A Pain in the Neck!!!

Take a look around. How many people do you see rubbing their necks? Most everyone we meet has pain or tension in their neck. Fibromyalgia pain is different for everyone, but I am willing to bet we all have neck pain, strain or tension. I experience severe neck and arm pain. The arm pain stems from my neck and goes all the way to my hands. On a bad day my biceps and forearms scream out in agony. Just lifting a phone to my ear or typing causes a rippling pain. On my worst days, the only relief I find is laying on my back with my neck supported, arms rested flat at my side, hands opened (not in a fist) with my palms facing the ceiling. Needless to say, not much is accomplished on these days.

Fighting extreme days will only make the pain worse. Instead I began a quest to find ways to keep my neck and arm pain from escalating. What I am about to share is not a CURE, but a way to find some relief on your better days. I hope as I keep following these tips, my good days will be better.


What are these tips? They are so simple, that at first I laughed at them. Then I began to try them, and yes, they helped!! Without spending extra money or falling for gimmicks, I was able to find some relief from changing a few physical habits.

1. Driving.
OK, we were all taught to drive with our hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel. I will not argue that this may be the safest placement to be in control of your vehicle, but it is a true pain in the neck! I had never been a 10 and 2 kinda gal, that is until it was time to be a role model to my son who was learning to drive. Four years later, I am still driving with my hands in that position. In my research, I read that if I placed my hands at 8 and 4, I would feel how much strain 10 and 2 were putting on my neck and arms. So as I was driving the other day, with my hands at 10 and 2, I caught myself rubbing my neck at a stop light. I thought back to what I had read. So I tried it. WOW!!! Just by placing my hands at 8 and 4, my neck AND arm pain decreased immediately!!! The only problem was, because of how this particular steering wheel was designed, my hands were not comfortable and I didn't feel I had enough control over the vehicle. So I began to experiment some more. With this steering wheel's design, I found that 9 and 3 gave me the control I needed and the same relief of pain. The next time you catch yourself rubbing your neck at a stop light, change the placement of your hands! Also, lower or raise your steering wheel to help you find your best number! Experiment as I did and see what gives you control and pain relief. One more tip for driving, use your arm rests if you have them!!

2. Talking on the phone.
We do it all day. Cell phones have made it possible to talk 24/7! It's no longer just at work, or a few phone calls from home. Stop and think about how much of your day is spent with your arm raised and bent or your neck cocked to the side to hold the phone without your arms. Not talking, is not an option for me, and I needed to find ways to do it on my extreme days. Later I began to apply them to my normal usage. Once again, I was able to do an ordinary task that didn't increase my pain. When possible, use the speakerphone. Just not in public please!!!! By doing this, I can lay my phone down and not use anything but my mouth. :-o Other solutions are using a Bluetooth or other hands free devices. There are many affordable options. With any of these options, your arms, hands and neck remain relaxed. That is unless you talk with your hands even when no one can see you! LOL!

3. Typing.
On an extreme day, even by following these tips, typing is too painful. But they have made bad days bearable and good days better. Whether using a laptop or desk top computer, by keeping my upper arms at my side, elbows by my waist and forearms supported by a chair's arm rests or by pillows on my couch or bed, and my wrists flat, I am able to spend more time typing than before without added pain. I also keep my neck supported with the back of a chair or pillow. Only the movement of my fingers play into any strain.

4. Relaxing on a lounge chair, sofa etc..
This is something I discovered one night, while lounging on my patio. My whole body was hurting, and as I was trying to find comfort by laying in a reclined position my arms were still throbbing with pain. I examined the placement of each body part. To my surprise, what I thought should have been comforting for my arms, ended up being the source of stress. ARM RESTS!!! The moment I removed my arms from the arm rests and laid them at my side, my arm pain level dropped, and I had instant relief!!! After waiting awhile, I placed them back on the rests and immediately the pain returned to its original state of throbbing. When you are not having to use your arms, keep them at your side and relaxed, hands open flat or with a slight curve of your fingers and wrists facing up or down (which ever you find most comfortable at the moment).

I am learning that how we sit, stand, walk and yes, even lay down can play a large role in the level of our pain. I also see that we are creatures of habit and it is not easy to break or change them. My hands keep creeping up to 10 and 2, but I am catching myself and making the times I do drive a bit more pleasurable.


