(Dealing with Migraines, Fibromyalgia, and CFS)I have had a really terrible case of influenza for thirteen days. It's probably the worst case of the flu I've had in eighteen or twenty years. I'm glad it doesn't get this bad this often because I am really, really whipped from it. As a CFS and fibromyalgia patient, I don't tolerate flu shots very well, thus I don't get one any more, and then I often wonder if I am playing CFS Roulette by going places during the flu season. This was one of those slow starting flu seasons, and here we are in nearly April with several states having widespread flu for the first time of the flu season (I admit it: I monitor the Centers for Disease Control data on this stuff!). However this once fairly innocuous flu virus began last fall, it has now mutated into a vicious and punishing monster.
I don't want to be pessimistic and negative, but it is realistic for me to be wondering how long it will take to finally get over this flu (temp still up, still weak as a kitten, but getting a bit better - gradually), and then to get over the CFS and fibromyalgia flareups that always follow such a virulent illness. It is so, so, SO difficult and frustrating to be a Type A person in a Type B body. I want so badly to be up and DOing things. I appreciate that I have many opportunities to BE and to learn about being a human BEing rather than a human DOing, but still the feisty old Miss Chris longs to be up doing Spring Cleaning (being descended from a long line of cleaning fanatics, it really galls me to not be able to have things in perfectly clean, apple pie order). I always dread March in a way - much as I look forward to Spring greenery and fresh air. March spells "flu" and March spells "tree pollen allergies beginning".
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The good news is that for the past couple of weeks, my migraines have been less violent. I think? hope! that the health supplements I've been taking are helping prevent a number of migraines, and when I do get a migraine, the feverfew, riboflavin, and magnesium seem to be (for now, before the weather gets hot and before the tree pollen goes off the charts) lessening the severity of the migraine pain. I still, however, feel really neurologically dense when migraining, but it's better than being in a fetal position in a dark room all the time. Variety is the spice of life, yes?!
If the feverfew, riboflavin, and magnesium don't give me enough relief by the time I have my next appointment with the internist, I am considering insisting on receiving intravenous magnesium sulfate injections.
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I am learning lots of things about migraines and about fibromyalgia. For twenty-eight years I have struggled with both of these beasts, and for many of those years, the doctors have treated me and my fellow migraineurs and fibro patients like we were malingerers and pampered prima donnas. Many of you who read my blog on a regular basis are, I suspect, my fellow migraineurs and fibro patients - from what I can tell by the posts that you all leave Xanga footprints in, so I realize that I'm not telling you dear ones anything new. In the past few years, there has been an incredible wealth of really good, reliable, scientifically legitimate research by doctors with some credibility proving that migraines are not mere headaches but are rather an extremely debilitating neurological disease that involves more than "just" a headache, and the research is also proving that fibromyalgia too is in part, basically a neurological disease in which the body processes pain in an abnormal way.
In short, we are being vindicated and now the researchers and pharmaceutical companies are poised to produce better medications for us. Not only that, we with these ailments are being treated with more respect. Rather than be snotty and say, "it's about stinking time!", I am rejoicing with Irish jigs of joy and praising Jesus for this wonderful turn of the tide. Things are getting better for us, Kiddies, and they are going to keep on getting better! God is faithful! God is good! God is merciful! God is kind! Thank God for these courageous researchers who for us put up with the scoffing and taunting of some of their colleagues in the medical community in order to vindicate and find better health alternatives for us!
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I am also reading and learning about "Trigger Point Therapy" for treating migraines and fibromyalgia. More on this soon. I have bought a few books on it, but really haven't done a whole lot of reading yet. I plan on doing more reading on it soon, and I'll talk about it here. It's something we can do for ourselves to not only relieve pain but to prevent pain.
When I do get a migraine, I am learning that I need to do ice massage, even though I typically feel very chilled when I get migraines. I now keep several ice packs in the freezer. You can make your own by combining water and rubbing alcohol (I forget the ratio; I'll remember to look up the "recipe" online later today and post it here in an edit) in a Zip-Lok bag and whipping it in the freezer. I hear that ice massage is part of the first line of emergency treatment of a migraine at a prominent East Coast migraine clinic.
I also hear that some people crave a dish of hot, salty pasta when they are migraining, and that consuming this helps eradicate the migraine. I am wondering if that is in part because of the high riboflavin content of most commercial pastas? Or is it the salt? What I crave during migraines (if I'm not nauseated) is hot, salty pasta seasoned with hot red pepper flakes - consuming such usually puts a dent in my migraines.
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In CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) news, the researchers at Oxford in England have initially proven that CFS patients have mitochondrial failure. This too is significantly vindicating for CFS patients! I'll post the link to an important European medical journal article which was published on this in January of this year, later. Right now, my coffee with D-Ribose is calling me.
(The link to Dr. Sarah Myhill's page on mitochondrial failure being the central cause of CFS is at
http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/article.cfm?id=381 ); the link to the European medical journal research paper is contained in that page (it's a PDF).
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There is hope for us, Kiddies! There is hope most of all because God is faithful and God is a God of healing. But there is hope also because of the researchers and doctors and other health care workers and friends and family of migraineurs/fibromyalgia patients/CFS patients, who daily lay down their lives in working for our relief and for cures. Let's not focus on the misery of our condition, but rather, let's focus on the good things, and especially the good people in our lives. It's not easy for our family and friends to watch us be ill - not only because it is a challenge to live with a chronically ill person, but also because it genuinely grieves and saddens our family and friends to watch us suffer.
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I hope to work on my Spring Reading Thing 2009 list today, Lord willing, and post it here by tonight (Lord willing, once again). I really would enjoy hearing what all of you are reading/planning on reading for the next three months!
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Let's have a Thankful Thursday! There is truly so much to be thankful for!
Much love to one and all in Jesus,
- Miss Chris
Comments (1)
I hope you will feel better and better! I'm glad to hear there is good news from the medical front, too. Take care dear.