Counting My Spoons

What are your tips for self-care while you work? Check out this blog post for my six tips.

https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/07/5-ways-focus-self-care-work/

Self-care at work Self-care isn't just about down time and it doesn't end when you step into the office. Self-care is something you do 24/7. How I focus on self-care even when I'm at work.

CBD oil was the thing that finally ended my battle with insomnia... a battle that had been on-going for a decade.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/05/how-cbd-oil-improved-my-sleep/

CBD oil for improved sleep How CBD oil tincture finally put an end to my on-going insomnia so that I could finally fall asleep easy and sleep through the night.

We all deal with tough and stressful times. Chronic illness can make them even worse. Here's 5 things I've learned to help me deal with those stressful times that can't be avoided.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2020/06/5-things-ive-learned-about-handling-stressful-times/

Managing stressful times Stressful times will always be there, but so will the good times. 5 things I need to remember to help me manage the stressful times.

Are any of these six mental actions making you feel physically worse?
https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/05/6-actions-will-make-feel-worse/

6 things that are making you feel worse These six mental actions create stress and anxiety that can leave you feeling physically worse.

If you've ever felt like your doctor was biased against you, this study says you probably weren't wrong.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/05/are-doctors-biased-against-patients/

Are doctors biased against patients? Medscape study questions whether doctors are biased against patients and in what way it affects the treatment that they give.

Have you ever considered writing a letter to your illness? My letter to fibromyalgia - https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/05/dear-fibromyalgia/

Dear Fibromyalgia A letter to my illness. "You may suck so much out of my life, but you've also given me much to be thankful for."

Did you know that sometimes relaxation can increase your pain? We are all unique.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/05/stress-relaxation-fibromyalgia-2/

The Effects of Stress and Relaxation on Fibromyalgia A medical study examines the effects of stress and relaxation on fibromyalgia.

Have you tried meditation or mindfulness-based stress reduction? With continued use over time, it can help relieve many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and other chronic conditions. https://countingmyspoons.com/2016/12/can-mindfulness-based-stress-reduction-help-fibromyalgia/

Can Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Help Fibromyalgia? Mindfulness based stress reduction is an 8 week course designed to teach various types of meditation. Multiple studies on effect on Fibromyalgia patients.

Are you still viewing setbacks as failures? The truth is that when you discover something isn't working, a medicine or treatment doesn't work, it's not a failure. It's an achievement because you've ruled out something and are now one step closer to finding the right answer.

https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/05/5-mistakes-facing-chronic-illness-need-stop-making/

5 Mistakes of Chronic Illness 5 Mistakes those with chronic illness need to stop making. When we live with chronic illness we see mistakes everywhere but may be ignoring these.

What books have you found helpful with dealing with chronic illness? I don't mean cure books (there are tons of those) but books that have actually helped you in some way - whether it be changing how you think or changing what you do to cope or manage your symptoms?

Here's 13 of my favorite books that have helped me through chronic illness. https://countingmyspoons.com/2020/12/9-books-spoonies-should-read-in-2017/

13 books you need to read These 13 books don't promise cures, some aren't even about chronic illness specifically, but they will help you live better and feel better, mentally and physically.

It's hard to think about those we love when we are absorbed with pain, but it's important to remember to make the effort to show our love even when we don't feel well, so that we can stay connected to those who matter most. https://countingmyspoons.com/2019/07/5-ways-to-show-your-love/

5 ways to show your love even when you feel like crap It can be difficult to even think about what our partners and loved ones need when we aren't feeling well. But, it's important that we remember to show them we love them, even when we feel like crap.

Have you examined whether food sensitivities may be making your symptoms worse?
https://countingmyspoons.com/2020/10/could-food-sensitivities-be-making-your-fibromyalgia-symptoms-worse/

Could food sensitivities be aggravating your symptoms? Food sensitivities may be making you feel worse. For many with chronic illness (including myself) food sensitivities are a primary trigger for chronic illness symptoms.

In this great post Mandy of Take hold of pain shares 5 lessons she learned while taking part in a 5-wk hospital-based pain management clinic. https://countingmyspoons.com/2015/04/within-my-control-5-lessons-in-pain-management/

5 keys to self-managing chronic pain Lessons from a pain management program. How you can self-manage your chronic pain without the help of pain meds and medicines.

Are you a highly sensitive person? Do you easily pick up on the feelings of those around you to the point where you feel them too? I know I do, and unfortunately, that means that when those around me are stressed or angry I tend to feel those feelings and tense up, often aggravating my symptoms, such that those emotional feelings are manifested physically. Jade shares some great insight into this in this guest post: https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/01/the-stew-of-pain-the-highly-sensitive-person-chronic-stress-and-chronic-pain/

The highly sensitive person and fibromyalgia Highly sensitive people are more likely to experience chronic stress and as a result more likely to experience chronic illness. But, is there a specific connection between HSP and fibromyalgia?

How do you cope with chronic pain? Are you an active coper who seeks out answers and better ways to deal? Or are you a passive coper who sits back and trusts that things will get better? Here's a few tips to help you cope and manage your pain a little better. https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/04/how-to-cope-with-chronic-pain/

How to cope with chronic pain Living with chronic pain is not easy, here are a few tips for how to cope with chronic pain, pain that doesn't just go away.

