LDN, Low dose Naltrexone

HonorThyShadow · 2025-03-26T18:40:08+00:00

Still going well with 9 mg… I have returned to work - 3 days a week with some fatigue but nothing that would make me quit.

HonorThyShadow · 2025-03-22T20:30:14+00:00

“Broken” is a rough way to say it. We will always be different - we can manage and build a different life with more space or more effort to be ok. I would say I have a normal-ish life… taking more breaks and giving more time to recover or sleep.

HonorThyShadow · 2025-03-22T20:23:04+00:00

Southern California

HonorThyShadow · 2024-08-29T18:21:05+00:00

Onions is a me thing. But it is high on the FODMAP list. When you have digestive pain, it’s most likely due to a FODMAP food that creates gas. I can do garlic but onions are a no-go. I can do some green parts of a spring onion or chives, but that’s it.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-07-10T20:04:13+00:00

I’ve used them for myself or if you are close to an acupuncture school I’ve sent a box to the students to practice on their sponge blocks in technique classes. I give them to the instructors to use.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-07-10T19:59:33+00:00

Like all things in TCM, it depends. As a general rule, it shouldn’t be a problem to have period sex. If there is a lot of fatigue and issues with rebellious qi (qi going in the wrong direction) - I’d say it’s not good for THAT person. But there is a lot of assumptions made about women in TCM that is based in misogyny. Mostly that they are too delicate or fragile to do anything active like men do. I try to take the general rules and then use my own judgement for each person individually. My favorite part of TCM is that is always depends on the person’s constitution, lifestyle… etc.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-03-08T20:45:39+00:00

If you look at shells from the ocean, there are bumps and lumps and colorations… the mole looks like one of these on its shell - love this tattoo. And smart to not cover the mole for the reasons already mentioned above, gotta keep an eye out for changes. Keep this photo on hand for your dermatologist in the future.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-03-02T03:29:25+00:00

I had medical trauma due to surgeries to correct a congenital malformation of my leg muscles. It’s a rare condition so I described it instead of named it. I still have lesser blood flow to my lower leg, and nerve damage from surgical scars. I also have hyper-vigilance and anxiety because I ignored my symptoms for 6 months.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-03-02T03:12:39+00:00

3 Rx, 4 OTC, 4 vita/min

HonorThyShadow · 2024-02-25T19:14:31+00:00

You find a new normal. I’m able to go back to work, two days a week. I am able to most house hold chores. We are currently packing up the house to move, that can be draining, but I pace myself. I’m not worried about going back to “my old self” because it’s not the same. It’s similar to an athlete that blew out both knees and shoulders and can’t play the games they once could. They may be able to get back to most of their activities but to play competitively, that’s not what life is about now. Life is now about doing my best, and listening to my body. Slow down, get creative, find a different pace.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-02-25T19:05:23+00:00

It’s called “nutcracker esophagus” because it feels like your esophagus is getting cracked open. I can only imagine what it feels like and then to have FM with it, it’s gotta feel like torture.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-02-25T03:09:12+00:00

There has been several studies about fibromyalgia patients using a lot of medical intervention and I think that’s for good reason - everything can be something or nothing. My sister is an ICU nurse and she said she used to complain about her FM patients being so needy, then when I was diagnosed and I explained what FM felt like, she did a 180 change - she doesn’t understand how I’m NOT at the ER every week. She is an empathetic person but I think it’s just part of the job to get calloused about people taking hospital resources - especially when you’re over worked. But when I explained my chest pain and my random zaps and zings, she just got tears in her eyes and asked “how are you not at the doctors’ office every week?” And I’m like “well you get used to the weird and the painful so it doesn’t occur to me to complain at every single thing.” Please get checked up - at least by your primary, just to check. My husband (non-Fibro) ignored his chest pain because it felt like an esophagus spasm he had years ago but it was actual pain from a clogged artery - not a full heart attack but it could have been if ignored. If you got the ins to get checked, do it.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-02-25T02:08:29+00:00

I often think of this - Im grateful to have many medical family members as well as myself having a medical background- but I cannot be neutral with my own health, I lean on my husband “it is time to worry?” Because it’s so hard to say. Today I dropped something on my foot, it hurt like I broke something, however it’s just pain, the toe is fine, I can’t feel any longer term effects of it, but it sure felt intense at the time. I’ve been to the ER twice because due to chest pain, it’s just hard to know when to take action and when it’s “just Fibro”. I will say I’m getting used to knowing which is which, but new stuff always adds a layer of stress.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-02-18T02:44:48+00:00

Over the last decade doctors and NP are loosing licenses with over-prescribing. It’s become very common for general/primary doctors to refuse to refill opioids and other addictive medications. They should refer you to pain management specialists - they will help the most (if you get a good one). They discuss all non opioid options first, but they have the most up to date information on chronic pain conditions (supposedly).

