RA, Lupus link...via WebMD

I found this article interesting. In addition to having fibromyalgia, I also have RA. Between the two, my life is a pain in the... well, everywhere. Lately, it's been the tendons in my feet and ankles that's been bugging the bejeezus out of me.

OTC pain relievers help some, but somewhere down the line, I'm going to have to see someone for something stronger.

--MorelaterZ--

Pain redefined...

I know stress aggrevates my FMS. I know that diet sodas containing aspertame makes things worse with my FMS.

Since the last post in July or whenever it was, I've been under a bit of stress because of my finances. Because of school. Because of other things I'm not at liberty to discuss in this venue.

And not a bottle of Aleve in sight.

When school started for the fall semester last month, I had trouble staying alert in class. I discovered Diet Pepsi Max in the Cafe at school and bought a bottle. I was wired for about four hours.

And not a bottle of Aleve in sight.

Natch, I was in a lot of pain this past week. It all caught up with me...

Sitting for long hours in class, plus a workstudy job doesn't help either, but I can usually handle that with either Aleve or Tylenol.

It seems that the pain is more intense than I remember it being. It's time that I really find a doctor to help me so that I don't end up crippled before I'm fifty. Then all this schooling will have gone to waste, then where would I be? I don't want to rely on others to get me thru the day, the rest of my life.

This scares me. A lot.

What am I waiting for? A miracle, perhaps. I don't know. All I know is that I can't go on like this indefinitely. I don't want to be any more of a burden on people than I already am.

--Morelaterz--

Can't sleep

It's 4:45am CDT and I have yet to fall asleep tonight. Despite the fact that I took Aleve before I went to bed, I'm still in a great deal of pain.

Can we say flare? I knew you could... boy, does this suck. If there is a good side to this, at least I don't have to be in class today. My summer classes start a week from Monday.

Well, it's off to bed... perchance to dream.

I made it thru the semester!

Go me!

It's still the sitting in one place that really gets to me, but it's also only one hour at a time for most of my classes. I can handle that.

That's not to say that I don't have pain or flares. About a month ago, I had a pretty bad flare, and so far (knock wood), OTC drugs seem to keep it in check.

Diet sodas are my worst enemy these days. I don't even have to drink a whole bottle. A few hours later, I'm hurtin' big time. One night recently, I went out to dinner with my mother and my 21 year old son, and accidently put Equal in my coffee with the real sugar I used, and man, I was paying for it later.

And no one still understands that when you poke me or press on my arms, that it hurts more than it does for the Average Jane... I actually get bruises, and the pokes are not all that hard (not like someone jabbing their finger into my arm with a fair amount of force), but i get bruises anyway. It's weird, and though I try to explain that I have FMS and that is one of the "perks" (I know...boo hiss! LOL), they tune out. Most people have never heard of it, much less know someone who has it (for some of my younger classmates, I'm the first person they know who has it).

When I was living in Wyoming last summer, I used to bump my legs on everything all the time, and I was covered with bruises. I was hesitant to wear skirts to work because I didn't want to answer questions about my being "accident prone".

So... I made it thru a whole semester at school without too much problem. Only 4 more semesters to go until I get my degree.

MorelaterZ--

I"ve never been so damn sore in all my life!

I think I am smack dab in the middle of a major league flare. Everything is sore, stiff and very painful.

Sleeping on the floor at my mom's house doesn't help, but she gave away my hide a bed while I was in Wyoming.

Aleve and I are the best of friends, and the only reason I'm sleeping these days is because I am so exhausted every day from doing nothing. I went from working 12-15 hour days to zero, and it all feels the same to me, painwise.

I know I need to see a doctor. I saw a doctor in Wyoming before I left, and all he could tell me is that I have somehow developed an ulcer. With all the stuff I went thru at my job, that news didn't surprise me in the least. He was a GP, and the closest Rheumy was at least 30 miles away. With no car, it may as well have been on the friggin moon.

I just have to tough it out I guess, just like I have for the last four years. One of these days soon, I'm actually going to have a job with medical bennies, and I'm going to take full advantage of it.

Until then, I might see if the great state of Oklahoma can help me out somehow. I'm going back to school, maybe they'll take pity on a poor non traditional college student...

We shall see...

FMS article

I found this interesting. Click on the link and read it for yourself.

It's time for me to finally get this under control. Keeping busy and trying not to think about it doesn't cut it anymore.