I May as Well Laugh

My husband is out of town this week on business so I decided I would do a few home projects while he was away.  That was my first mistake.lol

I painted the grout throughout all the tiled areas in our house about 4 years ago so I thought I would freshen it up this week.  Bending over and crouching down is not a good thing for fibro sufferers as you are probably using muscles you wouldn't normally use.

I knew when I started this project that I should go slowly (which is difficult for me as I used to charge through everything) so I worked on it about a half an hour or so.  I could feel the muscles running up the back of my thighs being used but I had no idea how much until I woke up the next morning practically crippled.

The muscles hurt so bad that even the Tramadol didn't completely numb the pain.  Fortunately it lessoned during the day as I walked around but the thought of continuing with my grout project wasn't looking too inviting.

So here it is Tuesday and I haven't finished the grout yet!  I did work on a small section yesterday but am paying for it today.  I will get it completed but it will take the entire week to do that.

This is the part of the fibromyalgia that frustrates me the most.  You don't know what you are doing to yourself until you wake up the next day and can barely move.

When I woke this morning (due to pain) I could feel all the muscles around my rib cage and my thighs.  I was so uncomfortable lying in bed that I was forced to get up even though I could have slept longer.  I can't figure out why my ribcage is so sore unless it's from sweeping out the garage.  Good grief!

It's almost comical really.  I try to have humor in it because it looks like it's here to stay so I may as well laugh about it.  It's so absurd to have this much pain that I can't help but laugh because it's like someone is playing a terrible practical joke on you all the time.

Until Next Time. :)

Allergies or Fibromyalgia?

I still get the rolling eyes (or so it seems ) when I go to a new doctor and tell them I suffer from fibromyalgia.  I recently visited an allergist for the first time in 15 years because my allergies are beginning to seriously tread on my lifestyle and I want to know once and for all if I am allergic to wheat or dairy, among other foods.

I explained to the doctor that it's difficult for me to tell whether it's allergies, the fibromyalgia or just the fact that I am tired when it feels like a cloud has come over me smack in the middle of the day and I am so sleepy that I can barely function.  One minute I seem fine and literally the next I am looking for a place to lie down.

When I first researched some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia I learned that sufferers often have foggy-headiness, sleepy or tired feelings, and sleep disorders, which are some of the same symptoms of serious allergies.

When my allergies are at an all time high it literally wakes me up in the middle of the night because my throat, nose and eyes are so dry that I can't sleep.  I get out of bed and immediately put Visine in my eyes, saline in my nose and grab a drink of water.  This is happening even with a humidifier in my room.  I am sure this interrupted sleep isn't helping me feel very alert the next day, but I don't have to have this kind of thing happen to still experience a the wave of sleepiness come over me from time to time.

So which is it that is causing these overwhelming feelings of sleepiness?  The fibromyalgia, the allergies or the fact that my night of sleep isn't as restful as I thought it was.

I have mentioned this numerous times in my posts that sufferers of fibromyalgia can have a difficult time getting a good rest because the pain lingers on through the night.  It may not be enough to actually wake you, but it's there nonetheless and can become quite a problem if it persists.

I will be tested for allergies on the 29th of this month so I am anxious to see what might be causing my "obvious" symptoms but I'm not sure that will help me much with the other problems I am having.

One thing at a time, I guess, is the best way to approach this.

Until next time :)