Hello!
I know I have a problem with not updating my blog very often, I attribute that to being busy and forgetful! I have good intentions but when it comes down to it I falter.......I'm sorry for that, I really am!
So, it's been a year since I had my thyroid removed and I can tell you that I notice nothing different. My levels are still wacky, I'm losing hair by the handfuls, I still lack energy and god forbid I want to lose a little weight - it takes an enormous amount of effort and it always comes right back. So, having my thyroid removed didn't help me with any of my major issues. At least I don't have growths anymore but my levels still have not leveled out. I started on 150 mg of Synthroid last year and am now on 100 mg - I continue to be adjusted to lower levels without it helping.
So since it's been a bit since I've updated let's see what's been happening:
January-March 2016 - I started back to college at an online University - Ashford University. It's been 7 months and I'm doing great! I have straight "A" grades and just last week was invited to become a member of Alpha Sigma Lamda Honor Society. This is an honor society for exceptional adult learners. It was such a great surprise and honor. So being that I have such great grades should also tell you I spend a lot of time with my schooling. I haven't had time to be sick or tired or sore or anything other than focusing on school. My intention of going back is to complete the degree I started right out of high school - which was a long time ago.........I'm studying "Social and Criminal Justice" and will graduate with my BA in 7/2018.
Regarding my FMS and CFS I'm still holding steady. I haven't had any major flare up of either condition. I have learned to just listen to myself and if I'm tired, I go to bed. I still have issues with my hips being achy and locking up after sitting down for a bit but overall I can't complain. I have a lot of contact with people who have FMS really bad and I feel terrible for them but at the same time am grateful I have been able to reverse a good majority of my issues with FM and keep it under control.
April - July 2016 - I ended up in the ER on my birthday, April 5th - with what I thought was chest pain - it was bad, had me convinced I had a blockage - after a night stay and many tests that came back negative I was sent home and referred to a cardiologist. A few more tests and nothing. I still get these weird chest pains but haven't gone back to the cardiologist because he already determined it's not my heart but of course, as with most things they don't know why I'm having these pains. I thought maybe heartburn but I really don't think so since I never get it. So chalk it up to another strange thing related to FMS I guess.....
I was just talking with my mom about when I first got sick back in 2010 and took up juicing to get better. It definitely worked after a period of time - between juicing AND taking many supplements I brought my nutrition levels back to where they needed to be and was able to reverse a lot of my symptoms that had me bedridden for several months. Everyone also is different so what worked for me may or may not work for another - but it's all worth a try! In fact, coming back to my juicing information I've decided to juice a metabolism boosting juice and see if it helps me shed a few lbs like it says it does.
In other news, I've been off work since the first week in June and it's been great! Since I work in a school, I have the same schedule as the kids do and it's fantastic. We go back in just 3 wks from now......summer vacay goes way too fast! But it will be good to get back on a schedule. When I have no schedule not much gets done because I don't have to....it's bad.
My daughter is going into her senior year of high school - I can't believe in just a short year she will be going to college. My "baby" girl is grown into such a beautiful young woman. Makes me sad that she will be leaving but I know it's coming quickly. My son is starting his sophomore year - he is another one that I can't believe has grown so much both physically and mentally. The past several months have been big in the growth area for him. My daughter will be playing volleyball with the school over the next few weeks leading up to try outs - in fact next week we go to a big college camp with some girls who were invited from the school - should be fun!
I hope this update has found you all well! I would like to say that I will update in a month but, I've said that before and 7 months later I show up ...... I know I suck at this but I'm trying! I will be back soon, how is that???
Showing posts with label chronic fatigue syndrome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chronic fatigue syndrome. Show all posts
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Happy New Year!
Oh my gosh how time gets away from me! I'm sorry to have just up and left you here without an update or anything! So much has been going on so let's get started with this update!
Since my last update I've had a couple more Dr appointments and continue to have a lower dose of Synthroid. I'm now on 112 mg/day. Honestly, I can't tell any difference from 150 mg to now but apparently my TSH is still not in the right range.
In other news, I decided around the holidays to go back to school this year. I started on Jan 5th and am almost done with my first class. I'm doing an online program to get my Bachelors degree in Social and Criminal Justice. I've always been interested in this field so I figured why not! It seemed like a good time to get started with most all of my health issues "under control" at this point, or should I say for now.
My FMS has been relatively "laying low" if you will. Now I say this only because I can compare what I previously had to deal with to now. Don't get me wrong, I still have my good days and bad days, but they are nothing compared to what I use to deal with. I still have a pretty high level of fatigue which I don't think I'll ever not have to deal with. Aches and pains, they come and go but are at a level that is manageable on a day to day basis. My hips tend to give me the most trouble with consistent pain and my guts are often "upset". I'm sure a lot of this sounds all too familiar to many who deal with the curse of chronic illness(es).
The most recent flare I've had to deal with is the tendon in my right arm flared up. Literally I was fine the night before and woke up with this pain that was pretty intense going from my hand to my elbow and especially worse with certain movements. This was terrible as I'm right handed and couldn't do anything that required lifting or twisting. Even lifting just a bottle of Gatorade was impossible for weeks. I had my chiropractor treat me using a technique called "Graston" - if you have never heard of it, click HERE to read about it. It's a strange kind of therapy but it works every time! I've had it done several times for different issues and each time it's solved the problem. With my arm, I had 2 sessions and the pain was noticeably less. Today, I have no pain in that area.
Speaking about chiropractors, I need to mention that at the end of the year I realized I had not been into my primary physician's office in an entire year! That was something to celebrate as it's just unheard of with all the health issues I've had to deal with. Other than my Endocrinologist dealing with my thyroid, I didn't need to see an MD for any kind of illness for an entire year .... and still going! I did however, see my chiropractor anywhere from 2x a week to 1x a month just depending on my needs and what was going on. I firmly believe in and highly recommend alternative treatments for people like us with chronic conditions. From the research I've done, alternative therapy is the way to go for managing these chronic illnesses that aren't necessarily seen as true illness. Those of us who deal with them day in and day out know otherwise.
When asked what I've done to "make yourself better" I can't really pinpoint just one thing. It's been a long road of recovery to get to the point I'm at today. Feeling good with occasional flares. listening to my body, taking time to do nothing when I need to, the right mixture of nutrients, protein, and therapy all play a role in healing the body and getting you to a good functioning state of being. I spent a lot of time researching and trying different methods until I started seeing good results. It's a hard long road but at the end of it the results are better health and an overall better quality of life. I know that at any moment I could crumple to the floor in pain and deal with that for an undetermined amount of time, but for the time being I will enjoy where I am with my health.
Like many people who deal with chronic illness, I belong to several online support groups. It gets hard to read everyone's postings about how terrible they are doing. In more cases than not, it's usually money that stops people from getting the help and treatment they need to feel better and be a contributing member of their community. So the cycle just continues, day in and day out so many people are suffering. My hope is still what it was when I first started this blog, that if I can help even just one person find a path to getting themselves to a better state of health, then I've succeeded in my mission.
