Whether you are newly diagnosed or have had fibromyalgia for a while, you should have a list of resources that can be helpful to you. Chronic illness can be a difficult battle since a majority of it is fought alone.  Days when you feel the worst can be met with comments such as, "You look pretty good.  Are you sure we can't do this today?" No one understands the constant battle that goes on inside you as you survive the day.  

No one should have to be on the front alone.  Take heart in the following resources and take comfort there is someone out there that feels the same way you do.  

Fibromyalgia Resources

http://www.fmcpaware.org

http://www.fmauk.org

http://www.nfra.net

http://www.enfa-europe.eu

http://www.givepainavoice.org

https://fibroandpain.org/community/international-fm-community
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http://www.forgrace.org/resources/pain-organizations/

http://www.fibrohaven.com

http://www.abilitymaine.org/resource/guides/fibro.html

https://theacpa.org/condition/fibromyalgia

Facebook Friends

https://www.facebook.com/fmaware/
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https://www.facebook.com/FibroColors/

https://www.facebook.com/DearFibromyalgiaSupportGroup/
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https://www.facebook.com/FibroEA/
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https://www.facebook.com/FIBROMYALGIA-SUPPORT-AUSTRALIA-364885047318/

https://www.facebook.com/Fibromyalgia-News-Today-1419267131699107/

https://www.facebook.com/fibromyalgia.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/NFMCPA/

https://www.facebook.com/FMSNI/

https://www.facebook.com/FibromyalgiaDisability/
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https://www.facebook.com/FibroAwarenessIreland/

https://www.facebook.com/yourfibrosupport/

Facebook Groups

http://www.inspiteofmyillness.info

https://www.facebook.com/groups/687563758062860/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/582887195175812/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FibromyalgiaImages/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/UKFibromyalgiaPrivate/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/307837769298419/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/fmcpsurvivorsgroup/​

We are all on this journey together. None of us need to travel alone. Groups and resources keep us connected and allow us not only to survive, but thrive. We all do better in community. You are not alone.

Effects of anesthesia on people diagnosed with Fibromyalgia aren’t well documented in the professional journals.  So when you experience something odd at the dental office you may be met with smirks eluding to associations of panic attacks.
 
Anesthesia is a way to control pain during a surgery or procedure by using medicine called anesthetics.  The dentist usually uses a local anesthetic to numb the area, such as Novocain. Epinephrine is added to constrict the blood vessels and keep the anesthesia  longer  in the area  that needs the pain relief.  Epinephrine is also known as adrenaline and is also secreted by the adrenal glands.

You may have noticed that when you get a dental injection, sometimes your heart feels like it’s going to beat right out of your chest.  You’ve probably just assumed that your heart is beating so hard because you’re nervous. But if you suffer from fibromyalgia and  have a sensitive nervous system, these symptoms can be blown right out of proportion.

Most of the local anesthetics used in dentistry in the United States contain epinephrine (also known as adrenaline.)  Not only is your body causing your heart to speed up by releasing adrenaline, your dentist is giving you adrenaline in the local anesthetic!

Don’t worry, dentists don’t want you to have a double-dose of adrenaline to make you nervous.  Local anesthetics contain epinephrine for another reason: The epinephrine constricts your blood vessels.
With your blood vessels constricted, the local anesthetic stays near your tooth for a long time.  That way, it gives your dentist a lot of time to work on your tooth without you feeling it.  Another reason that dentists want your blood vessels constricted is so that only a small amount of local anesthetic gets absorbed into your body.

You may have felt your heart pounding more during some dental injections more than others.  If the dentist happens to inject the local anesthetic into a small blood vessel, it can quickly travel to your heart and cause it to beat very hard and fast.  This generally subsides after few minutes or so and is not dangerous to you.  Most of the time, the local anesthetic is not injected directly into a vessel and stays right near the nerve without affecting the heart.

Effects of anesthesia when combined with epinephrine can be:

• The blood pressure and glucose levels may rise and you may experience a headache and nausea and may even vomit.
• Mixed with Novocain, epinephrine may cause local tissue necrosis or systemic toxicity.
• Palpitations, tachycardia symptoms, anxiety, tremors, hypertension and headaches may occur.
• Arrhythmia and pulmonary edema may also be some of the negative side effects when given in extra amounts.

Novocain by itself can sometimes cause anxiety, restlessness, blurry vision, tinnitus (sensation of sound in your ears), dizziness, tremors and convulsions. Novocain can also cause drowsiness, loss of consciousness and respiratory depression (trouble breathing).

Tell your doctor if you suffer from liver, heart, muscle, blood disorders, or fibromyalgia. Your dentist may have to adjust your Novocain dosage to prevent side effects of anesthesia.
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As a patient of fibromyalgia, it is important to find a dentist that you feel comfortable with and listens to you.. Special treatment can lower those side effects when encountering dental work.    

This is an adorable movie that will uplift your spirits.  It has got to be one of the most delightful Christian-based movies that I've viewed recently and will leave you with a smile.  

A fun-loving woman from New York City moves to a small town to help her recently widowed ex mother-in-law. Her personality clashes with the locals, and when she goes public with her new relationship with the pastor, the town rallies to kick her out.-Google

With the latest political upheaval and public disdain towards our governmental figures, I encourage you to watch this flick to get a better understanding of where the power balances.

