My new seat for my wheelchair hasn’t come yet, but my sticker has…I have three stickers conveying this message to others on my wheelchair because there seems to be a misconception about wheelchair use and their users…
If you want this sticker or something like it there is a good variety on RedBubble.
Take care Mighty Warriors ❤️💕🌠🦄
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If you have endured the struggle of chronic migraines and headaches, you know firsthand how awful the experience is. There is a lot to unpack when it comes migraines. For example, simply the anxiety of not knowing when the next attack is going to happen can be paralyzing for some. Or, the impact that chronic migraines can have on relationships. For others, it may be the frustration of people not being able to see their suffering on the outside, so they doubt you, or the severity of this experience.
What people don't often know if they don't suffer from migraines is that the experience of a migraine is an entire event. It's far more than just a headache for most. Many people struggle with auras (seeing visual flashes or patterns during an attack, being sensitive to light and sound, et al). Some will become confused and unable to speak or think clearly, a sort-of temporary aphasia. Vestibular migraines can cause issues with balance, walking, talking, or vertigo, and more. Each person's experience of migraine varies from one to the next (and triggers also vary), which is part of the reason that medical professionals have found it hard to treat and cure migraines. There are more options available nowadays. But, for many, it's still not enough.
Chronic Migraines and Chronic Pain: More than a medical issue
In my practice, I've worked with many people who struggle with chronic migraines and headaches. While people often tend to believe that migraines and headaches are purely a medical issue, chronic pain has a long history of being linked with mental health, as well. The two -- medical and mental health -- are often intertwined when it comes to the experience of chronic pain. Sure, sometimes migraines and headaches can have more of a medical origin. Such as the result of a traumatic brain injury, or hormonal shifts, et al. However, it's also become known that people can be born with a predisposition to migraines or headaches (genetics), and then events in life can trigger it.
For many, these pain triggers can be heavily tied together with mental health.
Chronic pain goes beyond just headaches and migraines. It can be back pain, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), digestive issues, and more. Stress, for one example, can cause unpleasant shifts to happen in the body even for people who aren't predisposed to an issue. Think of the times you've been stressed or anxious and experienced the tension in your body, or mouth drying up, body temperature increasing, stomach churning, head start to hurt, your upper back and neck starting to tighten, chest tightening, higher and more rapid breathing, etc. Not only stress and anxiety, but anger, depression, or various types of trauma (not only large traumas, but a series of relational traumas, such as bullying) can have an impact. The body not only responds to present stimuli and triggers, but the body has a way of storing old experiences when they are not emotionally processed. This storage of old emotional experiences can often trigger chronic pain into effect when the emotions either build up enough in the body, or when they call back to a parallel experience (and/or can exacerbate what's already possibly present medically into greater severity or frequency of attack).
Therapy as a treatment for Migraine Headaches
The interconnection between medical and mental health is actually positive for many. This means that people who struggle with chronic migraines and headaches have more options available to them than only medical. I have seen people reduce their frequency and severity of chronic migraines and headaches through therapy. As people, we store so much of our emotional experiences and carry them often without even knowing it. Eventually, we can't overlook them anymore when we start to feel these stored experiences. You may find yourself suddenly experiencing anxiety and panic attacks, or constant body stress, or physical and mental overwhelm that never used to be so present. The same goes with chronic pain.
For the sake of clarity, I'm not suggesting that everyone's chronic migraines are mental health related, however I've seen that it's also commonly the case that medical and mental health works together for chronic issues that don't have an otherwise clear medical explanation. Similarly to how depression can often be helped most by a combination of medication and therapy, I've seen with chronic migraines and headaches that a combination of neurological treatment and deeper psychotherapy can be more helpful than many might realize.
Unfortunately, one of the most difficult stigmas I have seen is the fear that acknowledging mental health triggers for migraines will somehow indicate that the migraines are "all in their head". Something many migraine sufferers have been told throughout their lives, which has been traumatic and dismissive of incredibly painful and lonely experiences of suffering. However, the struggles, the pain, the torture, the accompanying emotional and life impact is all very real. The underlying causes for these struggles, however they are triggered and reinforced over time, is what needs the attention and can ultimately lead to relief.