I hope the New Year has found you well and that you are finding ways to manage in your day to day life. Whether you suffer from chronic illness or a loved one does, I encourage you to look back through my postings and try new things in an effort to feel better.
My vow to you today is that I will try to do better with my updates - I just get so busy in life that I forget to come post updates. I will make a conscious effort to update at least 1x a month if not more!
Until next time....to your health!
Since my last update I've had a couple more Dr appointments and continue to have a lower dose of Synthroid. I'm now on 112 mg/day. Honestly, I can't tell any difference from 150 mg to now but apparently my TSH is still not in the right range.
In other news, I decided around the holidays to go back to school this year. I started on Jan 5th and am almost done with my first class. I'm doing an online program to get my Bachelors degree in Social and Criminal Justice. I've always been interested in this field so I figured why not! It seemed like a good time to get started with most all of my health issues "under control" at this point, or should I say for now.
My FMS has been relatively "laying low" if you will. Now I say this only because I can compare what I previously had to deal with to now. Don't get me wrong, I still have my good days and bad days, but they are nothing compared to what I use to deal with. I still have a pretty high level of fatigue which I don't think I'll ever not have to deal with. Aches and pains, they come and go but are at a level that is manageable on a day to day basis. My hips tend to give me the most trouble with consistent pain and my guts are often "upset". I'm sure a lot of this sounds all too familiar to many who deal with the curse of chronic illness(es).
The most recent flare I've had to deal with is the tendon in my right arm flared up. Literally I was fine the night before and woke up with this pain that was pretty intense going from my hand to my elbow and especially worse with certain movements. This was terrible as I'm right handed and couldn't do anything that required lifting or twisting. Even lifting just a bottle of Gatorade was impossible for weeks. I had my chiropractor treat me using a technique called "Graston" - if you have never heard of it, click HERE to read about it. It's a strange kind of therapy but it works every time! I've had it done several times for different issues and each time it's solved the problem. With my arm, I had 2 sessions and the pain was noticeably less. Today, I have no pain in that area.
Speaking about chiropractors, I need to mention that at the end of the year I realized I had not been into my primary physician's office in an entire year! That was something to celebrate as it's just unheard of with all the health issues I've had to deal with. Other than my Endocrinologist dealing with my thyroid, I didn't need to see an MD for any kind of illness for an entire year .... and still going! I did however, see my chiropractor anywhere from 2x a week to 1x a month just depending on my needs and what was going on. I firmly believe in and highly recommend alternative treatments for people like us with chronic conditions. From the research I've done, alternative therapy is the way to go for managing these chronic illnesses that aren't necessarily seen as true illness. Those of us who deal with them day in and day out know otherwise.
When asked what I've done to "make yourself better" I can't really pinpoint just one thing. It's been a long road of recovery to get to the point I'm at today. Feeling good with occasional flares. listening to my body, taking time to do nothing when I need to, the right mixture of nutrients, protein, and therapy all play a role in healing the body and getting you to a good functioning state of being. I spent a lot of time researching and trying different methods until I started seeing good results. It's a hard long road but at the end of it the results are better health and an overall better quality of life. I know that at any moment I could crumple to the floor in pain and deal with that for an undetermined amount of time, but for the time being I will enjoy where I am with my health.
Like many people who deal with chronic illness, I belong to several online support groups. It gets hard to read everyone's postings about how terrible they are doing. In more cases than not, it's usually money that stops people from getting the help and treatment they need to feel better and be a contributing member of their community. So the cycle just continues, day in and day out so many people are suffering. My hope is still what it was when I first started this blog, that if I can help even just one person find a path to getting themselves to a better state of health, then I've succeeded in my mission.
I hope the New Year has found you well and that you are finding ways to manage in your day to day life. Whether you suffer from chronic illness or a loved one does, I encourage you to look back through my postings and try new things in an effort to feel better.
My vow to you today is that I will try to do better with my updates - I just get so busy in life that I forget to come post updates. I will make a conscious effort to update at least 1x a month if not more!
Until next time....to your health!
Sunday, September 6, 2015
My thyroid numbers and medicine changes
First, let me start off by saying how great I've been feeling! I think having my thyroid removed is a huge part of why I'm feeling so great! For years I had a suspicion that a good majority of my medical issues were because of a faulty thyroid - even though the blood work always came back "fine" I knew things were not "fine" and now that I have been without my thyroid for a good 2 months I really believe that the be the case.
After my surgery, I started on 150 mg of Synthroid. I had my blood drawn on Aug 8th and it came back with a low TSH of 0.028 - the normal range is 0.0450-4.5000 so my Dr lowered my dose to 137 mg. What I find most interesting though is that my other numbers are significantly higher than they have ever been. Prior to my surgery and going on the medication my numbers were always in the low range of normal.
Before my surgery, my numbers were:
TSH - 0.749 (within the normal range)
T4 or Thyroxine - 5.4
T3 Uptake - 30
Free T4 1.6
My most recent numbers show improvement and I'm sure why I feel so much better:
TSH - 0.028 (according to my Dr, the number being so low means I have high thyroid hormone which could cause heart problems and why she wanted to lower my medication dose)
T4 -9.8 (up significantly since starting thyroid medication)
T3 Uptake - 34
Free T4 - 3.3
You will see an increase in all the hormones which makes me even more certain that the lower numbers were causing much of my fatigue, fibromyalgia pain and overall lack of being healthy in general. I would argue with anyone who says otherwise considering that it's the only thing that has changed in my life and the result is me feeling like a "normal" person most of the time now.
I will go in and have my numbers checked again later this month or early October to see how the medication adjustment has changed the numbers. I was really worried that dropping the dose of my medication would significantly effect me but so far things seem fine.
On another note, I've lost 18 lbs in the last 3 months. I'm on a mission to lose another 40 to get back to where I was before getting sick. With the new found energy I have, I'm able to get myself to the gym a few days a week to lift weights. I'm really pleased with the changes that I'm starting to see overall.
That's it for this update - I just wanted to be sure to update my numbers and share my success thus far since Surgery - it's really just been about 9 weeks since the surgery but so far everything is going really good.
Until next time - to your health!
After my surgery, I started on 150 mg of Synthroid. I had my blood drawn on Aug 8th and it came back with a low TSH of 0.028 - the normal range is 0.0450-4.5000 so my Dr lowered my dose to 137 mg. What I find most interesting though is that my other numbers are significantly higher than they have ever been. Prior to my surgery and going on the medication my numbers were always in the low range of normal.
Before my surgery, my numbers were:
TSH - 0.749 (within the normal range)
T4 or Thyroxine - 5.4
T3 Uptake - 30
Free T4 1.6
My most recent numbers show improvement and I'm sure why I feel so much better:
TSH - 0.028 (according to my Dr, the number being so low means I have high thyroid hormone which could cause heart problems and why she wanted to lower my medication dose)
T4 -9.8 (up significantly since starting thyroid medication)
T3 Uptake - 34
Free T4 - 3.3
You will see an increase in all the hormones which makes me even more certain that the lower numbers were causing much of my fatigue, fibromyalgia pain and overall lack of being healthy in general. I would argue with anyone who says otherwise considering that it's the only thing that has changed in my life and the result is me feeling like a "normal" person most of the time now.
