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As some of ya’ll know & some don’t, I’ve been visiting the ER more than usual. In a period of about 6 weeks, I was in the ER *Five Times* due to pain flares of my fibromyalgia. Each visit they gave me demerol, but occasionally torodol. I have since gotten an emergency appointment with my fibro/pain management doctor. He told that torodol is an anti-inflammatory & wouldn’t work on fibro cuz it is not an inflammatory condition; I knew that, but it will help cfs inflammation. He also told me that demerol is an anesthetic, not a pain reliever that can treat the pain. This I did not know. He also told me that demerol could also be detrimental to my health and that if I do find myself in the ER, I should get morphine. Finally, he said that regular use of Tylenol 3′s is also detrimental to my health. He stated that ER docs should know all that. He did quite a few things for me. He administered local anesthesia to my lower back to help temporarily block the nerve receptors from registering pain for a few hours until I was able to obtain the rest of the medication. He gave me a prescription for the Fentanyl patch 25mcg/h. One patch lasts about 72 hours. This medication works with the pain centre in the brain. He also gave me percocet, but no more that 3/day. This is for breakthrough pain from the fentanyl patch. A change was also made from lyrica to gabapentin. They are apparently sibling medications, but the gabapentin is covered by my plan, lyrica isn’t.

OMG! A pain doctor who actually gets it and treats it!
- – http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

When It Rains, It Pours

Why is it that when one person has a health issue, it seems like a dozen other people is your circle also have health issues? We’re been up to our necks in it lately..

It started with me on Christmas morning and my fibromyalgia pain getting the best of me (see here: http://bit.ly/AsUG8Q)..

Then 2-3 days later SO’s Best Friend’s SiL, who he is friends with, doesn’t wake up.. She had a brain aneurysm, went to a Thunder Bay hospital and was air lifted to Hamilton & a neurologist was brought in from Toronto to do the appropriate brain surgery.. Fortunately, surgery went well & she is doing well, all things considered. She still has a lot of recovery time ahead, but she is improving daily..

Then Thursday morning, my Granma (my Dad’s mum) is taken to Emerg in Toronto with GI & internal bleeding issues and was finally admitted to a room late Thursday.. They are still running tests, trying to figure out what’s wrong, what’s helping, what’s not.. She’s stable now and I think they are getting a handle on it..

Now, this afternoon, my sister calls.. My parents are still in St Martin in the Dominican Republic.. Apparently Mom blacked out after dinner last night, and fell face first onto the cement sidewalk.. So, she’s got one nasty looking face & her nose has been slightly mangled which they won’t treat down there .. I’m more concerned about why she blacked out, than the result of the fall.. Lucky her has been having her own GI issues this week & she’s got blood pressure issues… She has not been cleared medically to fly, but we don’t know why.. Unfortunately info on her condition is filtered from my parents to my brother who is also down there to my sister here in Ontario before it comes to me, so what info I get is watered down..

So, needless to say there’s been a lot going on.. If the rule of 3′s applies, we got two more issues coming, cuz we’ve got four now! All I can really do is pray & hope of the best.. I’d very much appreciate if you could include me, Catherine, Audrey & Judy in your prayers as well..

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http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

Do I Prefer Hot? Or Not?

Do I Prefer Hot? Or Not? If we’re talking weather, I am not a big fan of extreme hot (>40) or extreme cold (
As for personal environmental factors, my skin prefers a bit cooler, but the muscles underneath complain for warmth.. When I am on vacation, I can sit in the hot tub for hours, my muscles love it so, however, back in the roon I take a fairly warm shower to rince off the chlorine & stuff, but mu body can’t sleep well warm, so I drop the temperature of the water and rince off the skin in cool water, which feels nice and also closes you pores. Since it’s quich , my bodt tolerates it.. I’ve even come to adopt it at home, adter a long hot shower, drop the warmer to cool, and rince, especially in the warms spots.. In bed, we have a sheet, comforter & 2 blankets. He rarely uses his, but I use mind significantly more often.. With no fold, it cuts most of the cool air in the apt.. With one fold, I will snuggle is when a fan on.. Or for when my SO kidnaps the bedding, leaving me out cold.. So, I don’t mind being that I’m rare company.. Hopefully we have some news at home..

