Nearly two weeks ago, I did a Facebook Live with Tami Stackelhouse on how to maintain a social life with fibromyalgia. 

Topics include:
- Learning to ask for help
- How to not feel guilty
- Setting realistic expectations

Check it out, you might learn something! 

​***Reprinted from my article on ProHealth.com published July 30, 2018.***


     A couple of weeks ago, I attended a fibromyalgia coaching retreat with the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute. The leader of the retreat, Tami Stackelhouse, surprised us with a visit to Enso Floats in Portland, Oregon, where we could experience what it was like to receive flotation therapy. Ongoing studies of floating report physical and psychological benefits including: pain management, mindfulness, stress relief, anti-gravity effect, magnesium absorption, decreased issues with insomnia/sleeplessness, heightened senses, increased immune functions, and help with mental health disorders.

      According to the Fibromyalgia Flotation Project, data was collected to determine how beneficial the effects of flotation are on fibromyalgia symptoms. Below are the symptoms listed with the average amount of relief that the participants of the study reported:

66% reduction in pain level
72% reduction in being bothered by pain
66% reduction in muscle tension
66% reduction in stress levels and
66% reduction in anxiety levels.
The project then reported on certain symptoms that were improved by floating including:

42% increase in freedom of movement
58% increase in energy level
64% increase in feeling of well being
163% increase in relaxation level
19% increase in amount of sleep and
83% increase in sleep quality.

As someone who has heard of these benefits, I was super excited to try this potential alternative treatment to help address some of the symptoms. However, I wasn’t sure whether I would be willing to spend the money on it.

     Although I’m not one who likes surprises, I was thrilled with this surprise. Being given the opportunity to do this was a gift. It’s important to note though that cost is relative. According to one of my fellow coaches, though, floating would save her money, as a 90 minute float session is less than a 90 minute massage.

     When you walk into Enso Floats, you enter into an open room with minimalist decorations and the smell of patchouli. Also, a sweet dog greets you warmly along with the employees. Calming teas and water are available to drink before or after your floating session. (Note:  Please be aware that the description of this floating center is most likely different from others around the country or the world.)

     Before starting my session, my fellow coaches and I were given a tour of the facility, which includes five large rooms with two circular eight foot tanks and three six by eight cabins. One of the latter cabins was an open tank helpful to those that might deal with claustrophobia. Each room had a shower with shampoo, conditioner, and soap available for use. Prior to entering the tank, we were required to shower with soap and wet our hair to wash out any products we might have and encouraged to shower after our floating session to clean our bodies of residual salt. We were given the option to leave the lights on, have complete darkness (sensory deprivation), or set lights that looked like the constellations. I chose the latter and loved it.
Below is a picture of one of the circular tanks.











​
     After showering, I was eager to enter my tank. The room smelled slightly of sulfur due to the amount of Epsom salts in each tank (1,000 pounds in each tank!), but it wasn’t overwhelming or unpleasant. Having been to Israel before, I asked the employee whether the amount of salt in this water was similar to that of the Dead Sea. His response was that it was five times as buoyant. Whoa! I remember going into the Dead Sea and having trouble keeping my feet on the bottom, so I was super curious as to how this would work, especially since the tank was only filled with 18 inches of water.

     I placed the provided ear plugs in my ears (to keep the water from getting into my ears), stepped into the tank, picked up the head “pillow” (a foam contraption used to support your head and neck), and sat down in the water. It felt slightly slimy, but not uncomfortable, so I laid back, put my head on the pillow, let go of my inhibitions and began to float. One might think it difficult to float in only 18 inches of water but that was not the case. As you can see from the picture above, the water supports you and the only thing you need to do is find the position that’s most comfortable for you. I felt most comfortable with my legs separated a bit and out straight as well as my arms out, turning my body into a “T.”

     Any movement you make causes you to move, so there were several instances where I would gently bump the edge of the tank but it was not bothersome at all. Once I was comfortable in my position, I would alternate between closing my eyes and opening them to enjoy the “stars” above. For 20 minutes, I was in pure heaven.

