Knock, Knock, Knock on Wood…

I knocked on wood last week as I was saying I am going to try to naturally manage my fibromyalgia, and try to get off my muscle relaxer.  Maybe I should have gone outside and beat on a tree instead of knocking my knuckles on the table.  So far, I have been tested since I “announced” my plans.

The day after I decided to be “drug free” I got sick.  Again.  I have had more trouble this year with sinuses, colds and my stupid right ear (who is apparently mad at me).  If you have fibro, you already know, when you don’t feel good, the symptoms seem to get worse.  You need to rest, which leads to sore backs, legs…well….sore everything, really.  I missed one day of work and tried to get up and walk about every two hours I was so afraid to get too stiff. 

When I started to recover, the gym had an open house that included a two hour Zumba event.  No cold was going to keep me from this!!! I was like kid at Christmas, so excited I couldn’t stand it.  The whole day was a blast and I think it actually helped me snap out of any fibro funk I was experiencing.

So…

Did I brave the whole week with no drugs and get through without a hitch??

Well…

Not exactly.

I can gladly say I didn’t have my muscle relaxer, but I did have to have some help for a few nights from Tylenol P.M.  I had been using my muscle relaxer to help me sleep and that became really obvious when I didn’t take it and stared at the bedroom ceiling for hours, not sleeping. 

So have there been benefits? 

Absolutely. 

For the first time in a long time I actually feel awake when I get up in the morning.  I don’t feel drunk for the first few hours of my day.  I feel like I have gotten back a few hours of my life everyday instead in spending it in a daze.

My physical therapist also suggested it be a good idea to have a weekly session, just for a little while.  She actually suggested this before reading my blog about wanting to go off my muscle relaxer.  Sometimes I think she’s sensitive or physic to my pain problems, it gets a little eerie sometimes.  She couldn’t have had better timing.  I’ve had two sessions so far (estym, ASTYM, massage) and am feeling some relief in my neck and shoulders.  Anything natural works for me!!

The journey continues and I’m just going to take it one day at a time.

 

The “Yo” kicked my butt…

On Oct 31^st I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath in anticipation for the month to come, knowing November was going to be crazy from beginning to end.  We’re officially Mid-way through the month…I don’t know if I’m going to make it.

Breakdown of the month so far:

-Work, Work, Work.

-Woke up and couldn’t hear.  Spent Monday and Tuesday with only one good ear.  Wednesday, a nice nurse at work fixed it.  Thank goodness!

-Zumba

– Lost a dear loved-one.  God has a very special Angel with him now.

-Pilates

– Work, Work, Work.

-Early Christmas shopping

-Zumba

-Birthday shopping for my Sis.

-Early work Christmas party (yes, in November).  Won “Outstanding Collections 2011” for my position and the building where I work won “Facility of the year.”  Yay!

– Started painting the wall mural in the new Zumba room at the gym for their open house next weekend.

– Party to watch the Pacquiao fight.  Ate enough Filipino egg rolls to meet my fried food quota for the rest of the year. 

-Paint

-Paint

-Paint

-DRANK ENERGY DRINKS!  GOT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT PAINTING!!!!

– Husband ends up with Stomach flu/bug.

– Work, Work, Work.

 

And of course in the mix of all the chaos…there is Fibro.  It has held up fairly well through the madness, but I do feel a physical therapy session in my future just to keep it in line.

I was able to find time this past Monday to try PiYo for the first time.  PiYo is a yoga and Pilates mix that involves core strengthening, stretching and flexibility.  I’ve been doing Pilates for almost a year in a half now, but had only done yoga at home on my own.  Let’s just say the “Yo” in PIYO kicked my butt.  The class is choreographed to music, which I loved.  When I asked the instructor about the class prior to going, she said it was like yoga or Pilates or people with A.D.D.  After doing the class, I would say that seems about right. 

“Squat, lunge, warrior pose, triangle pose, squat, warrior pose, triangle…”

I actually liked that it changed a lot.  I think it kept my attention because I was constantly anticipating what the next move or pose would be.  It’s going to take me a while to get used standing through a lot of the workout, since Pilates is generally laying and sitting down.  I plan to go to another class soon, but as far as my fibro goes, it still needs straight Pilates.  I find Pilates a little more peaceful.  I usually feel calm after Pilates.  After PiYo, I felt as pumped up as I do after a Zumba class. 

Now I’m going to say something and knock on wood at the same time….

I think it may be time to try to do all this fibro surviving without daily medication.  I’ve been slowly changing my dose on my nightly muscle relaxer.  I started with a whole pill once or twice a day, to once a day, then to half a pill.  Now I’ve been skipping days at a time, taking half of one about every three days.  Last night I took half a pill after a 4 day break and this morning was horrible.  I was dizzy, nauseous and overly-tired.  I felt hung-over.  I started feeling this way in the mornings before I had to switch a whole pill to half.  I think it may just be too much for me now.

I just want to see what happens if I take a break from the heavy duty pain relievers.  Yes I’ll probably still need something through a flare, and occasional physical therapy.  I know there will be days I’ll probably regret trying this, and the experiment might even fail, but with as bad as I felt this morning, I would rather just have some pain. 

Besides, how do we ever REALLY know if we need the pain meds we are on, unless we know what it’s like without them?  I’m giving it a try.  Wish me luck.