– - http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

Today’s ER trip, Dec 10 2011

We got to the Emergency Room near 6pm this evening. It wasn’t busy, yet; it’s Saturday night so ya it will get busy. After registration, I was sent straight out to the ambulatory waiting area in the back of the ER. I was back there for about 10-15 minutes before I was brought back to an assessment cubicle.. From there, I waited another 15-20 minutes to see doc..

OMG! Was I surprised! He was awesome.. He asked me about the pain, where? how bad? for how long? He asked about my current treatments, and clarified medical info.. He asked me what worked.. Torodal he asked, not really, Demeral he asked, ya that helped. So I ended up getting 1) a torodal shot, 2) a demeral shot with gravol, 3) a script to take home for 500mg of demeral, twice a day..

Wow! I mean like Wow! I’ve never gotten that much co-operation from an Emerg doc before, nor have I gotten that much pain management from any Emerg doc.. Several hours between the ER trip & when I got home to now & I stiil don’t believe it…

Some Emergency doctors suck, and others totally suck… This guy absolutely did *not* suck, he was good! – - http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

My Acceptance

My biggest issue with my medical issues is me. I have so much trouble accepting my limitations. I am still trying to figure out how much I can and can not do. It’s more the can not that is my issue. I used to be way more than I am now. I used to be intelligent; Once upon a time I had an IQ of about 180 which is the beginning of genius. I’m not meaning to brag, just illustrate how much I’ve gone down hill.. I’m now at 130-140, which is considered average (to my knowledge).. That’s a *huge* drop, but it’s all from the fibro.

I used to be physical. I played soccer in a ladies league (the term ‘ladies’ here is used loosely) with 2-3 games a week and I played an aggressive & physical game. I was also involved in scouting, as a youth member, as a adult member, as a leader, as a group or area representative. As a result, I was very physical – hiking, camping, marksmanship, skiing, skating, all in different types of weather. & yes, I have camped outdoors in the cold weather and the snow. I can not do any of that. It’s not struggling with just those losses, but also the loss of the ability to function doing ‘normal’ day-to-day stuff like laundry, cleaning floors, vacuuming, washing walls or windows, and cleaning the bathroom.. Or even worse, I flare after being around my nieces & my nephew.. Moreso my nephew cuz he’s more physical, still into aggressive roughhousing. (Çuz he doesn’t get a lot from Dad – long story, not really Dad’s fault) I should be able to spend time with my family without getting sick. I just don’t know how to. Any suggestions on how to deal with this issue and help me accept my limitations? Feedback would be greatly appreciated. ~ Thanks.

– - http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

Addiction or Dependnace?

My SO is always concerned about the potentially addictive medications I am on.. I try and assure him that, while dependant, I am not addicted.. He doesn’t see the difference.. Unfortunately, when I am tired or just generically foggy I find it hard to explain.. Medical Dependance is a body’s need, a requirement to be healthy.. For example, an Insulin-dependant Diabetic is exactly that, dependant. The insulin helps the body function properly with the problematic pancreas. For us with chronic pain, for whatever reason, we take the medication to function properly with the problems that each cause us pain. Yes, if we stop taking our meds, we do into withdrawal; it’s a chemical dependace, so of course we do. Should a diabetic stop taking insulin, would they not go into a withdrawal? Absolutely; sugar levels will start to rise, and the body’s functionality drops. Addiction is very different. Addition is filling a mental and emotional need to feel that high, and rarely a medical necessity. This is NOT why we take the medications we are prescribed.. We don’t want the high, we just want to feel less pain.. Less pain does not a high make.
Now, I admit that there are persons who take prescription medications to the excess, to go beyond the need to feel less pain, to the pain where there is no pain and they get that high, or continue prescription medications long after a temporary need has been resolved, again to get that high. These people are addicted. Just because you are dependant does not mean you are addicted.
Just because you are addicted does not make you medically dependant.

