2018 Musings From The Pained Ink Slayer

Celeste on Amazon

I am blessed to have wonderful people who collaborate. So many give of themselves in an effort to offer support to those suffering with chronic pain, FM, ME/CFS, myofascial pain, CRPS/RSD, Lupus, Migraine, Lyme's Disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis, interstitial cystitis, arthritis and other painful conditions. It is because of the fortitude of others, I am inspired to keep on keeping on. Following is a compilation of what I have written in 2018.

PROHEALTH

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: Similarities and Contrasts with Fibromyalgia

THE PAINED INK SLAYER

Could Biofeedback Be On Your Chronic Pain Gift List?

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

The GERD-Fibro Connection

PROHEALTH

Five Things You Should Know About Dysautonomia If You Have Fibromyalgia 

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

A Fall Lesson on Mindfulness

10 Fast Facts Fibromyalgia is Real (Blog Reprint of original 2016 ProHealth article)

PROHEALTH

Brain Under Siege: Centralization, Chronic Pain, and Fibromyalgia

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

Chronic Pain: Does Sex Matter?

FMa Test - BCG Fibromyalgia Vaccine Trials Receive FDA Approval

PAINS Project Moves to Academy of Integrative Pain Management (AIPM)

PROHEALTH

Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants: Managing Chronic Pain And Invisible Illness With Words From the Wise

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

A Day in the Rockies Poem about Rockies for mom

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

4 Ways to Power Up Your Positivism

PROHEALTH

The Physicality Of Fibrofog, The Brain, And Pain

Diagnosing And Living With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

FDA responds on behalf of chronic pain patients who require opioids to treat their pain

The FM/a® Blood Test and Participation in Fibromyalgia Vaccine Study

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You can follow my ProHealth profile page where I write about fibromyalgia and its frequent partners, and Health Central has archived the articles I have written for them, here.

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PROHEALTH

Fibro Playmate of the Month – The Migraine Connection

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

Opportunity Knocks Again: Public Comments on Patient-Focused Drug Development for Chronic Pain

Migraine and Me: If you could see me now #MHAM2018 challenge

Comment Now to NIH Pain Management Best Practices or Forever Hold Our Peace

12 Months and 14 Fibro Musings

PROHEALTH  

7 Tips for Reclaiming Control over Fibromyalgia

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

Science, Fibromyalgia, and Exercise

PROHEALTH

3Tips for Reducing Stress in Fibromyalgia

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

9 Reasons Tai Chi Reduces Pain and Promotes Health

Balancing Pain and Illness through Poetry

PROHEALTH

Myofascial Pelvic Pain in Men and Women with Fibromyalgia

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

Mindfulness and Chronic Pain

Never Again Will I Travel Without My Oska® PEMF Device. #sponsor discount code CCRN60

PROHEALTH

Does Rare Disease—EDS—Plague Fibromyalgia?

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

Fibromyalgia FM/a Blood Test and EpicGenetics Landmark Clinical Research Efforts

Making the Best of AFFIRMATIONS

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

A PATIENT's VOICE – Life in Chronic Pain with Frank Elliot

PROHEALTH

Fibromyalgia and Thyroid Resistance

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

The Thyroid and Fibromyalgia: Is there more than a butterfly connection?

Avoiding Lockdown

HEALTH CENTRAL

How Kinesiology Can Help Manage Chronic Pain

THE PAINED INK SLAYER  

New Year’s Wish for Fellow Pain Warriors (January, 2018) 

  

As I look back at 2018, I am filled with gratitude, love, and admiration for each of you, and look ahead to the New Year with hope and promise.

THANK YOU for your comments and for sharing any and all information, not only from me, but from the many other advocates, bloggers, and writers who share this space with all of us.

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

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Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others. 

Migraine and Me: If you could see me now #MHAM2018 challenge

Migraine is the 3rd most prevalent

and 7th most disabling disease in the world.

