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About this blog

a place to share and discuss the cross effects of weight loss surgery on Fibromyalgia and vice versa

Entries in this blog

 

Free At Last, Free At Last

I'm finally home. Got out yesterday, August 05.   I had problems swallowing and my creatin levels went waaaay down.   I've been home for 24 hours and my legs are swelling. So now I'm calling the doctor.   Gotta say, once a couple of issues were addressed: removing the drain tube
turning the air conditioner off and piling on 3 blankets [da Fibro]
Figuring out how to take my crushable meds despite the taste.
The pain is bearable. I have severe Fibromyalgia so I live with excruciating pain every day.   When Dr. Cahill's assistant, Tony, came into my room I told him "if you don't discharge me today, my 18 month old granddaughter is going to break me outta dis joint see."
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

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First Family Event Post OP

Well yesterday was my first time attending a family function post op. It was a luau, there were lost of food and alcoholic drinks to be had by all. I am so proud of myself, I was phased by anything.   On a side note, I made 4 cheese cakes, 2 white chocolate and 2 mocho, this weekend for my children and wasn't tempted.   Question: Is this just a fluke or is it normal 2 weeks post op not to be bothered by one's trigger foods.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

4
 

Fibromyalgia and WLS Awareness

As May gets under way, I realize it is a month of nurturing [Mother’s day], appreciation [National Police Memorial Week], and advocacy [international Fibromyalgia/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Gulf War Syndrome/ Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome Awareness Day].   My Fibromyalgia has been flaring big time but I've been busy building awareness of the special needs of people with Fibromyalgia who have had weight loss surgery.   For one, we cannot take out pain medication the way we did pre-op.   I testified at the FDA Public Meeting on Patient Focused Fibromyalgia Drug Development and spoke about my experiences as a post-op patient. After the meeting I posted all the questions which the FDA needs community responses online [Click here for questions].   If you are a WLS patient with Fibromyalgia, please take a moment, click on the link above and copy and paste these questions to a word document, answer them and then go to http://www.regulatio...013-N-1041-0004 and paste your answers as comments onto the FDA docket. The comment now button is in the upper right corner of the FDA’s page.   The comment period closes on May 26, 2014. The FDA really needs to know that there is a subgroup of people with Fibromyalgia who need their medication in chewable, dissolvable or liquid forms.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

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Fibromyalgia And Surgery: What Did I Learn?

I'm back home from the hospital and learned a few things about surgical floor staff and Fibro. [1] Just like any other area of health care that does not see a lot of people with Fibromyalgia, there are surgical staff members whose eyes glaze over when you say "I have Fibromyalgia", and there are those whose eyes light up with recognition and respond, "don't feel shy about speaking up for yourself when your pain level increases.
[2] Don’t be afraid to ask for extra blankets. I needed a total of 3 to keep warm.
[3] Don’t be afraid to ask to have the air conditioning in your room turned down, or the heat turned up – depending on the time of year.
Remember cold aggravates Fibromyalgia and increases your pain and stiffness. You might not be able to turn the air conditioning off if you have a roommate. I had a private room so there was no problem. If you can’t get the air conditioning turned off, or the heat turned up, get as many blankets as you can stand to lay under. The weight of 3 blankets was my threshold. [4] Remind everyone from the pre-op registration desk, to the OR personnel, to the recovery floor staff, “I have Fibromyalgia and it may affect my recovery, the actual physical surgery may exacerbate my Fibromyalgia symptoms. Fibro and physical injury seem to form a vicious pain cycle so I will be requesting my post op pain meds.”
My doctor informed me that due to recent change in legislation, a post op patient has to request certain pain meds when their pain level increases, even if it is prescribed by the surgeon to be administered at certain intervals. If you have break through pain in-between the scheduled dispensing times, YOU must say something.   You are your best advocate. If you think you will be unable to speak up for yourself, hav a family member or friend do so.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

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Fibromyalgia and Insulin Resistance

