Support Group for Caregivers:

Does anyone have some support tips or updates on Fibromyalgia?
After the EQ I over exerted over a few days getting EQ supplies ready, and fell.
The stress, the over exertion, (could not stop to rest),and the pain of fibromyalgia were worse than the sprained ankle. Since falling in 2013 and again in 2014 (breaking same ankle),
I really slowed down, was so careful!

My therapist had pointed to the fibromyalgia symptoms, (saying no, not crazy,
no not dementia), in passing, so it did not connect with my mind that this is what having fibromyalgia is like.

Things are so much better now with the digital clock. Reminding dH, kindly,
to stop putting things in front of the clock, hiding the minutes! Last night, I could no longer see the hour! Yeah but, I could see those minutes ticking away.

Pure torture for me Send is being so tired and waking up to have to use the bathroom and then seeing the time. And only 30 more minutes before alarm goes off. Stay awake or try and squeeze in that 30 minutes of more sleep. If only the body would cooperate with the clock.

Glad your advantage plan is working out for you.

Speaking of diversion techniques. I do not have to do that with Mom. She does it to herself. And to me. :)

Seeing that I have PTSD from earthquakes (in general, all of them), my new therapist cost only $10 co-payment, going once a month. So now I have the support I need. Everything fell into place and got easier with the new Medicare Advantage Plan.

There is a whole lot of shaking goin' on, even when we do not feel it.

Another good thing about this SUPPORT GROUP FOR CAREGIVERS, it has been 7 days since the sheets were changed! I love to deal in facts, not guessing. It tells me, just a few posts down from this one.

What is pure torture......waking up several times, the digital clock minutes are ticking away, but I cannot see the hour, so I don't know what time it is! Seems something is moved, placed in front of the clock, on an ongoing basis.....(not by me).
In the middle of the night, I don't want to get up to see the clock. So many small irritations can add up......

On the news, a young man in a movie theater came to the aid of a girl having a panic attack from the earthquake. He asked her to count backwards from 10.
He said it is common for a person to not be able to hear you or concentrate, so he jumped over some seats to get near her, and repeated to count with him.

A great diversion technique. Maybe it would help someone elderly if one can interrupt their train of thought.

Send-thanks.  Your comment reminded me of a few actions I need to take before mid morning.  Transplant something from the pot before it dies, and change the sheets.  Maybe I should wait till DH wakes up first.

SUPPORT
Sometimes one must just take action on one's own behalf.
Go to the laundromat, get gas for the car, pay the bills, change the sheets, cash in those recyclables, get bottled water on hand, stop to get coffee creamer on the way home.... all done by 10:00 a.m........Yay!

Uh oh, I forgot to get orange juice.

Well my F I L, a retired doctor answer to everything is "go have a glass of orange juice"

Did I mention he is retired?

Whew!!! Thank Goodness!

Not that I have anything against orange juice.

🤣

Does AtulGawande even recommend Ashwagandha?

I had to look for resources that are free, cuz can't imagine paying for therapy. It was depressing enough to be part of my mothers 6year decline, but even more now: it hurts to see my kids lives going into the crapper. (God Almighty I could use some uplifting news for a change), but meanwhile I try these various self-help resources & try to move forward anyway.

Please enjoy this positive reinforcement (u tube video) from a free CBT organization in the UK. So many great resources seem to be coming out of the UK😀https://youtu.be/bhdXuvCxAkY

(Send), I tried an interesting self care app for 'help with our mental outlook'. "Youper" app is quite comforting, (I made a genuine effort) to explore the A.I. therapy it offers. I hope you'll check it out & let us know what you think. Maybe many here could benefit like I have. Thanks.

Sorry Send, I'm not trying to highjack your thread with my concerns. Forgive me!

I'm worried for you Gershun, with the klonopin, (cuz it could simply become addictive also). Just since you're so sleepy, consider using smaller dose klonopin. Write down times & doses religiously, & notes on how you feel EVERY 3-4 hrs. I had a benzo problem for over 20 years, just sayin'. I'll gladly help you. (P.S. no cbd oil with klonopin)

Thx Tiger, I may take you up on that offer if this doesn't start getting better.

