One of the hardest parts about having fibromyalgia is its unpredictability. You know you have it and seem to be having a pretty good stretch of feeling good. Then it hits. The sleeplessness, the aches, the pains, and not being able to do those everyday tasks. So how do you find relief with an unpredictable illness that never goes away? Read further and find some ideas for fibromyalgia relief.

Plan ahead

Since there is no cure for fibromyalgia, treatment focuses on controlling the symptoms. The time to do this is on one of your "good" days. If you have a plan laid out, when you are having a bad day, you won’t feel out of control and at the mercy of this disease.

Have someone you can confide in

It’s human nature to want to "tough it out" and not bother anyone. Whether this comes from feeling that you’re burdening your friends and loved ones or not wanting to admit you need help, you need to overcome this.

One of the symptoms of fibromyalgia is depression. You don’t need to be hit with a bad day and the feeling that you are all alone. This feeling of loneliness, combined with the depression can be devastating.

Work through not want to tell anyone when you are having a bad day. When you feel good, think about who you can count on to help you. Try to come up with several people who you know will be there for you. Make a list of their names and phone numbers that you can get to on your bad days. Then, when you are having a bad day, call one of these people for help.

Community resources

See what resources your community may offer that would be of help to you when you are having a bad day. For instance, you may have local grocery stores that deliver. Just about every community has public transportation for those days when it is too painful for you to drive. Find kids in your neighborhood who would like to make a little extra money and hire them to do chores for you.

Make a list of these resources and keep it with your plan.

Make a schedule

Make a list of everything you have to do for every day of the week. Note which of these tasks or absolutely necessary and which are not. Have this list handy for your "helpers" so they know what you need completed, on what days, and when.

Fun activities

When that bad day hits, you need something to take your mind off your symptoms. Whether it’s a stash of books you have been wanting to read, or funny movies, keep these on hand so you have something to look forward to when you can’t do anything else.

Fibromyalgia can be a challenge. The best way to find fibromyalgia relief is having a plan like the one mentioned above. Plan ahead. Make your lists and have them ready when your next bad day strikes.

Jason Ladock

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