne: you'd be sooo proud! ;)

Grandkids: left to right
Kaylyn 13, Jenna 11, Garrett 15, Ross 14

http://www.memeart.com/2011/Gkids.jpg

What happened to my post? Joanne has the bad shoulder-I have the right hip and back. Pt is really helping -I will have to be disciplined when I am done. I can watch tv at the same time so that's good.
That pic is great/
Lots of snow back home.
Brad has been working insulating tha lanai from heat and cold. I cook for Charlie and sandy -other grandma-because Charlie helps him.
Working on the taxes. I am counting on a refund but I don't know.
Bye before I lose it. Talked to the jumpong bean yesterday/ Mima

Meme - AT LAST!!!! How many years has it taken??? Doesn't matter, but I am glad that you are finally looking after YOU. You need to get feeling better.

Love the picture of the gkids. Beautiful children. I remember when they were just so little. I must post a photo of Ashley. She is right in between your two gdaughters. They sure grow up fast.

Mima - Glad that something is working to help you. Lot's of snow here as well as cold weather. Going to -30 tonight.

Take care everybody. It seems snow is everywhere - except Florida.

Hi everyone! I just want to introduce myself. Kathleen here from Delaware. Living with lupus (usually manifesting as pericarditis during a flare), fibro, both kinds of arthritis, long-term back injuries, an implanted orthotic, and just plain cranky-ness. Just seeing the results from one of those Christmas-season weight gains (arguably not as much as my poor DH though, who got the weight-loss surgery lecture from the Dr. this week). Anyways, getting ready to go to Weight Watchers and try the new PP plan. (Me officially, hubby unofficially.) Knowing that while I'm fairly active for a loopy -- I'm a nursing home chaplain and youth pastor, both professions known for being on your feet a lot -- the progress is probably gonna be glacially slow thanks to menopause and health issues and medication side effects. Well, you know how it is, cuz I'm preaching to the choir here.

I'll be back shortly with starting weight and all the good stuff. In the meanwhile, it is very heartening to read this thread. Frankly, I'll be happy if all that I do is learn to be self-disciplined so that I don't come down with weird deficiencies whenever I get bloodwork. (My first bloodwork for 2011 is pending, and will be peculiar as always, I guess.)

Here's the thing: I love my weird life. For all of its challenges, it is also full of joy and meaning. I want to keep moving forward day by day. Right now, I have to deal with my weight and eating habits to continue in a positive direction. Wish I'd done it sooner (perhaps while Auntie Flo was still visiting), but 'tis what it is.

Looking forward to getting to know all of you.

Hi Aunt Loopy-you sure sound like a fun person-being a Youth Pastor has it;s rewards!! I work with the Kids Club when i am in MA.
Can't say enough about pt-I was sure in bad shape. Afraid to exercise. Walked aroubd BJ's with no pain-even feel taller. I am 58 inches and shrinking.
Bought a rug at Lowe;s -for the living room.The beige carpet is so dirty.
Working on the taxes also/ Hoping to get money BACK!
Keep posting, Aunt.
Had a biopsy on my face-hoping it's not another melanoma. But she doesn't think so.
-30 sounds pretty cold-finally warmer today. Be good all-Mima

I think moving helps a lot and you move better and sleep better when you are active. I've never weighed a lot and the fibro was severe in my 40's. I have been exercising -stretching and I feel great but I still have soreness in the trigger points/
Boohoo-the Patriots lost after all that hype.
I had a flareup from ibs-and I only ate one lemon square. OH yeah-pumpkin pie the day before. Bad Mima.
Well-WW this am. And urologist and methotrexate shot this pm.
I am going to paint some clouds and trees for Brad on his backdrop for his trains-the whole side of the lanai.
Bye Mima-hope everyone is ok.

.

Hey There
 

Where is everybody?
My shoulder is some better. It has been a little warmer . When it gets cold again ,it will start up again.
Prayers for Tammy. She is having he second procedure this morning for Cancer. I hope she doesn't mind me letting you all know..
Raining here at last.. I hope it does all day..
Have a good day.
Joanne

Thanks for news about Tammy-hope her prognosis is good. Good about your shoulder , Joanne,
News from the North-Auntie has no more pneumonia-said they gave her happy pills too.
I would be depressed if I hadn't gone out for months.
Good urologists report yesterday.
Going shopping with GS-the other grandma!!!
Snow back home-feeling bad for Suzanne's commute. hi all Mima

Hi again all! One blizzard and multi-day power failure later... I made it home, then to work, then to Weight Watchers today. Yay! So now I have a starting weight, and it's less than I weighed 10 years ago (and that was B.P. -- before Prednisone!) So I am feeling rather contented today, actually looking forward to shopping and going to the Farmer's Market. I'll drive back up to Lancaster County this week for fruit and veggies (being a Dutchie myself, I get the special stuff when I take the time to go back home to shop). Anyways, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the sheer DETAILS of Weight Watchers. I made a point of buying the food book and calculator because the system is so complicated nowadays. But it does seem to fit into my own personal preferences and the food that seems to work best with my digestive issues. So anything is possible, I think.

