Stress Hangover

I ususally try to blog about positive issues but today I am feeling frustrated.  For those of you that don't know I suffer from Fibromyalgia, a condition that effects my nerves, muscles and joints.  There isn't a real reason why people suffer from this and there isn't yet a cure.  Apparently I have been suffering from this for many years but because it takes so long to diagnose I didn't begin treatment until about 2 years ago.  Even though I began treatment 2 years ago, I still haven't found a treatment that works for me.  There are a few different medications out there that are advertised for this condition but so far they haven't worked for me.  I am on my third medication, this one is one that I have to take and try per order of the insurance company before I can try a different one.  You have to understand these medications are the kind that you have to build up to and then if you come off you have to ween off of, so "trying a medication means, taking 1 pill for a week then taking 2 pills for another week then taking 3 pills for another week then being on the pill for a few weeks to find it doesn't work,  Now to come off that pill you have to take 2 pills for a week....get it!!! So now it takes forever to get on medications and to come off and in the mean time your body is going through withdrawals and its in pain anyway and your mind is stressed not knowing when you will find relief.  And there is that word STRESS!!!

Everyone has stress, we can't help it, that's life.  Well if you have fibro, that's the short, cool word for it, then you know that you are not allowed to stress because if you stress even a little...you will suffer.  Stress of any kind brings on a flare-up and that means trouble.  Flare-ups include, migraines, IBS, muscle pains so bad that you feel like you have run a marathon and you can't move, joint pain, heartburn that mimics a heart attack.  The problem is the stress doesn't have to be bad stress...there is good stress.  There is being excited about things and your body gets excited well watch out.  If your body is like mine it will turn around and attack you.  It doesn't seem to know the difference between good and bad "excited" activity in the brain.

I am also sure that physical therapy, diet and cognitive therapy (changing the way I think) would be very helpful but these things cost much more than the stupid pills they push at you.  I know for a fact because I have tried it that massage therapy works but it is so ridiculoulsy priced and our insurance company's would rather give me a pill.  As you can probably tell I am tired of the pills and would much rather go a different route but right now am stuck up against a wall.

I know I will never be free of the stress, good or bad, but finding a better way of coping with it is my goal.  I know I may seek out therapy and some sort of physical activity.  Keeping the negative stress out of my life is also a goal of mine but learning how to change it and not totally delete it is what I am looking to accomplish.

I titled this Stress Hangover because you know what it is like to suffer an alcohol hangover...well a stress hangover is the same idea...After an episode of stress, I have the same couple of days of feeling like crap.  Migraine, muscle ache, stomach issues...feeling of being hit by a truck!!!!