Where Did the Year Go?

It's hard to believe that we are already in December.  It just doesn't feel like I've not posted since mid October.  The weather changes we've had have not been kind to me.  Since mid November, I've not felt well.  I don't feel bad enough to give up and go to bed.  At the same time, it's been really hard to get anything done.  

My edema has been acting strange with my feet swelling at odd times.  The swelling has even advanced up my leg so that my calf has been swollen enough that my jeans legs were really tight.  My sinuses have been all clogged reminding me again that my CPAP is a wonderful thing.  There's been some nights when I probably couldn't have slept were it not for the forced air.  

My neck is tighter than usual making it even more difficult to look to my left or right.  I've not been out and about much.  All but once or twice Bill's been with me and driving.  There's got to be a non-surgical solution for my range of motion problems.  Not being able to turn my head to see what may be on either side of me is making me very nervous when it comes to driving.

Across my shoulder blades is so tight that I've been wearing the TENS unit again.  I would love to have the money to get the massages it would take to loosen up those muscles.  It's like the myofascial pain thought I'd forgotten about it and it want's my attention.  It's got my attention so it can stop now!

Overall my pain is on a roller coaster.  I can jump from a Level 4 to a Level 9 in just a few hours. I've been trying to take care of some business but it's gotten to the point where I can't concentrate well enough to do it.  My pain averages out to a Level 6  I'm at least able to get a few things done but not nearly enough.  I've still got lots of sewing to do before Christmas.

 I saw this cartoon on Facebook today and just had to borrow it!  If you can relate, leave a comment.


If you happen to see Santa don't forget, all you want for Christmas is a cure!

Ranting on My Other Blog...

Things around here are going pretty much as usual.  My pain is has been staying around a Level  5 but with the rain that's moved in, it's back up to a Level 5..  I’ve been working on be more conscious of the things I do during the day and how those activities effect my pain.  I’m hoping that being more aware and pacing myself better, will keep my pain at this level and maybe, down to a Level 4 sometimes. I don't dare hope for anything lower but compared to the Levels 9 and 10 I experienced back in 2009, this is good.


Today I posted a fibro related post over at Rambling Thoughts of a Southern Lady.  Please consider this your invitation to come over to the part of the world where I rant and rave about various things.  I'd love for you to become a "Follower" over there as well.
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It's the Roller Coaster Weather Time of Year

It's been two weeks since I posted but it doesn't seem that long.  Of course when you are asleep most of the time or barely awake, you loose track of time.  Hopefully,  I think I may be over my last flare.  I've been able to be productive and the trucks seem to all be out on I-40 where they are supposed to be.

My body is wanting the weather to decide what season it is and stay there.  Right now it's 67 degrees and the low tonight is forecast to be 43 degrees. I think we will all agree that cold weather tends to make fibromyalgia symptoms worse, while warmer weather tends to ease our pain. The weather people are predicting 83 degrees for Thursday with a low of 53 degrees. When the temps go up and down in such a short period of time, it makes my body crazy.  Just as my brain can't process conflicting information coming at it quickly, the body can't process the signals it's receiving.  Both of these scenarios produce pain that changes quickly and unpredictably. My current pain level is a Level 6 but if the temperature drops as predicted, it will go up. As the temp goes back up into the 80s, hopefully it will help drop my pain. I know it will be a short reprieve but I'll take any pain relief I can get.

Temperature change isn't the only part of weather that effects pain.  Barometric pressure, humidity and precipitation work hand in hand to increase pain. Because it has a huge effect on my pain, I did a Google search to see what I could find about weather change and pain.  I still don't understand how the puzzle pieces all fit together and some of it even seems to be contradictory but it was good to be reminded that I'm not in this alone.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms.org. has an article that references three studies: a 1981 study where the location is not noted, a 2002 study conducted in Cordoba, Argentina, where there are four distinct seasons every year and an undated study conducted in Norway.  The following information that is indented is word for word from the web page.  The reason I make note of that is that I found this article on numerous webpages and blogs where readers were led to believe it was the writers own work.  I never want to be guilty of taking credit for work that is not mine.

