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Fingernail symptoms and fibroOddly enough, people with fibromyalgia tend not to have the "half moons" at the base of their fingernails, with the exception of the thumbs. Another indicator with fingernails is if they have brittle, vertical ridges. Swollen glands and fatigueIf you find that you have swollen glands on a fairly regular basis, have your doctor check you for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). This often occurs right alongside a case of fibromyalgia. Many people suffer from both, but often one or the other goes undiagnosed. Clogged hair folliclesIf you find that your scalp is itchy, and then when you scratch you seem to come away with tiny "scabs" under your fingernails then you probably have clogged hair follicles. The scabs are actually little plugs of hardened oil. Jojoba oil is a miracle worker here. You can apply it straight, let it sit for a while and shampoo out. Or just use a shampoo that already contains it. If you can’t find that, you can add a tablespoon to your favorite regular shampoo – just make sure to shake well before using. Dressing for bedWhen dressing for bed - a place where comfort is of the utmost importance, because we really need a good sleep - don’t wear heavy flannels because if you get too hot you’ll wake and may even interrupt sleep to take them off. Instead wear something mid-weight in a natural, breathable fabric. Or go light and make certain you have several layers of bed clothing - sheet, light blanker, heavy blanket - that will help you control body temperature. Writing difficulty-cognitiveOne cause of handwriting difficulty is cognitive – it’s common for people with FMS to transpose letters when writing and typing – an acquired dyslexia that makes it even harder to write legibly and sensibly. Try to stick to the computer if at all possible, because your days handwritten things can get so full of cross outs before you finally get all the letters in the right order, that your hand is then too tired to write legibly. Restless LegsRestless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is common with fibro. Your legs feel tense and almost painful, and the need to keep moving them trying to find a comfortable position is intense – except you rarely manage to find that position. Many doctors prescribe quinine tablets for this – but a bottle of quinine water – the stuff you use to mix a vodka and tonic – will work in a pinch. Take a few swigs as soon as you feel the sensation coming on and you may even be able to head it off. Feeling like you´ve become stupidFibrofog does not mean that you have lost any mental ability. You can still think and reason as well as ever, and if you took an IQ test chances are that your score will not have gone down. It simply means that you have problems with your short term memory. Think back to grade school – a long term memory – and chances are good that you remember a lot. Comfort strategiesFibromites tend to swell slightly over the course of the day, so that clothing that feels good when we first put them on may be tight and uncomfortable by day’s end. Keep this in mind when selecting clothing, and find things that don’t constrict. Avoid underwire bras and look for something called a bralette or bralet, if you are female. It´s not Alzheimer´s!Many people who realize that their memory seems to be failing them become desperately afraid that they are getting Alzheimer’s disease. The bright spot is that if you know your memory is failing then it’s not Alzheimer’s. That very awareness is a hopeful sign that is is "just" common fibrofog - something you can learn to cope with. Set prioritiesSet priorities. Look at all the things you think you need to do. Must they be done? Which are crucial? Which can be put off? Which are just you being hypercritical or perfectionist? Do what MUST be done - and ask for help if you need it. Loss of interest in sexBasically, most people with fibro experience a loss of interest in sex. This really isn’t surprising – very few people have a lot of libido when they ache and hurt and are exhausted, and when the problem is a chronic one, for which there is little relief. To make things worse – sex can hurt because it does involve stress on our connective tissues. You must make sure that your partner understands this, and doesn’t blame himself or herself. Middle of the night medicinesKeep a carafe of water, and pain or other medications that you might need during the night, right by the bed. Often you can just barely wake, take the required pill, and lie right back down without disturbing your sleep too badly. It is far preferable to waking yourself to climb out of bed. Meds that are often needed in the night could include those for restless legs, indigestion, allergies and/or pain. Triggers without traumaWhile most people can point to some significant trauma that triggered the onset of severe fibromyalgia symptoms, some people cannot trace things back to any specific occurrence. This isn’t unusual, as sometimes the problem is triggered by