Thoughts on self-care and self-esteem when living with Fibromyalgia

International Boost Your Self-Esteem Month is held every February. In celebration of self-care and self-esteem, especially because of its importance to people with chronic illness, I have put together a collection of comments about this topic from people living with fibromyalgia. These people, have struggled with the issues of self-acceptance, self-compassion, doubt, and confidence on a daily basis because of a diagnosis. They have realized how important self-care is for just getting through the day when living with chronic pain and other ongoing issues.

The quotes here are all from our wonderful fibro bloggers and you can find out more about them at their blogs by clicking the highlighted links provided.

WHAT IS SELF-ESTEEM? Self-esteem is an evaluation of your own self-worth, essentially the opinion we have of ourselves. Boosting your self-esteem – especially when you have been used to feeling/thinking something for a long time – is a working progress. It takes time, patience, and a lot of kindness to yourself... Sarah at Me, Myself and Chronic Illness Blog.

When your life has been turned upside down by fibromyalgia, and everything you once were able to do is a distant memory, your self-esteem can take a nose-dive. I was here just a few years ago. I had no idea where the old me had gone, and I did not like the new me. Firstly, where was the time for self-care, when I was barely coping with fibro, and raising six children alone. Secondly, with my self-worth at rock-bottom, I wasn't interested in self-care. Here's what I have learned. Self-worth and self-esteem need to be disconnected to what you can get done in a day and connected to the kind, caring, loving person you are, your character. Once you learn to love yourself no matter where you are right now in life, you have a strong motivation for self-care, which makes all the difference to your quality of life with fibromyalgia. - Lynne at The Healing Within Fibromyalgia.

Being forced into an early retirement from a career I never thought would end, with the added bonus of being diagnosed with a condition that would affect my life, tore my world in two and I found myself in one of the darkest periods of my life. James talks about his self-esteem hitting rock bottom and then all the things he did to learn the skills of how to live with a long-term health condition. You can read his story at Fibro Ramblings.

Katie at PainFULLY Living talks about some of the things we go through when coming to grips with fibromyalgia. I realize that I am ashamed of myself when I’m not healthy. I feel like I’m not doing all that I should to be well. I’m not good enough to figure this out. Her article about shame and acceptance talks about choosing to respond to these times with self-acceptance and self-love.

Social stigma is based on ignorance and fear. Self-stigma occurs when you agree with and internalize social stereotypes. Both can lead to social isolation and depression. Remind yourself, you are not your illness, no matter what anyone else may say, think or feel. You have no reason to be blamed or feel ashamed. - Sue at Fibro Daze

I’ve come to value growing as a person as one of my most important accomplishments, instead of getting promotions, keeping up with the Joneses, or any of the other markers we are taught to measure our success by. Without fibro, I would have let external factors determine my self-worth. It’s not that I’m grateful for fibromyalgia, or that I’m glad I have it, but I have found a way to make meaning out of it, and find a silver lining. I’m developing as I go; it’s a work in progress, but a worthwhile one. - Katarina at Skillfully Well and Painfully Aware

Compassion Therapy is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that draws upon our capacity for compassion to reduce intrusive feelings of shame and self-criticism. It was developed by Dr. Paul Gilbert, a psychologist from England, and uses meditation exercises focusing on understanding the universality of suffering, gaining an emotional connection with other people's suffering, and the motivation to act to lessen suffering. - Find out how it can specifically help fibromyalgia here. 

If healing is a return to wholeness, then loss of good health is the ultimate fragmentation of the self; a state, made manifest, of something much deeper occurring on the inside...

The very pattern of Fibromyalgia lends itself beautifully to developing an attitude of gratitude; the repeated lows and the crashes making the days when you feel great, or even just a little better than you did, enabling you to appreciate the inherent joy to be found in even the simplest of things. From Fibromyalgia – the fragmented self by Helen at Living Whole.

SELF-CARE: I know, self-care, self-care, self-care. I think just about everybody is “self-cared” out right about now because we all write about it so much. But you know why we do write about it? That is because it is one of the things that we absolutely and positively need... Jennifer at Positivity In Pain.

