To Travel or Not to Travel

Last week my husband and I enjoyed a great mini-vacation together.  The lakeside resort we chose for our holiday included a great view, a spa ... and a 5-hour car ride.  In my opinion, the words 'travelling with fibro' are 3 words that shouldn't be in the same sentence.  Like champagne served with hot dogs, they just don't belong together. I certainly don't relish the idea of packing, laundry-wrangling and doing it all over again.

In the 4 years that I've had fibromyalgia, I've travelled by plane. I've travelled by sea. But I've steered away from the annual summer road trip. I'm not at all enthusiastic about riding shotgun on sweaty leather for 200 miles.  It's a necessary evil however and something that needs to be endured if you want to get from Point A to Holiday B. With a wave to the Diva Dog and house-sitter, we set off for a rare holiday without kids.

Three hours into the journey, I felt restless, antsy and too uncomfortable to sit any longer.  I had cleverly remembered to bring a blanket and pillow, in case I wanted to camp out in the back seat. When we pulled over,  I scrambled into the back and made a bed for myself.   The seat belt cut me in half at the waist and it was difficult to get into a comfortable position.  So I did something bad.  I unbuckled and stretched out on the seat. Ahhh, sweet bliss.  I watched the clouds pass by mile after mile. It reminded me of childhood - before mandatory seat belt laws - when we layed down guilt-free on the backseat with a sleeping bag and pillow.  Back then everyone did it and we did it without the fear of imminent death. 

The hours passed by uneventfully until we got off the highway and made a wide turn onto the exit ramp. Groggy with sleep, I slid from the rear seat and pitched forward.  Instinctively, I thrust out my arm to prevent a face plant into the driver's seat.  Sharp pain crept up my arm, lodging in my shoulder. I got the message loud and clear;  nap time was over. I sat up and buckled up.

The hotel was big and lively.  Our time was our own - we stayed out late and got up whenever we wanted.  We stayed too long at the casino.  I think the machines were definitely rigged.  No one seemed to be winning much of anything.  Did that stop us?  What do you think?  *sly grin*.  We walked around the promenade in the sunshine, enjoying the view of the lake.  I treated myself to a wonderfully relaxing pedicure.  We did a tad of shopping and took in some local art.  We napped in the afternoon and practically inhaled the turn-down service chocolates.  We ordered room service whenever we felt like it, indulging in hotel hookey, truant from real life.  The Fibro Bully was thoughtful enough to back off and allow me the luxury of four (relatively) pain-free days. Then, the clock struck twelve and it was time to leave the ball.

All good things must come to an end.  (Why do the rotten things last forver?)  I dreaded the claustraphobic passenger seat for the long drive home.  To pass time, I distracted myself with scenery watching. You can only look at trees for so long before you either fall asleep or start talking to your husband. I fell asleep.  My head bobbed and rolled for the next 100 miles. With home only an hour away, I decided to forego the back seat even though I was mad with the need to stretch out my legs.

After the second day at home it came as no surprise when exhaustion took me down. Waiting to be unpacked, only the suitcases had the strength to stand.  I went to bed for a nap and stayed there for the better part of 48 hours. I eventually emerged from the fibro-coma and stood up. My right knee was puffy and inflamed. Well, isn't that just swell, I thought.

I couldn't bear weight on it, so I wrapped it with a tensor bandage while hubby dug out the 'emergency' cane from the back of the closet.  My knee has pulled this stunt before - having 3 surgeries on it will do that.  I've learned from past experience that all it needs is rest, some ice and a few Advil. Soooo, this meant a return to bed just as my energy had re-emerged. (I guess it's asking too much for good health to occur simultaneously.)  Because of my stupid stupid knee I missed out on a cool Blueberry Festival that I wanted to go to.  I deliberately stayed home to rest my leg so I could attend an annual family tradition later that evening: fireworks on the beach but I didn't go to that either.  I felt it was too risky to be stumbling around on sand, in the dark with a bum knee.  If I fell, it would be a diaster, so I stayed home and sulked.  Missing out on family get-togethers is part of the package deal called Fibromyalgia.  As if pain and fatigue are not bad enough, the Fibro Bully stomps the shit outta your social life.  My knee is better but fibro pain has now gripped my neck and shoulders like a pit-bull, refusing to let go. 