prolonged stress instead of an acute episode of some kind. Being able to point to a specific trigger can be helpful psychologically, as it may explain to you why you found yourself suddenly suffering from pain and fatigue – but not finding a trigger does not mean that you don’t really have fibromyalgia. JournalingKeep a journal to write out your thoughts and feelings. You know people will get weary of listening if you try to express them out loud, but they do need an outlet for you to express them. But even more important, a journal may help you to pinpoint the types of situations that cause stress for you – and may also help you to pinpoint what types of stress lead to physical problems for you. Avoid cramps - keep movingDon't remain in one position too long. It is easy to get hooked on web surfing and remain in your chair for hours. That makes for aches. Make yourself change positions, or, better yet, get up and move a bit every 20 minutes or so. Some people use one of those large rubber inflatable exercise balls as a desk chair - they can bounce and get light aerobic exercise while seated, at the same time avoiding stiffness and encouraging better posture. A little positive introspectionMake lists. Write down everything you like about yourself. List all the things you like to do and can still indulge in. If you’re depressed make lists of what depresses you. Take that out when you are in a good time and see if you can do anything about those things. And make lists of things you enjoy doing. When you’re depressed you’ll forget those - so take out that list, select one thing - and DO it! Use humor to copeThere is humor in fibrofog, so learn to enjoy it. Example: "Fibrofog is great. You can buy one book and read it repeatedly and still keep being surprised." Being able to laugh at yourself will help others to deal with your lapses as well. Brushing your teeth with a tube of polysporin will seem funny in a few days. Honest. Dress in layersDress in layers. Fibromites all have broken internal thermostats. We can be hot and sweating when everyone else is shivering, or freezing as they are opening windows due to the heat. Start with something light and layer a jacket-type blouse or tunic over that and then keep a sweater or sweater coat handy and just peel things on and off as needed. What is Fibromyalgia?Fibromyalgia is a relatively recent term for a common rheumatic disease that was previouly called soft tissue rheumatisem, fibrositis, or nonarticular rheumatism. Some statistics claim 3 to 6 million Americans are affected. Women may be affected four times more often than men. Fibromyalgia attacks the soft tissue- the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Fibromyalgia is pain all over your body with a positive painful announcement on up to 18 specific points used to help diagnose the condition. It can mimic many other medical problems – everything from allergies to chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, multiple sclerosis and more. Your doctor should not only check to see that you have the tender points that are the one indisputable hallmark of fibromyalgia, but also do blood tests to eliminate other possibilities. Computers help us rememberUse a computer reminder service to record important dates and appointments. One useful program is "Say the Time". People with fibrofog never seem to know what day it is, but this program will tell you hourly, on the hour. But better still, you can set an unlimited number of alarms to warn you of upcoming events that you need to remember – even to the point of an alarm to remind you to check the pot roast in 15 minutes – and 15 minutes later remind you to go do it. Diagnostic testsThere are no definitive laboratory tests for fibromyalgia as of now. Your doctor should take blood tests – but only to eliminate other possible causes for the symptoms that you are experiencing. Having eliminated other possibilities, the doctor then looks to see if you have experienced widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for at least three months, and displays many of the other common symptoms of FMS, including at least 11 painful tender points. Fibroymalgia is related to arthritis which means it includes inflammation of the muscle. Soft tissue inflammation responds well to minerals which inprove blood flow. MSM, organic sulfur, is one of the products which helps improve blood flow. We do not get enough organic sulfur in our diet because when we heat foods, the MSM is cooked off as steam. Will your doctor listen?Suggest to your doctor that you have been reading a lot about fibromyalgia and wonder if that might be the problem. Support your “diagnosis” by bringing him a checklist of fibro symptoms and showing how many of those you are suffering from. If he or she dismisses you – or tries to dismiss fibro as something unreal, you need a new doctor. But if yours is willing to listen and to be educated – even to admit that he or she doesn't know much about fibromyalgia then you've got yourself a winner.
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