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http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

FM & Heart Disease

As many Fibromites have dealt with abuse in their youth, I figured this tidbit of info might be of interest…
According to CP24, a local news channel, a recent study shows that women Who have experienced abuse, physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse, have an increased risk to die from heart disease..
I do plan on looking at the study mentioned, and any other similar issues..

K

~ ~ http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

Why Do We Only Get a Day?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and February is Heart & Stroke Month. I understand why these medical conditions have a full month of awareness because they are the top two killers of women. But why do conditions like Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome not only have one day of awareness, but have to share this single day between the two? While neither of these conditions are considered terminal, they significantly impact the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of people, primarily women. In my opinion, if we have to do double-duty awareness, we should have more time to do so. My suggestion is to extend FM & CFS Awareness Day on May 12th to a full week of awareness of the week in May that includes May 12th. So I declare the week of May 6th to May 13th, 2012 to be Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Week.
Do you think this is a good idea? I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions!

* * * * * * http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

Who Do You Sleep With?

Who do you sleep with? A partner? A pet? Alone? Myself, I tend to sleep with a partner.. There are many advantages & disadvantages to sleep with a partner..

Disadvantages:
*(S)He may snore or talk while sleeping
*(S)He may be a restless sleeper and putting two together could be a nightmare
*(S)He may be used to having the whole bed and becomes a bed hog
*(S)He may not be used to sharing and becomes a blanket hog
*(S)He may like to cuddle and tho may consciously know not to cuddle, do so unconsciously while asleep
*(S)He may like to connect while asleep and reach out and touch you, but we know there are times when any unexpected touch hurts
*(S)He may have different sleep hours which could disrupt your sleep *(S)He may have a small bladder and needs to use the bathroom several times a night *(S)He may be more sexual and try to initiate some hanky-panky while still asleep
*(S)He may prefer a different room temperature or room darkness
*(S)He be a total morning person who wakes bright, cheerful and alert. To be honest, I don’t think *any* Fibromite wakes bright, cheerful or alert let alone all three! Advantages:
*You are not alone, and you *know* this. You know there is some there for you. You know that there is someone who cares and will be there for you. You know that (s)he loves you and will support you. You know that there is someone who ‘gets it’, or is at least understanding & compassionate, or if your are lucky, both. It’s this knowledge that, as a single advantage, easily outweighs the potential disadvantages. Do you agree with my conclusion? Can you think of any other advantages or disadvantages?

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Posted via email
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http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House

Who Do You Sleep With?

Who do you sleep with? A partner? A pet? Alone? Myself, I tend to sleep with a partner.. There are many advantages & disadvantages to sleep with a partner..

Disadvantages:
*(S)He may snore or talk while sleeping
*(S)He may be a restless sleeper and putting two together could be a nightmare
*(S)He may be used to having the whole bed and becomes a bed hog
*(S)He may not be used to sharing and becomes a blanket hog
*(S)He may like to cuddle and tho may consciously know not to cuddle, do so unconsciously while asleep
*(S)He may like to connect while asleep and reach out and touch you, but we know there are times when any unexpected touch hurts
*(S)He may have different sleep hours which could disrupt your sleep *(S)He may have a small bladder and needs to use the bathroom several times a night *(S)He may be more sexual and try to initiate some hanky-panky while still asleep
*(S)He may prefer a different room temperature or room darkness
*(S)He be a total morning person who wakes bright, cheerful and alert. To be honest, I don’t think *any* Fibromite wakes bright, cheerful or alert let alone all three! Advantages:
*You are not alone, and you *know* this. You know there is some there for you. You know that there is someone who cares and will be there for you. You know that (s)he loves you and will support you. You know that there is someone who ‘gets it’, or is at least understanding & compassionate, or if your are lucky, both. It’s this knowledge that, as a single advantage, easily outweighs the potential disadvantages. Do you agree with my conclusion? Can you think of any other advantages or disadvantages?

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Posted via email
- –
http://www.KelliAEllis ~ Sharing discussions on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Endometriosis and other health issues..~~ “I know pain. One day you can handle it; the next day you don’t” – Dr Greg House