I agree Pet..I just started to keep a pain diary including my mood and what meds i take at what time just to see if there is a connection
Hi Dee,
Do you really have long stretches of time without the sun? That is something. I agree the weather has much to do with it but for me the cold and dry weather of the winter is better for my rheumatoid arthritis. But we do have sunshine in the winter which is nice
Hi,
You've gone through so much that it's not surprising. Get some help adjusting you meds, then hopefully you will start to recover,
big friendly hugs to you,
xoxo
Hello "kitty"....
PLEASE hang in there !! You are NOT alone.. Even though it's all online....there's REAL people typing away... connecting with hearts and minds.
I do think you should call your Dr. for sure. Maybe a change in meds would help. But you're describing my Fibro symptoms when I get into what I call a "flare".... I usually have more intense pain in shoulders, back, neck and hips but when I feel really bad... the FLU symptoms come along for the ride. I've had them for about 6 weeks almost non-stop; which is VERY upsetting!
So hard to get anything done; and suffering like this is a sure way to get into a "funk". True depression is different for me: and I've experienced clinical depression where I was almost suicidal. No hope and crying for hours on end. Those are two Completely different things for me anyways.
So, I'm curious.. as to why you link that with depression? Is that typical for you? Like a Pre-warning ? Maybe you can catch it in time before it gets worse. I hope so.
I have a suggestion for you.. and anyone .. for the Blues... and specifically for SAD. Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Get a Broad Spectrum Light ! If you google Light therapy for SAD.. you'll find many different types and prices. It emits the same frequency light as the sun and we know that sunshine hitting our eyes starts the process of our brain to produce the "feel good" hormones. like Serotonin...
Research backs this up so give it a try. Easy to use .. just turn on and be near it ... can read/ watch tv... I think an hour a day is good.. but there's probably info with it. more couldn't hurt!
Hope this helps... I am WITH you.. though... and can literally "feel" your pain.
God Bless,
Shelly (YinYan)
Going thru a lot of meds too which isn't good coz then I'm low at the end and that sucks too!
Anyway. I have a suggestion which could really help - and more for SAD.. (seasonal affective disorder) which hits me this time of year and makes everything worse. My Dr. recommended it to me and said it helped alot of her patients. It's cumulative and comes about gradually but I think we have to do everything we can !
It's a Broad Spectrum Light.. and there's a variety of types and prices. Just google Light Boxes for SAD. I think it's worth it. - Easy to use.. just turn it on and use for an hour or more each day. It stimulates the eye's reaction to the sun's rays, which starts the chemical reaction of producing serotonin and other good-feeling neurotransmitters.
There's evidence that people who live in sunny area's have a lower % of depression that those who live with less sunshine.
Well... I need to study for a big test tomorrow.
So, HANG In THERE!
I hope that you are feeling better, Maria! Hopefully you have called your Dr and he is taking good care of you! My good thoughts and prayers are with you.
Gosh Yin Yan,
Thank you so much for this wonderful email. I can really appreciate all you guys on this site as I know typing is not easy for us. Yes, it is hard to tell true depression from meds from fibro because the fibro is new to me. I have been hospitalized three times for depression so I know the signs. I think this is a mild case but am not sure if it is from the meds. I will see the doc tomorrow. I am keeping a pain log also to see if my moods coincide with the meds. I also get the am fever and nausea but have for years with my rheumatoid.
That is a great idea about the light I have heard of it but do not have one.
Again thank you for your kind words and thoughts
Maria
Yes, here in Buffalo we can go 10 days straight without the sun, dec, jan, feb, are awful ! However last winter was very mild, by the first week of march I so long to feel the sun !
I need a vacation home in fl, lol i would need to win the lottery
Hugs
you and me both
Having a better day. Was able to get up early for an appointment. The first hour was tough but i pushed through. I will see my doc tomorrow.
Hugs and thanks to all
So glad you had a better day today, my thoughts are with you, the pain log sounds like a great idea, I love the idea of the sun lamp, that’s on my wish list
Blessing for a great tomm
Maria,
Maybe if you can keep that mindset, that you're not depressed, you can talk yourself out of some of it--mind over matter. I really think it could work. I'm the opposite, I've been fighting this so long that I can't forget, it consumes my every thought now. So the more I think about how depressed I am, the more depressed I get.
