"Bunny" and the Doctor Visit

I decided I'm going to call my homemade rice-sock "Bunny". It's gray, fuzzy, and cuddly, just like the baby bunnies running around in my yard lately. Isn't she cute? :)

I am finally feeling better after that last icky flare of mine. I am wondering what it was that triggered the pain in my neck that spread its ugly tentacles into my back and limbs. Perhaps I overstretched that side. I know I have had a history of stretching more than I should. I'm told the stretch shouldn't hurt, but it's hard to know how much of a stretch is sufficient if I'm already in pain before I begin. I can believe that I may have stretched more wherever it was painful, in an attempt to loosen up tight muscles there. Perhaps that is a mistake. I will have to keep that in mind during my future stretching routines.

Yesterday I visited my Fibro specialist - a kind neurologist who is working with me to try to reach my pain-fighting goals. I told him of my recent struggles with vocabulary and other fibrofog issues. He asked if I was sleeping okay. I rely on my Zolpidem (aka Ambien) to help keep me asleep throughout the night, and have not noticed any changes in sleep habits lately. He reminded me that the Zolpidem may keep me "asleep", but it doesn't help me reach those deep stages of sleep of which Fibromyalgia robs me.

The Doxepin I am now taking is supposed to help me get better quality sleep - those deep stages of sleep that I can't otherwise get with Fibromyalgia. Since I am on a low dose right now, he is having me double my nightly dose of Doxepin to help me get better sleep and see if it helps with the fibrofog. I have started taking 2 capsules at bedtime last night. It's probably too early to tell, but I am feeling pretty coherent at the moment, despite being awakened several times by my husband's (loud) pager. (He's on call for work this week.) Poor Don had to work on IT issues for work since about 4am today. He is more tired than I am today.

I had to put the daily workouts on hold during the recent flare-up. I think I need to be even slower in progressing than I have done, just to make sure I don't cause another flare. The doctor suggested a yoga class if I am able to do it. I think that might be something to think about when I am able to figure out my stretching limitations and work my way up in stretch/workout time a bit. He agreed that it's extremely important to take small steps toward increasing my activity levels to avoid flare-ups.

Armed with the medication and knowledge I have, I'm hopeful that I'm going to have more good days ahead.