I will go in and have my numbers checked again later this month or early October to see how the medication adjustment has changed the numbers. I was really worried that dropping the dose of my medication would significantly effect me but so far things seem fine.
On another note, I've lost 18 lbs in the last 3 months. I'm on a mission to lose another 40 to get back to where I was before getting sick. With the new found energy I have, I'm able to get myself to the gym a few days a week to lift weights. I'm really pleased with the changes that I'm starting to see overall.
That's it for this update - I just wanted to be sure to update my numbers and share my success thus far since Surgery - it's really just been about 9 weeks since the surgery but so far everything is going really good.
Until next time - to your health!
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
More on Teeth, Thyroid surgery
Hello everyone!
I have some updates for you since my last post (note that I'm really trying to stay on top of this blog! Today is May 3rd.....) Just a small victory in my world of many set backs!
So for starters, I got my new crown placed - that was all great but the dentist informed me that I still need a lot of work in my mouth - 3 crown replacements and one of my molars has a crack and needs a filling. My priority is dealing with the cracked molar so I don't end up losing it too! That appointment has been made although now that I'm looking for the date I don't see it on my calendar so I'll need to call and make sure I really made the appointment. Gotta love the fibro brain!
I saw the surgeon on Thursday last week. He said because one of my many goiters is 6 cm in size, very large for a goiter, the thyroid should come out. He explained that with goiters 4cm and larger they automatically want to take it out due to increased risk of cancer. He said even though my biopsies have been benign, there still is the chance of having cancer cells that either were not captured or will develop. He followed that up with telling me that those cancer cells may never do anything but they prefer to get rid of any potential of having cancer. I agree with that! We discussed what that means for me - basically taking a pill everyday for life, a scar on the base of my neck and possible issues with calcium which would be treated with high doses of calcium. He did discuss with me the possible risk of vocal cord issues or voice box issues to which he said the risk is only about 1% and usually temporary in nature. He said it doesn't mean my voice would be lost but that I would have a hoarse sounding voice for an unknown length of time that generally fixes itself unless there is nerve damage. Hospital stay over night and potentially a drain for a week. He said the drain will help fluids that might want to accumulate due to the large vacancy that will be left from the 6cm goiter.
So I have that surgery scheduled for June 26th. Due to the continued growth of goiters on the thyroid I feel my best option is to remove it to stop the growths. Taking a pill forever is an easy fix and I won't have to deal with the painful biopsies every year anymore.
According to research, there is a link between fibromyalgia and thyroid problems. There are a lot of thyroid diseases so I personally find it hard to make the connection especially if the hormones are within a normal range when tested. I have tried for years to tell my endocrinologist that I think I have hypothyroidism but she insists that my blood work proves otherwise because all my numbers fall within the "normal" range.
(Note that I started writing this on May 3rd, today I am finishing it and it's June 23rd - I guess my quest to stay on top of it kind of failed with end of the school year and summer coming upon us....but hey, at least I came back to it!)
So back to those Normal ranges. Since I wrote the above, I had another blood test to check my numbers - the following information is what I was given.
The blood tests ordered were TSH, Thyroxine (T4), T3 uptake
I have some updates for you since my last post (note that I'm really trying to stay on top of this blog! Today is May 3rd.....) Just a small victory in my world of many set backs!
So for starters, I got my new crown placed - that was all great but the dentist informed me that I still need a lot of work in my mouth - 3 crown replacements and one of my molars has a crack and needs a filling. My priority is dealing with the cracked molar so I don't end up losing it too! That appointment has been made although now that I'm looking for the date I don't see it on my calendar so I'll need to call and make sure I really made the appointment. Gotta love the fibro brain!
I saw the surgeon on Thursday last week. He said because one of my many goiters is 6 cm in size, very large for a goiter, the thyroid should come out. He explained that with goiters 4cm and larger they automatically want to take it out due to increased risk of cancer. He said even though my biopsies have been benign, there still is the chance of having cancer cells that either were not captured or will develop. He followed that up with telling me that those cancer cells may never do anything but they prefer to get rid of any potential of having cancer. I agree with that! We discussed what that means for me - basically taking a pill everyday for life, a scar on the base of my neck and possible issues with calcium which would be treated with high doses of calcium. He did discuss with me the possible risk of vocal cord issues or voice box issues to which he said the risk is only about 1% and usually temporary in nature. He said it doesn't mean my voice would be lost but that I would have a hoarse sounding voice for an unknown length of time that generally fixes itself unless there is nerve damage. Hospital stay over night and potentially a drain for a week. He said the drain will help fluids that might want to accumulate due to the large vacancy that will be left from the 6cm goiter.
So I have that surgery scheduled for June 26th. Due to the continued growth of goiters on the thyroid I feel my best option is to remove it to stop the growths. Taking a pill forever is an easy fix and I won't have to deal with the painful biopsies every year anymore.
According to research, there is a link between fibromyalgia and thyroid problems. There are a lot of thyroid diseases so I personally find it hard to make the connection especially if the hormones are within a normal range when tested. I have tried for years to tell my endocrinologist that I think I have hypothyroidism but she insists that my blood work proves otherwise because all my numbers fall within the "normal" range.
(Note that I started writing this on May 3rd, today I am finishing it and it's June 23rd - I guess my quest to stay on top of it kind of failed with end of the school year and summer coming upon us....but hey, at least I came back to it!)
So back to those Normal ranges. Since I wrote the above, I had another blood test to check my numbers - the following information is what I was given.
The blood tests ordered were TSH, Thyroxine (T4), T3 uptake
- TSH - 0.749 (Normal ranges for this lab - 0.450-4.500) I'm barely above normal
- Thyroxine (T4) - 5.4 (normal ranges 4.5-12.0) This one is low
- T3 uptake - 30 (normal ranges 24-39) This one seems OK
- Free T4 1.6 (normal ranges 1.2-4.9) This one again, just above the normal zone
Does anyone notice something with my numbers? The first thing I thought was that my numbers, while "normal" are very, very much on the lowest end of normal. This could explain and account for a lot of health problems and general issues I deal with daily!
I'm pretty nervous as I approach my surgery. Today the hospital called with details for the day of - I have to arrive at the hospital to check in at 5:30 am and the surgery is scheduled for 7:30 am. I'll be there over night and as long as everything is good they will let me go home the next day.
I just really hope everything goes well and that I don't have any issues with my thyroid levels after all is said and done. I'm hoping the meds they put me on will raise the low numbers - that would mean the Dr will have to prescribe me the "right" dose from the beginning.....praying for that!
