Self help

[Ruth63]

Hi all I'm newly diagnosed and looking for some hints and tips for best ways to help myself, as I'm hoping to avoid taking more and more tablets. Xx

[Dinkie]

Hi Ruth and welcome to the club none of us wants to be in. You have come to the right place as there are lots of lovely folk on here only too willing to share experiences, listen to a rant, offer a shoulder to cry on and generally share the odd joke or two (the last one is usually my dear friend Mags and myself partaking in some jokey banter). Anyway as you know fibro is different for all of us and what works for me may not work for someone else and vice versa. I personally do not take prescription drugs as there are too many side effects for me. I rely on supplements, a no processed food or refined sugar diet, tens machine, hot wheat bags, chiropractor, hypnotherapist and gentle exercise good old epsom salt baths help with the cramps and muscle aches. The art of learning to pace myself is still work in progress. Learning to say no when by saying yes you are going to suffer is another one worth considering. That's not to say that once in a while it's well worth saying yes and suffering the consequences later as the "yes" experience is something you desperately want to do! I still manage to work although I have had to have my hours reduced after a "reasonable adjustments meeting" but it has enabled me to remain in employment. Good luck with the search for what works for you.

[Ruth63 in reply to Dinkie]

Thank you for your reply, I look forward to the banter, I thinkI may give the tens machine a go as heard it a few times now x

[rosewine]

Just like to say welcome. I do take medication but found that my symptoms are helped by eating a healthy diet, cutting out artificial sweeteners, taking gentle exercise and doing stretches morning and night. I have also found that acupuncture by a Chinese medicine/acupuncturist has helped he also gave me brilliant lifestyle and diet pointers. Tens machines also help many and the application of heat or cold to the most painful areas caccording to what suits you. Epsom salt baths are good.x

[Ruth63 in reply to rosewine]

Thank you for your reply have never thought if acupuncture before x

[Hidden]

Hi i manage mine mostly by sleep/rest with decent bedwear ie real heavy duty cotton sheets/cases and if i feel tired take myself off as wake up at some stupid time can be awake for hours then go back to sleep or get up then have to go back to bed as brains switched off! or gte days when just can't get up just keep waking/nodding off most of day then body says ok im ready!

Don't take any med unless can't avoid them as most don't do anything just you think they do but cause other issues one being making you pork up as messes with metabolism!

[Ruth63 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply, I find the says when I'm just too tired to get up are the worst, I feel like I'm missing out on life a bit which makes me feel down, and of course I have friends saying I need to push myself more, but I just physically can't do it x

[Hidden in reply to Ruth63]

I was going to a gym session weekly at first was ok then after a few weeks started to struggle more and more like i had years back and had to leave cycling alone back then

Need to find what you can do ok plus the body varies

[jimborck]

Hi Ruth63, everybody is different, and it effects us all in different ways, myself i found knowing my limits and pacing myself to be most beneficial, hope you find whats best for you