Summer Fibro Update

Our summer days are numbered. Fall is fast approaching, but for now here in Texas is still feels like summer. I just cannot believe how quickly it seems like the summer went by. Another COVID summer of doing little to nothing. We did venture out for a short trip last month. The resort we stayed at was so isolated and there were so few people there, it was like having the place to ourselves. #heaven

“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall…” ~ Oscar Wilde

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Honestly the summer seems like a blur to me. I have been following a new (stricter) dietary regimen to try to resolve some health issues. Along with the old health issues and the on-going pain of living with fibromyalgia and hip/back/neck pain.

New Symptoms

Back in June I noticed a pronounced uptick in my GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) symptoms (haven’t had them in years), along with chest pain and nausea, reminiscent of before my gall bladder was removed. A visit to my doctor resulted in: blood work (all good), and EKG (normal), a test for H.Pylori (negative) and a recommendation to try OTC Omeprazole (Prilosec) and to follow up with a gastroenterologist. 

Now the problem with fibromyalgia is you never know if your new symptom is related to having fibro or really something new. So I typically wait, watch, monitor my symptoms, and if necessary, keep a log of things. There are many digestive disorders associated with fibro, like IBS and non-specific gastrointestinal pains.

In July I began following the Acid Watcher’s diet, which helped symptoms improve some. At the end of August I had an endoscopy to dilate my esophagus. This also confirmed the acid damage, but nothing more serious at least. However, I still have persistent nausea and a few other symptoms, so the mystery still remains.

Resources

September is Pain Awareness Month, so I wanted to share some other reading you might like. Enjoy!

Pain takes all forms, affects all people, and does not discriminate between male or female, young or old, rich or poor, famous or not-so-famous. It can affect anyone. And everyone. ~ Cynthia Baughman

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From Me:

• 5 Tips for Gastro Pain Relief
• Can Your Diet Affect Chronic Pain?
• Becoming Your Own Health Advocate
• A Correct Diagnosis
• The Many Forms of Pain
• 10 Things to Inspire You (January 2019) from the archives… I really loved writing these series, but as with most things, life got in the way.

From others:

• Mindfulness Therapy for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and IBS by Counting My Spoons
• Here are several resources September is Pain Awareness Month by Looking for the Light
• Book Review: The Pain Management Plan by Back Pain Blog UK
• How Chronic Pain Can Impact Mental Health by Invisibly Me
• Fibromyalgia Clinical Trials by Fibro Files
  • NOTE: I tried to qualify for the study being conducted in Dallas. I thought I had a real shot, but the fact that I am allergic to sulfa drugs disqualified me. Bummer.
• Fearless by Rebecca Minkoff I finished this book on vacation. It was really enjoyable. The subtitle is “The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success” and she really nailed her experiences. Each chapter is a quick read on a different rule. Her style, candor, and humor were a breath of fresh air. She also has a podcast.
• And because we all could use some humor to help us laugh through the pain… here are some “Funny Fibro” memes to enjoy over at FibroBloggerDirectory.com

Weekend Plans

Honestly, I haven’t had a major flare (Knock on wood) in a few months. I do fear if I become eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot that it will trigger another major flare. But for now, I am just living with my daily, chronic pain as best I can, and am thankful for the time in between major flares.

The chronic pain and summer heat have made my workout routine become less than vigorous, causing me to gain a few pounds that I had lost last year. 😭 But this weekend my husband is gone, so my current weekend plans include:

• Trying to get some extra workouts in and walks with the dog in the mornings while its cool
• Writing a few blog posts
• Eating healthy and doing some meal prep
• Visiting my mom, doing her nails, and watching the last few episodes of “Downton Abbey” on Netflix
• Studying / preparing for an upcoming conference where I am sitting on a panel to discuss cybersecurity in the water sector
• Taking some nice epsom salt baths to relieve my all-over pain

We will see how much of this actually get accomplished!

We all experience pain in some form or another – mild or acute; short-term or chronic; physical or emotional. All we can ask for is that we treat each other with empathy and kindness, because we really have no idea what someone is going through in their life.

I hope you are doing something nice to take care of yourself this weekend and to minimize your pain!

Cheers!

Cynthia