In being new to this disease I need to ask what are the triggers I went out to the grocery store the other day came home ended up in bed in more pain than before I went out for two days...is it the sun is it stressful situations do we know what triggers the flareups.
Triggers are very personal, Sheba, and sometimes it takes keeping a journal to figure out your own individual triggers. Stress and overexertion are too of the big ones.
I hope others will weigh in, but until they do, this former discussion may help you out a little: http://forum.livingwithfibro.org/forum/topics/what-triggers-my-flares
Wishing you a pain-free day!
In addition to what the others have said. I have found that high humidity and a high barometric pressure makes my pain a LOT worse. I have very recently discovered that if I eat too many sweets (baked goods and/or candy). That will throw me into a flair up too. Not the day I eat it but, the next day.
Most stores have concrete floors. I used to be able to go to a town 60mis away & then go from the $ store, $ general store, aldi store & then the grocery store. Now I have to choose which town I go to the one 24mis or the 60mis one. Either one I go to, I can only do 2 stores.
A pain diary would be best to start, it opened my eyes to OOOOOoooooh, cannot do this very often, waaaaay too painful!!! It will also let your Primary see the inside (how you think) of you & how you are trying to cope.
I also found grocery shopping (and putting the groceries away) was a major flare trigger.
Lately I found a way to reduce the shopping trigger. I now use the electric carts available in most large supermarkets. I did it because I'm trying to avoid knee surgery from osteoarthritis and my doctor suggested it, but I also found it GREATLY reduced my exhaustion. It's a Godsend at Costco! ;-}
There's no qualification required to use an electric scooter/cart in a store. Just unplug it and go. (And bring it back, of course)
In addition, I would say the worst predictor of a flare for me is feeling really good when I get up in the morning. That's because I'll try to use this respite to catch up on my to-do list. Then I'll end up in misery that night and for several days after. I'm working on it. Here's my plan for reducing the amount I undertake:
Every day:
1. write a list of everything you'd like to get done that day.
2. Immediately cross half the items off your list.
3. Stand up, touch your toes, stretch your arms over your head, and then sit down again.
4. a. If you feel fine, proceed with your revised list.
b. If you feel a bit sore/tired, cross off half of the remaining items and proceed with your day.
c. If you feel really sore and exhausted, throw away the list, call in sick, and go back to bed.
Hi Sheba, I am so sorry you were in such pain. I hope you are doing better. Triggers, the bane of our existence. I still have trouble figuring out what all the triggers are for me. To me they change from time to time, but some are consistent friends; stress, weather changes, too much physical activity, pms, and red wine. There have been so many great ideas suggested to help you get a handle on your triggers. I hope some of them work for you. Hugs
I love the list by silicon valley crone. Anything and everything can be a trigger. I loved shopping and I was forced to learn to pace myself. Gone are the days of shopping all morning, lunch with the girls and continued shopping. Listen to your body, don't ignore it. When it says, I'm getting tired, stop. If not you'll end up in bed for 2 day. Be well.
Crazy seems like you guys already experience what I am and have been experiencing .thank so much
Oh dear, Sheba!
Just hearing the words, "grocery store," nearly puts me into a panic of anxiety! Yes, it really can cause flares in us! Think about it, it's hard work. First you have to make a list, mentally or otherwise, of what you need. Then you need to get to the store, get in, get a cart and walk up and down those aisles, up and down, up and down, trying to find what you want! By about the 1/2 way point you feel exhausted and want to give up and go home. Then you have to finish up, go through checkout, go home and then carry those groceries inside (I have to go up 10 stairs with them) and put them away. Aeeeeeeyyyy!
I finally switched to using an electric wheelchair that the store provided, so I'd have enough energy left to get the shopping done. Now I'm finding it harder and harder to carry anything up the stairs, so my sis has to carry the heavy stuff. Needless to say, I hate grocery shopping anymore. It's emotionally and physically draining. I come home like a zombie, drained completely of mental and physical energy. Yes, it causes flares, lol, yes, yes, yes!!!!
The sun is also stressful for some of us. It's possible that you might have a few characteristics of people with lupus. Fibro oftentimes has a disease-partner that travels with it, usually an autoimmune disease but sometimes a connective tissue illness. Have you been tested for lupus by your doctor? It's called an ANA test.. If not, you might want to consider having it done. People say that you should go out for about 10-15 minutes the day before the test to get some sun. That tends to help to get lupus to show up if it's present.
The other option is that maybe you're just more sensitive to the heat and sunlight now that you have fibro. Sunglasses are your best friend.
hugs and suntan lotion,
Petunia
LOVE it! LOL! 4c. is the best of all!