Supportive Quote.

“Every single challenge you face in life was designed specifically for you. You’ve also been given every single tool you need to overcome it.”

– Unknown.

Fibromyalgia Declared as New Long Term Disability

..In Ireland..

 

Fibromyalgia is declared as a new long term disability

After osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia is the second most common rheumatic disorder. Still, it is difficult to diagnose fibromyalgia earlier, because it’s symptoms fluctuate.

This condition affects mainly women more than men. It is characterized by pain all over the body accompanied by stiffness and fatigue.

According to Daniel Clauw, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, he explained that pain is processed in an abnormal way in fibromyalgia patients.

He further added that pain sensation is amplified and can occur anywhere in your body. Due to this reason, chronic headaches, sensory hyper responses, and visceral pain are very common in people with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia can also impair your functionality and can interfere with the activities of daily living.

Also, it is reported that people with fibromyalgia aren’t getting the services that they need.

Swallowing the pills and implementing other successful strategies could be extremely helpful for controlling fibromyalgia, but there is no cure that exists for fibromyalgia, therefore it is difficult to completely eliminate this disease.

In several states, fibromyalgia has been considered a long-term problem, decreasing the quality of life.

Why should fibromyalgia be considered as a long-term problem?

When the symptoms come and go, and makes the person much more exhausted and irritated.

Dealing with fibromyalgia sounds easier but people living with fibromyalgia would better understand how they combat whenever the symptoms spiked up.

The intensity and severity of the disease can leave a negative impact on your work performance.

While experiencing the symptoms of fibromyalgia, your desk job would be much more difficult than anyone’s expectation. Additionally, triggers can worsen your condition too.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia won’t let you excel more profoundly and somehow, you will prefer resting at home instead of getting to work.

Any long-term problem needs long-term support and care. But unfortunately, people with fibromyalgia don’t get the optimum level of care and attention.

Fibromyalgia is difficult to understand, not just because of its clinical signs, in fact, it’s relapse and remission phases are also confusing.

if you haven’t gotten a Fibro flare up for a long time, you’re lucky, but it doesn’t mean you won’t get a flare up again.

And when symptoms spike up, it is terrible to even think about doing any task, whether it is related to your work or home.

Fibromyalgia is now a long-term disability.

With the help of a three-year effort of patient and client counsel in Northern Ireland, fibromyalgia has been declared as a long term disability.

Now, the dedicated services can establish the trusts and centres for managing fibromyalgia as a long-term condition.

Patients can get medical advice and interventions from the medical care professionals.

Also, it is hard to decide which alternative therapy will best suit to manage fibromyalgia so, information regarding the therapies is also available.

As pain is the major complaint of most fibromyalgia patients, most of the medications would be given to treat the pain perception; however, other symptoms are less noticed.

Increased awareness about the condition could help earlier detection of the disease.

If people like friends and family members are well aware of the fluctuations of the symptoms and behavioral issues, then they may be able to provide a higher level of comfort and support and can participate in doing household chores. Fibromyalgia awareness could make the life of the patient’s easier.

It is also suggested that the relationship of the person with fibromyalgia might not be healthy with her/his colleagues, friends, and family. It happens because the people around her/him have little knowledge about this disease.

By increasing awareness programs, not only the person combating with fibromyalgia is educated, the non suffer would also get the idea of how to deal with the person with fibro, how one can help them and what lets them feel better.

On the other hand of the spectrum, the legal declaration of fibromyalgia, as a long-term disability can also let the medical practitioner know more about this disease and suggest the most effective drug for the ultimate suppression of the symptoms.

Availability of fibromyalgia treatment is also a serious issue. In clinical practice the availability of the services is not the same due to insufficient resources for targeting the specific population more effectively.

People with fibromyalgia often feel isolated and alone. Their social isolation could be a barrier to getting treatment.

Clinicians would find this very difficult to deal with. So clinicians should also welcomed the sharing of information and knowledge from the patient.

Also, more research will be conducted to find out the ways that can improve overall health.

Long term disability insurance and its benefits.

According to Debilitating Diseases, it is harder and harder to persistently do the work and remain in the workforce while battling with fibromyalgia.