The study involved fibromyalgia sufferers and a healthy control group and aimed to find out whether pain symptoms could be linked to specific weather changes. Participants were asked to rate their pain symptoms on a scale from one to ten, every day for 12 months. After 12 months, these symptoms were correlated to weather patterns for the entire year. Researchers found that pain symptoms of the participants with fibromyalgia correlated directly to weather changes. Specifically, pain increased as temperatures fell and atmospheric pressure increased. The healthy control group did not show any correlation between pain and weather patterns. Another study performed in Norway found a similar relationship between fibromyalgia symptoms and the weather. Fibromyalgia symptoms appeared to get worse during the months of December and January, but began to improve during April and May. This suggests a direct relationship between colder temperatures and lower barometric pressures and a rise in fibromyalgia symptoms.

Why Does Weather Affect Fibromyalgia Symptoms?
Unfortunately, researchers do not yet know why weather appears to affect fibromyalgia symptoms so much. However, there are a few possible explanations:

• Change in Sleep Cycle: Weather, particularly hot and cold temperatures, can sometimes affect the way in which you sleep. This could have a great affect on symptoms and flares if you are a fibromyalgia sufferer.
• Change in Circadian Rhythm: Your body operates using an internal clock known as the circadian rhythm. Changes in seasons and the amount of light that your body receives can throw off your circadian rhythm, causing you to feel fatigued and more achy then usual.
• Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines: There does appear to be a relationship between low temperature levels and an increase in the number of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the body. These cytokines appear to be related to pain intensity.

I just heard Mr. Supportive's Harley come in the driveway so I've got to close.  We are supposed to be at a wedding in 1 1/2 hours and guess who doesn't know what she's going to wear!!  I'd love to hear if you have the same experience with weather changes increasing or decreasing your pain. I'll publish the results in a blog post next week.

Checking in

It's been a while since I've posted.  It's been a combination of feeling like I've been hit with a Mack truck or being busy trying to catch up from being run down by said truck.  I was getting back to feeling like I'd been run over with a Volkswagen until the rain and cooler weather hit yesterday.  Oh my!!  When it hit it was quick and viscous. My pain went from my normal Level 5 to Level 9 in about 15 minutes. I was out running an errand and thought I was going to have to call a friend that lived close to where I was and see if I could veg on her couch until Bill got off work and could come pick me up.  I decided that I wanted my own bed and made it home driving slowly and on the back road.  Went to bed and only slept about 4 hours but it was enough to keep me up all night.  I've been up since about 8:00pm Wednesday night with the exception of about 2 hours this afternoon.  I'm headed to bed now to hopeful sleep more than 2 hours. 

Check out Apple Creek Cove, my blog where I'm going to attempt to write about ways that I've found to be able to maintain a semi normal level of domestic bliss in spite of my Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Peripheral Neuropathy, Peripheral Lymphedema, Sjogren's Syndrome, Arthritis, four herniated discs, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, short term memory loss, sleep apnea and depression.  (I need to check my doc's notes because I feel like I'm leaving something out of my collection of diagnoses.)



As I head off to be at 4:13AM, here's my final thought for Thursday:

Carpel Tunnel and Blogging - Not a good Mix

I can't tell you how much I appreciate those of you who subscribe to this blog and keep coming back looking for new posts.  As you know from my last post, my carpel tunnel has been giving me fits.   I can't get in to see my hand doc until the end of the month although I'm close to calling and begging to be worked in.  I've stayed off the computer for what seems like forever (I think it's been about two weeks)  and it seems to be getting better.  Of course, "better" is a relative term. Instead of a hot poker in my wrist it's warm poker in my wrist. LOL  Mr. Supportive hasn't had to open jars, comb my hair, etc for two days! :-) I'm hoping if I take it slow, I'll be able to start posting again.