Notice that I have stated that all of these tips "did not increase my pain", not cured! Do not let anyone fool you into believing there is a cure for Fibromyalgia. These tips only allowed me to do a few tasks without increasing the pain, they did not change the severity of my Fibro. And that is my goal, to find ways to add some normalcy to my very abnormal life.
Give them a try! Tell me what helped you.

Send me your ideas, I am open and willing to try as many natural and free ways to help ease my pain or to just keep it from escalating. While my family and I are praising God my husband found a new job quickly, I am also asking God for a miracle. I will be without health insurance until the first of November. This means I will be without Lyrica. Even with our new insurance it will still have a ridiculous price tag. I would rather experiment and find something affordable and share my results with you. Bad part is, Lyrica does help, A LOT! On bad days I complain that Lyrica does not help enough, yet it is when I am without it, I realize just how much it does. Not just for my Fibro, but also with my nerve pain. As I am weening myself off of Lyrica with the last of this months prescription, I can already feel the difference the full dosage made. Better to ween off of it than to go from a full dose to nothing all at once. I am praying for a miracle, that Pfizer. the makers of Lyrica, lower their prices, or that I find a different, affordable and effective solution.
What works best for you? Reply in a post to share with all or email me privately.

May your day be as painless as possible!

-Mrs. C.

As always, it is my prayer that you are informed and/or entertained by my posts. Invite your friends to stop by! In the works is a web site that I pray will be a source of information and support to all those in chronic pain.
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Fibromyalgia: Who has it, what is it, and how do I find relief?

Do I look sick to you? Of course not. You can not see my pain, you have no clue that it may take up to three days for me to recover from an hours outing.

I was first diagnosed with Fibro (for short), in 2003. What seemed like something out of the blue, I later learned that I had had it midly since childhood. Looking back I can see how it progressed. Early on it was being extremely fatigued, feeling like I was getting the flu. This would happen every 3-6 months. Then when I moved to Denver, where the weather was anything but stable, it began to happen more often, always with the onset of a storm. Once back in Arizona, it continued to happen more frequently, as my body was under stress with my pregnancy (my beauty is pictured above). I was extremely fatigued, hurt all over, sever pain in my joints.... When I could no longer change my daughter's diapers or hold her without pain, I turned to my Dr. for an answer. After tests to rule out all the diseases that Fibro mimics, I was diagnosed with severe Fibro. After years of having no success in finding relief for my pain, Lyrica finally came on the market. There is no generic for Lyrica, and it is very costly without insurance. This combined with other prescribed medication, my good days were better, and my bad, well nothing helps the bad days....

Clouds and rain are heavenly, unless you suffer from Fibro. They bring on headaches, muscle and joint pain, and will make you feel as though you have been ran over by a semi 100 times! Another way to describe the pain to someone who does not have Fibro is: think about the last time you had the flu, remember how achy your body felt, now multiply it by 1000!! Yes, OUCH! Other factors that bring on bad days are physical stress, emotional stress, weather, and noise.

Prior to the surgeries that have left me disabled, I was able to find relief from my Fibro pain by doing water aerobics. I miss it terribly, and pray that I may someday have the strength to do that again. But for now just floating in a pool, relaxes my muscles. I am expecting calls from my friends with pools!! LOL! Seriously, iced coffee on the deck, noodles to float with, and I am good for several hours of chatting without causing extra pain. In fact, along with the physical comfort of the pool, spending time with friends, laughing and smiling also brings comfort.

I would like to warn those who do have Fibro (which is mostly women, but there are some men who have it too), to be aware and be persistent, when you are having abdominal pain or symptoms of IBS. I had to fight for many years to be taken seriously about the pain I had after my hysterectomy and when adhesions were twisting and adhering my bowels to other internal organs. Many doctors do not believe Fibro exists, (so you would think they would take you seriously), they and other uninformed doctors will just right off your pain as a symptom of Fibro. Do not allow your physician to bully you into thinking that it is only Fibro pain, or a bladder disease, or IBS. If you have to, find another doctor, as I had to do. Insist that every possible avenue be explored before writing off new pain, even if it includes surgery. Not one of my tests including MRI's showed what was wrong with me. It was only during surgery that the problems were found. I have been the talk of many recovery rooms! I know my body.

