Carla D-Great new adventures and an Amazing Life

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @Carla D,

I "liked" your post, not because I am glad to see you going through such a rough time, but because you were willing to share it with us.

I am no doctor. I don't even play one on TV. So take my advice for what it costs you.

You may need to consider a change in location, such as a warmer climate. You may want to consider a change in careers, one that isn't stressful on the body, such as software development. That way you could stay indoors where the climate isn't so rough. I am not sure which states permit medical marijuana, but are some here in the south and southwest. Maybe that would be a place to consider. I know nothing of fibromyalgia (sp?), so I cannot offer any advice on coping with it. But life has a way of being unfair -- the righteous can suffer and the wicked can prosper.

All I can say is that we all care about you and what happens to you. Please keep telling us how you feel, and we will do our best to help, even if it is only to offer our sympathy at what you are going through. Hugs.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Bruce]

Is any of this a "flare up" type of thing and will subside? It all sounds so awful.

Some things, like lever handles instead of round knobs can fix some of the issues but little caps on a water bottles don't have such "easy" fixes.

I agree that you need to look to live somewhere warmer if the cold is too much for you. Plenty of cold way up in Wisconsin.

 

[Carla D]

Is any of this a "flare up" type of thing and will subside? It all sounds so awful.

Some things, like lever handles instead of round knobs can fix some of the issues but little caps on a water bottles don't have such "easy" fixes.

I agree that you need to look to live somewhere warmer if the cold is too much for you. Plenty of cold way up in Wisconsin.

Yes, I believe much of this is a HUGE flare up. I’ve never had any flare ups until a year and a half ago. I pretty much told my doctor I don’t have fibromyalgia because I don’t have flare ups. But, she assures me that what I’ve been experiencing this year is most definitely a flare of sorts. I’ve had a fibromyalgia diagnosis since 1995 or so. I’d never experienced a flare until recently. This fibromyalgia has been changing when I was told it’s not a progressive condition which today is what my doctor has been telling me. It is progressive, and what I’ve been experiencing is a flare. The flare should subside, but she can’t tell me when. I’m stuck in this viscous loop. The doctors tell me when it’s too bad for me to handle that I need to go to the ER. I go to the ER and they treat me as a drug seeker. I’ve even seen the words “drug seeking behavior “ written in my chart from doctors in the ER. They tell me I’m wasting their time. Go home. Pain ain’t gonna kill you.

I do believe need to move to a warmer climate to escape some of this cold triggered business. But right now that’s not an option for my family. Jim lost his mother 8 years ago and his father is getting older and has slowed down tremendously but isn’t ready to throw in the towel yet. I see him failing within the next few years. But, as long as he wants to do farming related work in his retirement my husband isn’t willing to move away, not even for my sake. I completely understand his reasoning and I won’t push that issue. My parents are both slowing down as well. They both live alone. I’d also like to be there when they need help. I have to be really careful about my mental stress level. It was a high stress job with long hours that got me disabled. My mental function is not reliable anymore. I not only get things confused, I can’t recall or retain enough to do something indoors, climate controlled, that requires much accountability or retention of facts, numbers, and such as that. I’m no good at all with a desk job. I could even complete a clerical program at the local technical college. I can’t even type 15 words per minute if my hands, arms, and wrists would permit it. Most indoor jobs aren’t active enough to distract me from the pain or require more from me physically like a factory position would require. I have considered a part time position in a grocery store or a greenhouse/nursery. I’m not above working fast food either. Although I did many, many years doing fast food as laborer and in management. That has a lot of repetition to it. Some of it I might be able to handle. But, over the last several years I’ve developed such intolerance for incompetence, lazy, or could care less type of people.

I do think if we were able to buy our own small farm and live in the property my husband would be able to do more of the chores for his pigs, maintenance, etc. that would also free up some of my time and energy to smaller and less intense/needy creatures as my rabbits, chickens, a few goats, etc. I would be better able to pace myself throughout the day instead of going to the farm 2-3 times a day, push myself to get everything done in a 1-2 hour window of time. If that makes sense. I want to have a little bit of challenge in my life. Skating through life, doing the bare minimal isn’t something I’m comfortable with. I need some interaction whether it be people or animals. I want to use some of my natural abilities as caring, nurturing, nursing, assisting. If I can’t use some of that I feel useless and worthless. Getting up, out of bed, going through the motions of life isn’t living. At least not for me. I’m sure this is more ramble than sense. I’m sorry for that. I’m just so frustrated right now. I feel like a small thin oak tree that was cut down long before it had the chance to be a “mighty old oak” tree. The more I think about all of this the more I want to curl up in bed and wait for the end of my time.

