What triggers you?: Since I've no... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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What triggers you?

gemarella profile image
16 Replies

Since I've no prescription painkillers to ease a flair up, I have been considering lifestyle changes that could help. This week, I am going to try a gluten-free diet as recommended by a website I was reading earlier today. I've tried many things over the years, but I still haven't found what triggers my pain. What triggers your pain? What remedies are myths and what actually helps?

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gemarella profile image
gemarella
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16 Replies
Ginsing profile image
Ginsing

Morning Gem

I find that triggers are personel but certain movement set me going, sometimes it has a mind of its own and you learn to recognise when it is on the way. Your temperament strangly can make a huge difference. Your diet a contributary factor. I am sure others will have more ways xgins

Extremelygrumpy profile image
Extremelygrumpy

Stress sets off my fibro and ibs.... Lifting anything remotely heavy sets off my chostochondritis . Cold damp weather is deffinately a factor. Have had ibs flare up for 6 weeks now , have been wheat, gluten, lactose and all artificial sweetner free for 2 weeks now... I must say it isn't actually making a difference .. But I actually like lactose free milk better than ordinary milk... The rest is bearable but quite bland ... But not so bad more products available than I thought but the bread is so so expensive.

kilts profile image
kilts

Hi there

Stress is the worse for me and also cold damp weather, lifting heavy stuff , not getting enough rest or sleep makes me worse or an illness, cold flu, stress is a hard one to controll at least I can not lift stuff and wrap up warm, I even wear furry gloves in bed lol but stress I can't control so I find that one the worse, it creeps up on u. Take care Michelle

Rihana2003 profile image
Rihana2003

I am trying to stay off sugar. I may try the gluten free! I also have just got some magnesium/calcium tablets. I was on medication for fbromyalgia but took myself off everything 2 months ago. If I get tired I sleep. If my brain becomes muddled I sit and meditate. Not been a good week health wide for me so may try gluten free. Thanks

Hi, my fibro is triggered by emotional or physical stress. I've come to realise that's the only thing that triggers a flare up although once I have symptoms they can be made much worse by too much or the wrong exercise, diet, sleep patterns, etc. etc...... I've also found that having my own opinion and understanding confirmed relieves mild symptoms while feeling misunderstood greatly increases them - stress again. The only thing I can say is surround yourself with things you believe in and people who believe in you. I hope things ease for you. Suexx

dgbnlm profile image
dgbnlm

hi there trying to do too much or defenatly stress my mind gets so muddled could cry ,social situations sress and bring on a trigger flare up,got to write things down ,medication was working then my body must have used to it then they upped the dose got a bit better now back to feeling so tiries,sore ,swollen and my eyes hurt like mad x

Hi lack of sleep, doing more than I should do in other words

Not pacing myself hard if you work, some foods like artificial

Sweetener, this one sounds strange potatoes I can eat them

But not a lot, weather, wind, rain, and heat, so not much left

Getting cold.

But for me the worse is a build up of lack of sleep. I don't have a

Lot of stress in my life at this time, so can't put I down to that for

Me, but I think it would be a big factor we all worry about things

And whats the point it does not make the problem better does

It

DEstiletto profile image
DEstiletto

I can only say what the others have said...lack of sleep or poor quality sleep is one factor. Not pacing myself is another. My pain is low until I start to do the chores! I'm better in warm dry weather...when the low pressure starts to take over...even before it rains...my symptoms become worse again...the chronic fatigue aswell as the pain! I dont sleep well in low pressure weather and if my brain is active late at night, I cant get to sleep for hours and the quality is poor.

LeonieJ profile image
LeonieJ

Getting overtired and not enough sleep,stress, and not eating regular healthy meals the worst is not getting enough good quality sleep, it can soon spiral out of control and before you know it ends up in a full blown attack..not good when you are having to get up early on cold dark mornings to go to work feeling ill,tired, and hardly able to move.You really have to take care of yourself,I have finally started to use a magic word and that is NO..

cobweb profile image
cobweb

I agree that stress makes things so much worse. Trouble is that chronic pain makes me stressed so it's a never ending circle. Poor sleep, yes, but for me, also oversleeping! If I sleep late i wake with a dreadful headache & eye pain & nothing helps! Pushing myself in any way, including trying to think too much. Once the flare starts it can last for weeks. I may get one or two reasonable days but then it's off again.

goldwing profile image
goldwing

I have been gluten free for a while and also have gone dairy free, it has helped the IBS, bloating, feeling sick, but I think I still ache and hurt the same and I am certainly lighter in my purse because some of the free from items are expensive. It may be different for other people, if your anything like me you'll try anything to have a painless hour.

I find lack of sleep makes my pain really bad. Also the weather, especially damp and cold. I too find stress to play a big factor too, and there has been quite a lot over the past year (daughters marriage breakdown). But stress in itself prevents me sleeping, even though I am not a good sleeper anyway. Tossing and turning all night long with painful joints etc.

The triggers affect my Fibro -

Stress - emotional and physical

Feeling cold/Winter

Being too hot

Noise

Bright Lights

Speed in a car

Lack of sleep

Migraine

Headaches

Bread - too much makes my Fibro much worse, it isn't an allergy as I am fine with any other flour product.

Not pacing myself

Overdoing it

Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners

Artificial flavourings and preservatives, E numbers (we don't have any additives at all in my house)

Speed in cars when I'm a passenger, I used to love speed but now it terrifies me as my perspective with Fibro has gone haywire. This can trigger my symptoms.

To name but a few! :P

jimjams profile image
jimjams

Weird but;

Ditto to LibertyZ's post... To a 't'

jimjams

swindeb profile image
swindeb

I don't know yet, I don't feel as if i've had a reprieve for years, lol

gemarella profile image
gemarella

Thank you all for the replies. The gluten-free diet lasted a day. God, how hard is it to find gluten-free foods? Being a vegetarian and a fuss pot, I'd have starved in a week. I'll definitely try again when I'm more clued up.

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