What's Up Wednesday - Fibromyalgia Flare Ups

This post has little to do with veganism, food, or drinking, so come back tomorrow if you aren't into hearing about my personal life.

I published a post a couple weeks ago about how Homeopathic Medicine is My Homeboy, and how I've been seeking natural methods to treat my fibromyalgia. I've seen some significant improvements since I was first diagnosed, but this past week has been rough. Any number of things can aggravate fibromyalgia, and when you start experiencing more pain, etc., it's called a flare up. For me, the better part of the past week has been one big flare up. Maybe it's the heat, maybe it's the fluctuating barometric pressure, or maybe it's just my body being a dick, but no matter what's been causing it, it's made me pretty miserable.

I think the worst thing about having fibromyalgia - besides the pain and fatigue - is that it's so unpredictable. Last weekend I ran 7 miles, NBD. A couple days later? I was too weak to get dressed. It's hard to make plans to do anything because I feel fine one day and miserable the next. As a formerly active person, it's tough to slow down a little and not do all the things I want to do. My head wants me to do the things I enjoy (except for when it's doing its own fibromyalgia tricks and is making me think like an Alzheimer's patient), but my body sometimes just says "nope." I'm feeling like an especially crummy friend and fiance right now because I really can't commit to do anything for fear of feeling like poop. I've been trying to struggle through my flare up and pretend like everything is a-ok, but sometimes I just can't. Sometimes I'm so tired I need to sleep an extra couple hours after work. Sometimes I can't shower and get dressed because every drop of water on my skin in the shower burns like acid. Sometimes I can't stand the heat because it makes my insides feel like I'm boiling from the inside out. Sometimes I lay awake all night with pain radiating down my arms and legs. I could go on forever and not really describe the pain you experience with fibromyalgia in enough detail to make someone who doesn't have it understand how it feels. Just know that it's a pain I wouldn't wish on anyone.

But despite how terrible this past week has been, I'm still optimistic. I still believe going the natural route is the right way to go. I mean, my only other options are to do nothing and be miserable pretty much all of the time, or go the traditional medicine route and spend my life taking pain pills, antidepressants, sleeping pills, and more wile vegetating on my couch.  And that's no way to live. I believe in my doctor and I believe that I can beat this thing or at least force fibromyalgia into a corner instead of letting it rule my life.