My fibro pain had actually stayed down in the Level 5 range which is my "normal" and I'm glad for that.  My fatigue level has been really high.  I can't get a good grasp on what's causing it.  My first thought was that it was from my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but I'm beginning to wonder if it's time to change my antidepressant.  Since sleeping about 18 hours for 3 days in a row didn't "fix" it like it normally does, I'm going to make an appointment with my therapist.  I'm taking the maximum dosage of Cymbalta and have been taking it for quite some time.  I know that it's possible to take a drug for so long that it stops being effective, but I have to admit that it scares me a little to think about losing my old "friend" and going through the process of finding a new one. Since I was taking it prior to my fibro becoming as bad as it has, I wonder how coming off the Cymbalta will effect my pain levels. If any of you have been through this transition, I would really appreciate hearing how it went for you and what your doctor used as a replacement.


Enjoy these wonderful cool days we're having.  This is my time of the year!

Why Do Our Pain Meds Not Control Pain from Things Like Carpel Tunnel?

Pain amazes me.  I take some pretty potent pain medication for my fibro.  When I had my kidney stone problems last year, the ER doc and my urologist told me that what they usually prescribe for kidney stone pain didn’t come anywhere near to what I was already taking.  The pain was absolutely horrendous.  My kidney stone pain was a Level 10 while I was taking my extended release and breakthrough pain medication.  It frightens me to think about how painful it would have been without my pain medication.  Before my fibro got so bad, I was a pain whimp.  Mr. Supportive had to take me to the dentist for my root canal because I had to be drugged up on Valium so I "passed out" in the chair before the work started,  

I still have a fear of needles and the pain that comes with them.  When my son and daughter's father and I got married, we were required to take a blood test.  I seriously sat and looked at him and then the needle several times, deciding if he was worth getting stuck.  LOL  My two wonderful children were definitely worth that needle stick!  I was so relieved when I discovered that the blood test was not required when I married Mr. Supportive.  

I filed my first and only Workers Compensation claim for carpel tunnel.  After wearing the wrist brace 24/7 for several months, it wasn't much better so I bit the bullet and got a shot of cortisone.  It cleared up and my claim was closed. (So now it’s my money paying for treatment.)  Fast forward four years and it’s back with a vengeance.  My pain medications are managing my fibro pain and the everyday pain of the carpel tunnel.  At least it manages it until I turn my wrist a certain way and the pain spikes up to a Level 8 or 9.  I actually scream out when I have to turn it that way.  How can the pain override all the pain medication I have in my system?  You’d think that the pain medication would laugh at the carpel tunnel for thinking it could get past them and bother me.  I’m here to tell you that it’s the carpel tunnel laughing.

Since it’s my right hand and I’m right handed, there are many things that I must use it for.  The task that hurts the most is done in a small room behind a closed door.  It hurts so bad that I put off going to that room for as long as I can.  When I finally can’t put it off any longer, Mr. Supportive knows exactly where I am and what I’m doing by the muffled scream.  Why can’t I either be ambidextrous or have the carpel tunnel in my left hand?

I’ve been wearing my brace for several weeks now and it helps – until I have to turn it that special way.  Last night I took off my brace to wash up the last of the dishes right before bed.  I forgot to put it back on and it’s no telling how it was bent during the night.  This morning, I can’t open the jar of peanut butter without screaming.  

I had sworn off going to anymore doctors except for the Social Security Disability doctors and my pain management doctor.  I’m just really tired of going to the doctor and them finding more and more wrong with me.  Or I’m paying them to tell me what I already know. It looks like I’m going to have to add an exception and include my hand doctor.  I’ve been trying to fight this pain too long on my own.  I feel sure that Dr. Cole will be bringing out the big scary needle and sticking it in my wrist.  Hopefully, that shot will take care of it for another four years.

Since this blog is about my fibro pain, I guess I should mention it.  I’ve had a horrible problem with Chronic Fatigue  lately.  It’s nothing for me to sleep 12- 15 hours at a time.  People often ask if that doesn’t give me a back ache.  Up until recently, it never has but that’s not the case anymore.  My back pain is a Level 6 and my fatigue is still pretty high.

Although I have things to do, I’m headed for a nap.  Pain is something that as long as it stays at a Level 5 or below I can function pretty well.  If it was just the pain, I could probably stay up and accomplish what I need to do. I just can’t learn to work through the fatigue.  Do any of you have any suggestions for getting through the fatigue?  I’d love to hear from you.