It boggles my mind that people that don't know me would take time out of their day to send ME an encouraging note. I'm always in awe over them. I know my family loves me, but is it because they are obligated to? It has to be, why would they love me for any other reason? Same with my husband, it has to be because the vows he took told him to. The more I let my health problems get out of control, the more unloveable I have to be.
Recently, I finally learned that our words DO have the power to make a difference to someone. I know that everyone's thoughts have always touched me, but I didn't think what I had to say was anything important. A simple "I'm glad you're my friend" can mean the world to someone.
I want to thank you for starting this thread, I think it's really important for you to see how we all really feels about you, and it's important for everyone, because it makes us all think.
Maria, you ARE very much loved here.
♥
Definitely makes sense. I am very comfortable in the dark, and tend to stay up until dawn now every day. I think of the night as my own time, to catch up on things. Like you said, life is more manageable when everyone else is asleep.
I agree it could be the weather although I do like the fall. It is the barometer fluctuation that kills.
Fibrokitty,
Hang in there. Things can and will improve on the mental health front. You're a strong person Your posts show a person who is very together, and that's no mean feat with fiibro. You will definitely get there and feel better soon. And it's great that you're seeing your doctor for help on this end. Sometimes I think that asking for help is the hardest part when you're depressed. So you've got past that part.
Hope the rest of your day stays good.
Hugs,
Petunia
Thank you pet,
Sometimes i feel so weak physically that i forget that God blessed me with a very strong will to fight.
Hi aries,
I used to think it was strickly the amount of humidity in the air that determined my pains from arthritis. But someone mentioned to me about barometer and now i think i should keep a watch on that fluctuation to see if there is a connection.
I would love to see you enjoy the fall weather again
Maria
JUST AN UPDATE. 24 HOURS WITHOUT MORPHINE AND THIS MORNING I AWOKE WITH MORE MENTAL CLARITY THAN I HAVE HAD IN MONTHS!!!!!! DOWN SIDE---I AM FEELING MORE JOINT STIFFNESS=:(
DOC--MY RHEUMATOLOGIST- AGREED WITH ME YESTERDAY THAT GOING BACK UP TO MY PRIOR DOSE OF PREDNISONE 10MG WAS WORTH A TRY TO SEE IF I COULD COME OFF THE MORPHINE -LITTLE DOES HE KNOW THAT I ALREADY HAD CUT IT DOWN AND WAS PLANNING ON STOPPING IT ON MY OWN ANYWAY.
I JUST STARTED THE OLD PREDNISONE DOSE AGAIN BUT KNOW FROM PAST EXPERIENCE THAT THERE IS A CHANCE I MIGHT NEED AN EVEN HIGHER DOSE FOR A WHILE WHILE FINDING THE RIGHT NARCOTIC. I DO BELIEVE I WILL NEED BOTH THE STEROID AND THE NARC BUT AM NOT WILLING TO BE IN THAT FOG AGAIN. I WILL SPEAK WITH THE PAIN DOC TODAY..WOULD RATHER JUST TAKE A FEW VICODINS A DAY AS THEY DO NOT CAUSE ME PROBLEMS. LOVE TO ALL--YOU GUYS ARE GREAT...WILL KEEP U UPDATED
This is great news about having some clarity !! The downside is the increase in prednisone. Keep an eye out for the newer narcotics too, the side effects are much less on some, like Nucynta. I have very bad adverse reactions to pain meds, so I'm always on the lookout for something new. The opioids can really mess with your head, and you don't even realize it.
Keep us posted !
This is great info, I could so tell that my pain is worse on grey rainy days, nice to finally see it in writing !
Hugs
Fibrokitty, I am so glad you have found some ans’s to your feeling so bad, I know as soon as I begin to feel symptoms of something that was really bad in the past, I get that same sinking and scared feeling,
So glad u are on the upswing to more mental clarity & that u were able to talk to the pain doc, oh that Nasty joint pain NOT NICE !!
Hugs & blessings