In fact, it also happens that people continue their work even dealing with the pain, fatigue, headache and migraine that occurred due to fibromyalgia.

As long term disability insurance is already available in several countries, one could be less worried about the financial burden of medicines, regular checkups and other expenses.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia can be disabling. On the basis of subjective complaints and physical examination, a doctor can verify and identify fibromyalgia.

There are several types of long term insurance disability available. But, you should have an idea of which long-term disability insurance would be good for you.

Serious consideration leads to a better outcome

Fibromyalgia recognition as a long-term disability will surely increase the awareness and knowledge of the condition not only among the medical professionals and non-medical people who also know about the features of fibromyalgia.

After diagnosis of fibromyalgia, the patient will get a pathway through which one can get the complete information regarding medicines, exercise and other alternative therapies.

Lifestyle changes could play a vital role in improving the condition of the patient’s Fibromyalgia. The management of fibromyalgia is a multidisciplinary approach, and which every intervention has its own importance.

If you neglect any one of them, the symptoms can be aggravated.

So, treating fibromyalgia is all about how effectively the medical professionals picking up and treating the disease and how strictly the patient is following the prescribed technique.

 

Original Source: https://www.fightfibromyalgia.net/fibromyalgia-is-declared-as-a-new-long-term-disability/

Note: there are changes between the original and the above version. Corrections were made for correcting grammar and clarification.

 

 

Different Stages of Fibromyalgia

The Different Stages of Fibromyalgia
Written by Angela Wise

A lot of us have come together on this site and others.. because we all have one thing in common…FIBROMYALGIA.. FIBRO-MY-ALGIA, sometime in our past, recent or further …we have been told we have fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues and BLAH BLAH BLAH you know the rest.. for GODS sake we live it everyday… We are more than a diagnosis, and we should not all be lumped together as a whole, there should be stages, and this is why…..

Stage 1 Fibromyalgia should be for those that have recently been finding out that they are experiencing more pain and fatigue than before, you’re not sure what is going on but you hurt and you’re tired.. you can still go to work, you can still make it through your day, but you know something isn’t right..so it’s something you’re going to bring up at your next routine doctors visit.

Stage 2 You are in pain a lot , sometimes taking an Advil or ibuprofen or what have you .. you get a little relief, you have already been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and you have accepted the fact this is something you are going to have to live with, you feel a lot of pain and you are exhausted almost every day…but for the most part you keep going and hold down a job, can still go to events, spend time with your friends and loved ones..and have somewhat of a good time…

Stage 3 You are in constant pain, you are constantly tired, more often than not.. you question yourself whether you will be able to function normally anymore.. you are thinking about maybe not working because you no longer have the energy you once had..you get home from work and all you can do is rest..friends call and you have to turn down the invites..you have no energy left and you have to rest up just to go back tomorrow…in this stage you start to feel more alone..and more and more people are beginning to think you whine an awful lot. And this stage can last a long time, years even…

Stage 4 You are in pain all the time, good days are few and far between…your calling into work sick more than you even make it in…you’re in bed a good portion of your day.. when you do have a good day you take advantage of it, and do as much as you can, all the things you have left in the past weeks you cram into your day… knowing tomorrow you will be paying for it..possibly even up to a month..but you do it anyway.. because you finally feel good enough to do SOMETHING! By this time your friends make plans without you, they already know your excuses and are 99% positive you will say no.. so they don’t even bother to ask anymore..your family begins to think you are using fibromyalgia as an excuse to not do things.. because stages 1-3 you were able to do some of those things even with fibromyalgia, now you can’t..so OBVIOUSLY you are using your diagnosis to get out of everything..you feel alone, isolated, worried..emotional, sad, and well..did I mention you feel alone? This stage can last years as well.

