New Life...now a coach...

So, we have covered, me from misery (and doubt) to a nearly pain free living and BELIEVING.  I believe in Total Healthcare.  The website doesn't talk about chronic pain or fibromyalgia, but they knew just what to do with me.  It was not a cookie cutter program either, they took my situation and applied the right treatment.

Enough with my commercial. :) 

Now that I live a near pain free life, I need to learn to manage this new life.  I have to change the way I eat because that truly affects my pain and discomfort.  I also need to get fit. 

The hard part is grocery shopping and meal planning. 
My diet is restricted and I am on a 4 day rotation diet.  (click the link to learn more)
I have heard along my journey of life that if I cut gluten I'd be better, or if I cut dairy....
I tried those, but didn't get better.  That is because each person has an individual make up, and each person has intolerances (everyone does).  However, for me, I have to avoid, gluten, wheat, corn, turkey, leaf lettuce, sweet potoato, egg yolk, Olive, safflower, soy, and all milk (goat too) products. 

You can go gluten free, that is actually pretty easy, but those gluten free products have corn or soy.  So trying to find products without corn, soy or gluten is proving to be difficult.

No dairy and no olive, makes salad dressings interesting.  I am experimenting. Trying to figure it all out.  It isn't perfect yet, but it is better.

I'm going to start posting some recipes and meals that are working out for me.  So stay tuned.

So, I have this friend, let's call her Carrie, cuz that is her name.  She is in amazing shape, and she is a great friend.  She is going to take me on as her "project".  We are going to be putting a plan together to help me get fit.  She said it isn't going to be fun, and she is going to be tough on me.  She asked me my commitment level and I told her a 10.  I am ready to be fit.  She is going to help me.  I have given her the title of "Life Coach" She has 11 months to coach me into fitness.

Fibro is nearly 100% better.  Food intolerances uncovered.  The last thing...is Carrie.  I am ready!  I'll keep you posted along the journey.

Going forward, this blog will report my fibro/pain wellness, food and menu items and my fitness.  This blog is about my total healthcare! 

Best day to you.

Life is so good it hurts.

So as long as I can remember, or at least as long as I have been a mom, (same thing) I have had to deal with Fibro.  I wake up, put my feet on the ground, and pain.

I have been going to Total Healthcare for over a month now, and I have had a 24 day streak of no pain (I am actually guessing at that number because I dont' feel like counting the days) 

This weekend, I went dancing to the 80s (Brat Pack Radio, is the BEST) for 3 hours,  This next morning I went for a very long walk.  I just couldn't have done that 5 weeks ago.  THEN I put up all the Christmas decorations, and went to the gym, albeit a bit sore.  This is the stuff of normal people, so if you don't know what fibro does to you, and you do think I am crazy for bragging about doing normal stuff, then just be glad you know only what you know. 

I, on the other hand, was thrilled to have a normal weekend.  That being said, Sunday night and Monday for the first part of the day, whoa... I was a hurting unit.  That is ok, because it was 1 day in a month, not so bad, and I hurt because of what I did, not because I existed.  So, I kept rolling.

Life is good, I recognize that, but it is a marathon, not a sprint.  I have to get through the bad days, to have more good days.  I have to push through.  I will.  I am.  I am so excited about that. 

The diet plan is going, but my dang gone will power could use a kick in the butt!  I developed a new menu for the week, and I am hopeful.

The problem is that Gary is only allergic to fish, and I am not.  I have intolerances to many of the foods he loves.  So I will start grocery shopping for my foods.  I also am going to have my food prepared from the night before.  That way, when life gets crazy I don't do somethign stupid and eat something I am intolerant too.

No News...Is Good News!

Hello!

I have really nothing to report. I have still had zero fibromyalgia pain in a very long time.  I did however, get a wicked cold, but normal people get those all the time.  It was NOT made worse by fibromyalgia.  Not even a little bit. 

I feel great.  I have more energy, I am not in bed by 7:30 when the kids go to bed because I am miserable.  I am up til 10, like normal people engaging in conversation with my husband. 

I am so pleased!  I am so relieved.

I am off to watch Grey's and eat a Gluten/Diary....free meal.

Hugs to you all!

More next time, I promise.

Extended vacation or gone for good?

