Make a Promise, Pfizer Makes a Donation to Fibromyalgia

I found this link on the National Fibromyalgia Association website. All you have to do is check some boxes to make an online promise and Pfizer will make a donation. You don't have to provide any personal information.

http://www.fibrocenter.com/content/ make_a_promise_tools_and_resources.jsp

Do something good for yourself that can help others at the same time.

Pfizer is proud to support the fibromyalgia community. For each person who makes a promise online to take a more active role in the management of their fibromyagia, we will donate $1—up to $100,000 total, divided equally—to the following organizations involved in helping people with fibromyalgia:

The National Fibromyalgia Association

The American Chronic Pain Association

The American Pain Foundation

The National Pain Foundation

There's no cost to you. By making your promise, you'll be helping to make a difference.

Free Booklet on Fibromyalgia

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I've been so busy, but I will do my best to post more often.

I learned about this in a community I am a part of today, and I wanted to pass the information along. You can get a free booklet about Fibromyalgia either in PDF form or sent to you in the mail. Just visit:

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Fibromyalgia/default.asp

I hope you find it helpful!

Taking Time to Relax

I have known for a long time that stress increases my pain significantly. I have taken steps to reduce the amount of stress in my life, but short of cutting everyone and everything out of my life, there will always be stressful situations I have to face.

This week has been sort of stressful. So, I think tonight I will curl up with the book I'm reading, "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult and one of my cats, and just take some time to relax.

FDA Approves Cymbalta to Treat Fibromyalgia

The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Cymbalta for the treatment/management of Fibromyalgia, making it the second medication on the market available for Fibromyalgia treatment (Lyrica was the first medication approved by the FDA for Fibromyalgia treatment).

Cymbalta is also approved for the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, depression, and peripheral neuropathy pain.

Common, non-serious side effects of Cymbalta include:

• Decreased sex drive, inability to experience an orgasm, or impotence
• Changes in weight
• Sore throat
• Constipation
• Increased anxiety or nervousness or increased sweating
• Dizziness, drowsiness, and/or headache
• Insomnia

You need to call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following side effects while on Cymbalta:

• overactive reflexes, loss of coordination, hallucinations, restlessness, coma, or fainting
• Nausea, low fever, stomach pain, jaundice (yellowish eyes and/or skin), stools that are clay colored, or dark colored urine
• Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and rapid heartbeat

Of course if you experience an allergic reaction to this medication including swelling of the tongue, lips, throat, or face, have difficulty breathing, and/or develop hives, you need to seek immediate medical attention.

To learn more about Cymbalta, please visit www.cymbalta.com.

Dad's Visit

Today, I saw my dad for the first time in a really long time. My dad and I have never had a good relationship, so I was really concerned about today's visit. However, it went a lot better than I expected it to go!!

First, we went to the Olive Garden, one of my absolute favorite restaurants ever. I had the unlimitted soup, salad, and breadsticks, and it was great! I had a fantastic dessert - Terremisu (I probably didn't spell that right!).

We headed to Wal-Mart where I got cat litter for my kitties and some chicken patties :)

After we went home and dropped the leftover food and chicken off, we headed to the mall to play Glo Golf, but once we got there, we discovered the golf shut down earlier in the month! That was disappointing because I can see that golf course better than regular mini golf courses. However, we got a wheelchair from the info desk and Dave wheeled me around the bookstore while Marie and my dad looked for some books for Marie's daughter. I was very tempted to buy a Jodi Picoult book - she's my favorite author.

We sat at the cafe in the bookstore after Marie made her puchase and I had some pain pills with a snack because I was in a significant amount of pain again. I showed my dad and Marie several pictures of my cats, and they seemed to enjoy seeing them. I think my dad enjoys seeing his former kitty, Milita, a kitty he let me take when I moved here from his house.

Then, we returned the wheelchair and found another mini golf course, just a regular one though. It was frustrating for me at times because I couldn't see my ball on the course, especially when it got darker outside.

We finally headed to Dairy Queen where I had a waffle bowl, something I've wanted to try since it came out a month or so ago. Dad and Marie also had a waffle bowl, and Dave had a strawberry sundae :)

All in all, I was in significant pain at times, but I think my dad's eyes were opened some to how much this pain effects me every signle day. I hope so anyway. Things went better than I expected, so I'm quite happy with today's events.