It's been awhile...did you miss me? :-P

Either I've had less to complain about, or I've just been really lazy about recording my complaints... maybe a little of both? 

My first biggest complaint is the weather. OMG snow is my arch enemy. The bitter cold comes in a close second. I can not survive these sub zero temperatures and wind chills. The wind has been terrible. They've all teamed up to make my life hell. It's been a freezing, antarctic, bone-chilling, frigid, polar, glacial, frosted, frozen tundra. I swear if I ever win that Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes, I'm totally, buying a house in the tropics somewhere, maybe Hawaii. I'll only ever visit Michigan when It's summer or early fall. 

Well a lot has happened to me since I last updated way back in the middle of November. 

I've been using Cymbalta and I think it has been helping me tolerate the pain a lot better and recover from flare ups faster. I've had barely any "all day in bed" days, (I'm usually able to at least make it to the livingroom chair and then shuffle around the house doing little things even though i've been in pain.) 

However, I crave sweets like crazy. If given the chance at times, I could easily finish off half gallon ice cream containers. (I have not done this but I know I could.)

I finally said enough was enough. I've been RELIGIOUSLY recording my meals, snacks, exercise and water intake on Myfinesspal App. This forces me to eat better, because I'm constantly aware of what I'm putting into my body. I always have my phone on me, so I always have access to my food journal. I have no excuses now. 

I know in the long haul this is going to make me feel better. I just need to stick with it, even though it's not an easy task to give up the sweets, especially when my medication makes me lust for them!! Fruit, Fruit, Fruit is the key! (and sugar free chocolate pudding!)

Stress!

I've been letting stress get to me. I have "racing thoughts" and trouble shutting my brain off when it's time to sleep. My shoulders and down my arms, running into my wrists and hands, are all tight and lumpy. My legs are tense from my booty to my tippy toes, the front of my thighs are rocks, and my feet ache with little marbles under the skin, that worsen with pressure. 

I've been allowing the little stresses of every day life affect my physical health, by letting my mind run away with all kinds of worry thoughts. Then my body tenses up, all the muscles forget how to relax and be normal, this brings on the fibromyalgia flare up. It's almost like I went to the gym and worked out my entire body until I could fall down, and now my muscles need to recover from the over work-out. It's a different pain though, and the lumps under the skin that hurt when pressure is applied are obviously not like regular sore over worked muscles. Someone told me that was lactic acid build up. Then I read some where else that it was excess phosphate or something. Don't quote me on any of this. I'm in the middle of a flare up, so I could be completely off in Neverneverland right now. I have a daily pass there and they know me by name.

New Doctors and Med Dosage

I finally found a primary doc that I like. YAY!!! This feels like a major accomplishment after all I've been through. He seems to be on the ball and making things happen already, so there is much hope for the future.

Insurance switchover

I have been having issues with insurance. Among these issues, resulted in me having to go a few days with out my Cymbalta. KIDS DONT TRY THIS AT HOME!!! Wow. Never again! I don't care if I have to beg on the street corners for the money to get that one, I must have it. I felt like exploding and my moods were swinging like the major leagues! I was mean. I still don't feel completely recovered. I was such a big cry baby too, and I couldn't help it. I hate not being in control of myself. It's so embarrassing! 

I was doing really well just before the missed Cymbaltas. I felt like I had it together, and I was making progress. I think it set me back, but I will recover.Hopefully my new insurance will ok the coverage on it, otherwise it's back to the drawing board. It's too bad when you find something that is working, you can't just get coverage. 

It's late...to be continued: :)