Bad Day

[Badger]

@SBee sorry to heat about the accident scalding your hand, it must have been a painful shock. It's very frustrating when these accidents happen and the brain fog gets annoying. Sometimes I call my mobile phone a clock or watch, probably because I use it for the time of day.

 

[SBee]

Thank you @Badger, I have been feeling ok in myself the last couple of days, but the brain fog seems particularly bad. Mixing words, incomplete sentences. Today I put the washing on the totally wrong cycle. I mean I have used the same one for years. Have now put a note on the machine to remind me how to use it.
It's a bit worrying. I have now had to buy a pill dispenser as so am forgetting what to take when? I give myself credit for finding solutions but it does upset me.
We.do crosswords and puzzles to try to keep minds sharp, but I think I have the double whammy of fibromyalgia fog and perimenopause fog.

Does it get better does any one know?

 

[Auriel]

Denists are scary!!! Jaycs, (I don't care what any one says THEY'RE SCARY!) I know they're there to help teeth and thing's (BUT THERES A REASON WHY PEOPLE FIND THEM SCARY)

 

[Auriel]

If you do have some concerns @SBee theres nothing wrong with asking about it, (i quietly joined in with my late grandads's alzheimer test for fun = I failed?) Me and clothes washing (I don't even know what going on there, I have a shirt that's pretty much toddler size right now so?) This condition is a VERY odd thing (causes waaaay more than people realise)

 

[Badger]

It's a great idea exercising the mind with crossword puzzles, my late mum used to end up asking me for the answers and we'd giggle about it. Using notes comes in handy although it can be frustrating getting muddled up with a task we've been so used to. Everyday is different it seems, I can imagine the effect of Fibro on our concentration. I began using a pill dispenser last year, then set alarm reminders on my phone. Ironically if something distracts me I still forget to take the pills

You should definitely give yourself credit for finding solutions despite the fog. These workarounds build up and make a real difference.

 

[SBee]

@Auriel Any young children who could use your extra shrink shirt? Gadgets do seem to conspire against me.

I think and Alzheimer's test would not be a good idea right now for me... I am freaking out a bit already at how dizzy I can feel mind wise. I looked at the GCHQ Christmas quiz. ( think that's right, the top intelligence government agency ) I failed to understand any of the questions....
So it something else to learn to accept, and adapt to. Make stupid notes on stuff I Should know how to use,or learn to think more deliberately before I act.
@Badger me and husband do crosswords together,but I am ultra strict. If there is one we know 100% we will never get he wants to write in random letters, knowing I get morally offended by this!
Had to laugh at myself last time so was in drs surgery, she had an eye test chart up? And I got detracted by trying to find words within the mixed up letters!
Purchased my pill dispenser and it's a bit basic looking so so will chuck some glitter at it to brighten things up.

Look at me - an optimistic day!

Thanks everyone, I wish you all the best day possible

 

[JayCS]

I began using a pill dispenser last year, then set alarm reminders on my phone. Ironically if something distracts me I still forget to take the pills

Yeah, definitely!
Down to ~30 supps + 2 low-dose meds, which is ~80 pills in 10 batches at day, 4x1 GABA pill at night.
I've found the probably best possible way to manouevre that...:

So my boxes have 10 compartments, cos my wife was right: it's much easier to prepare a week in one go than each day.
For night I don't need a reminder, I just take 1 every time I get up, and if there's one over, I take that first thing.
In the daytime I have reminders at 8, 12 and 5, each with ~10 items, and I put it on 15' snooze every time until finally done.
So nice gentle quiet chord or tone going off for 2-3h 3x every day. Otherwise I'd be helpless.
Main thing that lets me forget a batch is not taking a "meal batch" before the meal, instead planning to take it during and then forgetting...
As each batch contains GABA, I'm in trouble if I don't quickly take it as soon as I realize - bladder problems and seizures.

 

[JamieMarc]

@SBee I can't say that it gets any better, but I can't say that it doesn't either. We're all different, and I hope that it gets better for you. I find that if I intentionally do everything slower: think slower, choose my words slowly, even move slowly, that it helps with all of my symptoms both physical and mental. And I can't say enough about mindfulness! Always being in the present moment. Utilizing all of your senses only in the present moment. By being totally present, you are eliminating distracting thoughts about the past or anxieties about the future etc. I think it is a super useful tool, and one that is worth the practice and the effort that it takes to make it an unconscious habit.
My thoughts are with you friend.

 

[Badger]

@SBee I can't say that it gets any better, but I can't say that it doesn't either. We're all different, and I hope that it gets better for you. I find that if I intentionally do everything slower: think slower, choose my words slowly, even move slowly, that it helps with all of my symptoms both physical and mental. And I can't say enough about mindfulness! Always being in the present moment. Utilizing all of your senses only in the present moment. By being totally present, you are eliminating distracting thoughts about the past or anxieties about the future etc. I think it is a super useful tool, and one that is worth the practice and the effort that it takes to make it an unconscious habit.
My thoughts are with you friend.