A wish for you: A good cup of worthiness, affection, trust and love for yourself, no matter the roads in which you choose to follow. An acceptance that allows you to forgive the multitude of 3am anxiety attacks that see you in tears on the bedroom floor or the number of times you have beaten yourself up for being sick, unreliable, disappointing, boring, a burden and most importantly an overall ‘drain’ on the multidisciplinary healthcare system. - Sharna at Fibro Files

Self-care is so important whether you have a chronic illness or not. Make sure to put your health first as often as possible to have your best life. - Mel at Looking For The Light shares her own nightly self-care routine here. 

Donna at Fed Up with Fatigue explains how she was bad at self-care, drove herself too hard with the A-type personality that many people with fibromyalgia seem to have had and what she does now to provide herself with the self-care that she needs on a daily basis.

Why are we so afraid to let go of things in our lives that cause us stress? Why does it take so long? Why are we afraid to practice self-care? 

For me, I can say without doubt that my drive to succeed came at a great personal cost to my health and soul.

I struggled to figure out which parts of my life were causing the most stress. I told myself over and over I couldn’t keep juggling all those balls in the air anymore. There was no time to run my own business, continue with my volunteer work, keep up with my health (29 visits to the hospital in 2017 and 32 in 2018) and keep my relationship with my husband going.

We chose to remove it all and decided to focus on us.

I cleared out the parts of my life in my home that were gone years ago.

Anything that caused me stress, anything that did not bring me joy, anything that caused me to exert energy all went out the door, room by room, item by item, with many tears and silent reminders to look forward to tomorrow and not think about the past or the future. From Carrie at My Several Worlds where she also shares 8 tips for letting go and clearing out things that do not contribute to self-care. 

If you’ve read my blog for any amount of time, you will know that meditation saved my life. I do it every single day, and if I must miss a day it’s very rare. It gives me deep rest my body doesn’t even achieve during sleep. It tops up my energy levels for the afternoon. It calms my central nervous system. It is just for me. 15-30 minutes of pure self-care. - Melissa, from Melissa VS Fibromyalgia

Rachel, at Once Upon A Fog Blog, practices self-care by living her life with creativity, laughter and happiness. She is a graphic designer, who believes in the power of laughter and positivity so much that she runs a Facebook group for The Happiest Place on Earth!

Suzanne at Coco Lime Fitness suggests a Digital Detox, low-impact exercise, and eating an anti-inflammatory diet to help us stress less. It is also very important not to be overly stressed about eating perfectly because the stress in and of itself can make fatigue and pain worse.

Jennifer at Positivity in Pain talks about self-care and her tips which include a grounding technique, the importance of laughter, getting outdoors, and getting help. I implore you to find a therapist, one that is a good fit for you. Whether it is in-person or telehealth, having someone to talk to can make all of the difference in the world. Not only that, they can teach us coping skills for times when we need them the most. 

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR SELF CARE

25 ideas for things we could do in 10 minutes to make us feel good.

Nighttime self-care routine 

Digital Detox

Yoga Nidra for Fibromyalgia

Low Impact exercises for fibromyalgia with a fitness instructor.

Mindfulness for the Daily Life Challenge

Connect with others at Fibro Connect

Boost your self-esteem with a new skill: 12 suggestions for people with chronic pain.

Practical ways to boost your self-esteem including refusing harmful or inaccurate thinking.

Building the Compassionate self: audio

Psychological therapies like counseling or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help.

Coaching.

Dimensions of Wellness - look beyond physical wellness at the other 7 areas we can get some balance in.

Prayer

Self-care during a flare

8 tips for letting go and clearing out things that do not contribute to self-care

Anti-inflammatory Diet

Now it's your turn to tell us what things have helped your self-esteem and what you have tried for self-care. We'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Dizziness and fibromyalgia

Dizziness is a symptom that is often attributed to fibromyalgia but it is a complex symptom because it can have so many causes. It is also a symptom that may be overlooked, or not even mentioned to the doctor, because pain and stiffness and fatigue are just so much more demanding of our attention. 