I want to go back to the numbers real quick. Each lab has a different "normal" range for those thyroid numbers. So out of curiosity, I went and searched on google for normal thyroid numbers and found that is could vary from 0.3 to 5.0 and anywhere in between as "normal".....my immediate question is "normal for WHO?" Not me, that's for sure! I would be willing to put money down that if my low numbers were raised I would notice a huge difference in how I feel on a regular basis, day to day.........
Enough thyroid talk, school was done June 4th for me, the kids were out a week before that. My daughter took a little over a week to spend with her auntie and grandma (she calls her "bacca" and it really doesn't mean anything, the kids made it up when they were babies) in California. She had pictures done for her birthday and enjoyed being with the family.
Ryan went to a spring football camp with his high school and enjoyed that. He is in strength/conditioning through the summer through his school as well. Come fall he will hopefully be playing a little football! I just run the kids back and forth anymore :)
Taylor turned 16 on June 8th, that same day she got her driver permit and a job as a cashier at Wal-Mart. She is playing volleyball 3 hours a day as well right now getting ready for upcoming team camps she will be participating in for the rest of the summer.
BUSY is an understatement for our little family but it's good this way, keeps us all out of trouble ;)
So as I approach my surgery I want to wish you well and please send me a little extra positive thoughts and visions of healing fast.
Until next time......(I will try to post an update on my surgery as soonas I can!)
Gerri :)
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
January round up.....
To summarize this first month of 2015 I would have to say it's been so, so....
I've been feeling ok but not optimal. I'm having pain in my hips again, which was the original thing that started me on the road to get a diagnosis of FMS. I've also been fighting getting sick, which right now has me home under the weather.
Both my kids have also been fighting health this month. Days out of school due to not feeling well add up for sure and effect them where school is concerned. It's so hard to catch up after being out a day or two.
Hopefully February and beyond will bring better health for the family.
We do have a big trip planned in March that we are all looking forward to. We are going on a cruise and can't wait! This will be the first for my kids (15 and 13) and the first for my husband and I since our honeymoon 20 yrs ago. So as you can see, it's a trip that we are all looking forward to - very much! We will be cruising to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and Cozumel over 7 days. It's going to be great! I just wish I was 30lbs lighter for it!
Speaking of my weight, oh what a terrible time I've had trying to lose it! I honestly believe it's because my thyroid isn't functioning correctly. I do have an appt with my endo this month to check it. Not sure if I've ever mentioned this but I have several large "goiters" consuming my thyroid. Every time I've had it checked the tests come back "normal" which I don't trust one bit. I am going to try to get my Dr to put me on a hypothyroid medication this time to see if it helps any of my "symptoms" that I think are totally related to my thyroid. The symptoms for Hypothyroidism are listed below and the ones I have are highlighted in Yellow:
I've been feeling ok but not optimal. I'm having pain in my hips again, which was the original thing that started me on the road to get a diagnosis of FMS. I've also been fighting getting sick, which right now has me home under the weather.
Both my kids have also been fighting health this month. Days out of school due to not feeling well add up for sure and effect them where school is concerned. It's so hard to catch up after being out a day or two.
Hopefully February and beyond will bring better health for the family.
We do have a big trip planned in March that we are all looking forward to. We are going on a cruise and can't wait! This will be the first for my kids (15 and 13) and the first for my husband and I since our honeymoon 20 yrs ago. So as you can see, it's a trip that we are all looking forward to - very much! We will be cruising to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and Cozumel over 7 days. It's going to be great! I just wish I was 30lbs lighter for it!
Speaking of my weight, oh what a terrible time I've had trying to lose it! I honestly believe it's because my thyroid isn't functioning correctly. I do have an appt with my endo this month to check it. Not sure if I've ever mentioned this but I have several large "goiters" consuming my thyroid. Every time I've had it checked the tests come back "normal" which I don't trust one bit. I am going to try to get my Dr to put me on a hypothyroid medication this time to see if it helps any of my "symptoms" that I think are totally related to my thyroid. The symptoms for Hypothyroidism are listed below and the ones I have are highlighted in Yellow:
- Fatigue
- Increased sensitivity to cold
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Unexplained weight gain
- Puffy face
- Hoarseness
- Muscle weakness
- Elevated blood cholesterol level
- Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
- Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
- Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
- Thinning hair
- Slowed heart rate
- Depression
- Impaired memory
You would think when a patient has 11 out of 16 symptoms the Dr would look at that in addition to the blood work. We'll see! I will definitely update once I see her in Feb.
Of course, a lot of these symptoms also go hand in hand with FMS and CFS - at this point, who knows what's what?!?
What I do know is that I would love to have energy, feel good and lose the weight I've put on. I feel like I do all the "right" things to lose weight but nothing happens. The only thing I don't do is exercise due to my fatigue and lack of energy to get out and do it! I keep telling myself "tomorrow" but tomorrow comes and goes without the exercise. It's a vicious cycle I live in.
So this month has been full of ups and downs in my health and the health of my family. I'm hoping February brings us all many more good than bad days.
Volleyball has started up and we have games almost every weekend. We love watching my daughter play so I look forward to those long days in the gym.
That's all for now, until next time......to your health!
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Seems like nothing has changed but when you look back, everything has changed updates for June, July, August, Sept, Oct, Nov.....
Greetings friends! Has it REALLY been since MAY that I've updated my blog?? UGH I'm terrible I know! So here comes a big update on what's been going on........
June, July and August proved to be busy with the kids and their variety of events. School was out for the summer and that meant daily volleyball practice, camps and games. That in itself keeps me on my toes. We spent nearly everyday at the school for volleyball and a couple times went on trips related to the school volleyball program. My daughter has such amazing dedication to the sport.
In July I tried to start exercising again- I was doing great for the first week, walking 3 miles a day on the treadmill at the gym. I set out to try and be more active, try to drop a few pounds, if nothing else, just walking a bit. After a week of doing this I was in so much pain and I couldn't walk! I ended up at my chiropractor, IN TEARS because of the pain in my hips. My right hip was the worst, with burning pain and literally every time I took a step it felt like it was locked up - it was terrible! I had some acupuncture, some cold laser therapy and an incredibly painful adjustment on the first visit. It felt so much better after that, I could actually walk out on my own with much less pain. After two days of this treatment I was so much better but you better bet I wasn't getting back on that treadmill!! FORGET THAT SHIT! I continued with this course of treatment for 3 days and the pain was finally gone. The Dr said it was my bursis in my hip flaring up from lack of use to sudden over use - whatever, I wasn't doing it again!
August 12th school started up again which also meant I went back to work with the kids going back to school. I love having the same schedule as the kids during the year and the summer off to be with them. Even though the pay working at a school is crappy, it's better than nothing and gives me a schedule to follow, otherwise I would literally not do much of anything day in and day out - that I know! It's hard sometimes to get up and go to work, really hard, but I do it because I know it's what I need, not only for the income I do get but for the schedule to follow.
September was a non-eventful month just getting back into the swing of a normal schedule everyday. I was extra tired trying to get back to waking up early and working all day but that's nothing new really, I don't think I ever really get use to it. Still not exercising - can't take the chance of having a major flare like I did in August - oh god that was awful! We are looking forward to a trip in October for fall break.