Stage 5 You have already been let go or have quit your job, you are asking questions about permanent disability and how long it takes.. hoping a majority of people will say 3-6 months tops…but instead your fearful of the horror stories about everyone being denied and it taking years for most..you are struggling to make ends meet.. maybe you moved someone in to help or moved in with someone to save…you spend a lot of your day in bed.. although you still take advantage of that one good day once in awhile..you are sore, very sore.. you cry a lot… you feel like a prisoner in your own skin..by this time you have already explained to your friends that it still feels good to be invited even if you don’t go..they invite you to a few things the next week and then things go right back to the usual..laying in bed crying.. feeling alone.. feeling abandoned..misunderstood..and you have found that the only people that you can relate to are other people whom have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia..what a good feeling..not so alone anymore.. and you wish that your friends and family could see what its really about… this stage can also last for years..

Stage 6 (The final Stage)- You may or may not still be waiting on disability, Fibromyalgia is now a way of living, most of your friends are those living with fibromyalgia themselves, everything you do takes your precious energy..simple daily tasks you took for granted in earlier stages, going to the bathroom, washing your hair, taking a shower, getting dressed, tying your shoes..even your everyday jewelry irritates the shit out of your skin..no energy or desire to put on “your face” before going out..no energy to curl or straighten your hair..with all the medication you are on or have tried, you are dealing with those side effects as well as living with fibromyalgia..you now have Netflix or Hulu because going to the movies happens very rarely..very very rarely..and you are human and still enjoy some normal things..like watching tv… you try to stay current on any news regarding fibromyalgia, in hopes they are closer to finding a cure… most of your friends are not around anymore.. they have things to do.. and you? Well.. you need to rest, because you just vacuumed! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in this stage, because things are piling up around you… bills, laundry, dishes etc… you do a little everyday…you push yourself so you don’t feel like your day was wasted in bed..you feel guilty.. very guilty..you know longer pull your own weight in the house..your kids, spouse or family member get things for you more than ever.. tissues, something cold to drink, meals, blankets etc..they try to do it in a nice manner but you still feel like a burden…you can’t remember anything.. even important dates.. birthdays, anniversaries, school events etc…not only can you no longer remember shit.. when you start to say something mid-sentence you’ve forgotten what planet you even live on..let alone what it was you were going to say…(thank God for the few people that do pay attention and can tell us what we were talking about to begin with).. Also you know more about fibromyalgia in this stage then your own doctor and basically laugh when trying a new medication…same drill as before.. and same results.. nothing helps 100%…your not even sure it’s working at all…but you keep going…at this point you know who really understands and who can care less.. even your so called close family members that claim to care.. you know the truth..and you show extra love to those that get it..because after all, other than your fibro friends they are all you have left…

You may see a stage here you are currently in..some things may not be exact give or take…but I know one thing for sure.. fibromyalgia isn’t the same for all of us..just because you can work and I can’t doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love too, or I am lazy.. it could simply mean I am in a different stage than you are..which is most likely the case..It’s not fair to assume you are better or can handle more pain because you still have a social life.. our hearts ache with pain that fibromyalgia has stolen that from us.. we want it back so bad.. we live for our good days, and we support each other through the bad..please do not judge others before knowing their journey…it’s not your responsibility to decide what stage someone else is in..we are fighting the same battle.. we all want the same cure..we need to try to stay positive to help others through the bad days, so they will return the favor when we have our bad days..love goes a long way.. don’t be afraid to love someone with fibromyalgia..we have some of the biggest hearts.. because we of all people know exactly what it’s like to be misunderstood… thank you for reading- Feel free to share….

#BellLetsTalk

Many of us have mental health issues in addition to FM, ME & CFS, so I thought it important to remind everyone that Wednesday is Bell Canada’s Let’s Talk campaign & we can help.. here are the rules/guidelines

A few mentions to remember on January 25th … For #BellLetsTalk

• Will start midnight Newfoundland time (NST) or 10:30pm EST on January 24th and end midnight PST or 3am EST on January 26th
• As long as you are a Bell or Bell Alliance customer, any call .. landline and mobile … text messages count for the 5¢
• Use either English or French or both hashtags #BellLetsTalk and/or #BellCause
• SnapChat filter for #BellLetsTalk is on available on January 25th, every time the filter is used it counts for the 5¢
• Instagram, be sure to include #BellLetsTalk in all descriptions counts for the 5¢
• Twitter, if you’re involved in conversation and are replying, be sure to include #BellLetsTalk
• Facebook, Bell will have a video on the https://www.facebook.com/BellLetsTalk .. pinned at the top of their page … video views are what counts for the 5¢ … the more shares the better 🙂

** just a reminder, this is a Healthy Minds Canada campaign in support of #BellLetsTalk

IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!! 🙂

Bell does appreciate everyone’s support!!

