Something I have to bear

Something I have to bear in life...the feeling of sudden unplug of power supply...

What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia produces widespread pain, disturbed sleep, and exhaustion from head to toe. Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons—the soft fibrous tissues of the body. Although the muscles hurt everywhere, they are not the only cause of the pain. Instead, the diffuse, body-wide symptoms are greatly magnified by malfunctions in the way the nervous system processes pain.

Regional muscle pain not related to arthritis or the nervous system also occurs in the majority of people with fibromyalgia. Patients describe this as firm knots in the belly of muscles, often causing restricted movement and radiating pain. These muscle nodules are myofascial trigger points and some researchers suspect that these painful areas overlap with the tender points used to diagnose fibromyalgia.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia are unpredictable and most patients are frustrated by their physical limitations and inability to make plans. You may feel as though you have to "push yourself" to get things done.

Most patients with fibromyalgia say that their muscles feel like they have been pulled or overworked, and sometimes they twitch or cramp. Even the skin may feel badly sunburned. To help your family and friends relate to your fibromyalgia symptoms, have them think back to the last time they had a bad flu. Every muscle in their body shouted out in pain. In addition, they felt devoid of energy as though someone had unplugged their power supply.

Given that the symptoms may be similar to a viral flu, experts in the field of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome believe that these two illnesses may be one and the same. Gulf War syndrome also overlaps with these two conditions.

Common symptoms:

Pain - Fibromyalgia pain has no boundaries. People describe the pain as deep muscular aching, throbbing, shooting, stabbing, or intense burning. Quite often, the pain and stiffness are worse in the morning, and muscle groups that are used repetitively may hurt more. In addition, the severity of regional pains (particularly those in the head, neck, shoulders and lower back) are a strong predictor of a person's overall pain rating. The muscles in these painful areas can feel tight, knotted and rope-like. Pressing on the firm, knotted region hurts and often causes the pain to shoot to other muscles when a myofascial trigger point is present.

Fatigue - This symptom can be one of the most incapacitating for people with fibromyalgia. Patients may feel as though their arms and legs are weighted down by concrete blocks and their bodies may be so drained of energy that every task is an effort.

Memory and Concentration - Difficulty concentrating and retaining new information may seriously interfere with everyday mental tasks. This symptom is referred to as "fibro fog" and may hinder job opportunities. In particular, fibromyalgia patients have serious difficulty retaining new information if they are distracted.

Sleep Disorders - Patients report trouble falling asleep and more importantly staying asleep, but the unrefreshing quality is what makes the disorder much worse than insomnia. Repeat arousals prevent patients from reaching deep, restorative sleep. As a result, the night is spent in "quasi-sleep" and patients wake up feeling as though they have been run over by a Mack truck. An overnight sleep study will likely show repeat arousals with bursts of awake-like brain activity occurring throughout the night, but a specific sleep disorder may not be identified.

Exercise Difficulties - Moderate intensity exercise activates a powerful pain-relieving system in healthy people, but it makes the pain of fibromyalgia worse. This is why initiating an exercise program may make you achy and tired. However, if you do not exercise on a regular basis, the performance of normal daily living activities will start to cause more pain. Rather than give in to the increased pain sensitivity related to exercise, patients are advised to do mild exercise in short intervals (such as five minutes at a time) to keep the muscles fit while not over-taxing them. A study in Sweden revealed that half of the fibromyalgia patients found it impossible or difficult to climb stairs and a majority of patients could not run. Just standing for five minutes was extremely taxing to one-fourth of the patients.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Constipation, diarrhea, frequent abdominal pain and bloating, abdominal gas, and nausea represent symptoms commonly found in roughly 40 to 70 percent of fibromyalgia patients.

Chronic Headaches - Recurrent migraine or tension headaches are experienced by 50 to 70 percent of fibromyalgia patients. Most headaches are rated as severe, occur at least two times per week, and often have a migraine component. Referred pain from myofascial trigger points in the shoulder, neck, and head muscles are suspected to be responsible for most tension-type headache and also play a role in migraines.

Jaw Pain - Temporomandibular joint dysfunction causes tremendous jaw-related face and head pain and affects one-quarter of fibromyalgia patients. Typically, the problems are related to the muscles and ligaments surrounding the jaw joint and not necessarily the joint itself.

Other Common Symptoms - Non-cardiac chest pain, acid reflux, irregular heart beat or palpitations, shortness of breath, numbness and tingling sensations, the feeling of swollen extremities, chemical sensitivities, nasal congestion, premenstrual syndrome and painful periods, irritable bladder, interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia (vulvar pain), difficulty focusing eyes, dry or burning eyes and mouth, dizziness or feeling faint, profuse sweating, muscle weakness and balance issues can occur. Fibromyalgia patients are often sensitive to odors, loud noises, bright lights, some foods, and often the medications that they are prescribed.

Aggravating Factors - Changes in weather, cold or drafty environments, hormonal fluctuations (premenstrual and menopausal states), stress, depression, anxiety, and over-exertion can all contribute to fibromyalgia symptom flare-ups.