October we took a trip over fall break to California. We've been really looking forward to this. We planned to see family. We went and saw my husbands mom for a few days and then went to visit my dad as well as my sister and her family in Palm Springs. It was so great to see everyone and the kids. We all live in different areas so we don't get to see each other but maybe once a year. That's the drawback of living so far away from family. I am in Colorado with my family, my sister is in California with her family, my husbands family is in California (1 brother in Colorado but 8 hrs away) and my dad is in Oklahoma. So as you can see we are all spread out.
We were able to get some family pictures done while we were all together and that was wonderful.
Pretty good looking group if I do say so myself! I'm in the yellow shirt next to my handsome hubby in the blue - my son is in the light yellow shirt and my beautiful daughter is holding her baby cousin.
November to current
Thanksgiving was great, I cooked a nice meal with the help of my daughter. It was just us 4 but we had a feast and enough to feed us for another week to come!! I need to learn to cook a little less on holidays! Now it's that time of year again, the holidays are upon us. For some of us this is a time of great fun, visiting with friends and family and going to party after party......... and for others it's a reminder that we aren't what we use to be.
I use to go shopping, now I shop online for 99% of the gifts I give....I can't physically go to the store and be on my feet for hours on end walking around browsing and picking out that perfect item....I use to attend many parties during the months of November and December...now I simply have to RSVP a NO because I really don't have the energy to smile and be "merry" for several hours at a time...Trust me when I say it's not because I don't want to or that I don't enjoy the company, it's not even close to that.....it's because my body just won't handle it and I'll end up paying for it for days to follow with pain and exhaustion. It's just who I am now and I have to accept this as my reality. As I like to say "It is what it is"...........it's been and has, more than ever, become my life motto.
I know I've been terrible at keeping my entries current and for that I am truly sorry - I really need to figure out how to just get it done......honestly after I am done working each day I am just so exhausted to do much of anything. I'm sure the words "I'm tired" are over used in my home by me and my family is sick of hearing it, but it's true. I'm always tired, exhausted actually. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) has ruined me. I've dealt with the CFS longer than I have the Fibromyalgia (FMS) but the two combined is a doozy as you may know or can just imagine.
I have yet to find anything, natural or otherwise, that gives me any kind of good, long lasting energy or the feeling that I can take on my days without the lingering feeling of pure exhaustion. I did take Adderall XR for many years but it took a toll on me and my goal is to be off all RX medications and only treat my conditions as naturally as possible. It's really turning out to be difficult. I've tried everything I'm aware of that's out there. Maybe I'm missing something or maybe my body is just not "normal" and doesn't respond to traditional things. Vitamin B12 does nothing for me - I've tried regular injections with no luck. My chiropractor couldn't believe that I really had no luck with the weekly injections over a course of 5 weeks. Nope, nada.......abnormal response for most people
If anyone out there knows of something that could be helpful, I'm always willing to try if I haven't already. I really feel desperate at times. Along with the lack of energy comes a little weight gain because of the lack of motion. I could, if life with 2 teens allowed, sit in my recliner day in and day out, only getting up to eat, visit the bathroom and maybe get a drink. It's really sad for a 44 y/o to feel and act like a 94 y/o day in and out. I do my best with the cards I've been dealt.
As for my pain related to FMS....it's always been primarily in my hips, That's where it started and that's where it pops up the most. As I shared from August, I had a terrible flare from exercising and it was in my hips. My lower back and shoulders also have flares. The most common thing I'm dealing with now is numbness and tingling in my right arm and hand. At times the nerve that runs down the arm feels like it's on fire and that is just miserable. Aside from those things I'm doing ok, the exhaustion from CFS seems to be worse now than the FMS but both are ever present, every day.
I still see my chiropractor every week when possible, in reality though it's more like every 2 weeks when I'm feeling well enough. Without those treatments I don't think I would be in very good shape. Adjustments really help so much. More than anything else I've tried, keeping my body "straight" with regular adjustments seems to be the best treatment for ME. I highly recommend you give it a try if you aren't having any relief of your FMS pain. Find a good Chiropractor who is familiar with FMS and can effectively treat you. It's worth it!
I'm looking forward to a 2 week break coming up. December 19th - January 3rd is our "winter break" - we will of course be celebrating Christmas and New Years during that time. I'm most likely going to cook a nice meal for Christmas - probably just a ham, mac and cheese and salad. Nothing too terribly extravagant. My family will go to The Outback Steak House on Christmas Eve - it's a tradition we started a few years ago instead of cooking a big meal at home. I like having someone else do all the work and clean up! Since it's just the 4 of us, it really makes sense.
I hope this update finds you well and coping well. I know some might be having a hard time and I sincerely hope you find relief for yourself. If there is any advice I could give it would be to not give up on finding what helps you! Since FMS effects everyone so differently, you need to find what helps you - I know that what I suggest might not be your thing, I just know it's helped me get as much of my life back as possible and I will continue to search for more until I feel that I've exhausted every avenue.
I am going to leave you with a recent article I found - To your health and until next time!
FMS linked with Coronary Heart Disease
I find the above article interesting. I have heart palpitations pretty regularly but my Dr has never been too concerned about it. I also have family history of heart disease so I suspect as I get older I will start having regular heart check-ups to make sure my heart is not misbehaving.
June, July and August proved to be busy with the kids and their variety of events. School was out for the summer and that meant daily volleyball practice, camps and games. That in itself keeps me on my toes. We spent nearly everyday at the school for volleyball and a couple times went on trips related to the school volleyball program. My daughter has such amazing dedication to the sport.
In July I tried to start exercising again- I was doing great for the first week, walking 3 miles a day on the treadmill at the gym. I set out to try and be more active, try to drop a few pounds, if nothing else, just walking a bit. After a week of doing this I was in so much pain and I couldn't walk! I ended up at my chiropractor, IN TEARS because of the pain in my hips. My right hip was the worst, with burning pain and literally every time I took a step it felt like it was locked up - it was terrible! I had some acupuncture, some cold laser therapy and an incredibly painful adjustment on the first visit. It felt so much better after that, I could actually walk out on my own with much less pain. After two days of this treatment I was so much better but you better bet I wasn't getting back on that treadmill!! FORGET THAT SHIT! I continued with this course of treatment for 3 days and the pain was finally gone. The Dr said it was my bursis in my hip flaring up from lack of use to sudden over use - whatever, I wasn't doing it again!
August 12th school started up again which also meant I went back to work with the kids going back to school. I love having the same schedule as the kids during the year and the summer off to be with them. Even though the pay working at a school is crappy, it's better than nothing and gives me a schedule to follow, otherwise I would literally not do much of anything day in and day out - that I know! It's hard sometimes to get up and go to work, really hard, but I do it because I know it's what I need, not only for the income I do get but for the schedule to follow.
