Monday, April 13, 2015
Fibromyalgia Pain Relief
The conventional approach:
Yesterday, for the first time in at least 4 years, I experienced the bizarre feeling of not being in pain.
It took me awhile to realize what was happening to me….I had started a new medication the day before and already knew that I couldn't take it again at that dosage due to side effects that felt like I often did when I was on chemotherapy including the insomnia that plagued me during that awful time.
Somehow through the haze created by all of that, I realized that something was missing-the pain! I didn't trust what I was feeling so I tried to do some stretches and other mobility tests to see if this was for real or not. Indeed-it was.
I will be talking to my doctor about getting a lower dosage then building it back up to this dosage because I have read that these side effects will go away after awhile but I am hyper-sensitive to meds and I'm afraid that it will take me awhile longer than the norm to adjust. I also don't want to start meds to take care of the side effects of this med-that is the vicious circle that has kept me away from solutions like this.
My point in writing however is not to complain about side effects. Its to declare that there is world out there for me that doesn't involved the kind of pain I have been living with! I nearly felt empty without it for a minute, however, I am not going to miss it.
I just hope that there are lower dosages available as I have a busy week of driving to vocational rehab meetings ahead of me. I'd like to be able to be painfree and independent of having somebody driving me. I hope thats not too much to ask.
The not so conventional approach
I will report back as to the results but tomorrow, I have an appointment with a functional medicine doctor who has a good reputation in this area for getting the core of health issues. His main therapy is dietary so I am anxious to see what he will recommend. I am told he relies on the Whole 30 diet and supplements but we shall see. I could use his input for sure.
I have been trying to read more about pain as newer findings are emerging as to what causes it-its not often been the most understood of medical conditions. There is hope out there outside of opiates (which btw barely worked in comparison to this new non narcotic medication I started). Its just about finding the right approach and the right medical professionals who will work together.
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I hope that one of these approaches ends up working for you. I notice pains and aches whenever I eat gluten. My guess is, it causes inflammation somehow. So I can believe the non conventional approach, could have some benefits. How much is the question. Good luck with your appointments and I'm hoping each day can be managed with a degree of success. I'm excited for you. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Chris
DeleteThank you. I know that gluten isn't the only thing that bothers me-there are other allergens that I have to contend with too. I'll write the post to explain but at least now I know what I am going to be doing for the next few months! Yikes!
I know the yikes part, lol. But I've also felt the yay part when your body changes and you feel like a human being again! The hardest part about sticking to any diet though, is getting access to the special foods. They're either more costly than conventional foods, or they aren't so easy to acquire. We have to find a way though, as its important. :)
DeleteYes, the expense is something! But for this Whole 30 diet, alot of added foods are minimized. For example, there is no need to make up baked goods to replace the ones that are off limits. No expensive quinoa. No sugar replacers. Some dried fruits but not alot. Just plain old whole unadulterated foods-meat, fish, fowl, vegetables and fruits. Some nuts (the expensive ones of course). I think that with all the foods we are not buying (the grains and other replacers) we can actually afford to upgrade to organic on alot of these foods. And we have a call out to our hunter friends again for unwanted wild game.
DeleteWhen I come off the 30 day stage however, there is definitely going to be some budgetary reckoning with the expensive items if I want them.