Anggerik2005
7:07 pm
Feb 20, 2010

life is short

last saturday our officemate left this world to meet our creator. after almost 2 years suffering from esofagus cancer and at age of 53. inallillah...semuga rohnya ditempatkan bersame orang2 yang beriman. life is short.        anggerik feb 16 2010

The happenings

Life has been on the fast and unpredictable plan again. I guess that is what we call life is a journey. After coming back from Beijing, I had to bear with swollen joints and painful muscle. It was really unbearable. The whole body was so painful. I tried to ignore and fight. My movement is very limited. Obviously It didn’t help just to ignore and fight. I decided to swallow Celebrex for 3 nights in a row. The swollen fingers reduced and the pain lessens. However, I noticed some other side effect of the chemical which can be very deteriorating. I have trouble breathing as if I had asthmatic attack. Chest pain is unbearable. And I stopped relying on the chemical.

At the same time, ayah had to undergo minor surgery for “pastula” to get him prepared for dialysis. I knew mak wished me to be there. I booked a flight for 2 days back to home town to attend to my family for moral support. I was so extremely tired but the fight and the push was there for me to stay up on my feet ignoring my body pain. With 2 days unplanned/emergency leave; I ended up entertaining my official email and making arrangement for meeting etc while I was at the hospital waiting for ayah’s surgery. Not only that I had to take care of office phone call. Life must go on….

Spending 2 days at my hometown really a blessing.. I felt time just went so very slow and very relaxing. A moment with immediate family members having breakfast together was really a treasure for me.
Flying back to KL and up on my feet with work demand, put me back on busy life. I had almost forgotten the pain…or in fact I ignore it. In fact it is still there. During weekend, I went for massage hoping that the pain will subside. It was subsiding for a while and came back to haunt me.
The best part of last weekend was a birthday celebration of my big man at Kunang-kunang restaurant. We were there till mid-night to enjoy the life band and let the time pass.

So many things in my mind..About change of work place/career path, family, life commitment… all come at the same time.. I swallow and move on…and pray for the best… Perhaps more smiling would helps to balance the stress on life journey…

The happenings

Anggerik merah
January 25, 2010
8:16 pm

The first trip of the year

View from my hotel roomBird nest

I was in Beijing for almost a week. Obviously for business trip. Mission accomplished. Was glad to meet some of my Chinese colleagues whom I met many times in the past. Apart from business visit, he had sometime to have a quick look at Tiananmen square and the front gate of Forbidden City in the midst of Beijing cold weather. Tiananmen Square

The weather in Beijing was extremely cold. Ranges from -5 to -16 degree C. I had forgotten about cold weather for a while. Before leaving for Beijing, I had trained my mind not to think about it. Being a fibromyalgia sufferer, I know the weather change will hit me. Yes, I managed to get through it until I arrived home. Then I had to deal with intense pains of my joint and muscle mainly my fingers and feet. I felt almost cripple as I had difficulty to do things, to walk etc. Finally, I had to take the medicine to help me reduce the inflammation and pain. There goes my weekend…and the experience of my first trip of the year.

Will be back for holiday with family during summer.

Anggerik merah
January 17, 2010

A new year re-union, welcome 2010

A new year re-union with both lil and big man. Both were away for while from our lil house for holiday and work. Obviously the house was far too lonely without a complete family members around.

I was out to pamper myself at Jentayu Spa from morning till noon. Feel good and energise.

Good bye 2009 and welcome 2010.

Anggerik merah

January 2010
9 pm

A journey continues…

Browsing through my blog for the memories captured during year 2009, I reflected what a learning point was during that one year journey. The beauty of blog. Off late, my memory is not so strong to remember many things in the pass especially the happenings in recent years. Maybe my migraine gets worst. My focus is mainly at the moment of time. Take one a day and handle as it come.
Thank you Allah for giving me chance to taste the sweet and the bitter bit of life. For giving me all the strength that I need. Experience is a teacher of life. I accepted all the challenges and teaching through out my life journey. May you continue showing me and others the right direction in this journey. This journey will continue till the end.

Happy New Year 2010 to all. Best wishes in your journey.

Salam,

Anggerik merah
1 pm
December 31, 2009

Ketika cinta bertasbih

Bertuturlah cinta
Mengucap satu nama
Seindah goresan sabdamu dalam kitabku
Cinta yang bertasbih
Mengutus Hati ini
Ku sandarkan hidup dan matiku padamu

Bisikkan doaku
Dalam butiran tasbih
Kupanjatkan pintaku padamu
Maha Cinta
Sudah di ubun-ubun cinta mengusik rasa
Tak bisa kupaksa walau hatiku menjerit

Ketika cinta bertasbih nadiku berdenyut merdu
Kembang kempis dadaku merangkai butir cinta
Garis tangan tergambar tak bisa aku menentang
Sujud syukur padamu atas segala cinta

Bisikkan doaku
Dalam butiran tasbih
Kupanjatkan pintaku padamu Maha Cinta
Sudah di ubun-ubun cinta mengusik rasa
Tak bisa kupaksa walau hatiku menjerit

Ketika cinta bertasbih nadiku berdenyut merdu
Kembang kempis dadaku merangkai butir cinta
Garis tangan tergambar tak bisa aku menentang
Sujud syukur padamu atas segala cinta
Cinta...

Ketika cinta bertasbih nadiku berdenyut merdu
Kembang kempis dadaku merangkai butir cinta
Garis tangan tergambar tak bisa aku menentang
Sujud syukur padamu atas segala
Garis tangan tergambar tak bisa aku menentang
Sujud syukur padamu atas segala cinta

Ketika cinta bertasbih nadiku berdenyut merdu