 

[Baymule]

I couldn't deal with all that snow and cold and I don't have fibromyalgia. You are made of some strong stuff. Right now, this is real hard on you. I don't know that I could handle things half as well as you are. Hopefully your pain will be able to subside to tolerable levels for you soon.

 

[Carla D]

I couldn't deal with all that snow and cold and I don't have fibromyalgia. You are made of some strong stuff. Right now, this is real hard on you. I don't know that I could handle things half as well as you are. Hopefully your pain will be able to subside to tolerable levels for you soon.

Thank you. I sure do too. This has been one heck of a winter for sure.

 

[Carla D]

Is any of this a "flare up" type of thing and will subside? It all sounds so awful.

Some things, like lever handles instead of round knobs can fix some of the issues but little caps on a water bottles don't have such "easy" fixes.

I agree that you need to look to live somewhere warmer if the cold is too much for you. Plenty of cold way up in Wisconsin.

Yes, I believe much of this is a HUGE flare up. I’ve never had any flare ups until a year and a half ago. I pretty much told my doctor I don’t have fibromyalgia because I don’t have flare ups. But, she assures me that what I’ve been experiencing this year is most definitely a flare of sorts. I’ve had a fibromyalgia diagnosis since 1995 or so. I’d never experienced a flare until recently. This fibromyalgia has been changing when I was told it’s not a progressive condition when I was diagnosed. Now doctors are saying it’s a progressive and ever changing condition. Right now I’m so miffed I don’t know what to think, believe, or even expect anymore with this. We

I’m not asking my doctor for complete relief or even long term medication. But, if this is a flare why won’t they help me manage my flare? For most people a flare lasts them anywhere from a few hours to a week or so. Why is this one hanging on for the better part of two months?

 

[Baymule]

I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner. Let me call BYH’s resident health specialist.

@Devonviolet
@Devonviolet
@Devonviolet

There now. The call has gone ringing out through the forest, over the rivers, she shall answer shortly.

DV you might have to back up a few pages. Carla D needs your help.

 

[Devonviolet]

I saw Carla’s post a few days ago, but was in the midst of helping Joe’s kids.

Carla and I have talked, via PM, and I made some suggestions. As Carla has said, fibromyalgia is a difficult condition, for which there are no easy answers. Having fibromyalgia myself, I can sure epathize with Carla. However, I don’t think mine is as bad as her’s. Mine seems to focus mainly on my lower extremities, although I do have all over body pain at times. The cats INSIST upon walking on me, when I am in my recliner. Wherever they put their paws causes me to scream out in pain!

After having surgery on my leg, my fibromyalgia flared big time, being much worse on the right leg, than the left. Having to wear the walking boot made it a lot worse, due to constant pressure of the walking boot, which I couldn’t take off. Now that I can take the boot off it isn’t as bad.

There are some non-pharmaceutical recommendations that I can make, for pain.They may or may not work, as each body and condition is different:

1. Arnica Montana - this is a homeopathic remedy, that is taken orally. It is in the form of a small pellet. Three or four pellets are put under the tongue, and allowed to dissolve. Without getting into the complex “science” of how it works, basically the essense of the arnica montana plant absorbs through the buccal tissues under the tongue and goes into the blood stream, causing systemic pain relief.

It comes in a variety of strengths and sizes. The strongest (200C) is generally used for acute pain and the next strength down (30C) is used for chronic pain. I have both strengths on hand. Generally speaking, as you use the 30C on a consistent basis, the hope is that you can eventually decrease frequency and eventually not need it.

When I am having acute pain, I take 4 pellets, wait 15 minutes take 4 pellets, wait 15 minutes and take it again. Then I see how my pain is. Once tha pain is better controlled, I go to scheduling it 3 or 4 times a day. That seems to manage my acute pain.

For chronic pain, I get it under control with the above scheduling and then go to 30C, as scheduled above. For flares, go back to 200C.