     But then I began to itch. I would move a leg to “scratch” the other or use my hand to gently scratch my face or arms. It took me only a couple of minutes to understand why I was itching. It was not an issue of cleanliness. I had forgotten that I do not do well with topical magnesium treatments. I had tried magnesium in lotion and oil form previously, and it caused my legs to turn red and itch tremendously. This is what was happening here. But, I refused to let it get to me and I turned to focusing on my breath and silently reciting some meditations and mantras to get the focus off the itching. It didn’t quite work, but I did stay in the tank the entire time. Thankfully, my legs did not turn red and not long after I showered the itching did go away.

     Our warning signal that our session was over was a couple of minutes of quiet music and then the lights came on in the room. I got out of the tank, showered, dressed, and met my fellow coaches in the waiting room. I was one of the last to come out. Most of us expressed that we were glad to have the opportunity to try this out. Here are some anonymous quotes of how my fellow coaches felt during/after the float:

     “I have claustrophobia so I was concerned, but I left the doors open in the tank and I was fine. I found it to be a relaxing area. I can’t normally lie on my back but thought I’d try it with the neck/head support they provided. It felt very uncomfortable so I sat up and continued the rest of the session sitting in the tank. It did help with my lower back/leg/knee pain. However, it did result in a mini flare in my shoulder and neck area.”

     “I found it way more helpful than massage. The 90 minute float session was like getting the most amazing night’s sleep. I walked out of there feeling like I got a ‘regular’ person’s night’s sleep.”

     “It reduced my body pain significantly. I had terrible pain the day going into it and was pain free for the next two days and drastic reduction after. My mind was chattery so would not do it again for relaxation purpose but would try it again for pain reduction.”

I’m not sharing these to discourage anyone from trying out the floating tanks; in fact, just the opposite. I highly recommend that anyone with fibromyalgia or other chronic illnesses try it out as there is strong research stating that the use of flotation tanks provides significant benefits (ones listed in the first paragraph), including the results of this article. Everyone with fibromyalgia (and other chronic [pain] disorders) requires a combination of different medications, supplements, and treatments. Flotation is one that has strong research to prove that it helps many. If you have any more questions about my experience, flotation therapy in general, or anything that you might need support with regarding your fibromyalgia, you can contact me here. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

     About a week ago, I noticed some lower back pain and slight pain around the back of my rib cage. I initially attributed it to a fibro flare due to the fluctuations in weather that Pittsburgh has had lately. I treated myself with ice packs and pain meds but nothing seemed to work. In fact, the pain increased and spread. I started noticing sciatica down my left leg and increasing pain in my ribs both front and back. 

     This happened to me two years ago (as I was reminded by my chiropractor at my appointment yesterday) but I let the pain get really bad before I checked in with my PCP. I just figured it was a really bad fibro flare and that I would rest, ice, and take ibuprofen (no other pain meds at that point) and it would go away, but it didn’t. I went to see my PCP who noticed the inflammation in my back to the point where my back was warm to the touch. She tried trigger point injections but they barely touched the pain. I was referred for an MRI scan to see if there was anything wrong and the scan showed nothing. Someone suggested seeing a chiropractor so I asked my PCP for a recommendation and made an appointment.

     I got to this appointment apprehensive and slightly scared as I’d never been to a chiropractor before and “adjustments” sounded scary and painful to me. I filled out a complete health history and the doctor checked me out. She found that (be prepared to cringe) that the reason for my pain and inflammation was due to the fact that every single one of my ribs were out of place and I had something called costochondritis. Symptoms of costochondritis include:

- Inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breast bone
- Sharp, aching or pressure like pain
- Causes difficulty in taking big breaths as it worsens the pain

Currently, costochondritis has no specific cause. It just causes intense pain. 