#Migraine #ChronicMigraines #Headache #MentalHealth #ChronicPain
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Psoriatic arthritis in my spine my hands and fingers my left wrist my left collar bone which is badly eroded my left hip two types of psoriasis guttate and plaque which appears on my chest my torso my legs raynauds phenomenon in my hands I do struggle to stay warm I have scoliosis on my spine which basically my spine does not run in is correct shape thus causing a left lumbar muscle imbalance which causes untold lower back pain I have Chiari malformation type1 and syrinxes one at C2 then one at C6/C7 which goes all the way down my thoracic spine to the top of my lumbar spine at C6/C7 I have a bilateral herniated disc which is pressing down on a nerve that runs through my (left hand side ) through my upper back through my left shoulder blade over my left shoulder down my arm all the way down to my fingertips because its bilateral even if use my right arm it can send the most breathtaking horrific stabbing burning nerve pain all the way from my neck to my fingers if the muscles in my neck tighten then releases nerve pain that is like a lightning bolt of nerve pain that shoots through the side of my left neck through the side of left skull behind my left ear through my left temple and behind my left eye I once had 17 of these in one day the first nearly through me off my feet I take meds for the pain but they sometimes work other times they don't nerve can not be totally brought under control I also get nerve just under my skin as the dermatomes get aggravated this is a horrible burning stinging pain where I can't bear to even touch my skin I have cubital tunnel syndrome on my left arm I had a fall from 11feet in May fracturing T12 and my Sacrum I recovered from this only to have someone slam into the back of our car not our fault they claimed liability next day the muscles in my whole back slammed tighter than safe which has increased all of my preexisting conditions and fractured vertebrae this has weakened my hip muscles from the top of my hip bone through my buttocks then September my breathing became laboured so only shallow breaths doing anything even slightly physical was enough to have me gasping for breath I left it which is not normally me as I am proactive about my health middle of November I decided to go and seek medical advice from my doctor who ran blood tests then more blood tests then more blood tests I kid you not my blood pressure was taken which was high in the 180 over 111 mark whilst awaiting my results I decided to have a shower which was tiring enough getting dried wore me out totally I came downstairs just in my underwear to sit on my settee to get my breath back just as I did there was a knock at the door which I answered it was our window cleaner wanting his money which was upstairs I stupidly tried to take them faster than I normally would so by the time I got upstairs I was really gasping for breath I grabbed his money and went back downstairs to my living room to find a £1.00 coin I went back to the front door my head started spinning my legs were giving way then crash I hid the cupboard door under our stairs the bang give me a startle I reached my front door handle and pulled my self up the window cleaner was beside himself I give him his money then went to my living room really really struggling to get my breath a tight band around the middle part of my chest I lay there just calming myself down my wife was out so I phoned 111 to ask for advice answered their questions next thing I am being asked to do is get my wife to come back home as I was going to be Bluelighted by ambulance to hospital paramedics arrived done their tests then 8 hours later after more blood tests and a chest Xray I was allowed to go home next day I got my results my gp ordered an ultrasound on my abdomen to take a look at my liver,gallbladder kidneys and pancreas they all checked out fine my doctor said your triycigcerides were 11.85 which is deemed very high my SLT levels were in the 200s which is extremely extremely high I also had hemolytic anemia which is when your bone marrow is not producing enough normal blood cells that contain oxygen and B vitamins my bone marrow was producing large abnormal blood cells which do not have much oxygen or B vitamins more blood tests were taken even one for lymes as I had been bitten by a tick during the summer this came up negative I was advised to come off one of my meds which may have built up to toxic levels in my liver I then had some repeat blood tests plus ten more the wife was with me this time and was astounded I was asked to monitor my blood pressure for 1 week whilst also starting on blood pressure meds when I had been in the hospital my blood pressure was 202 my blood pressure has been all over this week one of them reading 122/111 while my pulse was 98 I wanted to test a theory by going upstairs a couple of times the theory was is that I was not getting enough oxygen through my system its all up in the air at the moment until I hand in my blood test results I know this site is about depression and anxiety but having all of the above just makes it 10 times worse I also have a formal diagnosis of PTSD I am down to get CBT but guess what this is only part of my story if you want to know moPsoriatic arthritis in my spine my hands and fingers my left wrist my left collar bone which is badly eroded my left hip two types of psoriasis guttate and plaque which appears on my chest my torso my legs raynauds phenomenon in my hands I do struggle to stay warm I have scoliosis on my spine which basically my spine does not run in is correct shape thus causing a left