I've collected information here on dizziness from a variety of sources including people who have fibromyalgia. 

DIZZINESS AND FIBROMYALGIA STATISTICS

Many people quote the statistic that 70% of people who have fibromyalgia have dizziness but they do not say where this statistic comes from. As far as I can work out it came from a study into 168 fibromyalgia patients that was done in 1996 at the Department of Audiology Karolinska Hospital, Sweden. Vertigo/dizziness was reported by 72% of these patients. The results of this study indicated "that central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction frequently occurs in patients with fibromyalgia, although proprioceptive disturbances might also explain some of the abnormalities observed."

CAUSES OF DIZZINESS IN FIBROMYALGIA

Celeste Cooper is a Registered Nurse, hospital educator, and nurse paralegal who has been living with fibromyalgia who has important recommendations for the symptom of dizziness:  

• Report this to your doctor and discuss the possibilities of the presence of these conditions, there are tests that can be done. 
• You must find out what is causing your dizziness. Dizziness is a symptom and can be caused by many conditions, but in FM the major culprits are hypothyroidism, Neurally Mediated Hypotension (NMH) or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia (POTS). The presence of myofascial trigger points, causing chronic myofascial pain, located in muscles next to vital organs and blood vessels can also cause dizziness.
• Identify the cause of your dizziness to know how it is best treated. The treatment for all of the disorders is different. 
• Rule out other conditions such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), insulin resistance, impending stroke, etc.
• Once any life-threatening cause has been ruled out, be sure to check for myofascial trigger points in the area. They can be easily felt by a trained examiner, and treated. Myofascial Pain is present in most if not all FM patients. 

NEURALLY MEDIATED HYPOTENSION (NMH) IN FIBROMYALGIA

Dr Oz says One potential side effect of fibromyalgia is a problem called neurally mediated hypotension. It simply means that your blood pressure is a bit too low. If you stand for a long time, your head may start spinning.

The best way to avoid dizziness that comes from this problem is to avoid standing for long periods, if possible. When you can't avoid standing, walk around as much as you can. You can also try wearing compression stockings, which help to relieve hypotension.

POSTURAL ORTHOSTATIC TACHYCARDIA (POTS)

PoTS UK says that this condition is due to an abnormal response by the autonomic nervous system and is characterised by orthostatic intolerance (the development of symptoms when upright that are mostly relieved by lying down). These symptoms include lightheadedness, fatigue, and fainting.

STEROCLEIDOMASTOID TRIGGER POINTS

These are trigger points in the neck that can cause dizziness, vertigo and imbalance. They can also cause hearing loss and tinnitus. They are created by postures that cause the neck muscle to contract such as forward head posture. These trigger points can be released by specific massage techniques. You may be able to find a Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist near you through this database.

POSTURE AND DIZZINESS

Having poor posture and weak muscles can mean that when people with fibromyalgia do many daily activities such as driving or working on a computer they can cause the creation of the trigger points mentioned above. If your neck is tight or sore it may indicate you have these issues. A trained physical therapist can help diagnose and treat these issues and will usually give you exercises to improve your posture.

MEDICATIONS FOR FIBROMYALGIA MAY CAUSE DIZZINESS

According to Dr. Congdon, “Many fibromyalgia medications have dizziness – and sometimes loss of balance – as a common side effect. That’s why it is important to talk to your doctor if you are experiencing dizziness or balance trouble to see if one of your medications could be contributing.”

Specifically, she mentioned pregabalin (eg, Lyrica), gabapentin (eg, Neurontin), and zolpidem (eg, Ambien), which helps with sleep and may cause next-day dizziness. If you are taking any of these medications and experiencing issues with balance, talk with your doctor about possible alternatives. FROM PRACTICAL PAIN MANAGEMENT ARTICLE

RESEARCH INTO FIBROMYALGIA AND DIZZINESS

A 2019 study into Impaired Balance in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome found that many of the participants experienced dizziness in their daily life. This impacted their balance confidence as they were scared of falling over. 