Tomorrow I will get another chance.  It's my daughter's 16th birthday and we'll go back to the same beach.  There will be no fireworks but I'll settle for the blaze of candles on her cake.  As much as I stress about packing and the things that need to be done before a holiday, I thoroughly enjoy myself once I'm there. Long car journeys are difficult for me but I'll ride it out. It's a short-term exchange for the chance to make unforgettable memories ...  another opportunity for family fun will come around again and pain or no pain, I will thumb my nose at the obnoxious Fibro Bully.

So, I ask you:

To travel or not to travel? That is the question, 

Whether is nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of fibromyalgia ...

To die; to sleep. To sleep: perchance to dream ... (We wish!)

Ay, there's the rub.... 

(And believe me, we're going to need it.)

Have fibro will travel!

Fibromyalgia and Other Fairy Tales

Recently, hubby and our 2 grown daughters whooped it up in Disneyland. Oh, I was invited to tag along but being the token fibromite in the family, I realized I'd be dead weight. I'd slow them down, take frequent rests, complain about the long line-ups. And that's just the airport!

I've hustled my way around Disneyland so many times that I should be awarded with an honorary Goofy Degree. Okay, I'll admit it's a lot of fun.  But is it really the happiest place on earth? I'm gonna have to disagree the Big Mouse on this one. The size of Disneyland is massive. It's overwhelming for many people, including those who don't struggle with disabilities. There is simply no way you can see it in one day (unless you've been sprinkled with some special kind of pixie dust.)

Not everyone is as sure-footed as the Seven Dwarfs. A large percentage of the population have mobility problems that require the use of canes and wheelchairs. One of Disney's newer rides: the ECV, or electric convenience vehicle.  It requires no prior skill to operate, which is evident in the number of foot injuries inflicted on the average pedestrian. My husband was one such victim, trapped between a wall of baby strollers 3-abreast and carts being driven by senior speed-demons. I have no reason to go to Disneyland anymore; I don't do rides. I'm dizzy enough as it is. I don't understand why people pay money to ride on the Whirl 'n' Hurl.  Why would I pay to vomit?  The crowds, the noise and chaos in surround-sound don't fit with a fibromite's idea of a relaxed holiday. Darling, I love you but give me a desert spa retreat with massage-on-demand... now that's a vacation.

Here are my observations regarding the bevy of Disneyland beauties: I believe that many of its lovely princesses showed clear evidence of living with invisible illnesses. Consider;

• For years, we fable readers have been misled to believe that Sleeping Beauty was 'killed' by an evil spell cast by a really nasty little fairy. Oh really?  She may have slept for 100 years but what person with chronic fatigue syndrome hasn't felt that same need for excessive sleep? You see what I'm saying?
• What was the real story behind Snow White and that sickly pallor? Allegedly, she ate a bad apple and fell into a stupor. Again, a diet low in folic acid and the B vitamins can cause paleness and lethargy.  Talk about the height of chauvinism to assume the girl merely needed a sloppy kiss from a self-proclaimed 'Prince' to cure her obvious anemia.  You don't need to be Doc to realize that a couple of Vitamin B12 injections - along with a suggestion to eat strictly organic produce - would have smartened her up in no time.
• Poor Cinderella.  She got her Prince but did she live happily ever after?  With years of stooping in fireplaces, constant stress and childhood abuse, the Princess likely laid down the foundation for developing fibromyalgia in later years.  
•  Belle of  Beauty and the Beast fame regularly conversed and danced with grandfather clocks, candle sticks and tea cups. Hallucinations can be a common side effect of many medications associated with invisible illnesses. 
• While Alice in Wonderland was not a Princess, her tragic experience with obvious narcotic addiction bears mentioning here. Alice had a lot of problems.  Better yet, let's not discuss Alice. 
• And as far as that little red-headed Ariel goes, her ADHD was quite noticeable and anything but invisible.  However, her constant immersion in water could be suggestive of a mobility problem. This became evident on land. The waters likely soothed the stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis.   