 ​In 2008, Wall Street guru Michael Burry realizes that a number of subprime home loans are in danger of defaulting. Burry bets against the housing market by throwing more than $1 billion of his investors' money into credit default swaps. His actions attract the attention of banker Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling), hedge-fund specialist Mark Baum (Steve Carell) and other greedy opportunists. Together, these men make a fortune by taking full advantage of the impending economic collapse in America.- Google

I’m always looking for the most nutrient dense meal that's easy to prepare for easy pick-me-ups. It doesn’t take much to fill me up, but I do have a family that needs a full meal. Many days in the winter can be low energy days, so I need meals and snacks that are easy to prepare.

Here are a few ideas on the days your system is crashing. They are also dense with valuable vitamins that will give you a bit of energy to get you through the day. 

Potential Healthy Snacks

String cheese and whole grain or gluten-free crackers
Sliced apples and almond butter
Greek yogurt with your fruit of choice, walnuts, and various seeds
Fruit salad
A small handful of raw nuts, such as cashews, walnuts, almonds, pistachios
Homemade dried kale, sweet potato, or zucchini chips
Homemade date nut balls
Smoothies
No-bake energy balls
Veggies and hummus
Bowl of oatmeal
Bowl of Granola with almond milk

Potential Healthy Simple Meals

​Avocado chicken with gluten free wraps
Turkey taco lettuce wraps
Frozen organic gluten free meals like Amy’s
gluten free toast topped with mashed avocado and a fried egg
Soups and stews made in the crock pot
Taco salad
Grilled cheese made with sliced cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green apples with a bit of mustard
Veggie burger or grass-fed burger on a whole grain or gluten-free bun
Eggs, gluten free English muffin, and fruit
Green protein smoothie
Wild salmon, baked or grilled with a salad
Any kind of stir fry
Anything cooked in a crock pot
Any casserole meal

You can make foods that freeze well, then just thaw one out, heat it up, and enjoy. When we make cookies, I wrap them in twos and freeze them. Then if I have a sweet craving, I just take them out of the freezer.

I do my best to eat clean, and organic when possible. If you eat meat, grass-feed beef, wild fish, and free-range chickens are best. If you eat gluten free, thrive.com has great prices and a wide variety to choose from. Be sure to get some kind of protein with every meal it will give you a sustaining energy boost.

I keep protein bars, fresh fruit, unsweetened apple sauce, Greek yogurt, raw almonds and walnuts, string cheese, and whole grain crackers on hand to just quickly grab. It’s all about doing what’s easiest and most convenient for you and your family.

Anyone have any input on snack and meal ideas that work for you?

Those of us with fibromyalgia have different degrees of symptoms, more or less support from friends and family, different living situations, and various job arrangements some work at home while others leave home and go out to work. We all need to find ways that help us cope on a daily basis, especially since our symptoms can be so erratic.

I would like to share my top coping tips and would love to hear yours.

My fatigue can debilitating at times, so I always ensure I have time in the afternoon to rest and reprieve. I keep a small table next to my bed where I keep the things I need daily: my meds, tissues, water, cellphone, tablet, books, laptop, a journal, and a pen.

I make an effort to go for a 30-minute walk every day to help fight muscle weakness and improve my mood. i also go the gym once a week to increase strength and vitality through a modified lifting program .

Reading is a passion, so I keep various genres around depending on my mood.  I find I can then pick up a book within reach.  I keep several books bedside depending on my mood and inclination at the moment.  I spend time throughout the day in bed with short rest periods to rejuvenate and move on with my day. Hence, why I always share: Good Reads.  Every book in Good Reads has been personally read by me.  

I am always on a quest for buying clothes that are soft and comfortable. I never wear a bra unless I’m going somewhere important. They cause pain and bondage near my ribs. Comfort is everything  and for that reason I wear mostly T-shirts, sweats, and very comfy pajamas as soon as I'm home.

Listening to uplifting music, reading my Bible, and praying daily really helps to keep me centered. When I’m too tired to think or the pain increases  I get lost in a good movie. You probably have noticed I share Great Flicks often.  These, too, are movies watched personally from Netflix. I find after a good movie on a bad day, my pain lessens.

I found it’s an important fact of life that I accept my limitations and take good care of myself. This can be difficult for Fibros because we often look better than we feel. Sadly, most family and friends are always suggesting we need a little more fun in our lives when all we need is some down time to feel better. Keeping this in mind reminds me to be careful when choosing the best time of day to do something. 

Because of this I don’t let other people tell me what I should be doing or not doing to get better. I choose not to let negativity in whenever I can. I also do my best to eat healthy foods, but when I’m exhausted and just grab something easy, I don’t feel guilty about it. And if i don't get all my chores done for the day I tell my self "tomorrow is another day".
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What are your top tips for coping?

Stephen King takes a chilling turn with his ongoing series with detective Bill Hodge tracking down the Mercedes Killer.  This one is an easy read and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

End of Watch is a compelling and chilling suspense novel which sees retired detective Bill Hodges back on the trail of his nemesis Brady Hartsfield, the criminal the press called The Mercedes Killer. Foiled in his attempt to commit a second mass murder, Hartsfield is confined to a hospital brain injury unit in a seemingly unresponsive state. But all is not what it seems: Brady is able to influence both his physician and the hospital librarian to commit crimes in the outside world. Now, the technological genius has created a hypnotic electronic fishing game which compels users to commit suicide, and he is determined to target the three people who put him in hospital - Hodges and his sidekicks Holly and Jerome. Then he plans to initiate a suicide epidemic. For Hodges - and the city - the clock is ticking in unexpected ways...Both a stand-alone novel and the final episode in the Hodges trilogy, End of Watch is a tense read which takes the series into a powerful new dimension. - Stephen King.com