Harnessing your fibromyalgia anxiety with mindfulness meditation
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Harnessing your fibromyalgia anxiety with mindfulness meditation

“Breathe and let be”, Jon Kabat-Zinn Within the last two decades, the concept of mindfulness meditation has been adopted by schools, hospitals, businesses, police, and even the military. Those who teach/mentor MM to people in the huge business of organized sport, the corporate world, and the military, no doubt live with some degree of contradiction in their lives. It is not a practice that is focused so much on ethical issues in big business or professional sport (considered by…

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The twins: Fibromyalgia/ PTSD
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The twins: Fibromyalgia/ PTSD

“After a traumatic experience, the human system of self-preservation seems to go onto permanent alert, as if the danger might return at any moment”, Judith Lewis Herman In my book almost a decade ago, I wrote about Gulf War syndrome and the similarities between this condition and fibromyalgia. From the terms ‘shell shock’ and ‘Gulf War syndrome’ has emerged the contemporary ‘Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder’  label.  We have now landed firmly on the relationship between these…

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Fibromyalgia and overdoing it!
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Fibromyalgia and overdoing it!

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress” , Frederick Douglass There is a tendency among those of us with chronic pain to be ever so watchful on days we are in pain or extremely fatigued.  We take it easy on those days and begin to wonder if we will ever be feeling well again. But, oh! On those days when we are feeling well, our tendency is to be optimistic, think we are cured,…

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Fibromyalgia: the overmedicated ‘patient’
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Fibromyalgia: the overmedicated ‘patient’

“America is one of the few advanced nations that allow direct advertising of prescription drugs, Robert Reich BigPharma makes huge profits from those of us suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety,  itching, and digestive issues- to name a few of the common symptoms of fibromyalgia. Every day we are inundated with advertisements about prescription drugs that would alleviate these symptoms. Equally as rich is the vitamin industry which advocates specific supplements for the treatment…

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Fibromyalgia and Trauma Memory
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Fibromyalgia and Trauma Memory

” Most of us have unhealthy thoughts and emotions that have either developed as a result of trauma or hardships in their childhood, or the way they were raised”, Steven Seagal It would seem that those of us with fibromyalgia have developed the condition at an early age which may have taken a tremendous shock, accident, or crisis to bring about full-blown fibromyalgia. Some of us have had repeated crises in our sensitive lives and…

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How do you deal with the pain of Fibromyalgia when you’re allergic to most of the Pain Medicines?
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How do you deal with the pain of Fibromyalgia when you’re allergic to most of the Pain Medicines?

My 16 years of experience facing Fibromyalgia and 30 years of CFS Pain medications taken too often can lead to a pain cycle, where every time you take an analgesic, the pain will come back sooner and stronger. Once you are there, you have to stop all painkillers completely. I just had my cycle restarted by a week in the hospital where they gave me Tylenol every 6 hours. That’s a whole bottle of Tylenol…

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Fibromyalgia pain is getting worse why can’t I get pain meds when I go to the ER?
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Fibromyalgia pain is getting worse why can’t I get pain meds when I go to the ER?

As a Nurse Practitioner, patients presenting with chronic pain problems to the ER are problematic. During this so-called opioid epidemic, guidelines were put in place for patients seeking narcotics. Also urgent care facilities. It is a problem, and I’m not implying patients are not in pain, or simply drug seekers. We do use Toradol. Unfortunately, patients with chronic pain problems should be receiving care from their primary care physician or pain clinic. I can’t provide…

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How have you handled your Battle with Fibromyalgia?
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How have you handled your Battle with Fibromyalgia?

Having an understanding family has been wonderful. My husband and son understand when I having a bad day and pitch in without hesitation. Find those people who understand and support you. But it is also important to remain positive and do the things you can and not allow your chronic illness to define you. Georgia Shaffer, a psychologist, professional speaker, and life coach was given a 2% chance of survival after a recurrence of breast…

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My Doctor Diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia but refuses to put me on any medication for it.
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My Doctor Diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia but refuses to put me on any medication for it.

I ask this question in our fibromyalgia support group, Many people are responding to this issue. Here we have collective knowledge on this question. SAM-e. I started with 200 mg once a day. I increased it every other day until I got relief which for me was until I reached the maximum dose of 1600 mg every 24° period (i take 400 mg every 6°). Do not take if you are on an antidepressant without…

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How do you get through the horrible aches and pains from Fibromyalgia without prescription pain meds?
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How do you get through the horrible aches and pains from Fibromyalgia without prescription pain meds?

I realize that Fibromyalgia doesn’t affect everyone the same way. I don’t think I suffer as much as some people do. Having said that, there are things that I have done that make it better. When I was first diagnosed in 1987, I started exercising, at the gym and walking. It took care of almost all my pain. 12 or so years later, the chronic fatigue kicked in and everything got worse. I took naproxen,…

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