Survival Tips for FM & ME
Mon, Sep 1, 2008
- Heat: A hot shower or warm bath will help get muscles moving and recover some range of motion. This works well to start your day and also at the end of the day in order to help relax and have a deeper sleep. If you live in a city that has cold winters, dress warmly and always wear gloves, thick socks and a hat in order to prevent heat loss through your extremities. Shivering & shaking to stay warm (the body’s natural response to being cold), will tighten up muscles & stiffen the joints which will make the pain become worse.
- Detoxify: An expensive option, but worth every penny is the IR Sauna (Infra-Red). A half-hour a day will allow the body to naturally rid itself of toxins, which can build up and weaken the immune system. The added benefit is that the heat helps improve range of motion and soothes tired muscles and bones! (try doing some stretching while YOU ARE in the sauna while your muscles are warm) Don’t forget to drink lots of water.
- Keep moving: Keep moving: Gentle activity is the key to keeping the body, mind and spirit in the best shape that you can be in. Yoga, Tai Chi & Qi Gong are some examples of light movement that FOCUS on breathing, circulation & stretching that will help your body and mind relax .It is also a great way to start the day and to interact with others. Choose your instructors carefully. They will help customize a program for you and will be respectful of your limitations. If your limitations don’t allow you to get out of the house for a class, try some meditation, visualization and breathing exercises in order to improve circulation and overall feelings of well-being. Learn to read your body and know when you are having “good” days and “bad” so that you can help minimize your “crash” cycle.
- Pain Management: Always work with your physician for proper pain management. Find a physician who understands these diseases and offers compassion. As part of an integrated pain management program, some of the most beneficial are: massage therapy, myofascial release therapy (finding the right therapist is crucial as some can do more harm then good), acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, chiropractic and naturopathy. Find someone through word of mouth and interview them in order to ensure that they can meet your needs and have a good understanding of these diseases. Try finding someone who will do mobiles and will come to your home if you’re not able to get out.
- Nutrition: Back to basics. Since certain foods increase our body’s inflammatory response which will increase levels of pain, decrease sleep, suppress immune function and can contribute to a large amount of secondary diseases/health issues, it is best avoid them. Since these foods are normally what I call the “comfort food” factor, initially it is difficult to give them up entirely. Work with a dietician or naturopath who understands ME/FM. They will normally start you off on an elimination diet to see what your body reacts to or is sensitive too and then have you gradually reintroduce items to see how you feel after having them. Each person is very different and by keeping a food journal it will help you understand what items you are sensitive to. Some of the foods that might be a problem are: gluten, sugar and processed foods. Be honest, if your favorite food starts making your pain more severe and /or interrupting your sleep, find a healthy alternative. There are some good gluten free alternatives now as well as some organic foods which can be found in the natural foods section of many regular grocery stores now. They can also be found in specialty food stores.
- Communicate: Educate yourself so you can keep the lines of communication open between friends and family members. Give them a web site to go to or a book that helps them understand the disease and allows open dialogue for everyone. Have a verbal or physical signal that allows them to understand when you want to talk about your pain or don’t want to deal with it now. Let everyone know that when you reply “Just fine” when they ask how you are, it doesn’t mean that you have been “cured” it just means that you would rather hear about their day then re-live yours. When you reply “thanks for asking…” it means that you need a friend that day in order to help you share some of the issues you’ve been dealing with.
- Find the right help: It is very important to surround yourself with the proper medical team that understands these very complex issues. Ask friends or family members for a referral to a doctor if you don’t feel that your current doctor is the right doctor for you. Ask questions when a new symptom arises to ensure that nothing else is going on or that you are being misdiagnosed. Join a support group. Try professional counseling that can help you manage the stress, grief and circumstances that go with living with chronic disease. Ask a spouse or a friend to go with you to better help you with support and understand the challenges that you face day-to day.
- Modify: This is probably one of the most difficult challenges that is presented to us. Whether you are a professional in the middle of your career, a soccer mom with active kids or are in school with hopes and dreams for the future, you are now being forced to readjust your previous goals and set new limitations. The biggest challenge arises from learning that each day is different with a different energy level, pain level and cognitive issues. You may need to modify most aspects of your life such as diet, sleep, work and exercise. Respect your new limitations and find your own pace and don’t apologize for it. Surround yourself with supportive people that understand the ‘new” you and want to help you manage this in a positive way. Some people find it very difficult to be supportive. For those that ‘can’t” or “won’t” understand, sometimes distance with that relationship is required. We all process things differently and they might just need some extra time to be there in a positive way for you or perhaps they MIGHT have their own problems right now and can’t be there for you. Stay connected to those that bring you happiness and laughter and learn to laugh at yourself from time to time!
Tags: ME/FM, Survival Tips
October 9th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Do you have a comment section for those with CFS that can share what has worked so well for them?
A year ago, I couldn’t even do part time work, previously was even worse. Now I can keep a full time job (with priorities adjusted!) And I would like to share what has helped me the most.
Thanks,
Charlaine
August 11th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Hi Charlaine, I was diagnosed in February and it feels like my life has come to a complete halt. I am interested in what information you can share with me.
December 14th, 2009 at 11:07 am
This, no matter how light the weight @ 20 reps you are going to start rounding or slacking in some way on your form with the DL…