I offer these observations for your interpretation. Anyway, while my family let loose in Disneyland, I had a nice enough time by myself at home.  I visited a lecture on astrophysics (seriously) and had a manicure in the same afternoon. Talk about galaxies apart... I also had a relaxing therapeutic massage and maybe I slipped into the casino... shhh!  I shopped, I read, I napped, I walked the Diva Doggy and I attempted many times to finish this blog.  All in all, it was a win-win vacation for both sides of our family.  They got the high-energy, fun-packed getaway they wanted and I got to relax and answer to no one ... well, except to the Diva.

If I had one wish, I would wish for no more ills, or medical bills and endless handfuls of our dreaded pills. I would wish for all to receive their Prince or Princess but mostly I'd wish for healthy days spent with no pain, reveling in happiness.

Moral of the blog?  Maybe I had a little too much time on my hands while my family vacationed. And yet we all lived {relatively} happily ever after.

Author's Note:  As a person living with fibromyalgia myself,  it is my belief that taking ourselves too seriously is never a good idea. We mustn't forget how to laugh, especially at ourselves, whether able-bodied or not.  The humor expressed here is not meant to minimize or make light of those living with chronic painful illnesses.     

UPDATE:

After writing this blog, I was informed about a special pass that is available for people with disabilities. One of these handy passes is called a fast pass that allows a person with a disability to wait for their turn at the beginning of the line-up. There are restrictions but it is an option that is certainly worth checking out if you're planning a trip to Disneyland. It can make the difference between enjoyment or torture! Click on the link below.

        http://www.autisticgenius.com/blog/?cat=53                                                                                                                                                                          

Sense and Sensitivities

As a child I was frequently told that I was 'too sensitive' or 'too shy'.  My young mind interpreted this well-intended advice as something bad - that I was defective. But even I could see that I was different from other kids. Loud noisy environments upset me, I startled easily and cried often. I noticed little details that escaped other children. The tags in the backs of clothes itched me, I wouldn't eat foods if I didn't like its texture. The normal childhood fascination with all things dirty and messy held no appeal. I was anal about neatness by the age of eight.

Today,  I look back and see a sensitive child floundering in a not-so-sensitive world. The phrase highly sensitive would not be coined until 1996 by Elaine Aron, Ph.D,  (a research psychologist, author and a 'highly sensitive' or HSP person herself) wrote a book entitled 'The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You.  It became a national bestseller and she went on to write a series of  'highly sensitive' books  including the 'Highly Sensitive Child' and the 'Highly Sensitive Person in Love' among others.  Studies have shown HSP is an inherited trait, likely present from birth. This trait occurs in approximately 15-20% of the population and that includes the human and animal world and is observed in all higher life forms.

Canadian pain specialist, Dr. Andre Lalonde,  suggested at a recent review talk on fibromyalgia that the condition would be better named Abnormal Sensitivity Syndrome.  He suggested that people can have abnormal sensitivity from birth.  Even in the hospital nursery these individuals can act different than the other babies.  They may startle more easily and be harder to settle. They go through life reacting to noises, smells, temperature changes, etc. that would not bother most people.  Sounds a lot like HSPs.  When exposed to a trigger or set of triggers, later in life this may bring on the development of fibromyalgia. The main triggers are:  sleep disturbances, emotional distress and physical deconditioning.  Interestingly,  physical trauma does not seem to be a trigger.  These triggers can easily cause a vicious cycle to develop that can go on to lead to the development of fibromyalgia.  HSPs with their highly sensitive nervous systems would seem to be at a higher risk of developing fibromyalgia.

Animals:   A highly-sensitive nervous system means that one is keenly aware of subtleties and nuance in their surroundings.  In the animal world it can be a great advantage in many situations, making the difference between life and death. One theory suggests this trait survives in higher life forms because it is useful to have a least a few animals around that are watching their environment for subtle changes.  An example would be a  gazelle that senses danger in the form of a hungry lioness nearby while the herd drinks from a pond, unaware. The highly-attuned gazelle can alert the pack to danger, providing those few, vital seconds to escape. But, animal herds also need the explorers, the fighters to claim new territory and hunt for food. So, the human and animal world need members with both types of traits (sensitive and non-sensitive) for survival.

