Fever, aches, the full works just because of a sore throat

Just a simple viral infection like a sore thorat got to me.

I ended up with swollen joints last night, have fever, and ached all over.

Thankfully I bought a massager, and that managed to relieved some of the aches.

I was semi-awake till 4 am in the morning, reverting between half awake states, going to the loo, and drinking water. I must have sweated a pool of water.

Temperature registered? 37.0.

Well that is nota fever you may say, unless you take into account that usually I am just 36.3 to 36.5C! That is a bit low, isnt it?

People may think that I am over reeacting with these minor ailments.

Yes, a sore throat used to mean nothing to me. Now it does. It affects me, with all those pains and fatigue that follows.

How do I explain to others?

another wrist attack

It has been a stop start stop start thing in terms of my work

All dependent on whether my wrists cooperate.

Since a couple of weeks ago, it had been going left-right, left right.

The last one was left, more than 1 week ago, and I thought it is the end.

Nope. Just one hour ago, after coming home from shopping, i realised that my feet ache, my knees ache, and my right wrist swells.


That is it.

No more work/blog

time to sleep now

Depression looming again

Yupp...

Coming again.

it is the sum of all small things

flare...

IBS back again

and get scolded by strangers on the train. Yupp. they scolded me as fat, and blocking their way. Mean.

Aching all over..............

Aching all over...
and I am really missing my Alexander Technique teacher!!!!

Sob Sob sob

new pain lumps are coming out!!!!

I wish i got $$ for massage.

The Prof's wife goes for massages......

The Prof's wife admit to going for massages for her arthritic pain. An important source who is her high-tea clique told me she goes for massages at least once a week, and will go up to 3 times a week if she feels a joint is going to swell.

Her husband approved? Yes, of course!!!

Since the wife of this very well-known man goes for massages, and like me claims that it works, I am no longer considered mad. I am no longer imagining things. It is not a psychosomatic thing that you feel that your flares go down faster after a good, deep tissue massage like acupressure aka Tuina or thai massage.

If a man who is manages arthiritis supports his arthiritic wife's choice of going for massages.......
imagine.

Think!!!

Swell day

What a swell day. This morning I did not get up despite the alarm clock, despite the fact that I know I had to get up to get something important done.

I was “aware”, but not able to get up.

More than 2 hours passed in that state. Finally I got up. LATE.

My body was aching all over, hands swollen. My swollen feet “ouched” when I forced it to bear the weight of this 80 kg giant.

FLARE!!

I was very angry with it coming at that time. Then I remember the good doc told me to catch my blood profiles during the flare.

What followed was frantic phone calls, going to one clinic after another and then finally taking blood, and getting an appointment to see my rheumatologist, at a reduced rate. The appointment is one month later, but at least I got my blood profile.

What a frantic day. To my classmate, she probably does not know what it is like. I talk to her, “like normal”. God knows how stressful it was. I was “fog checking” all the time, and pulling all my strength to carry on. At one time, I almost slipped and fell down the stairs.

To an outsider, I am normal. Ok, I am an overweight woman, who shuffles a little, probably due to the weight? Unless they shake hand with me, they would never notice that I have a special warmth about me. Yup. I am warm.

I am usally 36.5, and when I “flare” it goes up to 36.7 to 37.0. I never officially qualify for the typical mild fever. To begin with, I am colder than usual.

Should I be proud of myself? Yeap. I am very. I only took 2 cab trips. All others are by train and bus. In the train, I even gave up my seat to an elderly woman with a cane. I thought “young, “mild” arthritic giving up place to old, “severe” arthritic”. What is this world coming to? An old woman with a cane has to walk from coach to coach to find a seat. What happens when I become old? Is this the place where I should grow old? Horrible!

ANGRY

I have deep pent up anger.........

Before we moved, I spent days and nights packing our things. It was so triring, and triggered my fibro. Everybox was sealed and labeled before sent to my MIL's home for storage.

Yesterday, I realised that she opened up every single box to "repack"!!!! My diary appeared on top on the box. Great. So ,my diary became a public property, huh?? I almost felt like screaming to her!!!

