I am happy to say that since the blog about the Fibromyalgia, my labs have returned back to normal and the pain has almost abated.
I did have to re-arrange my life again. Most of all, I have to rest on weekends. I was able to avoid starting the Cymbalta. I had to take out all grains again from my diet, add just a bit more red meat, and add honey back to my morning tea. The biggest thing I had to return to is taking apple cider vinegar daily. That was one of the things that I stopped back in September before the flare in October. Adding it back to my daily routine did help me back on the road to recovery. I do not drink it, I prefer the gummy by Goli. I tried other apple cider vinegar gummies and I always go back to Goli. Buyer beware. They might be cheaper, but the quality is not there and sometimes they add other harmful herbs that may not work for you (mine had cayenne – nightshade no-no).
The next thing I decided was to spend a half hour or an hour knitting when I get home from work. My dog has enjoyed the knitting also.
This is to help my mind shift gears, relieve the anxiety from the day and gives me time to enjoy the quiet. It also gives me time to talk to God.
For the holiday season, I avoided shopping. If I didn’t make a gift, I went through all my previous years’ gift and re-gifted. I also started buying presents during the summer as I saw items that would be perfect for my family and friends. It prevented me from stressing out about going into stores or about the money.
One of the biggest things during the holidays is the food. Good food, high calorie food, etc. I have to admit, as much as I wanted to eat the cookies that people kept bringing me, there really wasn’t any temptation. I had already started feeling better, so cheating on staying anti-inflammatory and low-fodmap restrictions was a real no brainer. I ate for me. Not what others wanted to see me eat.
I do get time off during the holidays due to the nature of my job. I really fought myself not to allow each day to get busy. I have only allowed 1 errand, dr. appointment or house cleaning item to be done. I will admit it stressed me out a little to just vacuum and then not mop until the next day.
The bottom line, by taking Christmas calm, my labs that were whacked in October have now returned to normal again. I won’t lie, I was scared for while. I am still progressing off the steriods. Everytime my pain gets worse for while, I still consider starting the new medication. I am going to be patient with myself.
Remember to take time for yourself and God.