Closer to home, people with abnormal sensitivity syndrome ( or ASS, for short) can experience up to 600 micro awakenings in one night. Possessing such a highly-attuned nervous system can have both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, it can alert one to danger such as smelling smoke in the house before the smoke detector goes off.  Or hearing an intruder in your home before anyone else does. The obvious downside to having this highly-attuned nervous system is that you are unlikely to experience a deep, restful sleep and will wake up feeling tired and unrefreshed.

Misunderstood:   What seems ordinary to others - loud music, sirens, crowds - can lead to an unpleasant 'over-arousal' for HSP's.  Most people can ignore glaring lights, noise, clutter and chaos, but HSP'S are truly disturbed by them. "This difference in the levels of 'over-arousability' in HSP's seems to lie somewhere on the way to the brain or in the brain, that results in a more careful processing of information. We (HSP's) reflect more on everything. And we sort things into finer distinctions.  Like those machines that grade fruit by size - we sort into ten sizes while others sort into two or three." *

It's interesting to note that while HSP's make up 15-20% of the population world-wide, this trait is not treated the same in all cultures. In Western culture, shy and sensitive children are the least popular among their peers while in Sweden and Japan, this trait is valued, sought after and rewarded.

Sensitivities in Humans:  People with fibromyalgia and interestingly, people labelled as HSP's experience more pain in their lives and are more sensitive to pain-relieving medications. In general, people with fibro have a lower pain threshold and a greater sensitivity to pain stimuli. They also feel pain significantly longer after a painful event than people who don't have fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, they feel the pain faster, longer and worse.

Some people with fibromyalgia are overly-sensitive to many chemicals in their environment.  Most people living in industrialized countries are constantly bombarded with chemicals, but their bodies seem to cope with them.  Others go into a kind of 'system-overload.'  Their bodies react so strongly it's possible that the overload of chemicals in their environment may lead to chronic pain, sleep difficulties, joint stiffness and other problems.  Possible triggers include cigarette smoke, perfumes and industrial cleaners, cosmetics and many more.

Many people with fibromyalgia feel they are 'weather and temperature-sensitive.' They say they can feel or sense changes in weather coming on because the pain intensifies in their bodies. More often than not, their bodies are correct in predicting the weather.

Good food/Bad food:  Common foods that trigger flare-ups are: chocolate, MSG (a food additive), aspartame, caffeine, coffee, high-sugar foods and citrus fruits. Why does it have to be all the good stuff? I'd have no problem with pointing the finger at brussel sprouts as the culprit.

Finally, there is some good news. Further studies have shown that while people with fibro feel pain more acutely, the opposite may hold true as well. Those feel-good, oh-so-nice sensations can be experienced with more intensity.  So let the good times roll!


* from "The Highly Sensitive Person''  by Elaine N. Aron, Ph. D  page 7.

Pick a Syndrome... Any Syndrome

Do you suffer from a multitude of medical syndromes? Itis-es and algias?  Fibromites often have a long list of shared health concerns.

My descent into medical mayhem started at age 19 when I developed several allergies. As they came under control,  a curious new symptom appeared.  I started to lactate!  My milky nipples made me nervous because I couldn't recall a recent pregnancy.  I was exhausted and underweight.  Ultimately,  I was found to have an underactive thyroid gland.  I was put on a thyroid supplement and told that's it, kid - you're good to go.  Infamous last words. To make things even more complicated, I've wrestled with depression for most of my life.

The Thyroid Years

My wacky gland behaved itself until I had babies. After each of my pregnancies, I developed post-partum hyperthyroidism. After the birth of our second daughter, things went from bad to ugly. Long term beta-blockers no longer controlled my symptoms and I was diagnosed with Graves disease.  I received radioactive iodine in an attempt to snuff out any remaining thyroid tissue or as I like to say, I got nuked.  Last year, in a misguided but well-intentioned effort to 'fine-tune' my thyroid levels, my doctor altered my medications.  I went from relatively 'normal' to a suicidal state within 10 days.  My thyroid blood levels plummeted and I systematically curled up and shut down.  I would have hurled myself into traffic if I'd had the energy to move fast enough.  Again, my medications were tweaked and I improved within 48 hours. I was stunned by the speed of my Total System Failure. A sick thyroid will take you down and it will take you down fast.

Uh-oh! Endo.