(MigraineDisease.com)

As I reported in my blog 12 Months and 14 Fibro Musings from The Pained Ink Slayer, the spring and fall seasons are two difficult times of the year for me. I live with chronic migraine all year long, but barometric pressure changes and tree and grass allergens can lead to a status migrainus attack, a migraine lasting for more than 72 hours straight. In May, a very busy month for fibromyalgia advocates, I experienced an episode lasting 14 days that required a steroid blast to stop it. And, I can't remember doing a fibromyalgia awareness interview without a migraine.

THE SHADOW OF MIGRAINE

”Hiding my migraines on the set may have been my toughest challenge as an actor. There were times when the pain from migraine headaches was so severe that I literally had to crawl across my dressing room floor. But I couldn't let anyone know. If they thought I might slow production, I figured that would end my career.”
~Morgan Fairchild

If you live with migraine, you know exactly what this is like. As a high school student, I spend many a day lying on a cot in the nursing office. As a young adult, I remember retreating to the bathroom to vomit and escape the overhead lights of the office where I was a switchboard operator, fearing every second that I would lose my job over something I could not control. I remember the look my mother's face when she came to pick me up to take me to the emergency room, where my condition called for stat IV's and lab work to check my clotting factors. Unbeknownst to me all the tiny blood vessels in my face had ruptured (my head had been over the toilet for the better part of a day). I barely had a blood pressure.  

Unless you have migraine disease, you simply cannot understand what that means. It is so much more than a bad headache. It will cause sane people to do crazy things. I can tear sheets with my teeth, rock back and forth on my hands and knees, and cry out in pain with the guttural sounds of an injured animal, sounds that even I do not recognize. I have pressed so hard on my eye sockets that it leaves bruises. I slur works like a drunk, speak in sentences that make no sense, and experience complete personality breakdown.

THE STIGMA

Despite all the evidence that migraine is real, and that it is a neurobiological disease of the brain, we still feel the stigma of migraine. I wish I could say we didn’t need migraine awareness campaigns, but we do. Few understand what we have learned in the last ten years and we need to change that.

Read more about the research and the common denominators of those of us who live with both migraine and fibromyalgia in an article I wrote for ProHealth, Fibro Playmate of the Month–The Migraine Connection.  

Life isn’t easy living with migraine, but when I share my story, I am able to emerge from the shadow of migraine. I hope you will too. #MHAM2018

Find out how YOU can get involved. JOIN THECHALLENGE at MigraineDisease.com where you will find all you need to raise awareness and stop the stigma of migraine.

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

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Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others. 

Axon Therapeutic Eyewear for Migraine and Blepharospam: Celeste’s Chronic Illness Blogger Review

"I have been given this product as part of a product review through the  Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company. "

According to the International Headache Society on beta 3 of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, migraine disease has many sub-types. But regardless of the type, many of us experience photophobia. A study published in the peer review journal, Cephalalgia, says approximately 80% of migraineurs experience light sensitivity during an attack. It is also estimated that up to 80% of people with blepharospasm, a facial movement disorder defined by eyelid twitching, experience the phenomenon due to bright light exposure. I happen to be in both groups. That’s why I was so excited to review “Axonoptics Therapeutic Eyewear”.

Studies show filtering out particular light rays contributing to photosensitivity reduces the number of migraines we experience. This is particularly important because these glasses are not the same as sunglasses, which I have used to help my photophobia. Axon glasses are different; they are therapeutic. 

When I first started wearing them, my usual squinting (even with sunglasses) stopped. During a migraine, the glasses really help too. Minimizing photophobia for me also means minimizing nausea and vomiting. I no longer worry about attending a conference or advocacy meeting in fear of the overhead lights triggering a migraine.

The glasses arrived in a handsome box, and a well-designed durable case.  

You can get other frames, send in your own, and get the lenses in your prescription. The frames I got are the Axon Optics JURA - Migraine Glasses for Migraine Relief and Light Sensitivity Relief. They are a stylish, classic, lightweight, unisex style spring frame, meaning they will hug your face without causing undue pressure. I must admit, the universal size scared me a bit at first, but the glasses fit my face with comfort. I hardly know there.

According to Axontherapeutics there are certain things to be considered, which I read before doing this review.