September was a non-eventful month just getting back into the swing of a normal schedule everyday. I was extra tired trying to get back to waking up early and working all day but that's nothing new really, I don't think I ever really get use to it. Still not exercising - can't take the chance of having a major flare like I did in August - oh god that was awful! We are looking forward to a trip in October for fall break.
October we took a trip over fall break to California. We've been really looking forward to this. We planned to see family. We went and saw my husbands mom for a few days and then went to visit my dad as well as my sister and her family in Palm Springs. It was so great to see everyone and the kids. We all live in different areas so we don't get to see each other but maybe once a year. That's the drawback of living so far away from family. I am in Colorado with my family, my sister is in California with her family, my husbands family is in California (1 brother in Colorado but 8 hrs away) and my dad is in Oklahoma. So as you can see we are all spread out.
We were able to get some family pictures done while we were all together and that was wonderful.
Pretty good looking group if I do say so myself! I'm in the yellow shirt next to my handsome hubby in the blue - my son is in the light yellow shirt and my beautiful daughter is holding her baby cousin.
November to current
Thanksgiving was great, I cooked a nice meal with the help of my daughter. It was just us 4 but we had a feast and enough to feed us for another week to come!! I need to learn to cook a little less on holidays! Now it's that time of year again, the holidays are upon us. For some of us this is a time of great fun, visiting with friends and family and going to party after party......... and for others it's a reminder that we aren't what we use to be.
I use to go shopping, now I shop online for 99% of the gifts I give....I can't physically go to the store and be on my feet for hours on end walking around browsing and picking out that perfect item....I use to attend many parties during the months of November and December...now I simply have to RSVP a NO because I really don't have the energy to smile and be "merry" for several hours at a time...Trust me when I say it's not because I don't want to or that I don't enjoy the company, it's not even close to that.....it's because my body just won't handle it and I'll end up paying for it for days to follow with pain and exhaustion. It's just who I am now and I have to accept this as my reality. As I like to say "It is what it is"...........it's been and has, more than ever, become my life motto.
I know I've been terrible at keeping my entries current and for that I am truly sorry - I really need to figure out how to just get it done......honestly after I am done working each day I am just so exhausted to do much of anything. I'm sure the words "I'm tired" are over used in my home by me and my family is sick of hearing it, but it's true. I'm always tired, exhausted actually. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) has ruined me. I've dealt with the CFS longer than I have the Fibromyalgia (FMS) but the two combined is a doozy as you may know or can just imagine.
I have yet to find anything, natural or otherwise, that gives me any kind of good, long lasting energy or the feeling that I can take on my days without the lingering feeling of pure exhaustion. I did take Adderall XR for many years but it took a toll on me and my goal is to be off all RX medications and only treat my conditions as naturally as possible. It's really turning out to be difficult. I've tried everything I'm aware of that's out there. Maybe I'm missing something or maybe my body is just not "normal" and doesn't respond to traditional things. Vitamin B12 does nothing for me - I've tried regular injections with no luck. My chiropractor couldn't believe that I really had no luck with the weekly injections over a course of 5 weeks. Nope, nada.......abnormal response for most people
If anyone out there knows of something that could be helpful, I'm always willing to try if I haven't already. I really feel desperate at times. Along with the lack of energy comes a little weight gain because of the lack of motion. I could, if life with 2 teens allowed, sit in my recliner day in and day out, only getting up to eat, visit the bathroom and maybe get a drink. It's really sad for a 44 y/o to feel and act like a 94 y/o day in and out. I do my best with the cards I've been dealt.
As for my pain related to FMS....it's always been primarily in my hips, That's where it started and that's where it pops up the most. As I shared from August, I had a terrible flare from exercising and it was in my hips. My lower back and shoulders also have flares. The most common thing I'm dealing with now is numbness and tingling in my right arm and hand. At times the nerve that runs down the arm feels like it's on fire and that is just miserable. Aside from those things I'm doing ok, the exhaustion from CFS seems to be worse now than the FMS but both are ever present, every day.
I still see my chiropractor every week when possible, in reality though it's more like every 2 weeks when I'm feeling well enough. Without those treatments I don't think I would be in very good shape. Adjustments really help so much. More than anything else I've tried, keeping my body "straight" with regular adjustments seems to be the best treatment for ME. I highly recommend you give it a try if you aren't having any relief of your FMS pain. Find a good Chiropractor who is familiar with FMS and can effectively treat you. It's worth it!
I'm looking forward to a 2 week break coming up. December 19th - January 3rd is our "winter break" - we will of course be celebrating Christmas and New Years during that time. I'm most likely going to cook a nice meal for Christmas - probably just a ham, mac and cheese and salad. Nothing too terribly extravagant. My family will go to The Outback Steak House on Christmas Eve - it's a tradition we started a few years ago instead of cooking a big meal at home. I like having someone else do all the work and clean up! Since it's just the 4 of us, it really makes sense.
I hope this update finds you well and coping well. I know some might be having a hard time and I sincerely hope you find relief for yourself. If there is any advice I could give it would be to not give up on finding what helps you! Since FMS effects everyone so differently, you need to find what helps you - I know that what I suggest might not be your thing, I just know it's helped me get as much of my life back as possible and I will continue to search for more until I feel that I've exhausted every avenue.
I am going to leave you with a recent article I found - To your health and until next time!
FMS linked with Coronary Heart Disease
I find the above article interesting. I have heart palpitations pretty regularly but my Dr has never been too concerned about it. I also have family history of heart disease so I suspect as I get older I will start having regular heart check-ups to make sure my heart is not misbehaving.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Let's visit this FMS and Herpes connection again shall we?
So if you recall in my last post I included an article I had found that shows a potential link between FMS and HSV. If you need to refresh yourself on that article, you can do so by clicking HERE - then let's dig a little deeper into this connection and see what we find.
Naturally, I've been doing some research of my own and think that this article has a lot to it and that this . I have EBV (Epstein Barr Virus) which is also known as human Herpesvirus 4. EBV is also linked to Chronic Fatigue - hmmmm interesting, I have that too. EBV can also cause infectious mononucleosis - another interesting thing, I was diagnosed with Mono when I was 16 - seeing the dots connect yet? Mono and EBV, the two seem to go hand in hand. Funny thing though, once you have it, you NEVER ever get rid of it. It lurks and can cause havoc on your body at any given time. Sound familiar? Boy it sure does to me!
So we know there is a link between EBV, HSV, CFS and Mono.....where does FMS come into play? I wonder if because of all the other things, FMS and the pain we experience is just another part of the Herpes virus boring away at our nerve ganglia which in turn causes our unexplained pain all over our bodies....something to consider as a real possibility.
See what happens when I have too much time on my hands? I start posting to my blog and researching things which leads me in all kinds of directions!
On a side note, please, please look at this product I've talked about PowerStrips - it works and the results are incredible! I've been enjoying pain free living since finding it and hope to help others who suffer from pain with this simple system.
Until next time - to your health!!!