Looks like one of these days i got to go and "rearrage" the things, and bring them all with me. Either that or i will have every single one destroyed. Period.

a sign of needed confidence boost... taking an IQ test

I took an IQ test, and it says that I am a "facts curator". My IQ was supposed to be 138. Is that a lot or very little? They dont tell me which percentile of the population I belong to. So, does that mean I am smart or dum.

Other "facts curator" include Bill Gates. Hmmmm. But I supposed you have "facts curator" of different quality, dont you? Bill Gates is porbabaly a top class one.

Like a meticulous collector, you've fed your brain a unique set of facts and figures over the years and this makes you a Facts Curator. Whether or not you intend to absorb every piece of information that comes your way, your mind is a sponge for knowledge.

The words in your head could almost fill a dictionary, and you're equally adept at manipulating numbers and detecting important patterns in number sequence

Oh really??? Yeah, perhaps when I am not fogged.

Anyway, this is a new thing to do for FOG check, other than sudoku. GO and try for yourself- free IQ test!

What works for my FIBROMYALGIA.. so far?

Things that make me feel good?
1) Avoid beef and red meat like hell
2)MASSAGE, especially Tui Na or acupressure
3)Alexander Technique lessons and "practice" at home
4)Stretching!
5) sleep
6) Takes lots of fish and omega 3 oils and also antioxidants when it flares
7)Ginseng and Gingko (for my brain fogs and speech slurs)
8)Muscle rubs
9) Hot bath!
10) NSAIDS...

Amitriptyline ease a lot of the pains, but I am so fatigued and knock out by it that I will end up able to do nothing but sleeping. I try to stay away from it.

Technorati Tags:
chronic pain; fibromyalgia; chronic fatigue

Head-hunted???

I am invited for an informal discussion with a potential employee, even though I have not submitted my application. Does that mean I am head hunted?

Hahah.. Well, i think they don't know I am a fibromite.. yet. Wait till I tell them tomorrow.

Hmmm... My CV does look impressive, other than those "gaps".I am sure they will ask about these.

Now I realise I have a problem. Did i get the second or the third place in the oratorial competition? I think I misplaced my testimonial. I want to ask hubby, but he is asleep in another time zone!!!

The first place went to the teacher's pet, and native speaker of language. He was very good too, and have made a mark in the artistic circles. I often see him in newspapers. Losing to him was an honour. Now, between winnie and me, who got second place?

NO idea. totally fogged. ALmost forgot that the discussion is tomorrow.

Hmmm... that might be an interesting discussion. Imagine me being foggy???

Heck whatever. I already have a job in hand. This is more for future jobs.

It is morning, and that means I got to get up early. Fingers have been having a "swell time" in the past few weeks.

Totally honest, yet Offered a job!!!

I am just offered a job.

It started with JOanne finding a job with a MNC, a very difficult to get position.
And then I thought, if Joanne could do it, so could I??? Joanne is younger and has a longer "list" than me, yet she managed, somehow. Wow. Maybe what the Chinese say is true, Heaven will not give man a deadend. Well, heck, just give it a try.

I had wanted to hide about my condition. But my experience tells me, no point doing so. If you get into a company who thinks that people like me are parasites, and wouldn't want to acknowledge my limitations and yet at the same time see my potential, I will go no where.

I need a boss, and a company who accepts me as I am, "lovely bone", foggy brains and all.

Yet, I was called up. They said they liked me!! Can you believe it?? They are willing to let me have a short contract for a try.

I liked my potential bosses too. My instinct told me that they are really really kind people, just like my thesis supervisor and my phd committee. With these people, I thrive.

Wish me luck. Please with me luck.

One up for fibromites.

And three cheers for people like my bosses. Heavens sent them to me, I believe.

But I should also let you know a little secret, seeking out these angels are hardwork. ANd I worked hard at it.

Things dont come easily for people like us. Just got to hang on, work hard, and if shit comes to you, think about that donkey!!

seeing friends, seeing flares

Having a chronic invisible diseases means that whenever someone has not seen you for a long time, they will tell you how good/bad you look, and ask you about THAT, what-is-it, RA or something that you have? Every meeting will start with a hello to the joints. Their well-being get asked about much more often than my husband.