To evaluate disability due to vertigo the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) was used. This is a useful multi-dimensional tool for quantifying self-perceived disability in patients with vertigo, dizziness, or instability, and its impact on activities of daily living. It contains 25 self-administered questions, with a total range of 0 to 100 points. A higher score indicates a greater degree of disability due to the vertiginous symptoms.

A 2002 study found that dizziness was the most common complaint of the patients in the study and that they had symptoms of vestibular ear disorders even though they did not have any clinically or audiologically detectable ear disease. 

OTHER DIZZINESS RELATED CONDITIONS

Pituitary Adenoma ~ What is Your Fibromyalgia Hiding?

One of the symptoms of having a pituitary adenoma is dizziness. Find out more about this condition and read Suzanne's story with it from diagnosis to treatment.  

Vestibular migraine is a nervous system problem that causes repeated dizziness (or vertigo) in people who have a history of migraine symptoms.

A day in the life with vestibular migraine.

Symptoms of vestibular migraine can differ slightly amongst those with the condition. Two of the most common are dizziness, which VeDA describes as ‘a sensation of lightheadedness, faintness, or unsteadiness’, and imbalance, which is ‘unsteadiness or loss of equilibrium that is often accompanied by spatial disorientation’.

Other symptoms of vestibular migraine in particular, and those that affect me, are motion intolerance (can’t stand being on a bus), vertigo attacks (which I am thankful to have few of nowadays), and issues with heights or simply looking at tall buildings. Cobblestone streets and uneven ground throw out my balance, and you will never catch me going on a rollercoaster! Claire describes her day with this condition. 

Meniere's disease is an inner ear disorder probably caused by a fluid buildup and a feeling of fullness and pressure in the ear. The symptoms include episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). 

Recurrent positional vertigo is most often caused by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). BPPV has the sudden sensation that you're spinning or that the inside of your head is spinning. BPPV causes brief episodes of mild to intense dizziness. It is usually triggered by specific changes in the position of your head. This might occur when you tip your head up or down, when you lie down, or when you turn over or sit up in bed. (MAYO CLINIC) 

If this is the cause of your dizziness your doctor can guide you through some exercises that are called the canalith repositioning procedure.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

MCS is something that many people with fibromyalgia have and one of the symptoms is dizziness. this is usually brought on by strong smells such as household cleaners, perfumes and petrol fumes encountered when pumping petrol to your car. 

LIVING WITH DIZZINESS

STAY HYDRATED

This can seem a bit simplistic but being dehydrated can cause dizziness and lightheadedness. Naturopath Janet McKenzie gives us a guide on how to determine how much water we should be drinking. 

EXERCISE

Dizziness is something many of us who live with fibromyalgia struggle with, but it can also be a symptom of other medical issues. As it affects our balance, exercising while we’re dizzy can throw us off balance and result in falls and injury. Terri talks about this and how to determine if we should exercise on any particular day. 

TIPS FOR SHOWERING WHEN WE ARE DIZZY

Showering can be difficult when we have fibromyalgia for a variety of reasons including dizziness. Shelley talks about the reasons why showering is a complex issue and some suggestions for what to do to prevent dizziness and other showering issues here.

THE RIGHT PILLOW MAY HELP PREVENT DIZZINESS

For years Bethan would experience vertigo, a feeling of spinning if her head fell off her pillow while sleeping. Now she has found the perfect pillow for her to prevent this.

10 TIPS TO STOP DIZZINESS

Sue has some helpful tips including home remedies and trigger point massage that you can try yourself. She also recommends finding out what kind of dizziness you are experiencing so you know which treatments may help.

WHAT DOCTOR SHOULD I SEE FOR DIZZINESS?

A specialist is needed to diagnose these issues. The following specialist's may be able to help:

• Audiologist
• An ear nose and throat specialist (otolaryngologist)
• Neurologist

ARTICLES IN SPANISH ABOUT FIBROMIALGIA  AND DIZZINESS

Mareos, falta de equilibrio y caídas durante los episodios agudos de Fibromialgia

Falta de equilibrio y Fibromialgia, un estudio demostró que las mujeres son más propensas a sufrirlo

Fibromialgia: averigua como prevenir y evitar los mareos, vértigo, caídas, caminar inestable

Fibromyalgia awareness from people living with fibromyalgia

We are sharing what people living with fibromyalgia want others to know about this often misunderstood chronic pain condition.