I’m not saying that severe Fibro symptoms is only experienced by overweight people with FM. I know several pwf who are average or underweight. I also know a few people with diabetes who are average or underweight. By providing the info below, I am acknowledging that some of us do need to know this info.   Fibromyalgia and Insulin Resistance   The pain, stiffness, malaise and fatigue of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome [Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)] often cause people with FM or CFS/ME to become sedentary. This sedentary lifestyle may lead to severe weight gain and obesity. Obesity has been linked to insulin resistance. Researchers have found that “insulin resistance is a fundamental aspect of the etiology of type 2 diabetes and is also linked to a wide array of other [conditions] including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis. . . the metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X, and, polycystic ovarian disease.” [1]   MedicineNet.com reports, “insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas. Insulin is an essential hormone that has many actions within the body. Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition in which the normal response to a given amount of insulin is reduced within the body. Higher levels of insulin are needed in order for insulin to have its proper effects. So, the pancreas compensates by trying to produce more. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for development of diabetes and heart disease.” [2]   So what does all this have to do with Fibromyalgia? Well, how many of us with Fibro, [overweight, underweight, average weight], have experienced the cognitive impairment referred to as Fibro Fog. Fibro Fog is that episode of forgetting words, walking into a room and forgetting what we went in there to get, losing thoughts or words, etc. One study found that an increase in insulin resistance in people with FM [pwf] may be a risk factor for increased Fibro Fog. [3]       Endnotes: _____________________________________________________________________________   [1]Obesity and insulin resistance, Barbara B. Kahn, Jeffrey S. Flier, Published in Volume 106, Issue 4 J Clin Invest. 2000; 106(4):473–481 doi:10.1172/JCI10842 [2]http://www.medicinenet.com/insulin_resistance/article.htm#what_is_insulin_resistance [3]Insulin resistance possible risk factor for cognitive impairment in fibromialgic patients. Fava A, Plastino M, Cristiano D, Spanò A, Cristofaro S, Opipari C, Chillà A, Casalinuovo F, Colica C, De Bartolo M, Pirritano D, Bosco D. Metab Brain Dis. 2013 Jul 28.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

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Fda Fibromyalgia Public Meeting On Patient-Focused Drug Development

The Food and Drug Administration [FDA] is presenting an opportunity for our voices to be heard.   On December 10, 2013, FDA is conducting a public meeting on Fibromyalgia Patient-Focused Drug Development. FDA is interested in obtaining patient input on the impact of fibromyalgia on daily life (topic 1) and currently available therapies to treat the condition (topic 2). The questions for discussion on these topics are located at the bottom of this page.   For each of these topics, a panel of patients and patient representatives/advocates will present comments to begin the dialogue and will be followed by a facilitated discussion inviting comments from other patients and patient representatives. If you are interested in providing comments as part of the initial panel discussion, indicate so during the registration process. Participants for the panel discussions will be confirmed prior to the meeting.   There will also be an opportunity for patients, patient representatives and others to provide comments on issues other than topics 1 and 2 during an Open Public Comment session. Sign up for Open Public Comment will take place the day of the meeting.   Don't worry if you cannot physically attend the meeting in Maryland, you can attend via webcast also.   click here for more information.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

1
 

Family Support: Thanks for those special BFFs

So this past weekend was really bad. I was home alone and dry heaving and could not reach any of my children, family or friends on the phone for comfort. Suddenly, I received a text message from my best friend who lives on the opposite side of the country.   This simple text said, "I've been out of touch cause I'm working at a Bariatric Center as an emergency medical director (she's a doctor) and I'm just checking on you. How's your oral intake?"   I realized that I had not had all my daily fluids. Once I began drinking more, I began feeling better.   Yeah for BFFs
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

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Family Support

As a divorced mom, I was the sole source of support and motivation for my children. My daughter is now a news producer and my son is a photographer [he's photographying my weight loss journey]. Now my children are my support and motivation as I battle to get healthy. They watched my struggle to get control of Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, they are confident I will take control of my weight.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

1
 

Extreme Exhaustion

I'm 3 weeks post op, I can sip almost anything and my nutritionist advised me to restart protein shakes. Now I had no problems with the protein shakes pre-op, but I cannot swallow them now. No matter how I make them, I gag at first sip.   Since I'm not getting any protein I am so exhausted all the time. I've dealt with exhaustion before since I have Fibromyalgia, fatigue is one of its symptoms. But this is extreme, I take a few steps and then I have to lay down for an hour.   Any suggestions?
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