• They can be used every day.
• While the rose tint is not dark, which I love, they are not endorsed for night driving as a safety concern, and no research has been done to know if it would help.
• These lenses are indicated for migraine, light sensitivity, photophobia, blepharospasm, glare, eyestrain or irritation, headaches and traumatic brain injury.
• There are no limitations on how often they are worn.
• The FL-41 lenses have a premium coating that is anti-smudge, anti-moisture, and anti-scratch and block 100% UVA and UVB rays.
• The lenses I got are ideal for when using electronics, such as a computer or television, and protect against flickering or irritating light patterns. They are not indicated for outside because they aren’t dark (they do filter UV rays), but I find dark lenses give me eye strain and intensify my dry eye, so for me they are good for both inside and out, but if you need a dark lens, they also have outdoor lens for use as sunglasses.  

For me, it doesn’t matter if the sun is shining brightly or the sky is thick with clouds, I am sensitive, so even though I got the indoor tint, I also wear them when driving and enjoy knowing my eyes are protected from UV light rays, which can damage anyone's eyes. You might prefer a darker tint for sunglasses, but regardless of your preference, it is reassuring to know that photosensitivity  can now be minimized.

As migraineurs, we seek whatever means available to prevent and treat this horrific disease. And, I am happy to report these glasses are reducing blepharospasm, bringing relief from the incessant distraction of twitching eyelids. 

In healing,,Celeste

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth —Advocate

Hiding in the Shadow of Migraine

"Hiding my migraines on the set may have been my toughest challenge as an actor. There were times when the pain from migraine headaches was so severe that I literally had to crawl across my dressing room floor. But I couldn't let anyone know. If they thought I might slow production, I figured that would end my career."

~Morgan Fairchild

"I can't tell you how many shows I've done with full-blown migraine headaches."

~Jonathan Taylor Thomas

"This is a soul under perpetual migraine attack."

~Richard Schickel

Despite all the evidence that migraine is a neurobiological disease, we still feel the stigma of migraine.

Having lived with migraine for 50 years, I have seen advances. Gone are the days of seeking emergency care to get a shot of a narcotic, so I could hopefully ride out the attack, but even that resulted in a miserable narcotic hangover headache. It's a sad commentary, when misery is the better scenario. Unless you have migraine disease, you simply cannot understand what that means. It is so much more than a bad headache. It will cause sane people to do crazy things.

"I didn't feel physically sick. But mentally. My mind was twisting in so many ways. (...) We once saw a documentary on migraines. One of the men interviewed used to fall on his knees and bang his head against the floor, over and over during attacks. This diverted the pain from deep inside his brain, where he couldn't reach it, to a pain outside that he had control over." 

― Jay Asher

A few years ago, while on respite in the Rockies, I suffered a horrible attack. I awoke at 4 a.m. (What I have come to term migraine reveille). Nothing helped and I spent that night in unbelievable pain, vomiting and having diarrhea. None of the tools in my kit worked. It was refractory.

As with nearly all my migraines, my right eyelid was drooping, and my right eye was crossed. My entire scalp was numb and tender, so I couldn’t hold my hair to keep it out of the way. On the second morning, I knew I needed help. So my husband contacted the ranger and we made our way to urgent care in a nearby town. It was a pain filled and anxious journey, because I had to leave the security of my commode.

On arrival, despite looking ragged, rugged, and severely ill and having symptoms that could suggest I was having a stroke—I heard the comments. “This one SAYS she has a migraine”. It wasn’t until after I told them I needed an Imitrex injection and supportive care that they established eye contact. That’s when I was wheeled to a gurney. My blood pressure was through the roof despite severe dehydration (and a lifetime of combating low blood pressure). I was decompensating, my body’s fight or flight response was in full gear, I knew it, and they knew it. Now they were yelling for the doctor as they put me on a cardiac monitor. Urgent care began; IVs with electrolytes were started; I got my Imitrex(R) injection and something IV for vomiting. I also got a muscle relaxant, because cervical neck disease, myofascial painsyndrome, and occipital neuralgia are among some of my triggers. All effects of a refractory migraine need to be considered to break the cycle. When my symptoms improved, and my vital signs stabilized, I had something to say.