 

https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/

Mental Illness and the Media

Mental Illness Portrayed in the Media

Written by Anita Levesque

Mental Illness Portrayed in the Media

#BellLetsTalk Healthy Minds Canada #SickNotWeak #endstigma #mentalillnessinmedia

Chronic Pain and Inactivity

The Relationship Between Chronic Pain and Inactivity: The Disuse Syndrome
By William W. Deardorff, PhD, ABPP
8/26/15

Original post:
http://www.spine-health.com/blog/relationship-between-chronic-pain-and-inactivity-disuse-syndrome

If you suffer from chronic pain of almost any type, you are at risk for developing a physical “disuse” syndrome.

What is disuse syndrome?

Basically, it describes the effects on the body and mind when a person is sedentary.

Disuse syndrome was first characterized around 1984 and, since that time, has received much attention in relation to back pain problems, other chronic pain disorders, and other illnesses. It has been generalized beyond chronic pain problems and some feel it is related to “the base of much human ill-being.”

The disuse syndrome is caused by physical inactivity and is fostered by our sedentary society.

Effects of disuse syndrome

This disuse of our bodies leads to a deterioration of many body functions. This is basically an extension of the old adage “Use it or lose it.”

There are several physical consequences from disuse. These occur in many body systems, most notably those of the muscles and skeleton, cardiovascular, blood components, the gastrointestinal system, the endocrine systems, and the nervous system. For instance, consider the following:

• In the musculoskeletal system, disuse of muscles can rapidly lead to atrophy and muscle wasting. If you have ever had an arm or a leg in a cast, you will be familiar with the fact that the diameter of the affected limb may be noticeably smaller after being immobilized for some time.
• Cardiovascular effects also occur due to disuse including a decrease in oxygen uptake, a rise in systolic blood pressure, and an overall blood plasma volume decrease of 10 to 15 percent with extended bed rest.
• Physical inactivity also leads to nervous system changes, including slower mental processing, problems with memory and concentration, depression, and anxiety.

A key factor in chronic pain

Many other detrimental physiological changes also occur. Disuse has been summarized as follows: “Inactivity plays a pervasive role in our lack of wellness. Disuse is physically, mentally, and spiritually debilitating.” Many experts believe that the disuse syndrome is a key variable in the perpetuation of many chronic pain problems.

The disuse syndrome can result in a myriad of significant medical problems and increase the likelihood of a chronic pain syndrome developing or becoming worse.

Unfortunately, common attitudes and treatments in the medical community often lead to more passive treatment without paying attention to physical activity and exercise (of any type).

The disuse syndrome can also lead to a variety of emotional changes that are associated with an increased perception of pain.

So, what to do?

So, if you are suffering from disuse syndrome, you may be wondering what you can do about it. It can be overwhelming for some people in chronic pain to consider how to get moving. In my next blog post, I will discuss some practical ways you can take some positive steps to get more mobile.

Learn more from additional resources:

• Chronic Pain As a Disease: Why Does It Still Hurt?
• Depression and Chronic Back Pain
• Chronic Pain Coping Techniques – Pain Management
• Diagnosis of Depression and Chronic Back Pain
• 4 Tips to Help Cope With Chronic Pain and Depression
• Chronic Pain and Insomnia: Breaking the Cycle

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I discussed this in a previous post entitled ” The Consequence of Doing Nothing”.. Check out my take on this

Tech Empowering the Disabled

Smart canes and wheelchairs among tech empowering the disabled at CES (Consumer Electronics Show).. check out the gizmos for the disabled from the 2017 show…

Smart canes and wheelchairs among tech empowering the disabled at CES

I don’t look sick

First TED talk on ME

#MEAction co-founder Jennifer Brea received a standing ovation for her moving TED Talk, the first ever about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

https://us2.campaign-archive.com/?u=908f2aeffeb0c0cea673894bf&id=5550d7fdb7