FLARE MANAGEMENT PLAN :

There will be times that you will "overdo". You may have misjudged how much you can do or became frustrated with your limits and decided to push ahead and you may end up with a flare-up. Learning how your body reacts to pain helps reduce the threat of pain and reduced threat decreases all of your protective systems. Are you a No pain no gain person? Although some discomfort may be felt when exercising stiff muscles and joints, pushing too far through pain barriers can accelerate a fear and danger response from your system. Are you the Let pain be your guide person? Pain with an acute injury may help us protect ourselves from further injury, However, with chronic pain (you have pain all of the time), letting pain be your guide usually means you are giving in to it allowing it to control you and continues to make you feel fearful of it. Are you...going to understand pain so that you don't fear it? This will lead you in the direction of improving your physical capacity and reduce pain. Make a list of things you can do to cope with pain during a flare-up: Don't panic. Use RICE : Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation if you have any swelling. Use heat or take a warm bath, if you don't have swelling. Use medications as prescribed or directed. Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation or visualizations. Call a family member or friend for support. Keep your phone handy. A fibro flare-up management toolkit is a pre-assembled collection of resources designed to minimize pain, manage sensory overload, and preserve energy during a sudden spike in symptoms. Because fibro pain involves amplified pain response from the nervous system, building a (toolkit) allows you to respond immediately without having to think or search for items, when brain fog and severe fatigue hit. My Purple Toolkit : Keep your toolkit in a convenient place. What's in your comfort toolkit? HEAT: a.) Electric heating pad. b.) Rice bag that you can heat in the microwave. c.) Bath with Epsom salts. CLOTHING: a.) Soft cotton pajamas, baggy joggers, anything without seams that eliminates friction caused by tight waistbands or scratchy tags that might irritate sensitive skin. MEDS: You may want to use an am/pm pill organizer: Centralizes emergency rescue meds to reduce the cognitive effort of tracking doses. Keep a small basket with Essentials: regular pain meds, any prescription meds and any topical creams, a.) Icy Hot No mess Roll On with 4% Lidocaine or Pain relief patches- Salonpas with 4% Lidocaine, Aspercreme with 4% Lidocaine, or Icy Hot pain relief patches with 4% Lidocaine. b.) Magnesium Spray- Helps reduce nighttime leg cramps and muscular twitching when absorbed through the skin. c.) Always keep a water bottle nearby to take meds and stay hydrated. DISTRACTIONS : a.) Books or audio books for when your eyes are tired or head hurts too much to read. b.) Music that relaxes you. COMFORT ITEMS : a.)Your favorite soft blanket. b.) A good pillow setup, so you can prop yourself up comfortably. c.) A weighted or cooling blanket- to help with nervous system regulation and temperature changes. d.) Lip balm, hand cream and tissues. e.) Aromatherapy- lavender spray or some essential oils. Organization is key to have a good comfort tool kit. There's no point having your comfort items if you can't find them when you need them. ADAPTING YOUR KIT- Your comfort tool kit will change as you learn what works best for you. What helps during Winter flares might be different from what you need in the Summer. What works for pain-heavy flares might be different than fatigue-dominant ones. Pay attention to what actually helps and what just seems like a good idea. HAVING EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR A FLARE : means you can focus on resting and recovering rather than scrambling around trying to gather what you need. The best kit is the one that works for you. Start with the basics-heat, soft clothes, easy food, and whatever brings you comfort- and build it from there. HOME & HOUSEKEEPING HINTS : Determine which task are best to do sitting and which are best done standing. During the day, alternate between sitting and standing to do task. Do one thing at a time so as not to increase stress. Divide heavy chores over a few days, don't try to do it all at once. Don't push yourself because you are having a "good day." Respect your back, it's the only one you have. GROCERY SHOPPING : a.) Plan your menus to avoid additional trips to the market. b.) Make a shopping list by category (i.e. Dairy, meats, cereals etc.) c.) Do you marketing at a time the store is less crowded, it will take less time to stand in line. d.) Get help with high or low and heavy items. e.) Use a shopping cart and place heavier items near the front of the cart. f.)Use paper bags for better body mechanics when carrying groceries. g.) Ask for help loading and unloading your car. h.) If you are able, shop online and have your groceries delivered. LAUNDRY : a.) The goal is to eliminate unnecessary movement when gathering clothes and prevent fatigue and shortness of breath. b.) Sort clothes at elbow height or sitting. c.) Avoid doing heavy loads or too many loads in one day. It is better to do smaller loads over the period of a week. d.) Have each family member sort his/her own clothes and bring to the laundry area. e.) Bend at the knees when reaching into the washing machine and use a long handled tong to reach clothes, if necessary. COOKING : a.) Organize work centers to have required materials in one area. b.) Place objects within easy reach when cooking. c.) Sit at a table or counter of correct height to prepare ingredients (i.e. mixing , chopping, slicing, grating etc.) d.) Avoid items that require a lot of stirring or attention. e.) For every day dishes, consider lightweight dishes or paper plates. f.) Use small time and energy saving appliances like an electric can opener, hand mixer, blender etc. g.)To eliminate scrubbing pots and pans use an olive oil spray and/or non stick pans. h.) When expecting guest, prepare food ahead of time. Avoid cooking and shopping in the same day.