     I am sitting here with an ice pack strapped to my back. During yesterday’s appointment, the chiropractor noticed that some of my ribs were out of place (AGAIN) and my hips were misaligned. She made some adjustments and nearly instantly most of the pain has disappeared. When I went two years ago, it took several appointments plus a script from my PCP for a prescription painkiller to help me function “normally” again. Surprisingly, about an hour after I returned home from my adjustment, the pain returned in full force. I have a follow up appointment on Monday. I’ll let you know how it goes. 

     Unfortunately, costochondritis is a common co-morbid diagnosis with fibromyalgia. What this means is that it is not uncommon to have costochondritis alongside your fibromyalgia. There are different types as well. There is chronic costochondritis which means it comes back with some sense of regularity and there is a one time type as well. Also, the level of pain that you experience can be different. I’ve had times with my chronic costochondritis that the pain was manageable and an appointment to the chiropractor was not needed. 

      But, the point here is that when we have fibromyalgia, we often just automatically blame new pain on the fibro. However, the pain isn’t always related to fibromyalgia. So, if you notice pain in a new area, I highly recommend going to see your doctor to see if there might be something else going on. Also, I recommend going as soon as you notice the pain -- waiting like I did two years ago was NOT the best choice.

     If you have questions about costochondritis or other fibro related questions, feel free to reach out. I’m always available to chat and eager to help. The best way to reach out to me here or you could email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you, speaking with you, and helping you out with those pesky fibro (or other comorbidities)! =) 

     “No one really knows precisely what causes the debilitating fatigue and muscle pain of fibromyalgia. But some people who have the disorder say they know what can make it worse: changes in the weather.

     Cold, damp days and drops in barometric pressure are widely associated with flare-ups in symptoms of the condition, which affects mostly women. In one study by the National Fibromyalgia Association, people with the condition ranked weather changes as one of the leading aggravating influences on pain and stiffness.”

     The above quote was taken from an article written in the New York Times, in 2013. You can find the article here. 

     I don’t know about you, but when I talk with my friends and colleagues with fibromyalgia, that is one of the major things we agree on: how we can tell the weather before the weather happens (which I hear people with arthritis report the same thing). So, you would think that because our bodies start to ache and our fatigue and fog increases that there is a connection. However, as of now, there is no research that confirms this theory! There have been articles about temperature sensitivity and body temperature dysregulation, yet nothing on the connection between barometric pressure and fibromyalgia flares. In a report in the journal Arthritis Care and Research, Dutch researchers followed over 300 women with fibromyalgia and concluded that while “weather variables had ‘significant but small’ effects on pain and fatigue...for the most part, they concluded, there was “more evidence against than in support of a uniform influence of weather on daily pain and fatigue.”

     Doctors that treat fibromyalgia encourage us to listen to our bodies when it comes to the three major “pieces” of fibromyalgia: pain, fatigue, and fog. However, while listening to our bodies with regard to changes in barometric pressure, we are told that there is no likely connection. So, why is it then that we can often accurately tell when there will be changes in the barometric pressure??

     We may not have the answer yet but we can do things in advance to prepare for these changes. Often times, the local weather channel will alert you to changes in weather. While your body may be alerting you as well, here are some suggested precautions to help make the transition that you know your body will feel regardless of what scientific research says:

1. Dress in Layers: Prepare for those chilly days by dressing in multiple layers. This will keep your body warm and allow you to shed excess clothing should you get warm.
2. Avoid Cold Temperatures: Try to keep your air conditioning off in your house during the summer if it gets too chilly, and keep your heat up during the winter months. If you have to go outside in the cold, dress appropriately. By doing this, it will keep your extremities warm and hopefully prevent aches and pains.
3. Bring the Sunshine Inside: If you are finding that you are particularly fatigued or depressed (particularly in the winter months where there is often less sunshine, try to increase the amount of light you have inside of your house. During the gray winter months, it is easy to become depressed and tired, which can make your symptoms worse. Purchase some halogen bulbs or a special light box to help improve your mood.

     If you’ve done all you can to prepare for significant weather changes and your body is still screaming, consider a hot bath or heating pad, or if the heat bothers you, an ice pack. Allow yourself time to rest, be kind to your body, and allow yourself to feel. If you fight the symptoms, there is a good chance they will just increase in intensity.

