The Fibro Diaries: December 12

After a visit to my rheumatologist this morning, I am finally able to wean myself off the Lyrica. It has been giving me constant nausea, and I have been having increasingly bad asthma attacks and chest pain on this medication. Though I was willing to accept the severe side effects if the pain subsided, the pain has done nothing but increase steadily over the last few months.
After going off this medication, I will be trying Cessamet, a synthetic THC derivative. Some Fibromites have has success with it, and I hope to add to that number.
I am still unable to work, and my exams dates draw ever closer, so I need relief as soon as possible.
My prayers go out to everyone who have this disease, and hopefully we will have a cure soon.
Keep checking back, as I intend to start a new blog on Gluten free and Low Allergy cooking as soon as possible. I'll post the links as soon as it's up.
Happy Christmas!
Meghann

The Fibro Diaries: December 5

Well, the last three weeks have been really difficult. My pain is getting worse everyday and my medications aren't working at all. My doctor gave me a new one to try, but a few hours after taking it, I started getting really itchy and broke out in a mild rash - no more Tramadol for me. It wasn't working anyway - only making me really sick and spacey.
I don't know where to go from here. I don't know what I can take for pain that isn't going to make me too spacey to study or work. All I want to do is sleep.
I am getting really stressed at this point. I have exams in less than two weeks, and I haven't been able to work now for two weeks. I am broke, I am hurting, I am sick, I am in need of major prayers.
I am in need of a clean house! Ok, maybe I can fix that one......
Bathroom first!
Meghann

The Fibro Diaries: Nov. 30

Today was the first day in a long time I have had to call in sick to work; I normally go in no matter how bad I feel and tough it out to the end of the day - even though by the end of the day I'm in a haze of pain. This morning the pain was so bad I could barely get out of bed. I tried to wash my hair in the shower and my arms went numb and hurt so badly I thought my shoulders were going to explode. On top of this, the 150mg/day of Lyrica my doctor prescribed me isn't working (except for making me nauseous no matter what I do) so he prescribed 150mg/day of Zytram XL and now I am so nauseous and stoned-feeling I can't function. It wouldn't be so bad if the pain was going away and I could sleep, but I am averaging less than 3 hours a day.
I hate to complain, but I am so frustrated!
I had to call in sick tomorrow too, hopefully the medications will start to work soon...I don't know what else to do at this point. Pray for me please, I really need it.
Thanks for al your support,
Meghann

The Fibro Diaries: Nov. 27

I can't believe it is almost December - and almost Christmas! Time sure does fly. These last couple of weeks have been really bad in terms of the pain and other Fibromyalgia symptoms. Today has got to be the worst by far in a long time. Pain is horrible, headaches, nausea, exhaustion, etc. I need a vacation from my body!
I try to be positive:
-I'm young, and maybe it'll get better
-My fiancee has a home-based business, and once it's making more money, he said I can stay home and run it for him so I can listen to my body when I need to sit/stand/lie down/sleep.
-I have a house, a great fiancee, dog, cat, and central heat
-I still have a sense of humour - especially when it comes to looking at myself in the mirror after eating all the food I've been making to make myself feel better
-When I'm at home, I can cry when it seems like it's too much and then scare the hell out of the animals or mailman when I look at them with my red and puffy face.
-With all the baking and cooking I'm doing, I'm headed towards Martha-Stewarddom in terms of culinary prowess!

.....There. I feel a leetle bit better. Now maybe I can study for exams.....
Take care all, blog you later!
Meghann

The Fibro Diaries: Nov. 26

So today my parents came over to celebrate my Dad's birthday. I had worked the previous 2 days at my job, and I've been so sore coming home lately that all I can do is sit and moan and twitch until I drag myself to bed. Needless to say, when my parents got here I was so sore that when my mom hugged me it was all I could do not to flinch and grimace.
The worst part of it all is that I need a hug so badly - I just want to be held and comforted and told it will all be ok. I know it sounds cheesy, but I am so tired of being sick and sore without end or relief.
My meds aren't working and I'm supposed to take another new one on top of it. I'm scared of the side effects and I don't know what to do, so I smile and pretend I'm fine. Of course after a few hours of that I crash and try to sleep, which never works, so I get up and bake something tasty. That seems to work - until I step on the scales! Thank goodness Christmas is approaching so I have an excuse to bake and give it away so I don't shove everything in my face!
My visit with my parents went well, and the butter tarts I made my Dad went over very well - so well I was told that they are the best they've ever had. I'll have to add that to the Christmas gift basket list of things to bake.
I'm pretty tired now, so I should try to sleep a bit, I'm sure I'll have visions of baking in my head; I just got a set of 101 cookie cutters - my first ever cookie cutters so I'll have to use some of those tomorrow!
Take care, have a good evening all!
Meg

The Fibro Diaries: My Life with Fibromyalgia

So for the last 2 years I've been sick. Really, really sick - I'm always tired, fuzzy-headed, and sore. I'm sore all over. My skin, muscles, joints, everything is hurting all the time. Sometimes it gets so bad I can barely drag myself out of bed to pee.

I'm only 25. I have just found out I have Fibromyalgia. It's permanent, there isn't a cure, and it's getting worse. It might not be fatal, but it causes a lot of problems:

Because of this illness I've lost friends, I've lost jobs, I've lost self-esteem.

But I'm still here, and I'm fighting every step of the way.

Join me on my odyssey of self-exploration, pain control and humorous self-mockery.