Having been a board certified emergency RN; I knew their judgmental attitude was inappropriate, and as a past legal nurse consultant, I can say, their behavior was neglectful. I said some of the following at the time, some I included in my letter to the administrator, but I think you will get the gist. I told them:

·        It’s important to understand migraine.

·        Establish eye contact with your patient.

·        Take a good history and do a physical exam, including neuro checks.

·        Sick people seek drugs too, and you should be compassionate when you hear the word migraine, not make judgmental statements.

·        I am acutely aware that addicts say they have migraine to get narcotics.

·        Not all migraineurs respond to abortive medications and patients look to you for treatment.

·        As urgent/emergent care providers, you should know what is in your arsenal to help the migraineur.

·        Because a migraineur asks for a narcotic, it does not mean they are an addict. It could mean a narcotic is the only thing they have been offered in the past, there could be a variety of other reasons, but you won’t know without that history.  

·        How you respond could mean the difference between helping and contributing to stress, including suicide. It has happened.

·        Even though I will not start the HIPPA complaint process, you violated my rights to privacy by discussing my case where others could hear.

In a teachable moment, I emerged from the shadows of migraine.

Many migraineurs live in the shadow of their disease, do you?

Learn how to get started, here. (Updated June 2018)

(Signature line appended June 2018)

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others. 

A Message of Hope from My Guest, Clarissa Shepherd

 “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.” 

~Orison Swett Marden, 1850 - 1924

Did you know that March is “Brain Awareness” month? We know the brain is a very complex organ, many people, with many disorders could have many things to say to raise awareness. Being one with a fibro-migrainus brain, I also know how important a message of hope can be for anyone who shares this journey with us. I am truly blessed to be able to share with you a message of hope written for you by my friend, Clarissa Shepherd, the, leader of the Facebook Group, Fellow Travelers. 

Get ready to face illness with courage, a sense of renewal and hope.

Renewing in Hope by Clarissa Shepherd

For those of us who face chronic illness each day, thinking positive is not an easy task. It's not as if we dwell on the negative, yet it finds us. We not only deal with daily pain and many other symptoms – we also deal with all of life's difficulties. I feel we do a magnificent job surviving a long list of daunting symptoms. Following is what you mean to me.

Learning to live within your limitations is not a negative thing; it’s a way to rearrange your life so you can live to your fullest potential. Finding new ways of doing daily tasks is a very creative thing. I find it amazing that you manage so well. You find new ways of healing, new ways of coping, new ways to entertain yourself, new talents that you didn't know you had.

Your journey may be very difficult. It may be very long and tiresome, yet you do it with such grace. A grace like I've never seen before. You're learning a new way to live, a new way of thinking, and ways of doing it soulfully. You've learned how to rethink what being productive means to you now, and you acknowledge that everyone's yardstick for measuring what’s productive isn't the same, and that's OK. You're still alive and moving ever forward as you learn to maneuver this new way of life. You've accepted the challenge and looked it right in the face. I call you—courageous.

You are a vital human being. This illness is not of your own making, and it does not define you. It just is. You show your strength and courage with each breath you take, every obstacle you overcome, and every new way you learn to cope. You are fearless, even in your pain.

Now I want you to take this truth into each day. Allow it to cover your entire being. There will be those in your life that don't, or won't, understand what you face each day. Chronic illness has taught me this…

Some people will fill you up,

Others will drain you of energy better spent,

So, choose wisely.

The reality is you are wonderful—just as you are. Your bravery is unparalleled, because you live it in solitude. Believe in yourself, as you renew in hope. Just as the season's change, so does your strength. Hope, courage, and renewal define you. They are in you, beside you, in front of you. Know this, and let the beacon, your bright light, guide you, hold you, and sustain you. You are brave. I applaud the person you are.

~ ~ ~

I am constantly encouraged by Clarissa and her generous spirit. Following is perhaps one of my favorite affirmations from her, which is included in one of our books.

"Be kind to yourself.

Respect who you are.

Walk in the light of your fearlessness."

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) for Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, and Migraine

CVS COENZYME Q10 Softgel 100mg

“Coenzyme Q10 is a natural compound produced by the body… On a cellular chemistry level, this antioxidant helps convert food into energy.” 
- Cooper and Miller, 2010 




CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone, is a fat-soluble supplement that is believed to help with many things from heart failure to cancer. But, for this post we will focus on how it might help fibromyalgia, ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), migraine, and related symptoms.

