I ran into an old friend the other day who said that she had been enjoying my blog. She hadn't known that I have fibromyalgia until she read it. That opened up the conversation to her own struggles with a chronic condition that had landed her in the hospital for three weeks. Through a Naturopath she had discovered a plethora of food sensitivities and had a very limitied diet. Since I had just finished a cleanse, we exchanged ideas for
protein shakes that were tasty but avoided all the "forbidden" foods. She told me that just being able to talk about her experiences with someone who really "got it" made her feel better.
Which made me think about
the power of sharing our stories and the accessibility of blogs like mine out on the world wide web. So...I invite all of you to
tell me your tale. Whether it be a tale of woe or a tale of triumph. You can post a comment below or if you'd like to keep it just between us, you can email me at
fibrofog.joy@gmail.com You can sign your name or leave it anonymous. Sharing your story will not only make you feel better by being heard, it can also help someone else who might be going through something similar. I guess that's the reason why I started this blog in the first place and gathered up the courage to put myself "out there." I know it can be scary, but we will keep this a safe and sacred place to connect and share with one another.
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| Na Pali Coast, Kauai |
My husband and I are taking a
vacation to Hawaii and I don't plan on being wired in during our trip. So, I'll look forward to reconnecting with all of you and your stories when we return. And of course I'll share my stories of Hawaii in my next post.
Aloha!
C'mon people - don't be shy! I'd love to hear from you :)
ReplyDeleteCan someone please tell e what's the difference between Fibromyalgia and ME, my own GP seems confused. Thankyou
ReplyDeleteI had the same question, Paul! I found out that ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis, is another name for chronic fatigue syndrome. According to Dr. David Bell, one of the leading doctors in treating and researching CFS, the term "chronic fatigue" was not being taken seriously, so the term myalgic encephalomyelitis was coined to give the syndrome more gravitas. There is no known cause for ME/CFS though some think the onset might be from a viral infection. It does not have a genetic component.
ReplyDeleteWhile there is some overlap in symptoms between fibromyalgia (FM) and ME/CFS, such as fatigue, muscle and joint pain and unrefreshing sleep, they are two different syndromes. FM has a genetic component and while there is no proven cause, the latest thinking is that it is neurological in origin and it is diagnosed by "tender points" throughout the body.
While there is fatigue involved in both syndromes, CFS is characterized by "post-exertional malaise" which means a person is tired and lethargic after physical exertion. I've found the fatigue with FM can hit at anytime for no particular reason. Physical exercise can either make me tired or energized depending on the day and exercise is recommended as a method to cope with FM.
Hope that helps!