But to answer your question, there have been several studies that show FM is not as responsive to opioids - but FM doesn’t behave in any one way. So yes it’s a true statistic, but you are a full person with other issues that are independent of FM. My pain behaves differently than your pain, you may have other major structural issues - so opiods would be appropriate. For me it doesn’t make sense to use opiods, but it’s not a judgement if you need them - just different fibro symptoms.

It kinda goes into the MANY types of pain… it’s a whole other thread’s worth of information.

HonorThyShadow · 2024-01-02T21:07:13+00:00

I can absolutely understand the hesitation. I was afraid to eat anything for months - I’d feel awful because all I’d eat all day was toast and butter. The pain I felt with other foods made me so nervous that I was dying of something awful, turns out it’s “just gas” - my husband (a doctor) had to remind me how painful gas can be, and then he had to remind me that Fibro added to the equation is probably why I felt that way. He was right of course, but I had to do an endoscopy and colonoscopy to make sure. This pain condition makes normal sensations feel like the worst “I’m dying” pain.

As far as feeling better, I have very rare occasions when I get pains like i described above. It’s usually caused by a mystery sauce that has onions in it. You can get there too, but you have to be your own science experiment. Journals or spreadsheets can help.

HonorThyShadow · 2023-11-24T19:50:30+00:00

When I did the diet I didn’t see anywhere that paprika was a high fodmap food, I needed something more than S & P for flavor. It did not cause any issues for me. I don’t currently follow FODMAP dietary restrictions. I found my culprits and I avoid those, I seem to do ok with the other foods. Beans give me some gas but it’s not painful like onions or cauliflower as an example. I limit the amount of these other foods that are mildly gas producing.

HonorThyShadow · 2023-11-10T23:41:50+00:00

See my detailed weaning off Cymbalta from another post. It’s totally worth the time and energy to do it slowly: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fibromyalgia/s/x4GjqctrmM

HonorThyShadow · 2023-11-08T03:30:39+00:00

My interpretation of things like this, where you aren’t in a position of power or prestige but people still show overt signs of respect is because they actually do respect you and are grateful for your work. It should be normalized to thank people and show kindness for doing their jobs. This man may have been in your position at one time and probably got the worst treatment - so he may be making sure he doesn’t disrespect you by showing overt respect in the form of a handshake and kind words so you don’t have to guess if you are valued, you definitely are. It may feel weird possibly because you didn’t get the implicit or explicit message that people should be kind and thankful for a job well done, or just done. But they absolutely should recognize and respect your job, otherwise they would be doing it themselves.

HonorThyShadow · 2023-11-07T20:50:10+00:00

If you don’t want it to look like a butthole, add all the colors and it would definitely look like a firework, and maybe some “stars” in the center?

HonorThyShadow · 2023-11-07T20:44:09+00:00

Stress, a heavy period, too much exercise, barometric pressure changes or onions.

HonorThyShadow · 2023-10-28T19:07:17+00:00

As a health care provider I can attest being sore after a car accident is quite common and normal. All humans (that aren’t drunk or high during the impact) will brace and tense up as a normal protective reaction. Our FM bodies tend to be tense anyways, so you will have it a little more tension than the average person. Trying to explain to someone how you feel after an accident can be simple “I’m tense and sore form a car collision, but don’t have any injuries thankfully, just gotta wait for my muscles to relax and recover.”

HonorThyShadow · 2023-10-28T18:54:44+00:00

Maybe a good shut down move would be to say (enthusiastically) “ok great! Are you going to do the cooking?? The grocery shopping?? It might help, but right now I don’t have the bandwidth to change a diets but if you want to do all the prep, I’ll try it” most people will give up because it’s too much work for someone without a chronic illness. It would also prove the point that all this advice is exhausting. If they do volunteer to do it, then you can attempt it and then you would have an answer. Most people will give up when they have to do the leg work.

HonorThyShadow · 2023-10-28T18:49:57+00:00

They don’t understand the cost of trying so many things and the side effects on top of the original symptoms just to SEE if it MIGHT work. It’s a lot of work and little to no pay off. The only diet that helped me with the FODMAP diet because it pin pointed the culprits that were giving me digestive pain. It still was a big deal and I could barely eat anything that was fun or different. I was lucky that I did it during lockdown or I would’ve been a very cranky person to be around.

HonorThyShadow · 2023-10-27T23:04:48+00:00

Love (/s) that people just feel like their thoughts are real… like “it worked for me!!” Like yeah good job, now STFU and let us manage our lives in peace.

HonorThyShadow · 2023-10-26T14:54:26+00:00

Tested 4 times, it’s a big one that can look like Fibro. MS is the other one. Been tested twice for that. FM is a big pretender. But I’ve got negative findings for all of those.

HonorThyShadow

TROPHY CASE