There is a significant lack of understanding about fibromyalgia, what causes it and and just how many symptoms there are including fatigue, stiffness, joint pain, nerve pain and all over muscle weakness and pain. We are focusing on how it affects people living with it. 

The following quotes and images are from some of the members of our FIBRO CONNECT facebook group and what they wanted to share about fibromyalgia in just a few words. 

What you will see is that fibromyalgia affects men and women, young and old and that these people consider themselves both fighters and thrivers. Fighters because they are fighting a daily battle with a pain condition that has no cure and thrivers because they maintain a positive attitude. They have many coping strategies and they know that staying positive is one of them.

They hope to raise fibromyalgia awareness each and every day and not just in Fibromyalgia Awareness Month which is May every year. 

Thank you for taking time to read these quotes about Fibromyalgia. 

Learn more about fibromyalgia.

Find out why fibromyalgia awareness is important.

Join our friendly private facebook group.

Follow Fibro Blogger Directory on twitter.

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Our top recommendations for coping with fibromyalgia

May is Fibromyalgia Awareness Month and many of our fibro bloggers have joined in to help others by sharing their top three fibromyalgia coping tips. If you like their fibro recommendations you may like to follow the link to their sites included with their names. 

Glenys Hicks from Sacrificial Homebody

In trying to come to terms with my sore hands and lack of energy with my fibromyalgia, I have come up with some new tricks to help in cooking meals.

1. I purchase convenience foods available online and I have found some things that I don’t have to peel or chop. My freezer has diced onions, pumpkin pieces, diced carrots, broccoli and florets of cauliflower as well as pre-cut chicken, stewing steak that has been diced and diced bell peppers.
2. Getting my meat already diced and my vegetables pre-cut and peeled is more expensive, but if it means that we can still enjoy nutritious meals, then so be it.
3. I am grateful for anything which will save my hands, like my electric can opener and my dryer. You don’t realise how hard pegging something on is until your hands are too weak to push on the pegs.

Mandy Farmer from Mandy and Michele

My Preferred Medication

• I have been using the fully allowed amount of the drug Savella for fibromyalgia for 9 years now. Savella is the only medication created expressly for the pain of fibromyalgia. It works a lot like an anti-depressant, but it is not used for that purpose. It is a relatively new drug and expensive. Most insurance companies are reluctant to fill prescriptions without your doctor’s intervention. They want you to try medications such as Lyrica and Cymbalta first, which I have done with no help.
• After six months, I finally went to Mayo Clinic and was diagnosed with Central Sensitivity Syndrome with indications of fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, and chronic pain syndrome. This is when they prescribed the Savella and I have been on it ever since.
  
  

Cynthia Covert from The Disabled Diva’s Blog

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2003 and lived with the pain and symptoms longer; I have experienced life with this condition from all extremes. Out of all of my chronic illnesses, this is the one that is the best managed. But it wasn’t always this way. The first thirteen years after my diagnosis was the worst. They would have been a lot less painful had I knew what I know now. The following are my top three tips for managing fibromyalgia:

1. Accept that your life will change. Even with a low pain level, changes are necessary. Not because a lower pain level requires you to do things differently to reduce pain, but to keep your pain level at that level. Many patients find pacing difficult because they continue to live at the pace they did before chronic pain and not the speed their life with fibro needs.
2. Listen to your body. If your body is screaming in pain, take a break. Pushing through pain will result in a full-blown flare. Taking longer to do things may feel like a punishment at first. But when you realize that anything you can do to decrease the chance of triggering a flare is winning, the easier it is to accept.
3. Be open to trying new things. This may mean allowing yourself to use a mobility aid to stay out as long as you used to. It is to understand that mobility aids do not have age requirements. No one is too old or young to need one. The same goes for alternative forms of pain management. Nobody’s pain management plan will be the same. What works for me might not work for you. Remember, there is no cure for fibromyalgia, but there are many things we can do and try to make our lives less painful.

