Pharmacies, Shmarmacies, and What To Do When Your Doctor Leaves You (Or Vice Versa)

Things to do at the pharmacy while waiting on your prescription:

1. Do crossword puzzles. When it becomes boring, try to do them upside down or involve the people sitting around you. Mom and I used to do them all the time while waiting for her radiation appointments.
2. People watch. Make up stories in your head about where people are from, what their job is, and, of course, what kind of medication they're getting.
3. Start conversations with strangers. They're often relieved to have someone interesting to talk to.
4. Don't wait. Drop your prescription off and go run errands, or better yet, get a sno cone! Our favorite is the Snowflake Factory in Arlington, TX!

So, not long ago, Mom had an experience with a doctor that ultimately made her decide to switch. The doctor was completely inappropriate during a visit and rude over the phone while giving bad test results. Mom had already had issues with one of the nurses on her staff (a different can of worms,) and I had encountered another doctor at the hospital who, after I explained to her that I felt she had been really rude to me in an emergency situation, referenced Mom's doctor and said, "She's my colleague - she wouldn't say anything bad about me. She knows I'm not rude." Insert nasty smile here. 

Mom spoke with her primary care doctor, who said she would refer her and get the proper tests done as quickly as possible. You have to stand up for yourself and your well being. If a doctor is unprofessional or doesn't seem to have your health in his or her best interest, you have the right as a patient to speak up and find another doctor. When you do that, you also have to follow up to be sure the proper documents have been sent to the new doctor, and that appointments have been scheduled. Sometimes, you have to take charge of the system. It's hard work getting good healthcare!

A few days ago, I had a follow up appointment with my new primary care physician. She had prescribed me a bunch of meds for Fibro and anxiety that not only made me feel worse, but were meds that I just didn't want to be on day to day. When I went back, I let her know how the meds made me feel, and that I didn't necessarily want a daily med for pain or anxiety. I asked if she could prescribe something for when the symptoms get bad, and she was happy to. I thanked her for being so thorough - asking lots of questions - and for caring about my health and pain level. She smiled and said thank you, then paused and said, "You know I'm leaving, right?"

Sigh. Of course she's leaving. I found a good primary care doctor who knows about Fibro, is caring and inquisitve, and she's leaving. So, I asked if she knew anything about the doctor who would be replacing her (and, jokingly, if they were any good.) I now know that the new doctor is a woman, about the same age as my current doctor, with experience in hospitals and family practice. She's nice, as far as I know, and I'll have to wait to see what her bedside manner is like. Just asking a few simple questions gave me some peace of mind about the changes in the near future. It's early in the game, and I can always choose another primary care doctor if this one isn't a good fit. Everyone has a hard time living up to my first family doctor, anyway, who treated my mom as a teenager, and treated me throughout my childhood and adolescence. That man was a great doctor!

I guess what I'm saying is - it's okay to change doctors if you have that option, and if your current doctor moves on or retires, ask questions about their replacement, or for referrals. It may take some work on your part, but it's worth it to find a doctor who truly cares for you.

Wishing you wellness,
Chelsea

I like to move it - move it!

For anyone who's ever had an health issue that kept you from exercising, you know what I mean when I say it can be a big issue. If you're not able to exercise, it can cause more problems. Other people don't understand why you can't do simple physical activity, or why you can't do as much of it as they think you should. It's frustrating to feel physically limited, like you can't keep up with everyone else. Lack of activity can bring on depression, fatigue, and weight gain. If the health problem lasts long enough and is severe, it can make you not want to move at all, no matter how good exercise is for you. Mom cried when the cardiologist (who had just put several stents in her heart) told her she needed to exercise. The FMS and Lupus had been so bad and she was in so much pain that she thought exercise was impossible. He said that if she wanted to live, she had to exercise.

The truth is, you're not in competition with anyone but yourself. Talk to your doctor about a safe exercise routine you can commit to, and start small. Even if you're doing resistance exercises with a band or walking 5 minutes a day, you're doing something, and chances are you'll be able to increase the amount of physical activity you do over a period of time. Mom started out walking to the next house and back, and worked her way up to a mile a day. Her Fibro pain became much less severe, her heart was healthy, and it definitely helped when she was diagnosed with Diabetes. I can say that when I exercise more, I get better sleep and have less pain. Don't worry about others' expectations, or comparing yourself to other peoples' fitness levels. It's about you and your well being. If you have to, stay away from gyms (unless being around others is what motivates you!)

Set realistic goals for yourself and find what works for you. Don't overdo it. You'll quickly learn when you've exerted yourself too much. Don't beat yourself up over it; just back off and give yourself a break. Be sure to stretch before and after any activity, breathe steadily and purposefully during exercise, and give yourself time to rest between workouts, whatever that means for you.

Some low-impact exercise ideas that require no equipment, can be easily modified to your fitness level or injuries, and can be mixed and matched:

Walking. If you're able, this is a great exercise that you can take at your own pace. It's easy and fun to do with a partner (it's a great time to chat,) and can be scenic if you're not using the treadmill. To find out if your neighborhood is walk-friendly, go to walkscore.com and enter your address. You can even enter a specific commute to see how long your walk will be.

Biking is a good alternative to walking, especially if you're running errands and don't want to have to carry bags around. WalkScore also gives estimated times for biking trips.

Yoga. You'll learn how to breathe with each movement, you'll stretch, and you'll use your own body weight to strengthen muscles. Try Hatha yoga for a stress reducing workout, and, my favorite, Ashtanga for cardio.

Tai chi. Again, breath is very important, and can be a little less intimidating for those who associate yoga with turning into a pretzel.

Pilates. Using repetitive muscle movement (usually lying down,) you focus on core strength, which is helpful no matter what your health issues!

Water aerobics or swimming. This is about as low impact as you can get, but be careful! The weightlessness you feel in the water alleviates pain in joints and muscles while working out, but that same weightlessness can sometimes result in overexertion that you will definitely feel the next day. Even walking in water that's waist deep is a workout!

Dancing. You don't even need a partner. Just turn on the music and move your body! You can also check out a local college for dance lessons in their continuing education course list, or check the YMCA.

Wishing you wellness,
Chelsea

The Ultimate Tool For Life Changing Events

Some friends of ours who are about to have a baby have introduced me to a great site! Carecalendar.org is a free tool for those looking to recruit and organize helpful family/friends/church members to help their loved ones through stressful times. This is a wonderful resource for those who are going through a life changing event like short term or chronic illness, having a baby, or losing a loved one. The calendar is customizable depending on the specific needs of the recipient - meals, transportation, house work, errands, you name it! You can let people know exactly what is needed and when, the calendar shows which needs have been met and which ones still need to be fulfilled, and the site even sends email reminders to those who have signed up to help.

I hope you can use this site as a tool to alleviate stress, maintain wellness for yourself and/or a loved one, and promote the sense of community that we all need throughout different stages of our lives!

-Chelsea

Happy Fibromyalgia/CFS/ME Awareness Day!

2 out of the 3 authors of this blog have Fibromyalgia - my mom (Karyn) and I. Promote awareness by wearing purple and telling everyone why. Be sure to give lots of gentle hugs to your loved ones with Fibro and/or Chronic Fatigue/ME today!

To learn more about these syndromes, visit this informative and easy to read fact sheet: http://fmcfsme.com/documents/fmcfsme_factsheet2011.pdf

-Chelsea