It's encouraging to hear that mindfulness has helped you and I would be keen to learn of members experiences with it. Something I've been reminding myself of in the past few days is we can only act in the present. So I'll take a breath, perhaps notice one of the senses and begin again. It's something I tried to put into practice while speaking to a friend today. Despite my fog and distracting physical discomfort I kept reminding myself to begin again and gently pay attention.

 

[JamieMarc]

It does take time and practice @Badger
I have been practicing mindfulness for several years now, and there are still moments when I have to force myself back into a state of mindfulness. It comes naturally to me now most of the time, but not all the time. But I have really come a long way and it has changed my life in so many ways for the better.

 

[JayCS]

I would be keen to learn of members experiences with it

I can echo what JamieMarc says word for word!
I didn't use to have the concentration or necessity, I was enjoying most of life or troubled by social anxiety, always in a continual fast flow mode.
Still in that, but wanting to improve, I started concentrating more on the Here and Now (starting about 10 years ago), and realized:
as long as I'm standing Here and Now, I'm not falling or whatever, I am in no danger.
Practicing this turned out a way of losing my fear of heights and of social situations.
Now it makes sure that I don't ever fear my health condition or future.
But it also makes me savour "each" moment, make "each" moment a happy one.
And should I forget, my symptoms are constant reminder to keep at it.
I love my happiness, I love my flow.
Yeah, I work hard for hours almost every day at improving every bit of my physical condition, and that has improved my quality of life, despite severe exhaustibility, but it's my attitude that puts the sparkle into it.
I see a colour, and if I turn that attitude on it becomes a beautiful colour, any time, any situation, any pain, at my will.
It can be a carpet, a towel, a painting, my clothes, whatever, even a colour I don't "like" can be given its beauty.

 

[SBee]

You do know @JamieMarc @Badger @JayCS that these last few posts really got to me - in a huge way.
I only popped in the forum for a quick scan until I get proper time to read and reply. And these posts need and deserve a lot more time to absorb.
But even a quick view so feel the care and sincerity. Am looking forward to the time I want to read and hear properly what you all say.

My best to you all

 

[Badger]

@JamieMarc & @JayCS thanks for the feedback, I had been looking for something with mindfulness in regard of chronic pain, so it helps to hear of lived experience. I tried meditation at a pain clinic in 07 but didn't stick with it until I tried again in early 2019 when stress was taking it's toll.

I've been meditating every day since and have brought deep breathing exercises into daily life. Every session is different, but they all feel worthwhile with the occasional one having surprising results. There have been periods were I've swung between being sensible and bad habits. Hopefully I can more disciplined in future.

@SBee glad to hear that the forum is helpful, take care. Atb

 

[SBee]

Hi @Badger @JamieMarc and @JayCS

I am a thinker..sometimes I need time to let words and their intentions seep into my mind in an almost instinctive way. If I concentrate to intently I almost ' miss the point', so I let them in and in time so realise how your thoughts and actions work with my own needs.

After stupidly but understandably turning into a virtual inactive person when the pains and fatigue hit me, and then worsened, it took me some time to understand how my body needed to be treated in a more gentle way. Exercise slowly, become more aware of how I felt, stretching, very short slow walks, etc, and then someone recommended chair yoga. I had stopped my usual yoga as it seemed impossible to do anymore..And in stopping that I lost much of the peace and relaxation it gave my mind. The chair yoga is a kind of guided exercise ( by trained physiotherapists) and has started to bring back some of the essential stillness.

I know Many Many of you already recognised these obvious changes years ago - it's all pretty new to me, I am still adapting and crucially learning. But willing!

So although I have just begun to understand the way my physical body now needs to be treated, with your above posts I can now also see how beneficial it is for me to enter explore the possibilities of forms of mindfulness to connect body and mind and all my senses into a kind of better balance.

a lot of food for thought for me. It helps to see things from a different angle or perspective. For me, this seems a good way in helping to move forward. In some ways my yoga brings me this awareness . Am looking forward to learning a bit more without overloading my mind all at once. Slow and gentle...

thanks all, take care

 

[JamieMarc]

@Badger that is the way I began my journey learning and practicing mindfulness: through meditation. I found and subscribed to a wonderful app that was focused around mindfulness. I think it is probably the best way to learn it. Of course, experience is the best teacher, but you got to know how to do something before you can practice experiencing it. I don't think books are as helpful. They can go into more detail about what is behind mindfulness, the science etc. But for me meditation was the way to go, and that is what I would recommend to anyone beginning their journey toward mindfulness: try out some apps and subscribe and practice daily. I don't know if I'm allowed to name the app that I used so I won't, but anyone is welcome to message me about it.