Put in a full work day today, and ready to drop. (There's really only one day when I work 8 hours, and that's Wednesday.) So off to my bed with heating pad and WW information.

Looking forward to a new adventure with all of you.

Hi Aunt Loopy, nice to have you here. Hope you become a regular. Glad you got to ww today. I should have done that as well, but am having a FM issue and the fatigue has beaten me down here for a few days. Next week, I'll go get the new program. I wish you well with the program.

Initiative - I don't know that weight has much to do with it. I was slim when this all started (OA and FM, then started on meds for Atrial Fib) that is when the weight just came on. First was some gain with anti-inflammatories. Can't take them, it seems. Actually, my back feels BETTER when I am heavier, for some unknown reason.

Mima - glad your aunt is doing better. Did you hear anything back yet about the biopsy?

Joanne - Glad your shoulder is feeling better. Somehow I missed this about Tammy. I sure hope all is well with her.

I am exhausted for the 3rd day in a row. Couldn't even think about going to work on Monday. Could hardly drag myself around the house, so called in sick. Hope this goes away soon. Everybody have a good evening. We have soooo much snow here. Haven't seen this much since 1995. It was -37 for a couple of days, then to -14F for a few more. Today it is warming up, and by tomorrow it will be 34F - maybe there IS a reason I am bone tired. Darn weather.

Hi guys. I did not hear yet about my biopsy-will call tomorrow if I don't/
Glad you came back, Kathleen. Hope you like ww, I am a lifetime member but I put back some of my weight so I am in a group here in FL-in the park where we live in the winter -1$ a week/
Sometimes, you just need a day. I have been tired for a while-don;t know if it;s allergies or just me. May take some iron for a few days.
Going to a funeral today-someone related to people back home-
And the again on Saturday.A lady in Sunday School's dil.
Still doing my exercises-hope that keeps up. I watch tv so it goes by fast/
My dil found a playpen -someone had thrown it out.
I see snow adain tomorrow for the North! Mima

Sorry I couldn't get logged in for a few days....

Not feeling the best either..weather and overdoing..shoveling too much snow and when it blows shoveling it again. The gal that helps me out (clean) has not been doing a very good job lately, always wanting to leave early, talking on her cell and leaving some things undone that I have to redo. I talked to her before x-mas and she said ok to everything. I do not like ahving to apy someone to clean and then having to redo the floors or bathrooms. I have enough to do trying to still get things unpacked and organized and cleaning inbetween and all the outside stuff. Still got lights up..too cold to take down so they are shinning brightly!!!!!! Left winter stuff out in the house..jsut aobut did myself in putting away the other stuff. My neck and shoulder have been out of sorts so hard to look up and to the side. Still doing pilates but trying to get more rest too.


Tammy has cancer??????? Oh my....((((hugs)))) I wondered where she was.

Meme..the took Darvocet off the market????? That is what the dentist gave me alst time cause the other stuff makes me feel like I am having a heart attack the tylenol 3....and ultam makes me anxious!!!! WE all know I do not need that! Loved the pic of your grands:)

Happy....Hope you feel better...I think Januaray is a month taht is hard on most Fibromites andthe likeness. When I got super skinny I hurt like crazy..felt too weak. But due to my Bloodsugar the doc wants me to lose some.

Joanne..glad the shoulder is better...sometimes it just takes time. Seems alot of us are having shoulder problems.

Hi Loopy, you sound full of cheer!:)

Initative...losing weight makes everything easier...not so much to haul around;)

Glad you made it.Candice. Went to see the King's Speech last night-excellent!
Going to another funeral today. So congested and achy. But I have been doing my exercises/
Poor tammy-she has been through so much. Now where is Kate?
Talk about projects-going to make a quilt for daughter's gf=very simple-finishing Evan;s vest, painting scenery for Brad;s train and going to paint a simple pic for Alison-just colors and a logo.
But not today. Bye Mima

Welcome to our new people. In ans to the weight-loss and FM question, I can't tell much difference since I lost weight (about 50lb) but decreasing sugar/white flour type foods do make a difference in how I feel. Also, the weather makes a vast difference and so does stress. We have been having a lot of snow/sleet/rain here and I have been either in the bed or on the couch for several weeks now, barely going out of the house except for maybe church or to the store. That's not at all like me! Stress really does a number on me, too. It doesn't take a lot, either. I have RA, OA, FM and Anemia.