There's a cruel irony that comes with infertility ...  you take the BCP, open your legs to insert IUD's and when you want a family, you can't produce the babies.  My husband and I travelled the lonely road of infertility for several years. With no explanation for our inability to spawn,  I was given the dreaded and painful HSP otherwise known as a hysterosalpingogram. (For Canadian readers this is not to be confused with the HST).  An HSP is an X-ray of your reproductive organs. A catheter is inserted up your who-ha along with contrast dye. The dye is shot through your fallopian tubes, like a skinny kid on a water slide. Typically, HSP's are used as a diagnostic tool but can sometimes have the added benefit of 'blowing' out any gunk stuck in yer plumbing. Four months later we finally conceived and had a baby girl. When we tried for a second child, we were met with difficulties once again. In a search for answers, I had so many laparoscopies and endometrial biopsies that I was on a first-name basis with the operating room staff. Then, we received the devastating diagnosis:  stage-4 endometriosis.

In-Vitro

After realizing the extent of disease scarring my pelvic organs, my husband and I decided to try IVF (in-vitro fertilization). Going through IVF is a little bit like the movie, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers."  Talk about a highly-choreographed symphony of torture. You lose your bearings somewhere between self-detonating ovaries and a bum full of daily needle pokes. Only your puffy, progesterone-filled pod remains. Luck was with us and we were successful on our first attempt. We were thrilled to discover that I was carrying twins. On my daughter's 6th birthday, I lost the pregnancy at 8 weeks to a soul-crushing miscarriage. The loss of our babies was heart-breaking. I've never been one to give up easily and we were determined to try IVF again when the time was right. On our second attempt, we harvested 8 viable eggs. Four of the embryos were 'frozen' while the other four were implanted into my uterus. We were disappointed when none of the embryos 'took'.  Needing a break from the heavy emotional and physical toll, we gave ourselves 5 months off to recover our strength. We still had 4 frozen embryos and this was our last attempt. It must have been a good batch because 8 months later we welcomed another daughter.  All was not rosy after the birth of our second child.  I developed post-partum depression and sky-rocketed into hyperthyroidism again. Looking back on those dark days, I don't know how I got through with any shred of sanity left intact.

Surgeries

I've lost count of the number of surgeries I've had.  Maybe, twelve or thirteen?  Every January 1st,  I make a resolution to stay out of the operating room. Still, there have been 3 knee surgeries, gallbladder surgery, lumpectomies, cystoscopies and more laparoscopies than you can shake a scalpel at. Eventually, the endometriosis became so severe that it was no longer about having  'bad periods.'  It was about living in pain 24/7.  My youngest child was 5 years old around this time and she drew pictures of her family, as most children like to do. Picture after picture depicted Mommy in bed, either sleeping or crying. It broke my heart to see how disconnected I had become from my family. Something had to change. So, at age 41, I decided to have a complete hysterectomy.  The hysterectomy took away my constant pelvic pain but it came with a new set of problems that included IBS and nerve damage to the bowel.

In April of 2007,  I caught the Norwalk virus. It laid me out flat for a week and I don't think I ever fully recovered.  I frequently felt achy and exhausted, convinced that I had a  'low-grade virus' but my temperature was always normal.  I had heard the word fibromyalgia tossed around in the media but I didn't know much about it so I was very surprised to discover that I actually had fibro. It is believed there are many triggers that can lead to developing fibromyalgia. If anyone was ripe to develop fibro, it was me: several operations, a car accident, perfectionistic personality traits, chronic stress and a childhood trauma, I had it all!

        Oh dear, what could the trigger be?
        Dear, dear, what could the trigger be?
        Oh dear, what could the trigger be?
        Cathy has flare after flare.

 Today

It feels like I have been on a quest forever to find equilibrium. I still struggle with depression.  I still seek that elusive balance for good health.  Life has become all about maintaining homeostasis. I'm a big believer in what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.  I'm thinking I should be Wonder Woman by now.  On a brighter note, one advantage to developing illness at a young age is that I haven't noticed many physical ailments attributable to aging. I've been used to feeling like crap for most of my adult life so it's all the same to me!  What about you?  What's your story?

Beef-Less in Seattle

Okay, I lied. I don't live in Seattle but would you have read this article if it were titled Beef-Less in British Columbia? I didn't think so.