Well, I have only good news to report.
I have not suffered with Fibro pain with a small exception of a few hours on Saturday morning.  I have lost count but I feel like it has been a week now.  No fibro pain.
Could this be the end? 
I did make some choices against my diet suggestions on Saturday morning at an amazing brunch with my neighbors.  I felt the pain as did my gut, but I got back on track and was fine.

I am very thrilled to share this info with you.  I will keep updating and plugging along.

I want to say I feel the end of pain is upon me, but I am still a little hesitant.  This is the longest I have felt good since about May.  Yippee!!!

:)

Diet Change...dun, dun, dun...

So I have two more days under my belt without Fibro pain!  Unbelievable!  I do still get the headaches and neck pain but today I woke up to no nausea!  Thank God!!!  That really was the pits. 

I am feeling better on the whole.  Last night I was productive and helped my husband with a few chores that usually fall into his category.  I felt great just knowing that I could help.  I am usually so wiped out by the end of the day that I just plop down.  Not last night.  I felt normal.  I feel normal.  My neck has some fixing to do, but I am feeling better.  I am still suffering with some fatigue and lack of energy but that will come.

So yesterday I got my diet change.  I got this long list of foods, molds, vitamins, medicines that I am sensitive too.  It really is a lot to take in.  So many things I am used to eating or hearing that they are good for you, are not good for me.  I did go shopping yesterday to get myself some options for this week.  I started on my new food plan right away yesterday.  I know my husband and kids are going to need some time to get used to the foods so I'll introduce them to them in smaller amounts until it becomes more normal.

Here are my major changes: Gluten and Casein/Dairy free, but then other things, like turkey, chicken, olives (YIKES), vinegar, strawberries, and lettuce.  All these things are giving me reactions.  Brewer's yeast (there goes the beer), and polyphenols (no red wine).  I am looking into see what libations I am allowed to have, thinking that hard apple cider may work out for me.  :)  I have a half hour consultation to review my results and help answer those tricky questions, like if I can't have diary or olive oil, what can i dress my salad with. 

Lots of new foods to enjoy and explore.  No more packaged foods, because of the MSG and preservatives.  No fried foods (no brainer, but dangit)

Its going to be an adventure.  It will also be hard, but honestly living with Fibromyalgia is harder and if this and the new stretching exercises I am doing will heal me, then I will suffer eating natural, whole foods the way God intended them to be eaten.  :)

I am also looking forward to the weight loss that I am guaranteed will take place.  Most people who are overweight and obese are actually eating foods that they are intolerant too, that is why they can't seem to lose the weight.  I truly believe this.  I don't eat any worse than the next gal, but I seem to have a hard time losing the weight.  From what I've learned, it is because I am eating foods that are causing my inflammattion, then my body isn't aborbing the nutrients and thus holding onto more than it needs.  i also could move a bit more.  :)  Which I have started doing as well.  Per my doctors recommendations, i am starting out slowly and not jumping into some old Army workout plan that I could do a thousand years ago.

That is all for today! 

Rounding the Corner

Well, I have lots to say.  I feel that this treatment I am going through is actually breaking through to my Fibromyalgia. 

There have been several days that I actually thought that I would not go to the Total Healthcare Clinic because I just didn't feel good.  I have been faithful to my health, and haven't missed an appointment yet.

My Fibro pain has been MIA for 4 days straight!  I have been experiencing neck pain, crazy headaches, and nausea.  Nausea that knocks me out of the game.  So I have been missing out on social activities and going to bed early. 

I manage to make it through the work day, because I love my job and it just goes by so fast!

The doctors have said that my muscles and bones have been tight and in the wrong place for so long that it is common that I would experience nausea.  I have to drink lots of water to flush out the toxins that are being released from my muscles. 

Today, I actually feel normal.  I have a little nausea and have taken some medicine for that, I have no FM pain, only some neck pain, which is to be expected. 

I should get the results back from the ALCAT this week.  I am so looking forward to getting on the right track with food, and diet changes.

I feel like I have rounded the corner to healthful living.  I look so forward when i don't have to blog about my pain anymore!  I just hope that others out there can find a Total Healthcare Clinic like I have found in Roseville. 

Here's to a great day!

It gets worse, before it gets better...