Change of weather, and time zone means loss of sleep, ie flare city for me.

I am still adjusting, and a little to tired to type.


My mood is quite high though, i have a high chance of starting work in a job which is ideal for me.

What is the most important thing I did these last 7 days?

Educating a young, bring medical officer; my dear cousin. My cousin is one of those super-lucky people in the world. Identified as gifted since young, higher than average intelligence, born into a good, loving family, and pursuing her chosen profession. She is a young angel and I am just so proud of her.

HOwever, one thing worries me. Will she be able to emphatise with patients?

Her dad was a very popular doctor, and still is. what has changed is his style. More and more paternalistic as skill and confidence and reputation increase over the years. I am worried that my cousin would fall into the same trap.

So, I told her about my encounters with doctors. Some of them, she took some time to digest, and tried to defend her profession. ANyway, I just wanted to drill into her head about respecting patients, eventhough the patient is "isgnorant". The "ignorant" patients goes though the illness and the disease, and their experience deserve to be respected. As a doctor, you improve their life, what is important to them, and not what is important to you.

I am really drowsy now.
just hope that my message got through. Really hope that my cousin will be an angel of a doctor. She has a great heart. My only worry is she fails to understand patients. I just hope she would.

tired

tired. #

hand hurts.

hand as stucked in a Tube trap.

staff was in no hurry to help.

more pain now. bruised

more complains when less painful.

Tools for a neat little diagnosis: Are we getting that soon?

Almost every month or so, we will encounter a "new disease" or new "syndrome". Imagine you are a GP, harried and tired after hours of work.

In an attempt to simplify the process of diagnosis, researchers have attempted to come up with solutions, ie what questions can the GPs ask in order to diagnose?

Giving the GP a list of questions to ask, and telling him/her that if the patient answers "yes" to a certain number of questions, you can "diagnose" the patient of having a certain disease is very "helpful" to the GP!! That is a great "tool", isnt it? Cool!!!

You go to the doctor's office, the doctor ask you some questions, and then show you a chart;

Doc: Hey you have answers yes to x out of y questions, you most likely have disease Z.

With the huge logos of dissease Z's association, it looks and sounds authoritative.

Patient: Urgh, I have Disease Z?

Doc: Don't worry, they have a new drug which works very well for Disease Z. Why don't you give it a try?

Patient: OK! (relieved that there is name to some symptoms that he/she has been experiencing, and even more relieved that you could now pop pills to "cure" it!)

Errr, did I tell you who sponsored the research of such a tool? And did I tell you when they will sponsor the invention of such a tool?

Yes, despite your fogged out brains, you guess it correctly!

"They" will sponsor the research of these neat little "tools", or "questionnaires", when there is a "promising" compound in the pipeline.

Improving diagnosis methods ---->>>Increase RATE of diagnosis---->>>> Increase number of PATIENTS--->>>Increase number of drugs presribe-->>>Increase sales --->>> Increased Profits!!!

Well, we fibromites can only get jealous with those RLS people, cos they have a drug "successfully" developed for it, and get all these associated benefits. Till the, just hang on, and think of the even more unfortunate millions who die of malaria every year.

FYI: Malaria is a poor man's disease, and there is "no cure". Why no cure??? Well, you know the answer. They have no money to buy the "cure", even if there is one. So, how much funding are the drug companies dedicating to this area of research? WE fibromites have it better, cos most of us have "governments" who are rich enough to pay for a "cure", and they will start paying once they get sick of the "sick benefits".

Alexander Technique lessons, what if you can't afford?

I think Alexander Technique has helped my fibromyalgia.
And I really hope others will get a go at it. However, lessons are so expensive, and you need quite a number of lessons before correcting yourself properly!

Is it possible to not go for lessons and learn from videos or books?
I think that would be tough, expecially for those muscles and positions that are really bad. I think it is helpful to have someone guide you.

But what if, like many of us,(me included) we are jobless and broke?
We got to start somewhere. Even if we go for lessons, probably we need to learn "fast", as we dont have that kind of money to go for 20 sessions or 40 sessions!