Shelley Clark Smith from Chronic Mom

1. Learn to trust yourself. The diagnosis of Fibromyalgia has a lot of baggage. Medical professionals, doctors, friends, and family, they’ll all question your diagnosis and your health at some point. Stay confident in yourself and who you are. Don’t let anyone convince you you’re not trying hard enough or that you’re imagining things. No one wants pain and fatigue.
2. Listen to your body. You know your body more than anyone else does. You know that you’re not faking or exaggerating what’s happening to you. If your body tells you something, listen to it. Practice pacing and give yourself rest breaks. The more you push your body, the worse the crash. You’ll get better at managing your body’s needs over time. You’ll still mess up occasionally, or decide the crash is worth it, and that’s okay too.
3. Remember that there are many different options for treatment, and no one responds the same. Some people do well with natural treatments, others need a combination of natural and medical. It’s okay to need medication, don’t let anyone shame you for doing so. You have to find what works for you. I have tried many different medications, and the ones that worked were all off-label. Don’t give up on trying new things, it takes a while to find the right fit.

Katie Clark from Pain FULLY Living

It’s hard to give advice for how to best treat fibromyalgia because we are all so different. However, I share my story just in case they might glean something from my experience.

I fully believe that I have made much faster and better progress since fibromyalgia laid me low and forced me to have to resign from my teaching career after 32-years due to finding quality information from others who have shared their journey living with fibromyalgia (This is, in fact, how I came to join Fibro Blogger Directory). In the last 3-years, this is what I know to be true:

1. Listen to yourself; follow your intuition. I can’t tell you how often I have doubted myself. For years, prior to my actual diagnosis, I didn’t push for answers to what I now understand to be chronic pain. Even when I was at my worst (barely functioning at school and then coming home to do nothing but lay in my bed, feeling like I couldn’t move), I struggled to go to the doctor. Luckily, at the urging of my children, I finally did. Now, I’m much better at listening to my gut (which has led me to various positive treatments) and to my body (which guides my moment to moment actions).
2. Educate yourself. With FM, you will probably end up knowing more about it than your caretakers. I’m a teacher. Learning is a passion of mine. Learning about fibro central sensitization syndrome and about brain plasticity has given me the focus for my wellness journey: rewiring my brain by calming down my amped-up nervous system.
3. Be gentle and loving with yourself. I’ve struggled with this. I’ve lived 53 years with basically ignoring myself. I’ve forced myself to always do what was expected. Even in yoga (which I started 20 years ago), I would push myself to injury. It’s taken a lot for me to learn how to be gentle, how to listen to myself, and how to be a loving force for myself. But through this journey with fibro, I am finally doing the work to be my authentic self.

Sue Ingebretson from Rebuilding Wellness

Quick Service Tips:

1. Drink enough water to adequately hydrate the body.
2. Use topical/internal products for temporary/supplemental relief (herbal remedies, oils, rubs, supplements, etc.
3. Reduce your body’s natural tendency to stay stuck in the fight/flight/freeze response with a deep breathing RESET  (help to restore/balance your body’s autonomic nervous system – ANS – response)
4. Get outside. Walk in nature. Move your body in ways that feel comfortable and healing to you – body movement, fitness, detoxification, etc.

It’s important to note that the frequent application of these tips CAN have both short-term and longer-lasting healing benefits.

Carrie Kellenberger from My Several Worlds

As someone who has been living with fibromyalgia officially since 2014 and unofficially for many years before that, I’ve discovered some great tips for living with fibromyalgia. I’d like to share my tips with you today since they have. proved to be helpful to patients who are new to fibro and for veteran patients who might have something to add.
In recognition of World Fibromyalgia Day on May 12, 2021, here are my top tips for living with fibromyalgia:

1. Minimize stress in your life
2. Work/life balance is key
3. Say no and don’t feel bad about it

Out of all the advice that I’ve seen and tried for living well with fibromyalgia, here is a very well known fact amongst fibromyalgia advocates that doctors fail to tell many new patients.