I've always tried to practice the 3 R's. I'll recycle a bad habit if I'm not careful. The first time I flirted with vegetarianism I was 17 years old and looking for a cause. That lasted exactly one year before late-night pizza parties and fast-food runs with friends became more appealing than activism. Still, I knew in my heart that someday I would return to embrace the eggplant.

Presently, my reasons for going veggie vary from ethical to environmental concerns. If it happens to improve my fibromyalgic condition along the way, that's a bonus.  My number one reason for rebuffing the beef is I no longer enjoy eating it. Increasingly, I found myself picking out the chunks of chicken from soups and stews. Hamburgers went half-eaten.

I've been an avid animal lover for as long as I can remember. Speaking of remembering, I recall being three years old and seeing a cat up close for the first time. How was I supposed to know you shouldn't pick it up by its tail?  I never got over the guilt once I understood the suffering that I had inflicted (sorry, Kitty) on that poor puddy tat. I've tried to make up for my unintentional animal cruelty ever since. As a result, I have a tendency to anthropomorphize animals. You know, where one person sees venison and I see Bambi. I just can't bring myself to munch on four-legged Disney stars. Or the Looney Toons cast, for that matter. I've never been a big-meat eater so giving it up completely has been a piece of cake. For the record, I like my sugar and have no desire to desert my desserts.

Firstly, there is no need for speed, so take your time in adapting to this new lifestyle. Some people make a gradual transition from eating meat while others go 'cold turkey' so to speak. There are many distinctions in the vegetarian world. There are lacto-ovos that eat eggs and dairy products but no meat. This further breaks down into vegetarians that consume eggs but no meat and conversely, some who do not eat dairy but continue to eat eggs.  The strictest of plant-based diets is the vegan diet which excludes eating or using all animal meats or products. Confused? There are even more categories, such as the flexitarian, which I thought was a sprout-eating contortionist.  It is essential to educate yourself before committing to a full-time vegetarian diet. Knowing how and where to replace meat protein with plant-based protein is vital. There is no point in giving up meat only to consume an unhealthy diet lacking in nutrition. Asking vegetarian friends for advice and suggestions is a good start. A simple way to go veggie is to prepare family meals but omit the meat or meatballs from your spaghetti, for example. Many regular meals can easily be adapted to vegetarian fare.

When incorporating protein-rich foods into your diet, it's best to eat small amounts more often rather than consuming one large portion. Think like a grazer. Legumes, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds are all rich in protein. A vegetarian diet need not be bland or lacking in flavour. The combination of veggies, protein substitutes, herbs, rice and pasta can be limitless. You might be hard-pressed to duplicate a recipe twice. In addition, it's important to pay attention to your Vitamin B levels. The addition of a salmon-oil or Omega 3-supplement is advised. A word to the wise: go easy on the nuts or risk alienating family and friends with a belly full of intestinal gas.

While a vegetarian diet alone is not a cure-all for fibro, it can reduce the amount of chemicals and hormones often found in meat, poultry and fish. As you change your diet, you should anticipate possible physiological responses such as increased fatigue and need for sleep, a skin rash and changes in your digestive system. I can vouch for this personally. I've been vegetarian for a month and as recently as last week I noticed a reappearance of itchy, rash-like skin. My allergies, which are usually under control, kicked in with itchy eyes, ears and nose. I haven't taken anti-histamines in several years but I've found myself routinely reaching for the Reactine.  Last week I felt dreadfully tired. I couldn't get enough sleep. Who naps for seven hours in the day? After doing research for this blog, I understood why I'd been experiencing some unusual symptoms.

Can eating a vegetarian diet help to improve the symptoms of fibromyalgia? Studies are divided on this. According to a University of Maryland Medical Center study, eating red meats can worsen the symptoms of fibromyalgia. A diet high in saturated fats and refined sugar may also promote inflammation of the joints and muscle tissues. However, numerous studies have shown that eating a raw vegan diet can signifcantly lessen many symptoms of fibromyalgia. Conversely, some studies have found no significant difference between eating a vegetarian diet and a reduction in fibro symptoms.  Many experts on fibromyalgia agree that eating a vegetarian diet high in fruits and vegetables is less taxing on the digestive system. For IBS sufferers, this is good news. If the idea of giving up a juicy burger turns you into a growly beast, then perhaps eating a vegetarian diet is not for you. But you can make small changes to improve your health by choosing the leanest cuts of meat and reducing your consumption of red meats. Opt for fish, chicken or turkey.