     Do you need some help to figure out temperature regulation or other tips to help your fibromyalgia body during especially difficult weather transitions? I have an arsenal of ideas. I’d be happy to help you. Please feel free to drop me a line here or schedule your free consultation here. I’m happy to help assist you with any questions you have about living a life with fibromyalgia or other chronic pain disorders - and I’m happy to help you with other concerns, not just the weather! I look forward to hearing from you soon! =) 
 

     Seven and a half years ago, a perfect little boy named Tripp Halstead was born. Two years later, in a freak accident on a windy day, a massive tree branch snapped and fell on Tripp’s head crushing his skull and causing much of his brain to die. Soon after that horrible incident, Tripp’s mother Stacy began a page in Tripp’s honor, posting nearly daily for five and half years about the mountains and valleys of now having a child with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). On March 15, 2018, sweet Tripp’s little soul left his body for loftier places. He had been sick all winter and according to his mother, his little heart just gave out. While living with a TBI can be rather unexpected regarding illnesses, quality of life etc., Tripp’s passing was a surprise to most.

     Why am I sharing this? 

     Well, I followed Tripp’s page almost from the beginning. I waited for Stacy’s post on her beautiful little boy and rejoiced in his successes and cried during his struggles. I became emotionally invested in a family that I never met. After many tears and thought processes, I realized how much Tripp taught ME about living life with a chronic illness/disorder.

Resilience

     While Tripp was in the hospital after the accident, the doctors told his parents that he was most likely not going to survive this trauma, and that they should say goodbye. Can you even imagine what that’s like? Not only did Tripp prove the doctors wrong; but, he made improvements that were unlikely to happen due to so much trauma to the brain.

     As people living with fibromyalgia, we display our abilities to be resilient on a daily basis. We push through our pain, our fog, and many other symptoms under the fibromyalgia umbrella. We put on a smile for others while often struggling with crippling pain. We choose to remain positive as despite the difficulties of living with a chronic pain disorder, we know things can be much worse. We learn strategies to address the most difficult manifestations of our disorder.

Strength

     Tripp endured ridiculous levels of pain due to his skull literally being crushed causing severe trauma to his brain. Even with copious amounts of pain medicine,  his brain (the part that was still alive) was misfiring and swollen causing the rest of his body to swell, also causing pain. But something in the part of Tripp’s brain that was still working pushed his body to fight what was supposed to be inevitable. He spent so many months in the hospital and was a shell of the toddler he was before; but, nonetheless came home and in the five years after the accident, and made small but incremental improvements. 

     Strength is something we need to focus on and fight for daily. Living with the symptoms that we do, not only do we rely on physical strength to get things done, we rely on the mental strength to push us to use our physical strength. Being in pain, being foggy, having the inability to focus are all common symptoms of fibromyalgia. As part of our strength, we need to figure out (on a daily basis) where we want to focus our strength. We also need to reserve our strength for those days where our symptoms are at their worst. This is where we use (or save) our spoons. For those of you not familiar with the Spoon Theory, you can read about it here.

Persistence

     Tripp was a fighter. Despite the many obstacles he faced, he persevered. He learned ways to communicate again, he learned to smile, he learned to move his body, he learned to protest. All of these are things we take for granted but Tripp had to relearn everything. Chances are that if he lived a longer life that his life would never go back to what it was before the accident but improvement is improvement. Despite the pain, the many surgeries, all the therapies, etc., Tripp persisted. He showed improvements. He showed that somewhere, the “old” Tripp was still in there. 

     Persistence is something that we, as fibro warriors, need for us to continue. An initial diagnosis can be upsetting, frustrating, angering but once you move past the mourning period, you come to realize that life is different but it doesn’t mean that life will be bad. Persistence is how we get up in the morning. It’s how we go to work, or care for a family. The last thing we want to do is give up as allowing your body to “succumb,” for lack of a better word, to our illness. Will we struggle? Yes. Will it be hard? Yes. But there are strategies, activities, medications and supplements that can help us fight this illness and work on living a happy and full life.