Effects of CoQ10 on Gene Expression and Human Cell Signaling

CoQ10 affects expression of genes in mice, and gene expression in human cell signaling,   metabolism and transport. It is thought that the effects of CoQ10 supplementation may be due to this property.

The Mitochondria and CoQ10

“In order to understand how CoQ10 works, it is first necessary to understand mitochondria.  Imagine that each cell in your body is a car. Mitochondria are the engines – or energy producers – in each cell that make your “car” run. It is the job of the mitochondria to supply this energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This is where CoQ10 comes in. To continue the car analogy, it is the oil that enables the engine to work. [It] is the catalyst that makes it possible for the mitochondria to produce ATP, the molecule upon which all cellular functions in the body depend.” 

- Karen Richards, Prohealth 

Coenzyme Q10 is essential to the functioning of the cells in our body, and deficiency has been related to several serious health consequences. This does not mean it comes without precautions and side effects, or drug interactions.  So, if you decide to try it, please make sure your doctor and pharmacist have a complete list of all your medications and all the over-the-counter supplements and remedies you use. You can review tips for medication safety on my website.

Could CoQ10 Help Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS? 

According to the Mayo Clinic, early study suggests CoQ10 may be helpful for fibromyalgia and related symptoms of dry mouth, muscle weakness and dystrophies, nerve pain, tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

One study on mitochondrial dysfunction shows that CoQ10 could help. Interestingly, in this study IL-8 (a proinflammatory cytokine) was elevated. This was also found in another study relating neuroinflammation to heart rate variability (an autonomic effect) in fibromyalgia. This begs the question,

“Could coQ10 also help fibromyalgia patients 

with autonomic nervous system involvement?"

“It is argued that mitochondrial dysfunctions, e.g. lowered ATP production, may play a role in the onset of ME/cfs symptoms, e.g. fatigue and post exertional malaise, and may explain in part the central metabolic abnormalities observed in ME/cfs, e.g. glucose hypometabolism and cerebral hypoperfusion.”  (Morris and Maes, 2014.)  Though further trials are suggested, it was found in another study that CoQ10 along with NADH, might be beneficial in treating ME/CFS. The results of another study showed “lowered levels of CoQ10 play a role in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS and that symptoms, such as fatigue, and autonomic and neurocognitive symptoms may be caused by CoQ10 depletion.”  

Mitchondria, CoQ10 and Migraine

In a literature review published in the journal Headache (Markley, 2012), it was concluded,

"Arising from these extensive neurophysiological studies, the treatment of metabolic encephalomyopathies with pharmacological doses of riboflavin and coenzyme Q10 has shown positive benefits. The same treatment has now been applied to migraine, adding clinical support to the theory that migraine is a mitochondrial disorder.”

According to a Health Central Clinician,  CoQ10 is showing promise for preventing migraine. Research was presented at an American Headache Society meeting, showing 300 mg per day to be effective. It is also reported that gel capsules are absorbed and utilized best by the body. 

Taking CoQ10

As with all supplements, CoQ10 is not regulated by the FDA, so please check the manufacturers safety and purity standards.  You can check to make sure it is USP verified. 

Coenzyme Q10 should not be taken on an empty stomach because it will reduce absorption. It is absorbed best when taken with foods that have fat, such as olive oil (a healthy choice) because it is fat-soluble. Taking it in smaller doses several times a day will help maintain the level circulating in your body and provide the greatest benefit. 

While CoQ10 is relatively safe, as we age, so does our metabolism and our production of CoQ10. What is a recommended dose for one person might not be so for another, that’s why having the guidance of your physician is important.  If you experience common side effects, talk it over with your doctor, it could be you need to start with a lower dose. 

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

NEW Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. 

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Migraine, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Myofascial Pain by Celeste Cooper

I have been a migraineur since puberty, for me, the consequences of genetics. My paternal grandmother was also a migraineur, and I always thought that like her, I would be free of this hideous disease by the time I reached my fourth decade in life. That was my dream, my hope, my reason for coping for so many years— a welcome light at the end of a long dark tunnel. But, the only thing that has changed is they are more frequent, and I have acquired additional triggers, spinal degeneration, myofascial pain syndrome, and fibromyalgia. 