lumbar muscle imbalance which causes untold lower back pain I have Chiari malformation type1 and syrinxes one at C2 then one at C6/C7 which goes all the way down my thoracic spine to the top of my lumbar spine at C6/C7 I have a bilateral herniated disc which is pressing down on a nerve that runs through my (left hand side ) through my upper back through my left shoulder blade over my left shoulder down my arm all the way down to my fingertips because its bilateral even if use my right arm it can send the most breathtaking horrific stabbing burning nerve pain all the way from my neck to my fingers if the muscles in my neck tighten then releases nerve pain that is like a lightning bolt of nerve pain that shoots through the side of my left neck through the side of left skull behind my left ear through my left temple and behind my left eye I once had 17 of these in one day the first nearly through me off my feet I take meds for the pain but they sometimes work other times they don't nerve can not be totally brought under control I also get nerve just under my skin as the dermatomes get aggravated this is a horrible burning stinging pain where I can't bear to even touch my skin I have cubital tunnel syndrome on my left arm I had a fall from 11feet in May fracturing T12 and my Sacrum I recovered from this only to have someone slam into the back of our car not our fault they claimed liability next day the muscles in my whole back slammed tighter than safe which has increased all of my preexisting conditions and fractured vertebrae this has weakened my hip muscles from the top of my hip bone through my buttocks then September my breathing became laboured so only shallow breaths doing anything even slightly physical was enough to have me gasping for breath I left it which is not normally me as I am proactive about my health middle of November I decided to go and seek medical advice from my doctor who ran blood tests then more blood tests then more blood tests I kid you not my blood pressure was taken which was high in the 180 over 111 mark whilst awaiting my results I decided to have a shower which was tiring enough getting dried wore me out totally I came downstairs just in my underwear to sit on my settee to get my breath back just as I did there was a knock at the door which I answered it was our window cleaner wanting his money which was upstair
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Hi. I have a slew of health issues for 30+ years now, including Crohn’s, epilepsy, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, migraines, history of TIA strokes, history of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, POTS, along with a new, undiagnosed auto immune disease that they cannot figure out yet.
Recently, I have had a series of bulging discs occur in my spine (currently at 6 with 4 compressed nerves) that they have marked as degenerative disc disease. Upon my neurosurgeon inspecting the MRIs of my spine, he said that it is autoimmune related, degenerative in nature, but that he has no idea what it is, cannot fix or help it, cannot operate on it, and cannot stop the pain.
At this point, the pain is so intense that even with an opioid patch, Norco, and a muscle relaxer, I am still shaking in pain. Does anyone else have anything of this nature? Does anyone have any idea what this might be? I know that my doctor is currently toying with the idea of Stills Disease One of my unknown diseases could be as well as the possibility of mast cell activation syndrome, being present.
Any help is much appreciated! Thank you so much.
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It's very difficult for every professionals to deal with chronic pain in their workplace. As a doctor, managing patient care while experiencing personal illness presents a unique and demanding challenge.Firstly I thought since I am amidst medical professionals in the hospital,it will be a bit easier but surprisingly it's not .It's very tough for doctors with chronic pain because others may not understand what they're going through. Even though they're experts in health, their colleagues might not get how much pain they're in. Sometimes, they might feel like they have to pretend to be okay at work because no one really gets what they're feeling.
Taking time off can be hard for them too. Doctors are usually super busy, and it can be tricky to find someone to cover their shifts. Plus, they might worry about letting their patients down or falling behind on their work. So, they might keep pushing through the pain, even though it's really tough for them.
To navigate chronic pain in workplace ,consider these five steps:
1.Open communication: Discuss your condition with your employer and colleagues to ensure they understand your limitations and can provide support when needed.
2.Accommodations: Work with your employer to explore accommodations such as ergonomic furniture, flexible work hours, or modified tasks to help manage your pain while still being productive.
3.Self-care: Prioritize self-care activities such as stretching, proper nutrition, and stress management techniques to help alleviate pain and improve overall well-being.
4.Breaks and pacing: Take regular breaks throughout the day to rest and stretch, and pace yourself to avoid exacerbating your pain by overexertion.
5.Seek support: Connect with coworkers, friends, or support groups who can provide understanding and encouragement, and consider seeking professional help from healthcare providers or pain management specialists for additional support and guidance.
Though we fail to follow the above steps ,giving first priority to health should have no alternatives because health is wealth!