 Some unappetizing facts about animal agriculture:

• a land area equivalent to seven football fields is destroyed every minute, every day in Central American rainforests. The United States, alone, imports 200 million pounds of beef from Central America every year. Aside from the water and grains needed to feed cattle and the fuel for transport of beef, grazing land is needed which comes from clear-cutting forests.
• for each hamburger that comes from beef, that is raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed. And it's not just happening in the rainforests. 260 million acres in the United States are clear-cut for animal agriculture.

I could rattle on with more grim statistics but I'll let you off the meat-hook. It isn't my intention to make anyone feel guilty for eating meat. I include the environmental information only because it is my hope that you might consider, however briefly, the benefits of eating a vegetarian diet. If that isn't feasible, perhaps eating fewer meat-based meals a week is doable for you. This blog is my little platform, a tiny corner of the world and my primary reason for writing about vegetarianism is to share my experience with you. - another (mis)adventure with FibroCathy.

Thanks for reading.

Just the Facts, Ma'am.

Hello. My physician husband recently attended a lecture on fibromyalgia. I have invited him to use my blog as a forum to express his impressions. The vast body of information provided could not fit into 1 blog, so consider this as Part 1 of a continuing series on fibromyalgia:


I have observed doctors arguing over the existence of fibromyalgia since I was a medical student 30 years ago. As mood problems were commonly associated with the condition, many felt it was simply depression causing the symptoms. The lack of any confirmatory lab test was used as evidence that FM did not exist. However, there are many conditions which do not have a blood test to confirm the diagnosis. An example would be schizophrenia. There are diagnostic criteria used to decide if a patient has schizophrenia just like there are for diagnosing FM. Like FM there is no blood test to confirm the presence of schizophrenia, however, few doubt its existence. Perhaps it's because observers can see and hear differences in the way schizophrenics talk and act from others whereas patients with FM look the same as everyone else. Why does FM get such a bad rap? Perhaps it’s bad marketing?

I am in the unique situation of being a physician whose wife has fibromyalgia. Since her diagnosis 4 years ago, I have been more alert to the arguments over fibromyalgia. I am seeing a steady increase in acceptance by physicians of the condition. However, as recently as last year I attended a conference on Pain and Addiction in which an arthritis specialist who worked at a pain clinic told the audience he did not think that FM was real. Part of the problem is that specialists only see the worst cases and they see the cases that are least likely to be improved by any therapy. One review showed that almost no patients were improved by treatment offered by specialists, whereas family doctors had a 25-30 % response to treatment. It is usually specialists that teach family doctors at lectures - if specialists have no success in treating the condition they may promote an ongoing negative view of the condition. Specialists may be the cause of the bad marketing alluded to in the previous paragraph. At lectures on fibromyalgia that I attend, it is often the older doctors who argue that FM is simply in the patient’s head and is due to depression. Younger physicians (like myself – age 55) seem much more willing to accept that FM is real.


At a recent review on fibromyalgia I attended, the lecturer argued that the existence of fibromyalgia should no longer be doubted. Research now shows marked differences between FM patients compared to 'normals.' Spinal fluid analysis shows much higher levels of substance P (a protein associated with pain) in those suffering FM. Endorphin levels are higher in FM patients but their narcotic receptors are blocked so they do not benefit from the endorphins. In the past, static brain scans showed no difference between FM sufferers and normals in response to a painful stimulus. However, on functional scans where brain activity was recorded over time, FM sufferers were shown to have 6-8 times more activity to a painful stimulus. The brain cortex appears to light up in FM sufferers in response to pain. There is still no simple blood test to diagnose FM. However, there is clear evidence that FM can now be differentiated from other conditions in the research lab.