The beauty of homeopathic remedies is that there are no side effects, they are not addictive and they do not interract with any pharmaceutical or over the counter medications.

This is where I get my Arnica Montana:

https://www.homeopathyworks.com/arnica-montana-pills/

2. Wild Lettuce (aka Wild Opium) - a natural (legal), non-narcotic “opiod” like non-addicting, plant based pain reliever.

I just learned about this last summer, and for me it really works. From what I can tell, this “weed” only grows in certain areas, and we are blessed that it grows here in Texas. I am working on cultivating it this summer.

I’m not sure exactly how it works, except that there is a bitter, white sap that runs through the leaves and stems of this weed, that grows upwards of 6-8 feet tall. This plant was and I’m guessing still is used by native Indians, for pain relief.

The only side effects, that I have found are sleepiness (in me) and diarrhea (in DH).

Wild Lettuce can be used orally or topically, and it can be found in four forms:
A. Tea - the dried leaves and stems can be added to boiling water, allowed to seep into a strong tea and sipped. I have only done this once, and a little goes a long way, if allowed to steep for 30+ minutes.
B. Tincture - dried leaves and stems are placed in alcohol. Many people use vodka, which is 90 proof. However, I recently found Everclear, which is a 190+ proof clear alcohol. The benefit of the stronger brew, is that is is more effective at pulling the healing essence out of the plant material.
C. Glycerite - dried leaves and stems are slightly rehydrated with a small amount of water, to allow for better hydration when combined with organic glycerine. This mixture is slightly heated for 8-12 hours, to pull the healing essense out of the plant material. This is great for generalized pain, headache, and works amazingly well for aggrivating coughs, by placing a teaspoon in the mouth and gradually swallowing. The only issue I, personally, have with this form, is that it has too many carbs, for my low carb diet. So I have gone to the tea form.
D. Thick sap, which is processed using the tea, in No.1 above. I haven’t made this yet, so I can’t say much either way about it. I do plan to make some this summer, after I harvest my first batch of wild lettuce.

3. My Violet’s Lotion is a very effective, topical pain reliever. I use it often for my fibromyalgia pain, as well as RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome), sore muscles and joints, and the aggrevating itch from mosquito and chigger bites, wasp stings and poison ivy rash. This lotion has 12 very powerful anti-inflammatory essential oils, which not only work on the surface, of the skin but absorb into the skin allowing it to work on joints, as well.

4 I recently started making a modified “Magnesium Oil” with essential oils, which is proving to be amazingly effective. I have been using is on my husband’s back and neck, combined with deep tissue massage, and he has found that over time, his severe pain is greatly reduced. My daughter got a bottle for Christmas and now swears by it for her lower back pain. Most recently a friend, who is bent over with severe scoliosis, was trying to hide her pain when she was here for a visit. However, not much gets by me, and I offered to give her a massage, using my Magnesium Oil. When I was finished working her back over, she stood up straight, and was amazed at how quickly it worked to relieve her pain. She kept laughing and saying, “I can stand up straight!!!”
**********
In addition to the above natural methods of controlling pain, I also believe that diet can have a big (both positive and negative) impact on fibromyalgia and really chronic pain of many kinds.

I believe that the toxins in our environment can build up in our cells and increase inflammation. There are way too many forms of inflammation, to go into details here. However, I do believe that by adjusting our diet to avoid processed foods, diet drinks and alcohol, sugar and by drinking lots of pure/filtered water, to flush toxins, we can minimize most, if not all inflammation a great deal. I believe that sugar and modern day wheat are the worst culprits, in our diets, when it comes to inflammation. I have noticed since I totally cut out sugar and all grains, from my diet, my fibromyalgia and joint pain are a lot better.

Okay, @Baymule. Now you did it!!! At first I wasn’t sure what I could say, to help Carla. But, you (Bay) have unleased a BOOK, from me this day.

 

[Bruce]

I go to the ER and they treat me as a drug seeker. I’ve even seen the words “drug seeking behavior “ written in my chart from doctors in the ER. They tell me I’m wasting their time. Go home. Pain ain’t gonna kill you.

They haven't had enough pain. Get enough and you pray to die.

 

[Carla D]

They haven't had enough pain. Get enough and you pray to die.

That is almost where I’ve been this last month.