4
 

Emotional Eating

Yesterday an EF4 tornado ripped through the area where my daughter, her husband and infant live. This is a picture of the area around the news station where my daughter is Executive producer and her husband is a teleprompter techinican. They were not home or at work, they were upstate visiting his mother where an EF3 tornado touched down.   Everyone is ok but I spent all day fighting the urge to eat out of stress and worry. It took my daughter and her family 6 hours to get back home, normally 2 1/2 trip, driving through debris and high winds.   Even though they are home safe and sound, even though their home sustained no damage, I am still worried and struggling with the need for emotional eating.   I know eating is not going to help my daughter. I know that overeating will only make me sick, but old habits are soooooo hard.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

2
 

Dry Heaves

My Fibro experience includes Irritable Bowel Syndrome [iBS] and immediately post op I didn't notice any difference. Now that my FM pain has died down, I can see the difference.   It seems every other day I'm having dry heaves. Now that the bowels are coming back to life, I have dry heaves on the days I have a bowel movement.   This is worse than my Irritable bowel because I could control it with Alka-Seltzer® but now that I am post op, I can't use this prouduct anymore.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

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Don't Let Fibro Sabotage Your Weight Loss

When I finally made the decision to go ahead with WLS, the first person I talked to was my Fibro Doctor. He did a work up on me to make sure that my thyroid was working probably and even now, 3 months post-op, still monitors my thyroid. He explained to me that as a person with Fibromyalgia I have a risk of developing thyroid problems and this would counteract any benefits I reap from WLS.   Here is a great article on Fibromyalgia's affects on weight.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

1
 

Discussing Fibromyalgia and Surgery with my surgical team

I have an evening appointment with my surgeon's assistant tonight. The purpose is last minute instructions and Q & A. I found a patient education sheet "Guidance for Fibromyalgia Patients who are having Elective Surgery" on the website of the Fibromyalgia Information Foundation.   I'm printing out a copy and taking it to my appointment tonight. Everyone at the hospital seems knowlegeable about FM and its affects on post-op recovery but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

1
 

DEA Online drug scam alert

Have you ever purchased prescription medication or vitamins online? If so watch this report from ABC7Chicago.   http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=9207787
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

1
 

Daily Affirmations For A Fibromyalgia/chronic Pain Sleever

Sometimes we [people with Fibromyalgia, women in general, parents, grandparents, older alduts] have to remind ourselves to STOP. We are so use to doing things for others, to putting others first, that we neglect our own needs and health. It has been difficult for me to do this in the past, but since my surgery I have begun to practice putting myself first. Sometimes I have to remind myself of the flight attendants speech, "in case of an emergency, put your oxygen mask on first and then turn to help children and others around you".   Here is a list of 10 things we should type up and put on our mirrors or frig to remind us that we need to stop doing in order to take care of ourselves.   The following list is from an article written by Adrienne Dellwo for about.com   Today I will stop:   1. Overdoing it. 2. Criticizing myself. 3. Blaming myself. 4. Believing other people's negative opinions about me, Fibromyalgia, and weight loss surgery. 5. Having unrealistic positive expectations. 6. Having unrealistic negative expectations. 7. Putting myself last. 8. Giving up on new treatment options and/or lifestyle changes for my Fibro too soon. 9. Letting stress overwhelm my life. 10. Asking why.   Click here to read to complete article
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

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A Spoon Full Of __________

My surgery was Thursday August 01, 2013. I have Fibromyalgia and high blood pressure. Two of my meds are crushable; two are in capsule form and cannot be opened so I have to work with my doctors to find a liquid or crushable version.   I was in the hospital for 4 days. While there, I worked with my post-op nurse on this issue. We discovered that the two medications that are crushable will go down better and stay down if I sprinkle the powder over a teaspoon of warm chicken broth, or, plain tea or coffee and sip the mixture down and then quickly sip a second teaspoon of warm liquid.   CAUTION: make sure you work with your personal health care professional. Some medication is not intended to be crushed, even if it is a tablet and you can physically crush it.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

2
 

1 week pre-op

It's been a long road to get to this point. I've walked this road with my 2 children, my sister, and my best friend [who just happens to be a doctor]. For years my doctor's have been warning me to lose weight. My sister and I have tried various programs [diet and exercise] to no avail.   I didn't come to the decision to undergo surgery at the flip of a coin. I purposely waited until today, 1 week pre-op, to tell my extended family and friends because they are not always supportive of what I want to do for myself. Also, my mother's side of the family is Nawlins born and bred. They are the biggest [no pun intended] weight loss sabatougers. They think I am too skinny.   Well, I made my announcement today and most of the family ignored me.   I'm turning all the phones off.
FibroDiva

FibroDiva

4

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