Living well with fibromyalgia requires a complete lifestyle change and lifestyle management.

If only they’d address this as soon as we receive our diagnosis!

Bettina Bier from bettinabier.com

I can only tell you what works for me and maybe it will help you too.

1. Try things where you think they could help you. Even if it is not for “fibro”. I have a cream that I have been using since my childhood for chronic bronchitis. It also helps me with tension/pain in combination with a heating blanket/pillow.
2. My pain creams, pain oils, exercises and my accupressure mat. I have a good physiotherapist who teaches me what I can do. Functional training in warm water also helps me. If something doesn’t help you that helps others, don’t give up. We are all different, for some this helps and for others that.
3. Find something to distract yourself from everything. For me it’s painting, watching my favorite comedians & favorite shows. Music is good for my soul, a walk in nature does wonders for me. Well, I have a dog, so it’s time to go outside.

Nikki Albert from Brainless Blogger

It is difficult to recommend anything for someone with fibromyalgia since everyone is at a different level. And that is also why I don’t recommend any specific medication or alternative treatment since everyone responds so differently to any of those. So take these as suggestions that may or may not help you.

1. Exercise- Mild/moderate exercise is one of my fibromyalgia recommendations. Mostly because the lack of exercise leads to muscle de-conditioning and more pain. Something I experienced when my vertigo was unmanaged and I couldn’t function. Also, the lack of movement increased pain. But then muscle weakness also increased pain. Prior to that, mild/moderate exercise always helped me with fatigue/fibro fog and mood management. Now I find it basic maintenance for keeping my muscles active.
2. Basic supplements- There are some essential supplements I take. Magnesium (with calcium and D), B-complex, Rhodiola (for fatigue), fish oils. These are for stress, inflammation and magnesium is specifically for fibromyalgia.
3. Meditation/relaxation breathing- I think stress reduction and management is pretty important for us. I do meditation every morning and relaxation breathing a couple times a day, as needed.

Bethan Jones from Hello Fibro Blog

I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia for 3 years but my symptoms started long before that when I was 13 years old. I have learnt a lot about myself and my health over time and found some really important things that have helped me cope.

1. Listen to your body.
   I have always been one of those people who always says yes and doesn’t stop. I’ve always gone above and beyond but that is my biggest downfall. I’m slowly learning to listen to my body and stop when it tells me to.
2. Be honest.
   Be honest with yourself and with others about how you are feeling. I always felt guilty and carried on, hiding how I really felt, but it only made things worse. Now I speak up when I’m bad so others know I can’t carry on and they have gotten used to it and know when I need support.
3. Don’t give up on yourself.
   You have survived 100% of your bad days so far. Some days you just cant can’t positive and it just hurts too much. Don’t expect too much from yourself and just let it be. Better days will always be there. Focus on the little things and you’ll get through it.

Alisha Nurse from The Invisible F

Imagine if there was a single pill for all fibromyalgia symptoms! If only!
Fibromyalgia can be a complex condition to manage given the wide range of really different symptoms it presents. From chronic widespread pain and migraines to irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue and insomnia, this myriad of symptoms and how they affect us means there’s no one solution for every patient. No surprise how challenging it is managing this multi-tentacled beast!

Here are three of my top tips for living with fibromyalgia.

1. Get Turmeric Root In Your Diet: Long before turmeric tea was a fad, I grew up sipping milky cups of this tea when we needed a ‘cleanse’ but also consuming it often in our Indian-Trinidadian curries. Studies show that turmeric root is effective in treating inflammatory conditions like arthritis due to a property in it called curcumin. I can’t imagine coping without turmeric root.
2. Epsom Salt Baths: My Mama Claire swore by this. Now I do. The magnesium in Epsom salts, help alleviate pain and inflammation, and produces serotonin which helps us sleep and relax. My favourite brand now has epsom salts with lavender, jasmine and valerian. It’s heaven!
3. Be Your Biggest Advocate: I mean so many things by this. Listen to your body and what it needs each day. Rest as much as you need to but also find a reason to get out of bed to keep your muscles going. It’s a tricky thing not knowing how you’ll feel when you wake up. That’s why you can’t apply the same expectations that you would of a healthy person. So you have to listen to you. Find a support group. Eat natural and see what works for you. Hope, and don’t give up.