My right arm, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand (the whole freaking thing) is KILLING me. It just won't shut down. Up until a couple of months ago, my ankle hurt more than anything else but my arm has it beat now ... I don't even think about the ankle much anymore! :p The Dr. aked me the other day if I had tried Aspercreme ... I told him a took a bath in the stuff right before I came to see him! :( You know, I told you how he gave me all those pain meds ... well I have been going easy on them ... only taking one Ultram during the day along with Tylenol and then a Oxycodone at bedtime. But I told hubby today this is crazy. This is no life! Staying home - on the couch or in the bed all day, in pain, is no way to live. I think I'd rather just go ahead and take the pills and take a chance on becoming addicted than to live the rest of my life like this! I've decided to up the pain meds a little and see if I can get some relief. If I get addicted ... so be it. I can't live like this. He just smiled and said he wouldn't mind having a junkie for a wife! :dizzy: I told him he just wanted me 'out of my mind' so he could have his way with me & I wouldn't remember anything! :devil:

That's awful meme/ and the anemia doesn't help/ Can't tell you how much better I feel after the pt and the give ultrasound and es and perhaps massage. And I have ra-osteo-fibro and spinal stenosis. they have an asperc ream that has menthol and it's great-just roll it on.
Feel better.
Definitely sugar affects the pain-I don;t use white flour because of food sensitivities,
Went to an amazing funeral at church yesterday-I didn't know the woman=just her mil-the testimonies were amazing. I felt like I had been in another realm when it was over,
Been trying to finish a sweater for Evan but have to be careful with my fingers hurting.
It;s -2 back home and 40 here. We volunteered to help at the Salvation Army tonight. That is a blessing! Mima

Meme..if Icould take pain meds I would but they all make me sick and feel yucky. I could do a lot more if I knew I could pop a pill for it. Take them!!!!!!!! and let hubby have his way!;) LOL

Mima...your quilt sounds nice.. If my machined worked right I would atemp making stuff again. Its old and would not use a new on enough. Glad massage and therapy help you. I just use my tennis balls on my trigger points.

Had lots less pain today so tried not to make anything flare but it's hard to pamper yourself! Ended up sweeping some snow off the porcha nd front walk that dh didn't do. A shovel would have been better but didn't want to wake the neighbors! So now some arm and shoulder pain, neck pain leading to a headache....Sweeping with a broom is just too hard on me anytime but someones gotta do it.

Good morning-think I hurt my leg riding the stationiary bike. I don't do it often enough. I can;t take anything except tylenol because I had that bleeding. Use to love Tolmetin.
But that rollon aspercreme works wonders.
WW today. we went out to eat yesterday and all they had was pasta. That makes me hurt a bit.
We went to the Salvation Army to help serve last night, There but for the grace of God go I.
Bye for now-Mima

Meme, I think you're right about flour and sugar. I noticed a huge change in my pain levels within 24 hours of starting Weight Watchers last week. I haven't gone completely off the white stuff yet, but I'm gradually making the changes.

This probably sounds weird, but I'm a "catcher" at a Pentecostal church. I mean that I'm part of the on-stage ministry team, assisting the gifted healers by helping people to get up to the stage, catching them if they fall in the Spirit, etc. Great job for someone with lupus, RA and FM, eh? God has a sense of humor, though. Because though I'm sore every Monday morning, I've never had a real injury even when 300-pound ladies with big hats fall right onto me. And being in the presence of so much healing energy has been very positive for my own health.

So this morning I woke up sore, but DIFFERENTLY sore, ya know? Almost an athletic soreness rather than an autoimmune soreness. Strange but true. An hour on the vibro-pad, and I'm up and running. Also my jewelry is falling off. Always a sign that remission is on its way.

Anyways, I needed to hear this today, because I was debating with myself just how much I needed to adapt to the "power foods" idea above and beyond sticking to the Points themselves.

Loppy..you are a hoot:).....glad WW is helping some.

Good morning-yeah for you Katherine. It does take a while to get used to the diet-
The pain in my hip is back-goes down my leg like sciatica.
Still haven't heard about my biopsy but people are praying.
We are going to a financial advisor today-2 cd's came due so we want to generate some income.
I am praying for Tammy-she has been through a lot. Mima

Mima..my hip pain comes and goes depending what I do. Hope it gets better:) FM support group meeting was cancelled due to weather so just stayed in.