Long term suffer of fibromyalgia

[Lizzyrooroo]

New to this forum and since change of job due to pandemic wowee I’m having a real bad flare up, oh it takes me back to the early days where no one knew what it was? And the pain! 😭 found taking my vitamins and minerals and exercise help but in the short term just a wait till pain passes! 🤦‍♀️ How does anyone else help themselves with pain flares?

[LeighBlyth]

hi Lizzyrooroo,

Sorry to hear your pain is really bad. I know how it feels.

My body was a wreck. Tense, restricted, twisted and crumpled. Old injuries stayed with me rather than healing - the stored trauma on my body increasing over the years. I could never let anything go

. I was in a deep depression for over 17 years but all that has changed as I learned to heal myself. It's been a long process but little by little I've released the pain and now I feel better than I ever have before.

The thing that has made all the difference to me is focusing on how I use my body, learning to use the right muscles - the 5 main muscles of movement, and slowly working towards regaining my natural range of movement, balancing and aligning my body, improving my posture and releasing the physical restrictions that caused body-wide pain and tensions. It's been a long process by I truly believe this method could help so many that are in pain.

Firstly by working with my Base-Line muscles. The key to connecting body and mind.

Pelvic floor "Base" and rectus abdominis "Line", the body's core pillar of strength from where all movement should originate.

I've written a bit about my story here and there's an image of the 5 main muscles of movement.

healthunlocked.com/painconc....

Have a read of my other posts too including:

healthunlocked.com/fibromya....

Find the 5 main muscles of movement on your body (go-oogle images is a good start.)

You don't need to know the details, you just need to be aware of these muscles and think about how you use them, how they feel and how you move.

pelvic floor

rectus abdominis

gluteus maximus

rectus femoris

trapezius

Midline anatomy for feeling the body's state of alignment and balance:

linea alba.

nuchal and supraspinous ligaments.

I'm more than happy to answer questions, it can be a lot of information to take in at once but if you can start "breathing with your Base-Line muscles" everything else will come from there.

Pelvic floor the base foundation of the body.

The rectus abdominis muscles activating and lengthening section by section from pelvis to chest.

Stronger and longer with every in-breath.

[Lizzyrooroo in reply to LeighBlyth]

Hello and thank you for the reply yes it is a lot to take in however there’s a lot of good positive information to work with there! I’m all about self help and how we can slowly put ourselves back together given the know how. I guess after living with fibromyalgia I know I will have good bad and the ugly days however with all the positive and pro active approaches I have taken I have had so many postive and good days with pain always been no more than a 5/6 yet when you get a flare gee wiz you understand what it takes to get you back to where you was comfortable... I will certainly look at those techniques aswell..: hope all is well with you

[LeighBlyth in reply to Lizzyrooroo]

It amazes me how much pain and trauma people can carry around, and get used to. After a really bad spell it's almost a relief to get back to the "normal" level of pain

It does feel like I've slowly put myself back together. Learning to use my body correctly - having a better posture - by learning to connect with my 5 main muscles of movement.

It's not been an easy ride - I've relived all my symptoms (40 odd years worth) as I've released the pain which is why I know all my pain (both physical and mental) were because of the "myalgia of imbalance" and the physical restrictions - stored trauma - on my body.

It's hard to know how to present the anatomy in an easy to understand way - but it all starts from finding your Base-Line muscles. Feeling the potential your "core pillar of strength" and awakening our innate sense of positioning, movement and balance - conscious proprioception.

To help you become more aware of your state of alignment these are 3 easy to find anatomical markers closely associated with the rectus abdominis muscles:

- the pubic symphysis (midline bony bit between the legs)

- the navel (belly button)

- the xiphoid process (the bottom of the breast bone where the ribs meet midline at the front)

Imagine these 3 points forming a straight line as you breathe in through your nostrils. Longer and stronger with every in breath.

See how it feels.

Can you feel the tensions and restrictions on your body?