My maternal grandmother had “muscular rheumatism,” an old name for fibromyalgia. I can count on trigger points in my neck, upper body, and face to act as weapons firing on the bulls eye, my trigeminal nerve. A cascade of events begins on my right side, my nose starts to run, and the world starts to appear as though I am viewing it from under water. For me, myofascial pain syndrome is one of several peripheral pain generators to both migraine and fibromyalgia, two centrally mediated disorders.

Centrally mediated = beginning in the central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord

After visiting with others who share this conundrum, I know I am not alone. This is immensely comforting in one way, and horrific in another. No one would wish any one of these painful conditions on someone else, not even their archenemy. (If they would, they need to hone some coping skills, maybe see a therapist.)

Migraine Awareness

It was once thought migraines were due to vasoconstriction of blood vessels in the brain. However, new evidence suggests migraines are caused by a nerve disruption. Teri Robert, President of the American Headache andMigraine Association, says, “We had a fascinating presentation in Scottsdale in 2010 showed imaging of a migraine in progress with no vasoconstriction at all.” 

I attended one of her organization’s (AHMA) symposiums for patients. After living as a migraineur for nearly 50 years, I learned more about the disease at that event than I have ever learned from those who have treated me. The one thing I know for certain, if you suffer from chronic migraine, you want a neurologist who specializes in treating headaches.

Possible Connections

Not all migraineurs have myofascial pain syndrome nor do they have fibromyalgia. However, we do know that peripheral pain (such as that from myofascial trigger points) does intensify the body-wide tenderness of fibromyalgia and can be a trigger for a migraine attack.  We also have evidence that there is prevalence of migraine in fibromyalgia. 

Peripheral pain generator = pain that is initiated outside the central nervous system 

Regardless of other conditions we have, as a migraineur, the most important thing is to control any perpetuating factors.

What Wouldn’t We Do?

We know the drug trials, the willingness to have needles stuck around the eye and in the cranium (feeling like, and hearing, the crunch of a rice crispy treat). We agree to have needles stuck in our body orifices, or spinal canal. We are willing to have foreign objects permanently implanted in our body like the bionic woman or the six million dollar man. We are willing and anxious to try the many tools covered by the American Headache Society or have as many as 35-40 trigger point injections in one setting. These are things otherwise healthy people consider torturous. Are we insane, as once suggested regarding migraine, fibromyalgia, and myofascial pain? The answer is NO! What it does imply is we are desperate and on the positive side, we are credible regarding our complaints. If your physician doesn’t see it this way, it’s time to find a new one. 

So, the answer to “What Wouldn't We  Do?” to relieve or even minimize our pain is:

NOTHING!

Clinical trial participants are willing to undergo any treatment and even risk their well-being in a quest to help others and themselves. We are a group of empathetic folks, which speaks to our character.

Marching On

I can’t make your pain or mine go away, but I can say I am privileged to march with you, my fellow bandleaders. We may march to a different drum, but we march.

Live boldly; stand out, RAISE AWARENESS for migraine and all the things that accompany the life of a migraineur.

Resources

• Teri Robert as Migraine Health Guide at Health Central 
• Celeste Cooper as Chronic Pain Pro at Health Central http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/662034
• The American Headache and Migraine Association 
• The American Headache Society 
• About Fibromyalgia on my website (including my thoughts on the diagnostic criteria and other helpful links)
• National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association
• Fibromyalgia at ProHealth 
• The International Myopain Society 
• About Myofascial Pain Syndrome at Celeste Cooper.com (including video presentation, treatment tools, a diagram of a trigger point, and helpful links)
• Myofascial Pain Syndrome by Health Central Chronic Pain Pro, Celeste Cooper
• Fibromyalgia Tender Points or Myofascial Trigger Points:Knowing the Difference for the Right Diagnosis by Health Central Chronic Pain Pro, Celeste Cooper
• About Our Books for Living with Chronic Pain

~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

NEW Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. 

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.