Do you suffer from urinary incontinence? It's one of the issues I struggle with at times, but I did find something that helps (when I use it regularly). https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/03/got-urinary-incontinence-get-pemf/

PEMF therapy for urinary incontinence I've dealt with urinary incontinence for too long. I've tried physical therapy, drugs, and was on my way to an invasive procedure, until I discovered PEMF

What's the worst "good" advice someone has given you regarding dealing with your chronic illness? Here's 5 bits of "good advice" you shouldn't take if you are dealing with chronic pain. https://countingmyspoons.com/2017/05/5-changes-not-make-live-chronic-illness/

Great Advice You Shouldn't Take When Living with Chronic Illness Great advice isn't always great. While it might be great advice in certain situations, sometimes well-meant good advice can be dangerous for those living with chronic illnesses.

What are the things you do to help you get through the bad days? These are four things I focus on to help me through. https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/04/finding-strength-get-bad-days/

Finding the strength to get through the bad days 4 things I remember to help me get through the bad days

Do you have people in your life that suck away your limited energy simply by being around them? Here's 6 things I focus on when I'm forced to deal with energy vampires.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2015/10/dealing-with-energy-vampires/

6 Things I Remember When Dealing with Energy Vampires There are those who suck away our energy and leave us feeling drained. We can't avoid them, but remembering these 6 things can help.

We don't get to pick when flares appear, and sometimes they show up at the worst time (as if there's ever a good time). How do you cope when you can't take the day off work or leave work early amidst a flare? Fibromomblog shares 6 tips that she uses to survive a fibro flare when she's stuck at work.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2019/05/6-tips-for-surviving-work-during-a-fibro-flare/

6 tips for surviving a fibro flare at work Fibro flares never pick good times to show up, and sometimes you can't just leave work or take the day off. Suzanne shares 6 tips for how she survives fibro flares at work.

5 tips for better living with chronic illness
https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/04/5-tips-better-living-chronic-illness/

5 tips for better living with fibromyalgia Just because you have chronic illness doesn't mean you can't live well and enjoy life. Five tips for better living with chronic illness

10 ways to decrease stress. Stress adds to pain and other symptoms of chronic illness. But, we can limit and manage our stress, and thereby limit its effect on our symptoms.

https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/04/10-ways-to-decrease-stress/

10 tips to reduce stress Stress increases pain. So, how do you stop the cycle? 10 Ways to decrease stress and reduce pain. Controlling what we can control.

Have you ever had an epidural for chronic back pain? Did it work? Was it worth it? I had one back in 2013. In this blog post I share my experience as well as explain a bit more about what an epidural is and why it's used.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/04/epidural-injections-chronic-back-pain/

Epidural injections for chronic back pain What are epidural injections and how are they used for chronic back pain. My experience with an epidural for chronic back, shoulder, & neck pain - did it work?

6 steps for reducing the stress an anxiety that can increase the symptoms of your chronic illness.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2018/04/6-steps-for-coping-with-stress-and-improving-your-fibromyalgia-symptoms/

6 steps for coping with stress and improving your Fibromyalgia symptoms 6 steps for coping with stress that can help you find and reduce your fibro flare triggers and decrease your illness symptoms.

I've found that fibromyalgia is a lot like living on a roller coaster, filled with a combination of valleys of rest followed by stressful loopy-de-loops and corkscrews that leave me gasping for air. https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/04/fibro-is-like-living-on-roller-coaster/

Fibromyalgia is like living on a roller coaster Fibromyalgia is like living on a roller coaster while wearing a blindfold. You can never be sure if you are heading into a dip or a loop-de-loop that will spin your world around.

If you could say anything to the staff at the emergency department, what would you say? Danielle Faith shares what many of us are thinking in this Open Letter to ER professionals. https://countingmyspoons.com/2017/05/open-letter-er-professionals/

An open letter to ER professionals Danielle Faith says what many of us have thought as we've dealt with the staff at the ER and found that they often treat us differently because we are chronic pain patients.

What medications have you tried for fibromyalgia? And, how many of those actually worked? https://countingmyspoons.com/2021/04/medications-fibromyalgia-many-dont-work/

Too many medications for fibromyalgia just don't work Too many pharmaceuticals don't work, but medications that do work are often impossible to get.

Have you read Unlocking Lyme: Myths, Truths, & Practical Solutions?
There's so much overlap between, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, and CFS/ME. Even if you've not been diagnosed with Lyme, this book is worth reading. https://countingmyspoons.com/2017/02/unlocking-lyme-myths-truths-practical-solutions-beating-lyme-disease/

Review: Unlocking Lyme - Myths, Truths, & Practical Solutions Unlocking Lyme: Myths, Truths, & Practical Solutions explains Lyme disease, how it overlaps with fibromyalgia, and CFS/ME and how these conditions can be treated naturally.

Do you still work? If so, what do you do? What kinds of adjustments have you had to make to continue to work with chronic illness? & 10 ways to make money working from home with chronic illness.
https://countingmyspoons.com/2016/03/working-chronic-illness/

Working with Chronic Illness How do you continue working with chronic illness? How do you make money despite chronic illness? 10 ideas for how you can make money working from home with chronic illness. You can create your own path using your existing skills and interests.

Fibromyalgia diagnosis hasn't changed much in the last couple of decades. While new tools are available, they aren't widely accepted, so generally it all falls back to the old standard - pressure points and symptoms.

https://countingmyspoons.com/2018/12/how-is-fibromyalgia-diagnosed/

How fibromyalgia is diagnosed How is fibromyalgia diagnosed? In the past few years we've seen a few changes in how fibromyalgia is diagnosed.