Appreciate Gershun's post, ...understand. Sorry for your struggle & hope improvement for you. Please do very slow withdrawl, that helped me, cuz I couldn't tolerate cold-turkey withdrawl. First I tried cutting my pills, (to reduce dose), & later experimented with spacing them out by skipping a day (or two) to get adjusted more slowly to less drug. Each of us is different & if you keep a tight record of each day's dose, mood, ect, it will help you make progress. God bless. Message me if you need a "withdrawl buddy".

Howdy y'all! When I first learned of battling stinkin' thinkin', the self help was to visualize hitting the cancel or exit button on the remote control of your brain & change the negativity channel to the positive affirmations channel. I taped hand written quotes & affirmations & Bible verses on the kitchen cabinets, bathroom mirrors, doors, computer screen, etc so there was always a positive response in sight. When I caught myself dwelling on the negative I would say cancel, cancel, cancel & read the nearest affirmations out loud. It helped me make it through a very rough patch.

When I get stuck in the "pit of despair" I sing or say "Amazing Grace" out loud or just to myself. Focusing on the message of the verses lifts me above my worries & cares.

Gershun- so sorry you are going through a lot. Hang in there. Praying for you.

Smeshque, I hesitate to try anything else right now. For a while, right after I first discontinued the Effexor I was trying CBC oil and then the dreaded Lyrica and now I kind of want to just stay as clean of anything as I can. But maybe in the future. Thx for the suggestion.

I do take Klonopin occasionally for sleep. Half the dose that was prescribed and still I feel zonked the next day. You know that feeling you get when you nod off in front of the t.v. and then suddenly wake up with a start. I feel like that the whole next day after taking Klonopin. We'll be driving along and then DH says something and I jump. No, I'm not the one driving. Can you imagine? LOL

I kind of have a Book of Love going already smeshque. It's a grief journal called "Forever in my Heart" where I write down answers to prompts given throughout the book on good memories of Mother but thanks for that idea anyway.It helps me to remember to pick up that book instead of one of the journal's I kept when Mother was so ill.

Lu- you should start new journals. Each day writing a good memory of you and Mom. It will be your Book of Love.

Gershun- have you ever tried Ashwagandha?

I just feel very vulnerable these days. Like I'm on the verge of tears all the time. Part of it is withdrawal from antidepressants. So many articles say go back on them, but I don't want to. I've read how they can cause memory loss, dementia, etc. So I'm just going to have to live through this till I can get to the other side. Plus it doesn't help that so much is going on in my life now with my brother and my cat. I haven't been out to see my brother in a while and I feel guilty about that and so on and so on. Sigh..............

Hubs and I rented a movie last night called The Mustang about a program where prisoners tame wild horses. The main character was this closed off, angry man who became totally attached to this horse he was trying to tame. It was a simple movie but I found it quite touching cause this horse tamed him too.

I don't need to be tamed but I'd love to have a horse to bond with.

How I start my day makes all the difference too Grannie Annie.
Sometimes I grab one of the journal's I kept when I was caring for Mother and that makes my day harder.I know better ,but I still do it anyway.

A little dry wit, and back-and-forth banter can be fun for me, but only if done in fun.  It is different than teasing that can become mean. I have to step away and ask myself how I felt. If it continues, I have to avoid that person. Hard to live with a relative who makes a habit of it.

What kind of studies show brain chemistry changes? I know my mood can change, even my responses.  The way I start my day makes a difference. When I start with prayer and meditation, everything seems easier. When I don't, my thinking has been changed from negative to positive by reminding myself what I've been told by friends. I can restart my day at any time. That's the self-talk some one else mentioned.

Speaking of sarcasm. I have a brother who is always sarcastic, especially with me. I don't enjoy it. In fact in his case I think his sarcasm is thinly veiled hostility. So while sarcasm sometimes is funny and dry wit, in his case I think it represents impotence, helplessness and lack of maturity.

I am trying to change my negative thoughts to positive but it seems like nothing is going well in my life right now. I wonder sometimes if I'm bringing it on myself somehow. While I do pray and trust the Lord I think he sometimes needs to bring us to a point where we have no other choice than to just give up and stop putting barriers up so he can get in there and help us.

I know I feel tired so much now and life seems impossible. I am getting to a point where I just don't care and feel like I'm standing back and watching things from somewhere else. I feel detached from myself these days is what I'm trying to say. I think it's a form of self-protection maybe.

Yes KJV

KJV?

Philippians 4:8
Finally,brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things  are honest, whatsoever things  are just, whatsoever things  are pure, whatsoever things  are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.