What would help the student to learn Alexander Technique??
I think reading the relevant books help. While arranging a stack of books in the charity shop I am volunteering, I came across and old copy of "The Alexander Principle " by Wilfred Barlow. (Amazon Link)



It has words, words and more words, but I still bought it.

Last few nights, I began to really read it, and started to link what I am taught during lessons and the principles behind it.

Wilfred Barlow is a medical doctor by training, (and from Oxford !!!), so don't expect glossy, "reader friendly" stuff. The approach to this book is a little clinical, ie dry. I could barely go through more than 10 pages at a go(that is for someone who gobble up whole novels at one sitting). It reminds me abit of my student days, mugging my anatomy and physiology books. But somehow, I went on reading it, because it the examples and information is so relevant!!!

The charts and diagrams in the book points out obviously the difference between correct use, and misuse of the body. I also like illustrations on the problems with diagrams of the relevant muscles, as it helps me to visualise acurately which muscle had gone wrong and pay attention to it.

I suggest people reading it before starting lessons, as you will learn more quickly that way. Lessons are not cheap if you need to pay. Or just read it to find out if we are really misusing or bodies. Get someone to take your photos and compare with what you see in the books. May be that is a cheaper way to get something off, before proceeding to lessons.


P/S: Try to get from your local library- My local library has a copy. Or check out Amazon. If you are buying from Amazon, please do consider clicking my link above, as I will get a 5% commission from it, which would help me pay the bills. Thanks!

Related posts:
Make sure the Bra fits!
Alexander Technique-new hope for my fibromyalgia
Alexander technique- feeling benefits after one lesson?
Alexander Technique-second lesson
My limpy fibro progress-My 3rd Alexander Technique lesson

Technorati Tags:
Alexander technique;Coping strategies ; chronic pain; fibromyalgia; chronic fatigue

What works for my FIBROMYALGIA.. so far?

Things that make me feel good?
1) Avoid beef and red meat like hell
2)MASSAGE, especially Tui Na or acupressure
3)Alexander Technique lessons and "practice" at home
4)Stretching!
5) SLEEP
6) Take lots of fish and omega 3 oils, antioxidants when it flares
7) Ginseng and Gingko (for my brain fogs and speech slurs)
8) Muscle rubs-esp Tiger Muscle rub or Tiger Balm (Got to ask around to get it, or get someone to buy back boxed when they go to Asian countries!)
9) Hot bath! (with Lavender essential oil)
10) NSAIDS...

Amitriptyline ease a lot of the pains, but I am so fatigued and knock out by it that I will end up able to do nothing but sleeping. I try to stay away from it.

Technorati Tags:
chronic pain; fibromyalgia; chronic fatigue

Alexander Technique- 10th lesson done!

I have finished the 10th Alexander Technique lesson. 2 more lessons to go, before I have to start paying, if I want to continue.

Last lesson, I was taught to concentrate on my breathing when lying down to release the muscle tensions. It was a little like meditation, the teacher said, and not exactly AT. That seems to help... but I can't seem to do it on my own at home! I guess I am the impatient type, always thinking of something else to do. But this is also the issue that I need to keep in check, as I think this sort of attitude will just exacerbate my fibro!

Suprise, suprise, I found myself able to hold myself better in the position that is halfway between sitting and standing. We are supposed to do that, is PAUSE while doing something to check ourselves and allow a chance for all the MISuse and bad habits to undo. This time, I found myself less shaky (despite a mild, ongoing flare!), my knees a lot less painful! I think I am beginning to use the correct muscles!

I think since starting the lessons, I am less tired afters activities like shopping, standing for a long time etc. Before that an hour or two of standing/walking will produce muscle cramps and I would be so fatigued, yet not able to sleep well at night because of the pain.

I have started reading a book for Alexander Technique, I think it helps me to understand and learn faster. I will write more about it another day. I guess it is pre-lunch time now, and I am so so tired. Keep on typing tried tried tried for tired. welll.. that is a sign of snooze time.

Some other Related posts:
Make sure the Bra fits!(THE "lesson" from my 4th lesson)
Alexander Technique-new HOPE for my fibromyalgia
Alexander technique- feeling benefits after one lesson?
Alexander Technique-2nd lesson
My limpy fibro progress-My 3rd Alexander Technique lesson

Technorati Tags:
Coping strategies ; alexander technique; chronic pain; fibromyalgia; chronic fatigue

Tools for a neat little diagnosis: Are we getting that soon?