Research shows that in FMS, pain signals going up the spinal cord are magnified at 2 levels in the spinal cord. As a result, the pain signals that reach the brain are much more intense. The brain also has pathways that send signals down to the spinal cord to dampen down pain signal activity. These descending pathways act as a brake to reduce pain information going to the brain. This was described years ago and was called the Gate Theory of Pain. If the gate was fully open, then all the pain impulses were transmitted up the spinal cord. If the gate was closed, then less pain information was sent up to the brain. In fibromyalgia, there is very little braking occurring so the gate stays wide open. A painful stimulus such as a needle poke to the finger can cause increased brain activity in both normals and FM sufferers for up to 36 hours. In normals, the braking mechanism causes the perception of pain to settle down in a few minutes by closing the gate on pain impulses up the spinal cord. In people with FMS, the gates do not get closed so the pain can continue to be felt for the entire 36 hours.


In fibromyalgia, the pain signal is amplified and additionally the signals do not get reduced due to a lack of a brake. It is no wonder that people with fibro suffer pain. Research shows that there are biological markers for FM so in time there should be fewer medical skeptics. Even more exciting is the hope that research will identify areas to focus treatments for FM. Already there are drugs that can reduce the amplification of the pain signal in the spinal cord. Other drugs can improve the brake to reduce the pain signal. Narcotic receptors are blocked in FM so research to focus on how to unblock the narcotic receptors may prove useful in treatment.

Thanks for reading.

It's Time to Start Giving a Damn

Anyone who inhabits the fibro world is well aware of the importance of May 12, Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.  May 12 is designated as the day to raise awareness and dollars for fibromyalgia research and education. May 12 gives a face to this invisible disease. On May 12, we uncloak and become visible. Nationally and internationally, there will be walk-a-thons, fund-raisers and T-shirt sales, etc. to educate the public, medical community and government about fibromyalgia and its sufferers. But it is only one day.

In 1997, two women with fibromyalgia met and organized informal gatherings with other fibro patients. Their goal was to increase public awareness of this condition which led to the formation of the National Fibromyalgia Association, a non-profit organization located in Orange, California.  May 12 was chosen as National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day which evolved over the course of 5 years before becoming the annual event that it is today. Unlike America, Canada does not have one centralized association for fibromyalgia. Individual branches exist by area and province. The National ME/Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Action Network and the Canadian Women's Health Network (http://www.cwhn.ca/) are 2 excellent sources for support and information.

Purple is to fibromyalgia as pink is to breast cancer.  Every cause has its own bracelet and fibromyalgia is no different. Purple wrist bands are sold  in an effort to provide funds for research and education and more importantly, to seek a cure.  I've wondered how colours are designated to specific causes and diseases. Who gets to decide?  I don't have an answer to that question, but I do know that in colour psychology, purple is said to 'uplift the mood and calm the mind.'  If you ask me, it should be a greyish-white colour, something resembling fog. For non-fibro readers, fibromites often stumble around in a mentally sluggish state known as 'fibro fog.'

There are no lack of charities or causes to support. I am not suggesting that Cause A is more important than Cause B.  But when I googled fibro awareness events, I expected to find many more hits than I did.  I believe the United States are more visible in their awareness efforts partly because the NFA is American-based.  It is disheartening to realize that as far as causes go, fibromyalgia awareness campaigns seem to be every bit as invisible as the people who embody this debilitating disease. We live with the hope that some day fibromyalgia will be a household word.  We can only wish for media-grabbing charity dinners, walk-a-thons and tele-a-thons that promise world-wide exposure. We can only dream for the day that brings a cure.

On May 12, I'll be doing my own little bit for the cause. I'll wear purple clothes, purple wrist bands and hand out leaflets or bookmarks. In the grand scheme of things, my efforts may not make a glimmer of difference. But when one dedicated campaigner becomes 2, then becomes 10,  then 50,  then 1000 people and so on, all doing the same thing, suddenly that lone effort has made phenomenal strides.  Raising awareness can happen with  one person. Someone has to take that first step and be the first one on the dance floor.

I like to compare fibromyalgia to the story of Scarlett O'Hara and her beloved Tara.  When flare-ups seem like they will never end, despair can set in.  Fibromites feel as if their former healthy lives are a thing of the past : Gone with the Wind.  But Scarlett was one tough broad.  She knew better times lay ahead. Tomorrow is another day. Scarlett O'Hara gave a damn and frankly, so should everyone.