For those who do not have Fibro, please do not judge a person for what med's they need to take to live comfortably. For those who have Fibro, do not be ashamed or embarrassed to ask your physician for med's that will bring you comfort.

As mentioned above, one of my medications is Lyrica. A negative side effect IS weight gain, but if you find relief, what's a few extra pounds!?!? Another that I had almost full relief from is Elavil. Weight gain was also a side effect. Unfortunately, I ended up being highly allergic to it. Elavil was the only medication that helped, I never knew I could feel so good. I pray I can find that type of relief again someday. Do I wish I could manage my Fibro pain without medication? You betcha! But my case is so severe, it is not possible. I also have permanent and severe nerve and muscle damage from two surgeries. I never thought I would wish that Fibro was the only condition I was suffering with. I am not saying that Fibro is a walk in the park, it is actually so painful that when pared up with anything else it is devastating. Life with Fibro is hard enough, I do not wish this pain upon anybody.

Support from family is essential! Without support from my husband and children, I would lose my mind. My husband takes care of all housekeeping duties and cooking, my son spent many of his middle and high school years helping to care for his sister while she was younger. He helped with changing diapers and giving baths. I was diagnosed when my daughter was 1 1/2. She has never known mommy to feel well. Yet because all this has slowed me down, she has my full attention! Because of my caring family, I am able to homeshcool our daughter, she loves curling up in bed to read. I am also able to spend time on Facebook, where I have met others who share my pain. Having people to pray for and with is very important for me. Facebook has helped me meet others who I have other things in common with, whether it be other homeschool moms or political interests, some family and friends that do not live near, FB connects me to the world.

I am so ever thankful that while Fibro is debilitating, it is not terminal. I have learned through the years to embrace my bad days and praise God for being alive. I used to hate the rain, now I can appreciate it and enjoy the gifts that rain brings. I no longer feel guilty, for having to cancel an outing or have to spend the day curled up in bed. It is life..... a painful life.... my life.... is it yours?

I have listed a few websites that explain the symptoms, tests, and treatments. They can help someone understand what Fibro is, explain the pain that a loved one is in, and help those who are in pain to find ways to cope. While no cure or cause has been found, there is help.

What is Fibromyalgia? MedicineNet.com

List of Medications used to treat Fibromyalgia WebMD

Support and information: National Fibromyalgia Association

May God bless everyone who struggles with pain associated with Fibromalgia, may you find comfort and peace. Life with Fibro is hard, but is possible.

Do you or someone you know suffer from Fibromyalgia? Have any comfort or relief tips to share? I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to share the link to my blog with others, by posting a link on FB, MySpace, or on your own blog or website.

-Mrs. C

If you were informed or entertained by my blog, please pray about supporting this site by making a donation using PayPal. If led to help, there is a donation button on the left side of my page. No amount is too small and all is greatly appreciated. I am unable to work outside the home, my "job" is sharing my story, and to inform and possibly help others.

The battle continues...

I can not believe it has been three weeks since I made my last entry. I have a notebook of topics I have wanted to write about. I feel as though time has been slipping through my fingers. Each week a new battle. I have had more thrown at me in the past few weeks than I ever thought imaginable. The day that I learned my disabilities were permanent, my husband also rec'd bad news. He was abnormally quiet as I shared my prognosis. I just figured he had prepared himself for the worst or that he was just letting me vent my anger and sadness. The next blow came as my knee surgeon refused to treat me when he realized that my injury was a result of the nerve damage. Even though my knee is worse and nothing he has done has helped, his prognosis and advice was "sorry nothing I can do for you, and stay away from doctors"!!! I am so sick of Dr.'s being afraid to treat me out of fear of having to testify in a lawsuit. They have nothing to worry about. I have yet to find a lawyer who will take on my case. They all agree I have a clear cut case of malpractice, but no one, including the AZ Med. Board are able to find a Dr. who will testify against my surgeons. As if this was not maddening enough, a week and a half later he mentioned his company was having a BBQ, so I asked if families were invited. Then he revealed why...... it was a sorry we have to lay you all off party... :(. This is the 2nd job he has lost in the past 3 months due to the economy. He is a truck driver, and the company he has worked for has lost many contracts due to companies losing business. Last time , praise God, he was only unemployed for 2 hours. They found another job for him, unfortunately the pay was much less than what we had been living on. Tomorrow we find out if he has a new job. The pay is still less than what we had been living on a year ago, my medical bills lie in a pile. According to Social Security I do not qualify for Disability because of how long I have been out of the work force.

