Fibromyalgia Support Group

I found this article at:

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2009/08/18/20-things-that- help-with-fibromyalgia.htm?nl=1

1. Good Doctor

2. amitriptylin

3. less caffeine

4. body pillow

5. therapist

6. keeping a journal re hours of sleep, activity, mood, pain

7. walking/yard work

8. research online

9. fibro support group online

10. warm baths

11. limiting "stress time" and immediately after doing something enjoyable

12. distracting myself with hobbies

13. getting Google news alerts on FM to keep up on the latest

14. being more careful about body alignment - not overlifting or overextending

15. limiting how much time i think about FM/research it

16. focusing on the hopeful stories where people affected can learn to manage despite it

17. thinking of the positives, like having more compassion and understanding, being forced to relax more, the learning and meeting others and new experiences because of the illness.

18. not trying to do too much in one day - listening to my body as to energy levels

19. more fresh air and sunshine

20. quitting a job that was too demanding

Besides me who here is guilty of #15? Raise your hands. I know you're out there.

The more I am able to accept that this is with me for life the less I focus on the need to know every detail about FMS. Thanks for the list.

Traci

gratefulmj- Love the list- bless you for posting that! You are just peachy!! Agree with most of those 20, too

puppymom2/Traci- Do not accept that Fibro is with me for life even though have had this for 12 years- determined to overcome this for sure. The late Norman Cousins healed himself of a rare degenerative disease- he was only given a few months to live yet refused to accept the diagnosis and he confounded the medics and lived a long healthy life( his secret was watching funny movies, positivity and Vitamin C- these were his medicines) so if Norman Cousins could beat a mystery am equally determined to do so too !

Thanks a million gratefulmj ! Big hugs to you and to Traci.

Love, Clarita

I'll never stop researching. Knowledge is the key to understanding.

Mipati3- Will never stop researching either. Knowledge is one of the keys to understanding wholeheartedly agree with your most fine self. Humour helps us to understand too plus it is fun! We all have to find our own ways of coping/living with Fibro challenges- what is right for us is right for us. Take care all + keep finding/discovering coping mechanisms Never ever lose sight of hope either!

Big gentle hugs, Clarita

Everyone is different yet do not feel the need for No.2 or any medicine in that group( tried it as the doc wanted me to have it to help control my pains yet found it made my Fibro symptoms more severe + am an optimist by nature anyhow) or for No.5( have lots of freinds- cheapest therapy as it is free ). Yet, not criticising others, far from it, just saying that that does not work for me.

Want to share some thoughts by Sydney Smith(1771-1845) with you all- not related to fibro at all, yet some of these may help Fibro challenged individuals methinks. Sydney Smith was a clergyman and writer, he gave these happiness tips to an unhappy friend, Lady Georgiana Morpeth. In brackets are my thoughts.Let me know what you think please of this list of 11.

1st Live as well as you dare( live life to the fullest you can)

2nd Go into the shower-bath with a small quantity of water at a temperature low enough to give you a slight sensation of cold, 75 or 80 degress. ( may work may not, yet, a power shower or a long hot/warm bath may just relax the muscles)

3rd Amusing books ( yes agree totally with this- read funny books or listen to funny radio programmes or read funny magazines or seek out funny snippets on the internet- seek out whatever makes you laugh as humour is healing for all condtions including Fibro)

4th Short views of human life- not further than dinner or tea. ( living in the moment- one step at a time is a good plan especially with the fluctuations of Fibro)

5th Be as busy as you can. ( Whether it means occupying your mind with happy thoughts, doing a crossword or immersing yourself in a hobby- filing your time with rewarding thoughts or actions)

6th See as much as you can of those friends who respect and like you ( you cannot beat face to face contact with friends who both like and understand you + know how fibro affects you+ lift your spirits)

7th And of hose acquaintances who amuse you ( be with people who make you laugh)

8th Make no secret of low spirits to your friends, but talk to them freely- they are always worse for dignified concealment( do not hide your feeling with your freinds as they are there for you come rain or shine)

9th Attend to the affects tea and coffee produce upon you ( Not always so good with Fibro yet drink whatever is a tonic for you)

10th Compare your lot with that of other people ( there are always those whom are more challenged than us- focusing on this or trying to be there for them in some way lifts our spirits too)

11th Don't expect too much from human life- a sorry business at the best ( agree to a certain extent with the first part yet not the second part of this- life is no fairy tale so we must not expect for life to treat us fairly as we are good people, yet, we deserve to treat ourselves with respect plus have respect shown to us- having a healthy mix of philosophy, spirituality and humour keeps us balanced + better able to deal with any/all challenges that come our way too).

Warmest wishes to all from a sunny UK, Clarita

7th Meant to have typed And of those( not -hose) acquainatances who amuse you. You know have found it good laughing at self these days- get quite a lot of laughs out of Fibro fog symptoms + typo errors that make.

Like someone famouse said- forget their nameyou have to take yourself less seriously as it is uplifting " The angels can fly as they take themselves so lightly."

Humour is one of the best medicines!

I also wanted to add I believe mel gibbson said it in "patriot"

life is life there is hard with the good" not a direct qoute

Very good advice, grateful and clarita ~~~ thank you both for sharing.

Grateful, I am probably more guilty of #18 than #15. It seems that once I accepted Fibro and decided to learn to cope with it, I do much better but sometimes I DO have to stop and tell myself ""NO, you should NOT do this"" ....""Ask for help"" ~~~

Marilyn

Auntie, Yes, am also very guilty of no.18- overstretching self/ not pacing self well/ doing too much then suffering for it big time later!! When feeling fairly good instead of stopping when need to carry on regardless of pains. Even when delicate physically do too much( houseproud, proud, stubborn- 3 root problems). It is a tough balancing act at times. Not very guilty of 15- very minor compared with no.18 too ! Say to self , when being good that is, 'You do not need to do this right now Clarita- the queen is not coming to tea.' Or, like Auntie/Marilyn, 'Ask someone else to do that for you as it is too much for you.'

Broken- love positive film quotes too.

One of my favourites is the one spoken by Will Smith's character Hitch, "Life if not measured by the amount of breaths that we take but by the times our breath is taken away."

Also like these

“Porthos dreams of being a bear, and you want to shatter those dreams by saying he's just a dog? What a horrible candle-snuffing word. That's like saying, ‘He can't climb that mountain, he's just a man’, or ‘That's not a diamond, it's just a rock.’ Just.”- Johnny Depp as J M Barrie in the film Finding Neverland

“I found out what the secret to life is - friends. Best friends.- Jessica Tandy in Fried Green Tomatoes

“If you focus on the problem, you can’t see the solution. Never focus on the problem.” “You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I'll guarantee you'll win.”- Patch Adams

Broken- will try to find the quote for you.

Hugs, Clarita