[Lizzyrooroo in reply to LeighBlyth]

Looking back at where all the pain started it was a mix bag of life and trauma, and I can’t imagine or tell anyone how much the pain can deep root itself, once the flares starts it’s like woah hang on to your seats, at the moment I can barely lift my arm to a right angle, I’m like oooo wow how on earth am I back to this? And it comes from nowhere?

I haven’t tried any of these exercises but read yoga poses and read a little on anatomy and other useful bits alongside this information. Once my shoulder is good and pain to a minimum will try. Hope it comes in hand with getting more flexibility. Hope all is well with you.

[LeighBlyth in reply to Lizzyrooroo]

My "in" was through Pilates. I went to a few classes. I spent a lot of time just lying on my back and working on my breathing - I couldn't do a lot of the exercises, even lifting a leg off the floor didn't happen without a lot of adjusting and using my arms to help. It was nearly 3 years before I could comfortably do exercises lying on my side.

I did watch a lot of videos, getting ideas for movement.

Yoga was way out of reach but now it feels natural, working from Base-Line and feeling my anatomy of alignment. Moving with a sense of balance and freedom that I've never experienced before.

Have you looked into trigger points?

This is an old website but a good source to play with:

triggerpoints.net

You can select bits of the body to see specific muscles and where each trigger point causes pain.

Hotwater bottles and spiky massage balls (great in the bath!) have helped me release tensions in my upper body.

[Lizzyrooroo in reply to LeighBlyth]

Pilates never even thought about that thought that be far too advanced for me, and I only looked at yoga because in the past on good days I have been able to do the very basic of basic yoga poses and it does help me, plus I have a few videos in yoga as a lot of people said it can ring a sense of calm.

Certainly look into Pilates though, and I give the website a look into. Woah you must of been in so much pain that’s bad isn’t it? Just goes to show though by not giving up and keep on trying it has helped. That’s what I hope everyday just try try and try again everyone has their own paths to walk.

Thanks again for all the tips and info have a good day!

[Lindyloo53]

Hi lizzyrooroo, I too have fibro. I also find stress will create a flare in me. In these uncertain times stress levels are high and I have gone into a similar flare as I had prior to diagnosis when the pain saw me bedridden for six weeks then hospitalised for three after that which is where I was diagnosed.

It’s much easier this time being able to identify that’s what this is.

I find hot baths and showers useful and hot water bottles places on the most affected areas and you will understand these need to be moved around as the pain moves around.

Resting when in a flare is not laziness!

Pre prepared meals help which I only have to microwave.

Doing just a little walk helps me as my mind takes in the gardens around me.

Distraction such as movies or a good book helps me as wellit takes my mind away from the pain while I am engaged in it.

All the best for finding out what works for you.

[Lizzyrooroo in reply to Lindyloo53]

My hot water bottle and my shower of late have been my best friend, the pain is like whattttttt!!!!! I felt like I had time travelled back to the days where I wasn’t even diagnosed! But yeah certainly sitting and relaxing as best I can doing things to take my mind off work a little.

It’s frustratingly tiresome knowing it will be there forever and it will never go away. But in times of stress, flares it’s remembering that it won’t always be like this. Maybe this lockdown period will bring new meanings and make us remember we all need to look after ourselves and others and enjoy the time off given to us. Hope your doing well yourself.

[Lindyloo53 in reply to Lizzyrooroo]

My experience of fibro (was diagnosed as above in hospital some 11 or 12 years ango now). Is that I do have times of more manageable pain 8n fact necauseit is there everyday I hardly notice those times that I am in pain. It is when it flares I am reminded viciously that fibro is real. There is not much I can do to avoid a flare and when stress levels rise I set about buying frozen meals in. I do pace myself much better these days as I have cfs as well anddont want to crash and burn as these crashes can take a long time to bounce back from.

[Lizzyrooroo in reply to Lindyloo53]

It’s just taking one day at a time and pacing ourselves, not to push to hard but not to do nothing and let life pass us by. I do take lots of vitamins and try to drink water and generally just keep fit but it’s hard. I guess we all just have to fine ways to live our best life we can live. And try to learn not to let life stress us out