#ChronicPain #Endometriosis #MentalHealth #BackPain #Caregiving #ChronicIllness
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I slept till 9am. This is the latest I have slept in months. It was a decent night, didn't wake up a lot. I talked with my girlfriend and she was waiting for the sitter to come pick up her daughter. I sent her pictures of silly faces. She loves my silly face. She calls me "Mommy's boy who makes silly faces". She's a good kid.
I made a pot of coffee. I didn't mix it with anything special. I just wanted regular coffee. I ate a chocolate chip muffin bar. I feel pretty good. Other than some back pain , I'm doing ok today.
Today is International SPS Awareness Day. I dedicate this article I wrote for l’orient le jour, a french publication, to all the people who have inspired me along this journey.#StiffPersonSyndrome #RareDisease
I suffer from a very rare condition that affects one or two people per million called Stiff Person Syndrome.
Almost four weeks ago, I came out of the Intensive Care Unit ALIVE - that word has never had such an impact in my life.
On the eve before the 12th of February, feeling weak I told my husband not to worry if I took time to call him post treatment. My mum asked me if I needed her to drop me, but I asked her to pick me up instead because I told her I did not feel ok.
It’s like I knew…
Post treatment, my blood pressure went so low that I passed out and after various attempts to wake me up I was taken to the ER and a few hours later to the ICU. I was soon diagnosed with Septic Shock due to four different bacteria in my blood. In twenty-four hours my condition became critical, and my dad asked my husband to travel immediately back to Beirut from Africa.
From these eighteen days, my memories are the ones that my subconscious created as I was delirious, in and out of consciousness.
I dreamt of life, and how much I loved it, of music and dancing. I heard my parents and husband’s voices and gentle words of love without being able to respond.
Their love and my strength woke me up and I was alive again and able to communicate.
I love life, my body and its strength is undeniable despite all of my sicknesses.
I am thirty-seven years old and neither Stiff Person Syndrome nor its treatments will defeat me.
Whatever defines you hold on to it, do the things you love, live life because it is truly beautiful, live every day and appreciate it.
Life, you brought me back I will not disappoint you.
To all my loved ones, this is for you!#delirium #Coma #BackPain #MightyTogether #StiffPersonSyndrome #JuvenileDiabetesType1 #OrthostaticHypotension #Gastroparesis #Dysautonomia #Arthritis @angesdavis
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Good day all. I'm wondering if you can identify. I feel lost today. I'm not quite sure who I am, how much more pain can I take, what's life going to be in 3 years or 5 years, why bother with all the self-care, why tolerate people who just can't understand, why do the cleaning, why bother with many doctor visits and tests, why, why, why bother? I am living to survive and surviving to live. I just don't know why today. I'm sure many of you have had this experience but I'd like to actually hear from someone. Have a great rest of your day. #BackPain #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #IBS#IBS #Anxiety #long haul constant pain #Tremor #Fibromyalgia
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I've been sipping on some orange Gatorade for the last hour. I ate a chicken pita melt for lunch today. But all of a sudden I'm very shaky and dizzy and nauseous. I had 2 cups of coffee this morning. My tummy doesn't hurt and I don't have a migraine and I took 2 percocet this morning for my back pain so my back and hips don't hurt. But I'm feeling like I usually feel when I drink coffee on an empty stomach. I probably should eat something else. I think I'll have a honeybun. It'll soak up the coffee in my tummy.
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Hi, my name is Ellyn. I'm looking for community and friendship. I believe I may have introduced myself before, but I have not been looking into the Mighties for awhile and lost touch. I am a stage 4 lung cancer survivor ( remission). I was diagnosed in 2017 and feel blessed to still be living life.! Although, I am far from the person I was before ca and all the treatments needed to get me into remission. Physically suffer from chronic fatigue and chest and back pain daily. I feel as though I am trying hard, but find myself discouraged and blaming myself with thoughts of (if I only tried harder and ignore this pain and fatigue that feels crippling). I believe other people , besides my own husband and close family, think I just need to try harder and have a different mental outlook. Although when I really think about it I am trying hard every day. Today I cleaned windows for 3 - 4 hours and I am exhausted! I am looking to hear stories from others suffering from chronic illness ( what ever type). Love to hear secrets on how you make it through your day. How to make and keep friends when life feels like it is getting smalller and smaller. Also, how to make on feel like they make a difference in this world and not just someone struggling to make it through the day.
Question for anyone suffering from lung scarring / lung disease- what does it mean when my oxygen drops with exercise but than recovers quickly? I notice big variations in my O2 sat from 99%-86%.
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