Mel Sandor from Looking For The Light

1. I am very disciplined about laying down at the same time every night. It’s not going to bed, it’s self-care time and time to unwind so when it’s time to go to sleep my mind is empty and ready. During this time, an hour to an hour and a half before bedtime I start to decompress. There is no sound, no phone, no media, no gadget, nothing to distract me at all. Our mind needs quiet time and most of us stay on our computers, phones, reading, doing something stimulating right at the time the body needs to wind down.
2. A great tip for the nature lover. I have multiple wind chimes around the house to remind me of nature even when I can’t go outside. There’s nothing like the sound of an unexpected chime to force me to take a minute and look out the window and soak in what nature has to offer from the kitchen window or back door. I also have several bird feeders and birdbaths to enjoy.
3. Meal Delivery 3 days a week, we just have to prepare the meals. It makes life so much easier, the time saved planning and grocery shopping is worth the extra cost. On Sundays, we cook a meal, and on the other days, I eat yogurt and fruit.

Cynthia Baughman from My Inspired Fibro Life

I have had fibromyalgia for over 20 years, and no longer take medication. I have found my life style changes have really helped reduce the flares and allow me tolerate the pain much better. Here are my top tips:

1. What you eat really does matter. I often say eat crap, feel like crap. I follow a Paleo/Mediterranean inspired diet that is gluten and dairy free, and low in sugar and processed food, and high in fruits and veggies. This helps me feel my best, avoid stomach issues, and reduce inflammatory responses in my body.
2. Movement is medicine. I cannot run, but I can walk. I cannot do cross-fit, but I can do pilates or yoga. Daily movement is important for my mind and body. I take daily walks to get outside, breathe fresh air, appreciate nature, and clear my head. I do yoga, pilates, or use a stationery bike to keep my muscles strong and flexible, to reduce stiffness, and to maintain my weight.
3. You can’t do everything, but you can do something. Pushing myself too hard often triggers a flare. I enjoy my walks, hikes, and gardening, all in moderation to avoid flares. And I give myself permission to rest and ask for help when needed.

Donna Gregory from Fed Up With Fatigue

1. Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) – LDN is one of the only pharmaceuticals that has ever improved my chronic pain and other symptoms. Based on small studies, LDN outperforms all three fibromyalgia medications approved by the FDA.
2. Infrared sauna – I’ve never regretted purchasing my infrared sauna. It helps immensely with that all-over achy feeling, and it’s heaven in the winter when it’s so cold that my bones hurt.
3. Magnesium – I use magnesium both topically and orally. Topically, it helps to reduce overall achiness, leg/foot cramps and restless legs. I also take a magnesium glycinate supplement, which improves all of the previously mentioned issues and keeps me regular!

Lee Good from Fibro Files

I can only talk about what works for me and my own symptoms with fibromyalgia and chronic pain. I have been experimenting, with myself, for over 20 years now and the following things are the key to reducing my fibro symptoms. Here are my top three tips for coping with Fibromyalgia in no particular order:

1. Hydrotherapy, which is physical therapy in warm water, has been extremely effective in helping me get all of the benefits of exercise including increasing muscle length and muscle strength and control and maintaining a certain level of fitness and improving my balance. Being in the warm water also turns down my pain.
2. Deep uninterrupted sleep reduces my pain and makes me a happier person all round. I do what ever I need to to get this sleep including having my own quiet, peaceful sleep haven, a regular bedtime and some quiet meditation before sleep.
3. Besides eating in a basically healthy way, which is based on the mediterranean diet, I find living dairy and gluten free really helps reduce joint pain, peripheral neuropathy, stomach pain, constipation, hayfever, and other symptoms. I also take magnesium every night to relax my muscles and find it I forget to do this I have muscle cramps and twitches.