Almost every month or so, we will encounter a "new disease" or new "syndrome". Imagine you are a GP, harried and tired after hours of work.

In an attempt to simplify the process of diagnosis, researchers have attempted to come up with solutions, ie what questions can the GPs ask in order to diagnose?

Giving the GP a list of questions to ask, and telling him/her that if the patient answers "yes" to a certain number of questions, you can "diagnose" the patient of having a certain disease is very "helpful" to the GP!! That is a great "tool", isnt it? Cool!!!

You go to the doctor's office, the doctor ask you some questions, and then show you a chart;

Doc: Hey you have answers yes to x out of y questions, you most likely have disease Z.

With the huge logos of dissease Z's association, it looks and sounds authoritative.

Patient: Urgh, I have Disease Z?

Doc: Don't worry, they have a new drug which works very well for Disease Z. Why don't you give it a try?

Patient: OK! (relieved that there is name to some symptoms that he/she has been experiencing, and even more relieved that you could now pop pills to "cure" it!)

Errr, did I tell you who sponsored the research of such a tool? And did I tell you when they will sponsor the invention of such a tool?

Yes, despite your fogged out brains, you guess it correctly!

"They" will sponsor the research of these neat little "tools", or "questionnaires", when there is a "promising" compound in the pipeline.

Improving diagnosis methods ---->>>Increase RATE of diagnosis---->>>> Increase number of PATIENTS--->>>Increase number of drugs presribe-->>>Increase sales --->>> Increased Profits!!!

Well, we fibromites can only get jealous with those RLS people, cos they have a drug "successfully" developed for it, and get all these associated benefits. Till the, just hang on, and think of the even more unfortunate millions who die of malaria every year.

FYI: Malaria is a poor man's disease, and there is "no cure". Why no cure??? Well, you know the answer. They have no money to buy the "cure", even if there is one. So, how much funding are the drug companies dedicating to this area of research? WE fibromites have it better, cos most of us have "governments" who are rich enough to pay for a "cure", and they will start paying once they get sick of the "sick benefits".

The danger of misdiagnosis : A Single Question can diagnose Restless Leg Syndome ??

A single question to diagnose a condition? Wow, that is magical!!!

'The question, developed by the International RLS Study Group on the basis of standard diagnostic criteria, is:

"When you try to relax in the evening or sleep at night, do you ever have unpleasant, restless feelings in your legs that can be relieved by walking or movement?" '

"Unpleasant, restless": these words are so subjective, and its interpretation would vary across cultures. The Italians seems to have better acuracy in diagnosing it.

Are there any single questions to diagnose the PAIN, FATIGUE, fogginess that we experience?
Nope.

No easy diagnosis, no easy prescribing, bad market for drugs.

Bad market for drugs, less money to develop drug, no funding to improve diagnosis methods.

Till then , we got to count on ourselves.

Original article at:
SLEEP: Single Question Aids Restless Leg Diagnosis - CME Teaching Brief - MedPage Today: "International RLS Study Group"

Just what is needed to stay off chocholates! Salmonella!

Cadbury: 53 suspicious cases - Sunday Times - Times Online

They knew it was contaminated in January and now it is July!!!

Ewwww.. I took 2 of the Easter Eggs which is supposed to be withdrawn.

Did I have a diarrhoea? I might had, and might had just put it to another episode of IBS.

I lose my chocholate cravings!!!

However, microbiological experts and official agencies said high levels of fat and sugar in chocolate made it an ideal vehicle for preserving salmonella and carrying it into the intestine. This meant that serious illness could be caused by what appeared to be mere trace levels of the bacterium.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), the government’s watchdog, said: “Salmonella is unacceptable at any level and we would have expected Cadbury to have notified us far earlier than they did on finding this bacterium in their products.”

The contamination was first detected in January in chocolate at the company’s Marlbrook plant in Herefordshire. The plant produces nearly 100,000 tonnes of chocolate crumb a year, which is sent to other factories to be mixed with cocoa butter and made into chocolate products.