Gerri
Naturally, I've been doing some research of my own and think that this article has a lot to it and that this . I have EBV (Epstein Barr Virus) which is also known as human Herpesvirus 4. EBV is also linked to Chronic Fatigue - hmmmm interesting, I have that too. EBV can also cause infectious mononucleosis - another interesting thing, I was diagnosed with Mono when I was 16 - seeing the dots connect yet? Mono and EBV, the two seem to go hand in hand. Funny thing though, once you have it, you NEVER ever get rid of it. It lurks and can cause havoc on your body at any given time. Sound familiar? Boy it sure does to me!
So we know there is a link between EBV, HSV, CFS and Mono.....where does FMS come into play? I wonder if because of all the other things, FMS and the pain we experience is just another part of the Herpes virus boring away at our nerve ganglia which in turn causes our unexplained pain all over our bodies....something to consider as a real possibility.
See what happens when I have too much time on my hands? I start posting to my blog and researching things which leads me in all kinds of directions!
On a side note, please, please look at this product I've talked about PowerStrips - it works and the results are incredible! I've been enjoying pain free living since finding it and hope to help others who suffer from pain with this simple system.
Until next time - to your health!!!
Gerri
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Interesting study on FMS and HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus)
My entire purpose of starting this blog is to keep my own research someplace that I can refer back to and reflect on. Another reason was to hopefully touch the lives of others who may find themselves in a similar situation as I did about 4 yrs ago - sick with no answers! It's not a fun place to be and actually a very desperate place to find yourself.
Over the course of time as I started to feel better and become more active in my own life I slowly stopped posting things to my blog - this was not intentional, just an oversight as life gets busy.
My goal right now is to keep up on this blog, continuing to add beneficial information that I have found online myself or that was sent to me. I hope to be a source of information to those out there who seek it and to keep those who wish to be kept up to date on how I'm doing with my own struggles.
Today I read an article that I found quite interesting. As anyone who suffers from FMS, CFS, and other chronic issues we don't really have any answers but all these studies being done touch on the POSSIBLE - they still have a long way to go to be proven or to even have a remedy that will work. It's a sad place to be, looking in on these things with the hope that someday in our lifetime they will find something to help us - until then, we carry on, trying new things until we find something that works well enough.
You can read the article HERE
Until next time - to your health!
Gerri
Over the course of time as I started to feel better and become more active in my own life I slowly stopped posting things to my blog - this was not intentional, just an oversight as life gets busy.
My goal right now is to keep up on this blog, continuing to add beneficial information that I have found online myself or that was sent to me. I hope to be a source of information to those out there who seek it and to keep those who wish to be kept up to date on how I'm doing with my own struggles.
Today I read an article that I found quite interesting. As anyone who suffers from FMS, CFS, and other chronic issues we don't really have any answers but all these studies being done touch on the POSSIBLE - they still have a long way to go to be proven or to even have a remedy that will work. It's a sad place to be, looking in on these things with the hope that someday in our lifetime they will find something to help us - until then, we carry on, trying new things until we find something that works well enough.
You can read the article HERE
Until next time - to your health!
Gerri
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Wow, time sure does fly!
Hello!
I'm still here! I can't believe it's been a few months since I last posted. With the holidays things got crazy and they just haven't slowed down yet. I hope everyone had an incredible Christmas and New Year Celebration!
I'm doing just fine these days. Of course with Fibro, everyday is different and we have "those days" but all in all I am doing great. I really can't complain about the minor set backs because they seem to be few and far between anymore. My chronic fatigue seems to be bothering me more than anything else but I think I've grown accustomed to it and just deal with it. I'm always tired, I always have been as long as I can remember so it's just something I have learned to deal with. On the rare occasion that I don't feel like I haven't slept I feel like what I imagine everyone feels like after a good nights rest. On average I get somewhere between 8-9 hrs of sleep but feel like I have only had 2-3.
I'm still seeing my chiropractor pretty regularly, usually once a week sometimes once every 2 weeks. It's the one thing that keeps me going and I really believe it's the regular adjustments that are keeping my Fibro under control. Now if we could just figure out this Chronic Fatigue I might just feel normal again! Heck, I don't even know what "normal" is.
Speaking of Chronic Fatigue, here is a great article about it - What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? For anyone reading this, it should shed some light on the disorder for you. For those of you who might have it - I think you'll agree with what the article says.
When it comes to symptoms, I tend to have them all most of the time. Below are a set of common symptoms, I've highlighted the ones I have almost constantly:
Symptoms include sore throat, flu like symptoms, problems with balance, sleep problems, dizziness, sweating, muscle and joint pain, un-refreshing sleep, cognitive difficulties, physical and mental exhaustion, tender lymph nodes and headaches. With time the condition gets severe and you could become depressed or have mood swings. I often get dizziness and headaches as well but the ones I highlighted are pretty much a constant in my daily life.
That's about all I have for today - one of my goals this year is to post a little more than I have been and keep you all constantly informed about Fibro and CFS. It took me a really long time to get answers and if you or someone who knows someone who could benefit from it then I've done what I originally set out to do.
I hope this finds you well, happy and enjoying life as much as possible.
Gerri
I'm still here! I can't believe it's been a few months since I last posted. With the holidays things got crazy and they just haven't slowed down yet. I hope everyone had an incredible Christmas and New Year Celebration!
I'm doing just fine these days. Of course with Fibro, everyday is different and we have "those days" but all in all I am doing great. I really can't complain about the minor set backs because they seem to be few and far between anymore. My chronic fatigue seems to be bothering me more than anything else but I think I've grown accustomed to it and just deal with it. I'm always tired, I always have been as long as I can remember so it's just something I have learned to deal with. On the rare occasion that I don't feel like I haven't slept I feel like what I imagine everyone feels like after a good nights rest. On average I get somewhere between 8-9 hrs of sleep but feel like I have only had 2-3.
I'm still seeing my chiropractor pretty regularly, usually once a week sometimes once every 2 weeks. It's the one thing that keeps me going and I really believe it's the regular adjustments that are keeping my Fibro under control. Now if we could just figure out this Chronic Fatigue I might just feel normal again! Heck, I don't even know what "normal" is.
Speaking of Chronic Fatigue, here is a great article about it - What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? For anyone reading this, it should shed some light on the disorder for you. For those of you who might have it - I think you'll agree with what the article says.
When it comes to symptoms, I tend to have them all most of the time. Below are a set of common symptoms, I've highlighted the ones I have almost constantly:
Symptoms include sore throat, flu like symptoms, problems with balance, sleep problems, dizziness, sweating, muscle and joint pain, un-refreshing sleep, cognitive difficulties, physical and mental exhaustion, tender lymph nodes and headaches. With time the condition gets severe and you could become depressed or have mood swings. I often get dizziness and headaches as well but the ones I highlighted are pretty much a constant in my daily life.
That's about all I have for today - one of my goals this year is to post a little more than I have been and keep you all constantly informed about Fibro and CFS. It took me a really long time to get answers and if you or someone who knows someone who could benefit from it then I've done what I originally set out to do.
I hope this finds you well, happy and enjoying life as much as possible.