     For the most part, Tripp was a happy little boy who just happened to have a traumatic brain injury. His life would have been drastically different had the branch not fallen on his head but something in Tripp kept him fighting for as long as he could. As we live with chronic pain and other chronic disorders, we need to keep in mind, and in perspective that things could truly be much worse. 

     If you are struggling with finding your “happy place,” reach out to me here. I have an arsenal of suggestions that could make life living with a chronic pain disorder much easier. For the most part, I live a life of low pain, reduced fog, and the ability to help others living with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain disorders. Take advice from Tripp (may his memory be a blessing to his family and followers). Obstacles do not have to prevent you from living a happy and full life. 

     I look forward to hearing from you soon! =)

     As many of us fibromites know, food can help with healing, or it can be our kryptonite. Each person with fibromyalgia may have different sensitivities or allergies to a variety of different foods, but may not know it until the proper testing is done. Sometimes though, testing doesn’t NEED to be done as your own body will tell you whether or not it can handle the food you ate.

     Several years ago, I was put on a diet due to the fact that I had something called SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth).  Sounds gross, right? Well, everyone has bacteria in the intestines to help with digestion but because I was eating a significant amount of carbs and processed sugar, “bad” bacteria was growing, causing symptoms similar to and intensifying my fibromyalgia symptoms. After going on a major diet change including:  low carb, high fat, very little dairy, few fruits, selected vegetables, gluten free, you get the idea. For this kosher picky vegetarian, it was HARD! But, after the withdrawal symptoms were over, I began to feel GOOD. My pain decreased, my fog decreased, and most of my fibro symptoms decreased. It felt like a miracle! But, I did this diet for three months, my SIBO went away, and my naturopath (who diagnosed the SIBO) stated that it was gone. Noticing that I was feeling better, I took it upon myself to remain gluten free and processed sugar free and since then, my fibro symptoms are much better managed than they were before my SIBO diagnosis.

     But, why do I bring this long-ish story up? Because even in the non-fibro world, going gluten free and processed sugar free has become a “thing.” It’s become popular and people notice that without eating the processed junk, eating a whole foods (and I don’t mean the store) diet, people had more energy, were able to focus better, and much more. Also, studies have shown that there is a high incidence of SIBO in people with fibromyalgia  They will often go undiagnosed as many Western doctors do not even know what it is. As I stated before, I was diagnosed by my naturopath. 

     Many of the clients that I have seen have either also been on a gluten free, refined sugar free diet, or had a list of food allergies/sensitivities that made going on the above diet make the most sense. As their advisor, I have been able to successfully transition many of my clients to food plans that work well with their health concerns. And after many weeks on said food plan, many reported that they noticed a decrease in their fibro symptoms. So, do you have to change what you eat in order to feel better? Dr. Ginevra Liptan (a doctor who treats fibromyalgia while living with fibromyalgia) made the following statement in an article on WebMd, that discussed fibromyalgia and diet. She noted “There aren't many good studies that have looked at how diet can affect fibromyalgia symptoms. But I think we can gather a lot from anecdotal evidence -- from what patients tell us," says Ginevra Liptan, MD, medical director of the Frida Center for Fibromyalgia in Portland, Ore., and author of Figuring Out Fibromyalgia: Current Science and the Most Effective Treatments.” Basically, trust your gut.

     Are you struggling with digestive issues alongside your fibromyalgia? Well, you’re not alone. IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), SIBO, GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) are all common. Interested in getting some help to address these concerns? Well, over the counter medications like Prilosec can help, but most likely what you’ll need to do is change your diet. This is something that a Fibromyalgia Coach/Advisor can help you with. As I said before, I’ve worked with many clients on these issues and they have been pleased with their results. Why not set up a free consultation and we can talk about what we can do to help your fibromyalgia and digestive concerns. You can contact me here or schedule a consultation directly here. I look forward to hearing you soon! In the meantime, find that food that nourishes your body and your soul. It’s out there, I promise. =)