Well, I haven't blogged in quite a few days.  The reason is because man-alive, I have had some really rough days. 
Headaches, nausea, pain, stiffness...
I have been going through my new treatment program, and while it is worse the past few days,  I actually feel myself getting better.  Yesterday, I actually didn't have ANY pain at all until about 3pm.  It was amazing.  I felt great.  Today, was good too, not awesome, but I'll take good, ok, decent, any day of the week.

One of the things I have to do during my treatment is lay on my back on this hard foam roll and roll up and down on the ground.  The first day my myofascial pain was so bad I couldn't do it.  Today, I did it for like 4 minutes!  I have only been going for 2 weeks and already this has improved from 0 minutes to 4.

Also, my neck (that I hate, because it is so painful) has lost some of its knots.  I am getting trigger point injections, (the ones I do are botanical, not corticosteroids) which have released some of the adhesion's in my muscles knots.  It is amazing.  I still have a long way to go, but you guys, this is working. 

Also, I have a reverse curve in my neck from a car accident a million years ago, coupled with sitting at a computer...and all the things I do to encourage poor posture.  I have to stand on a vibrating machine with a weighted headband to encourage my muscles in my neck to go the right way.  This has been proven (with a balanced diet and exercise) to significantly decrease the pain from fibromyalgia in women.

I also put my neck in traction and do vibration as well, this is to help with fibro while helping my neck to loosen up.

Next week I should get the results from my ALCAT.  I have done some research on this.  I have found that peoples lives have changed completely.  This is what I am hoping for.  However, dependant upon my intolerance I have to change my life completely to have my life be changed.  I am ready for this.  No more pain, no more sleepless nights, weight loss comes easy once you change your habits based on your ALCAT results.  That I am ok with as well. 

I have to say, I am excited, I am ready and I am still hopeful.  The few bad days to get to the good are worth it.  I do have to talk myself into going to the clinic because I know it is hard work, and I usually come out feeling worn out, and sore.

I look forward to a healthy weekend, and starting back up at it again next week.

Keep on, Keeping on.

Well, after "whateverheidi's" comment last night it brought in 244 views to my page, so thanks...?

Anyway, onward and forward. 

I went to the total health clinic today.  Here is what I did in 60 minutes:
Drank trace minerals
did neck stretches for 6 minutes
Did this massage gun thingy (technical name)
did neck traction for 2 minutes on and off
The back rolly on the foam roller for 4 minutes
inverse traction with vibration for 10 minutes
Chiropractic adjustment
wore a 4 lb headband while vibrating for 10 minutes.

Then they sent me on my way.  I am sore, but that sore like you worked out, not the fibro sore that makes me wish things were different.  I am sore, I feel like I worked out big time, like old days in the Army sore.  But I feel good about it.

My neck that was crazy sore isn't bothering me as much any more.  That is the first positive change I have experienced.  Pretty jazzed about that.

Life just keeps on going, with kids activities and mama and wife duties, I just keep on keeping on...

My personal inner motto is "I am not going to die from Fibro so I may as well learn to live with it", if it means my floors are not vacuumed, then so be it (sorry Ma).  My kids are healthy, fed and happy.  My husband still loves me, I am still holding down a FT job.  Life is happening and I just join in where I can.

This is me today, staying positive and moving through the discomfort...because I can. 

Rocky & Rolling

Well today, is day 2 of this miraculous cure.  Today was a bit rocky in the pain depot...
I made it through the day, as it is dinner time, and I am making tasty steaks and homefries.  (I figure I need to eat all the tasty items I love the most before they tell me I am allergic or intolerant to them, at this point ignorance is bliss)

I did make it to the gym today, albeit a weak work out, I went, and I worked out.

Every muscle in my back and neck are sore from yesterdays total healthcare appointment.

I am looking forward to bedtime and starting all over again tomorrow!

ReStart: Getting Right

To get right down to it...
I am suffering right now, not the "survivor" blog post, just yet.
I have fibromyalgia.  It consumes my life and takes away so many hours which in the end will equate to months or even years, unless I can find the magical cure.
I have searched, seen doctors and specialists, I have spent days upon days at the Mayo Clinic.  I have felt better and be in remission for months at a time.  However, it comes back. and when it does, it isn't messing around.  
My weekends are spent horizontal, sleeping or trying to rest, but it's hard, because I am in so much pain.

I was first diagnosed with PCOS when I was 22, I have 2 amazing children and for the most part have a handle on this...except for the pesky weight. PCOS makes it 2-3 times harder to lose weight.  I mention this for a reason.

