Here I Go Again!

I had a major scare Saturday night while watching my youngest son play soccer.  He was playing in a tournament and the game started at 8:30 p.m.  Around 9:30 I got the worst pain in my head that I have ever gotten.  I'm used to headaches and migraines, but this was different.  It felt like someone had stuck a knife in the top front left side of my brain and decided to twist it and leave it there.

As you all know, getting strange pains is a normal part of our lives.  This pain was different! The lights and noise were unbearable, meanwhile I'm trying to keep my happy face on for my son who is still playing.  Finally around 9:45 the game was over and we got in the car for the 30 minute drive home.  I didn't want to scare my hubby or my 10 year old, so I just closed my eyes and pushed my head into the headrest to try and ease the pain.

Once we arrived home I decided to check my blood pressure and it was 167/111.  I finally let my hubby know what was happening and told him it was time for the ER.  I called my parents and asked them to meet us there so they could take Shane to their house.  My mom stayed with us, while my dad took Shane home.

We were at the ER from 11:00 to 3:30 the next morning.  They started me off on IV Toradol and something to help with the nausea I had developed.  After a couple of hours, my blood pressure had gone down just a tad, but the pain was still pretty bad.  They then added morphine and codeine to my IV and took me for a CT scan.  Finally the pain started to subside, and my blood pressure went back to semi-normal.  The CT came back fine (of course, because they always do), and they gave me a prescription for the Toradol and Tylenol with codeine and sent me on my merry way.  

The pain was back by 7:00 and the blood pressure was up again (though only 149/100).  I spent all of Sunday in bed under the blanket in praying that the meds would start working.  Finally on Monday my blood pressure was back to normal (110/76) and the pain was finally heading to being a regular every day type of headache.

While in the ER waiting for my parents, I could see how scared my little guy was, and all I could do was think about what would happen to him if I stroked out or had a heart attack.  So I made a decision that I was going to lose all the weight I have gained over the last few years, because I can't imagine leaving my husband, children and family.  I can't do that to them, and I can't do that to me.

So I've started a new weight loss program, and have already lost 5 pounds this week (mostly water weight).  I will be down to a healthier weight by the summer and I will get out there and play soccer with my son.  I want to be able to walk, run, and go places with my family.  Hopefully the weight loss will help with the Fibro pain (people are always telling me if I lose weight things will get better), but regardless of the Fibro I want to live a healthier life for my family (pain be damned)!

Gentle Hugs,

Bonnie

Losing Weight

As anyone with fibro can attest to, losing weight is not always that easy.  You may have medications that work against you, your sleep patterns may be messed up which apparently affects weight loss, or you may be trying to figure out what foods to eat so that you don't end up in a flare up which is not as easy as it sounds.

I have been fighting with my weight for years now, so I can't blame it all on my fibro (or can I since I've probably had fibro for a lot longer than I thought?), but I gained about 40 pounds after my diagnoses.  I didn't realize I was gaining that much weight until I started having my breathing issues in March and I stepped on the scale to a whopping 265 pounds! YIKES! I knew my clothes were getting a little tighter, but holy smokes!  Before my asthma diagnoses, all my doctors kept telling me I couldn't breathe because of my weight. It took losing 20 pounds for them to take me seriously.

I think there is a certain prejudice against overweight people when it comes to getting a medical diagnoses.  Doctors want to blame everything on your weight because it seems to be easier.  I've been one of the lucky ones who hasn't ended up with diabetes or high cholesterol.

I lost the first 20 pounds out of spite towards the doctors.  I wanted to prove that my overnight problem had nothing to do with my weight.  Once that was proven, I decided I needed to continue losing weight for myself.  Knowing about the hole in my heart, and the fact that diabetes runs in my mother's side of the family (she has just started taking insulin shots), I have decided to start going through Weight Watchers* again, since it has worked in the past.  I'm now down 26 pounds, and I'm determined to lose at least another 26 by Christmas. I think losing 6 to 7 pounds a month is realistic.  If I can lose even more, GREAT!

So fibro beware! I will not let you stop me from attaining my weight loss goals.  You are in for a fight if you think I'm going to allow you to get the best of me!

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

*I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.  This is only my opinion!