My journey to a debt free life

Onebrokelady

Drawingaline said:

Sorry to read about your pain OBL. Been catching up.

Wondered if you had heard about a charity called the Cinnamon Trust. With you mentioning finding dogs to walk once your B has gone reminded me of them. I volunteered with them in my early 20's. Basically you walk people's dogs who can no longer do so. Often elderly folks. I met a couple of lovely older ladies and walked their dogs and sometimes stayed for a cuppa and chat. One of the ladies was fascinating, she was born in 1914 and her earliest memory was of her dad coming home on leave from the western front in 1917. Unfortunately he didn't make it home at the end of the war.

Anyway, maybe keep them in mind when you are dogless and looking for a canine walking companion without the outlay.

Our energy company wanted to increase our dd to over £400. I can set it online, atm it is at £210, and everything they produce a bill I can reduce it further 🙄 our boiler is still turned off for the heating, it's so mild it hasn't been needed. I have also reduced the temperature on the boiler and adjusted the room thermostats on the radiators in preparation too. 

Hi ,yes I've heard of the Cinnamon Trust and will definitely keep them in mind for when I'm dogless. It's such a good idea 😊

My heating is turned off unless it gets really cold and so far it's been quite mild, I don't need it on at all if I'm busy doing things but have put it on when I've been sitting down but then only for about an hour at a time. I also never use my heating overnight because the noise of the boiler keeps me awake and I also get too hot,I'm still sleeping with my window open at the moment and last night I slept with my feet sticking out of the end of the duvet because they felt really hot 😀

Onebrokelady

milann said:

Sorry that you’re having so much trouble with pain. Hope it eases soon for you 👍
Dds table sounds a lovely project.

Thanks Milann, the table will look lovely when it's finished 

Onebrokelady

Today I woke up at 7.30 but felt awful so took some painkillers and went back to sleep for a couple of hours. I felt slightly better when I woke up the second time, I still had the painful shoulders and arms but I did some gentle stretches before I sat up which seemed to help a bit. 

I was supposed to go into town with DD2 today to get the bits to do her table but she didn't feel like it so we stayed at home. I pottered around doing housey things and then settled down with my knitting which I haven't picked up for ages. I did take B for a walk through the fields as well because I felt like I needed to get out and get some fresh air

DD2 upset me last night when she came home as she told me she thinks I've got myself in a rut and I'm making it worse by not going to work. She thinks I need to get more exercise. I am doing gentle yoga everyday and I take B out for two walks a day, they are slow walks because B doesn't go very fast anymore but they do last for at least half an hour. If I go out I usually walk there and then bus back and I'm also doing all the housework. She always tells me it's my fault I'm in pain because I'm not doing enough to sort it out which is fine but when you have been in pain nearly everyday for 19 years you get worn down. I have spent the last 19 years fighting this and trying everything I can think of to make myself better and I've had some success but I think now I'm just worn out with it all and no one understands what that is like 

Cherryfudge

I think only fellow-sufferers are likely to understand how constant pain feels and the effect on everything else. It sounds to me as though you are doing a lot to try to keep going, and getting much more exercise than many.

Willowtree222

I’m really sorry you’re in so much pain. Like Cherryfudge says unless you experience it, people find it hard to know what it’s like. 

When you put on the brave face and try to get on with it, people just assume you’re ok. Nobody knows what peoples human struggles are. 

X

CRANKY40

It's all very well saying that you have to be more physically active but it's hard when you know that you'll pay for anything that you do in increased pain the day after. The doctor at the pain clinic has changed my painkillers from amitriptyline to it's lesser known relative nortriptyline because he said it has less side effects. It's also used to medicate ADHD and anxiety which is lovely because it's like someone has flicked the switch to "off" on all of the things that I worry about. The doctor explained it to me as my immune system being super over active and my nerve endings being extremely over sensitive so I suppose the pain is like hayfever for your nerve endings except there is effective medication for hayfever whereas nobody seems to have figured out how to fix the pain of fybromyalgia. 

It's likely that I've had fybro since my teens yet with an official diagnosis made only ten weeks ago I'm already fed up of people rolling their eyes at the mention of it. Even my own GP pulled a face when I asked him if he believed that it was real but he did also give me some extra of the strong painkiller that I take at night so that I can keep gardening with my friend. Friend bought a house with a jungle out the back so it's a bit more physical than weeding and deadheading and doctor says the activity is good for me so it's ok to medicate more if it means I can up my activity levels. 

I keep reading your diary as you're obviously more clued up on the fibro stuff so I can make a note of any hints and tips that you mention. I appreciate any information that you share and also in some strange way it's comforting to see someone else documenting that same daily struggle that I have to deal with. I hope that you have a positive discussion with your doctor although I found the doctor at the pain clinic more helpful than my GP. 

SuzeQStan

Thanks @CRANKY40 - I too take amitriptyline for nerve pain so will be sure to ask my surgery about nortriptyline

milann

It’s hard when people don’t understand about the pain. I’m sure they’d change their opinion if they were in pain 😏 Easier said than done but done let their comments get you down 

Seasidegal58

I've just caught up with your diary OBL. I'm sorry to read about your pain issues - as others write, those who don't suffer from pain never understand how difficult it is for those that do. I started back at the gym a while back as I felt I was seizing up. I specifically chose my trainer because he is in his late fifties and understands how to train someone of my age what with my creaky knees etc as he's beginning to suffer from age related issues himself. As good as they are, I don't think someone in their twenties, thirties etc who are in prime fitness can ever quite 'get it.'

Onebrokelady

CRANKY40 said:

It's all very well saying that you have to be more physically active but it's hard when you know that you'll pay for anything that you do in increased pain the day after. The doctor at the pain clinic has changed my painkillers from amitriptyline to it's lesser known relative nortriptyline because he said it has less side effects. It's also used to medicate ADHD and anxiety which is lovely because it's like someone has flicked the switch to "off" on all of the things that I worry about. The doctor explained it to me as my immune system being super over active and my nerve endings being extremely over sensitive so I suppose the pain is like hayfever for your nerve endings except there is effective medication for hayfever whereas nobody seems to have figured out how to fix the pain of fybromyalgia. 

It's likely that I've had fybro since my teens yet with an official diagnosis made only ten weeks ago I'm already fed up of people rolling their eyes at the mention of it. Even my own GP pulled a face when I asked him if he believed that it was real but he did also give me some extra of the strong painkiller that I take at night so that I can keep gardening with my friend. Friend bought a house with a jungle out the back so it's a bit more physical than weeding and deadheading and doctor says the activity is good for me so it's ok to medicate more if it means I can up my activity levels. 

I keep reading your diary as you're obviously more clued up on the fibro stuff so I can make a note of any hints and tips that you mention. I appreciate any information that you share and also in some strange way it's comforting to see someone else documenting that same daily struggle that I have to deal with. I hope that you have a positive discussion with your doctor although I found the doctor at the pain clinic more helpful than my GP. 

I am sorry you have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia too, it's a nasty piece of work for sure. I have used lots of mind body techniques over the years that have worked on and off for me. I know my Fibromyalgia is caused and made worse by stress and I believe I have it due to several traumas in my life and some unexpressed feelings and emotions around grief and my wider family dynamics. I can keep my pain levels on an even keel when I'm focusing on my feelings and being honest about how I am am feeling at any given moment. 
I had good results using the Curable app but didn't renew it because of the cost issue,I am thinking of re subscribing though because it really helped when I followed all the techniques. I can also suggest a site called TMS Wiki which explains how these conditions happen and how they effect the body 😊