I am unable to work. I am bedridden most of the time. I tire very easy from the toll that the pain takes on my body. If and it is still an if, he is hired tomorrow, we will be without health insurance for at least three months. That is three more months of agonizing pain in my knee until I can find a new surgeon. That is three months that we can not afford to pay for my meds. According to my pharmacy, Lyrica, which I take for both Fibromyalgia and my nerve damage, will cost me $680 a month. My other meds will bring my total monthly cost to $1000. I am putting this in God's hands and praying for a miracle. Because we are not at what is considered a poverty level income, I do not qualify for any assistance program for Lyrica. I am watching this months prescription bottle dwindle down, fearing what will happen when I run out. With my meds my pain level is a 7-10 daily. The pain is constant, never gets better, only gets worse with activity, like walking, standing and sitting. I can not imagine what the pain will be without my medication.

I am not one to ask for help. It is humbling to be in this position. I do not want anyone to think that I am expecting your help, but I am asking for you to pray for me. Please pray that God provides what I need to get the medication I need to make it through each day. In a earlier post I listed items I need to help with my quality of life. Those are not as important to me today as making sure I can pay for my meds. If you are led to help financially, I have added a PayPal button on the left side of this page. No amount is too small. All is greatly appreciated. In the meantime I will keep you updated on my condition, my husbands job, and it is my goal to educate men and women about their patient rights, and take you step by step as I fight for disability and justice. If I can spare just one person the pain that I live in, all will be worth the pain I will endure by taking the time to post information. I will share my joys and sorrows. I will also whip out my notebook and get my other, some quiet humorous, thoughts posted.

It is my faith in Jesus Christ and my sense of humor that gets me through each day.

Buckle up, we are in for a bumpy ride...

You may notice some of my past posts are missing. There is a reason for this.

After a lot of thought and prayer my husband and I have decided that we are filing a complaint with the AZ Med Board and will attempt to retain a lawyer for the permanent damages caused by a surgeon last August. Now that we know that I am disabled for life, we need to do this. So to make things a bit easier on myself, I have removed all comments about the surgeries and surgeons. I do not want my blog to be used against me if we go to court.

There is a chance the AMB will throw this complaint out, but a chance I need to take. If anything I pray that when the surgeon finds that he caused so much damage he will be more careful with future patients. As for the law suit, this took much prayer and talk with my husband. I know alone I could not face this emotional battlefield that we are heading into, but with God and my husbands promise to hold me tight when I cry, I am ready. I have medical needs that we can not afford, so we are taking the plunge. No matter what the outcome, in finding a lawyer who is brave enough to take this Dr. on, or what a trial will bring, I do know that God will provide. Somehow, someway, God will make sure we have what we need.

God has blessed us with a friend who his lending us one of his cars for the summer.

Please join us in prayer as we ask God to guide us to a permanent transportation solution.

Our van is beyond repair, and with what it would cost to repair what is fixable,

we could purchase a "new' used vehicle.

I am also in need of many items to help with my quality of life.

Those items include (but are not everything) a wheelchair with rising leg support, a walker with a seat and back rest and basket underneath, a bath chair, a king size foam mattress, and the funds to hire a housekeeper.

For those new to my blog or didn't see the last post update, that I have removed:

While performing a common procedure, my surgeon severed nerves that can not be fixed.

For the rest of my life I will be fighting pain.

I am very limited in my physical activity.

Everything I do causes great pain.

Walking, standing and sitting straight up causes uncontrollable pain.

I do walk, but it is not without consequences.

I spend most of my day in bed or in my lounge chair where I can elevate my feet and take pressure off the source of pain by remaining in a reclined position.

My bed and couch have become my "office".

There is more, but do not feel I should be posting it at this time.

Please pray for me, everyday is a struggle.

It is my faith and trust in Jesus Christ that get me through each day,

and sometimes each hour.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue praying for me. The pain never ends and life must go on. I will be vaguely updating the situation on my blog.

Have no fear!!!! I have many other subjects to write about!!!

God bless,

Mrs. C.