I have IBS and that makes it hard, but I feel like I have a handle on this for the most part as well.  However, I can't eat certain items, but that is livable.

I have Fibromyalgia. I have found a total health clinic that claims it will take away my pain, my suffering and make me whole again.  What does this entail?  A team which includes, an MD, P.A., a naturopath, a chiropractor, physical therapist, trace minerals, botanticals, stretching, traction, and exercise.  This all 3 times a week for 9 weeks.  Along with this I will give a blood sample, and IgG. This will test my blood against 250 potential irritants, allergies and intolerance.  My life will have to change based on what is found in my blood, but my life will change for the better.  I am going to share this journey with you.  So come along....

What is Fibromyalgia. I'll tell you about my journey as it unfolds, but here are the gory details.

Some images to help you along:

(this information was taken from FeliciaFibro.com)
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, multiple tender points, abnormal pain processing and frequently psychological distress.
Most people with fibromyalgia also experience sensitivity to touch, light, sound and temperature and cognitive difficulties (Fibro Fog). Often times people with fibromyalgia have overlapping conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis, migraines, headaches, vision problems, anxiety, depression, restless leg syndrome, impaired coordination, lupus, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, skin sensitivities, dry eyes and mouth, dizziness and Raynaud’s Syndrome.
What causes fibromyalgia?
The underlying cause of fibromyalgia is still unknown. The central nervous system in those with fibromyalgia has abnormal sensory processing, thus amplifying pain. Research shows physiological abnormalities in those with Fibromyalgia, such as low levels of blood flow to the thalamus region of the brain, low levels of serotonin and tryptophan, increased levels of substance P in the spinal cord and abnormalities in cytokine function.
Studies show that genetics may predispose people to having fibromyalgia. Even with that predisposition, the onset of fibromyalgia is still usually triggered by trauma to the body. Some common examples of that type of trauma would be physical injury (like severe whip lash), an illness (like an infection), or emotional trauma Like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?
Doctors perform an exam based on the standardized American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. This criteria specifies 18 tender points around the body that are tested for tenderness and pain. Doctors test these tender points by applying approximately 4kg of pressure. At least 11 of these 18 points must feel painful to get a fibromyalgia diagnosis. Along with the 11+ painful tender points, the patient must also have widespread pain in all 4 quadrants of the body for at least 3 months. Doctors also ask for patient histories, including self-reported symptoms.
How is fibromyalgia treated?
There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but changes in lifestyle can greatly improve the quality of life. In recent years 3 medications have been approved specifically for the treatment of fibromyalgia; pregabalin (Lyrica®), duloxetine (Cymbalta®) and milnacipran (Savella®). People experience fibromyalgia differently, so fibromyalgia medicines don’t produce the same results in everyone. Often doctors prescribe non-narcotic pain relievers (tramadol), low doses of antidepressants (tricyclic antidepressants/serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or benzodiazepines.
Gentle exercise and stretching, relaxation techniques, nutrition, alternative treatments and having a good sleep regimen are also important aspects of the treatment plan. Many people with fibromyalgia choose to also use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), prescribed narcotics, physical and aqua therapy, yoga, massage, aromatherapy, accupressure, chiropractic manipulation, hot and cold therapies, biofeedback, counseling, herb and nutritional supplements.
Is fibromyalgia genetic?
Studies show that genetics may predispose people to having fibromyalgia. Even with that predisposition, the onset of fibromyalgia is still usually triggered by trauma to the body.
Can men get fibromyalgia?
Although around 75% of those with fibromyalgia are women, men do get fibromyalgia.
What is the current research on fibromyalgia?
Research is being done on new medications, brain imaging, sub-groups and the central nervous system connection. Much more about fibromyalgia is known now than 5-10 years ago and I am very optimistic about what will be uncovered in the future.
How can fibromyalgia be explained to others?
There are many ways to explain fibromyalgia; using medical terms, analogies and emotional and physical descriptions. Read my approach in my post “Explaining Fibromyalgia to Others.”
What is a fibro flare-up?
A fibro flare-up is an increase in fibromyalgia symptoms compared to what is typically felt by that person. During a flare-up a person with fibromyalgia may feel more fatigued, have more areas of pain, have a higher intensity of pain, have more troubles sleeping or experience more Fibro Fog. Flare-ups can last days to weeks to months.