Gerri
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
I'm still here!! So much going on, so much happening and the best part of it all..........
I'm feeling GREAT!!
I have a new position at the school I work at that has me very busy - I'm in the literacy department and just love it!
Outside of that, I'm still maintaining my weekly chiropractic appointments to maintain myself and to keep my body in optimal health. I firmly believe that with the weekly adjustments my body has put my FMS down and has helped me stay feeling good. I still get minor aches and pains in the same areas (hips and shoulders) but nothing even close to what I use to experience. When I feel overly tired, I go to bed. I've learned through all of this that listening to my body is the most important thing I can do. And when I feel tired, I make sure to handle it instead of ignoring it.
Over the past 3 months I did a weight loss challenge with 3 of my friends using a program called Body By Vi (Vi is short for Visalus). It's a 90 day challenge and it's simply, amazing. Since getting sick back in 2010 I have gained 55+lbs - I finally got sick of the weight, sick of putting on my clothes that were too tight and finally just had it when I had to purchase a size that I swore I would never be in again (after losing weight in the past) Depression was setting in again and I knew I had to take a stand before things got worse.
The 90 day challenge consists of replacing 2 meals a day with a healthy protein shake meal replacement. It's packed with vitamins, has less than a gram sugar and tastes like cake mix - NO JOKE! A lot of people say "once you start eating again you are going to gain the weight back" to which I have to laugh. Don't think I'm not eating - in fact, I'm eating quite well. I have a shake for breakfast, and every two hours another small meal consisting of a protein and vegetable - I eat all day to the point that I'm stuffed when it's time to eat again! It's not a "fad diet" - it's a way of life - re-training yourself to keep your body fueled so it burns fat while maintaining lean muscle mass. It takes a little getting use to but now, it's just the way I do things - I eat small meals every 2 hours. Think portions too - portion control is where it's at. Once you get use to measuring out your portions you get pretty good at knowing how much you can have at any given time. I think a huge part of America's problem with Obesity is the fact that our portions are double and triple what they should be all the time - that means we are taking in double and triple the calories we should be on a daily basis - which in turn is going to be weight gain. It's pretty simple really.
Exercise is suggested but not something you have to do too strenuously or even at all if you don't want to. As we all know, exercise is another thing that those of us with FMS need to do so it should be incorporated anyway.
So after 3 months I am down 26 lbs and over 27 inches!! I feel great, am wearing my clothes much better and am actually going to be entering to win the team challenge on a national level!! Between myself and my team mates we have lost over 200lbs combined! It's inspiring really.
Currently I'm doing another challenge to drop the rest of the weight I gained. It's really just a way of life, eating clean and making smart choices. Through all the struggles over the past few years, my weight shouldn't be a reason I'm feeling sick. I've slowly come around full circle and can honestly say that I'm feeling like myself again - feeling healthy, happy and full of life again! I never thought I would be able to say that! I really thought my life would be full of pain and suffering and never again be the same. It's been 3 yrs and while the road has been a tough one, it's taught me so much about myself and others.
I hope my journey so far has made an impact on others and I hope my continued journey will as well - I am living proof that you can go from literally wanting to die to enjoying life again! Please, if you have anyone in your life who is like me, share my blog with them, encourage them to follow me, encourage them to NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE IN and do what it takes to find the right mixture that will help them get back into the game of life! Remember back when I first started this journey to find my health? I was a research freak - researching and researching until I was blue in the face - but it was all worth it - I have found what works for me, what makes me feel good and what keeps me going - you too can find it if you haven't yet - just keep on looking! I promise it's out there!
To your health and until next time!
I have a new position at the school I work at that has me very busy - I'm in the literacy department and just love it!
Outside of that, I'm still maintaining my weekly chiropractic appointments to maintain myself and to keep my body in optimal health. I firmly believe that with the weekly adjustments my body has put my FMS down and has helped me stay feeling good. I still get minor aches and pains in the same areas (hips and shoulders) but nothing even close to what I use to experience. When I feel overly tired, I go to bed. I've learned through all of this that listening to my body is the most important thing I can do. And when I feel tired, I make sure to handle it instead of ignoring it.
Over the past 3 months I did a weight loss challenge with 3 of my friends using a program called Body By Vi (Vi is short for Visalus). It's a 90 day challenge and it's simply, amazing. Since getting sick back in 2010 I have gained 55+lbs - I finally got sick of the weight, sick of putting on my clothes that were too tight and finally just had it when I had to purchase a size that I swore I would never be in again (after losing weight in the past) Depression was setting in again and I knew I had to take a stand before things got worse.
The 90 day challenge consists of replacing 2 meals a day with a healthy protein shake meal replacement. It's packed with vitamins, has less than a gram sugar and tastes like cake mix - NO JOKE! A lot of people say "once you start eating again you are going to gain the weight back" to which I have to laugh. Don't think I'm not eating - in fact, I'm eating quite well. I have a shake for breakfast, and every two hours another small meal consisting of a protein and vegetable - I eat all day to the point that I'm stuffed when it's time to eat again! It's not a "fad diet" - it's a way of life - re-training yourself to keep your body fueled so it burns fat while maintaining lean muscle mass. It takes a little getting use to but now, it's just the way I do things - I eat small meals every 2 hours. Think portions too - portion control is where it's at. Once you get use to measuring out your portions you get pretty good at knowing how much you can have at any given time. I think a huge part of America's problem with Obesity is the fact that our portions are double and triple what they should be all the time - that means we are taking in double and triple the calories we should be on a daily basis - which in turn is going to be weight gain. It's pretty simple really.
Exercise is suggested but not something you have to do too strenuously or even at all if you don't want to. As we all know, exercise is another thing that those of us with FMS need to do so it should be incorporated anyway.
So after 3 months I am down 26 lbs and over 27 inches!! I feel great, am wearing my clothes much better and am actually going to be entering to win the team challenge on a national level!! Between myself and my team mates we have lost over 200lbs combined! It's inspiring really.
Currently I'm doing another challenge to drop the rest of the weight I gained. It's really just a way of life, eating clean and making smart choices. Through all the struggles over the past few years, my weight shouldn't be a reason I'm feeling sick. I've slowly come around full circle and can honestly say that I'm feeling like myself again - feeling healthy, happy and full of life again! I never thought I would be able to say that! I really thought my life would be full of pain and suffering and never again be the same. It's been 3 yrs and while the road has been a tough one, it's taught me so much about myself and others.
I hope my journey so far has made an impact on others and I hope my continued journey will as well - I am living proof that you can go from literally wanting to die to enjoying life again! Please, if you have anyone in your life who is like me, share my blog with them, encourage them to follow me, encourage them to NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE IN and do what it takes to find the right mixture that will help them get back into the game of life! Remember back when I first started this journey to find my health? I was a research freak - researching and researching until I was blue in the face - but it was all worth it - I have found what works for me, what makes me feel good and what keeps me going - you too can find it if you haven't yet - just keep on looking! I promise it's out there!
To your health and until next time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)