# Name your best coping mechanism



## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Well, being relatively new to FM/CFS myself (about 2 years) today I'm thinking to myself "I don't know how you do it when you've been sick for 10, 20, or 30 some years with this disease." I thought it might be helpful to the newbies, and the veterans if we all listed our best coping mechanisms. I mean when it gets real ugly - and you know the days I'm talking about - What do you do? How do you get out of bed? (Or DO you?)Thanks!







:wave


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## SLBEL3 (Jun 1, 2000)

The only coping mech I have right now since nothing else is helping anymore (diagnosed ibs-d, fibro, multiple sclerosis, 2 strokes 8 years ago) is PERCOCET, PERCOCET, and oh more PERCOCET.







that helps the pain from all of the above. Other than that when I am alone I just let myself cry. I cry outloud, I yell, I scream, I ask God why me, then I cry some more.Wish I could be of more help. but I just have no choice but to live with it.


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## hunter3000 (Apr 30, 2002)

gotta love percacet,im in pain,but i realy dont care........ maybe i should lower my dosage....


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

LOL Darren - Yeah, I know that feeling. I'm hurtin' bad, but I'm too high/happy to care







lol


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

My faith.


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2002)

I find a very warm bath helps with the aching muscles, I take Darvocet on the really bad achy days, and I'm on an antidepressant that has helped reduced my need for the pain med. Also, if the muscles get to feeling very stiff, I stretch as much as my body will allow.


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## weener (Aug 15, 2000)

For me it's a combination of things ie) zoloft (anti-depressant), yoga, warm baths, spiritual reading, massage and coming to this board to share my feelings.


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## Susan Purry (Nov 6, 2001)

Remembering 'and this too shall pass'. That's all I can tell myself on the worst of worst days. Good thread MrsMason.


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## SLBEL3 (Jun 1, 2000)

Hey Jasper, I just wanted to let you know that if you want to save yourself the cost of the darvocet you could just take 5 extra strength tylenol. No I'm not kidding.My pain management doctor that I was going to last year told me that. He asked me why I was taking darvocet and I told him that was all my pcp would give me and that's why he sent me to him. and then he told me what the equivalent of darvocet was. So I wanted to check that and called my pharmacist and asked him and he said that it was true. So I asked to have it switched to something else from my pain doc because tylenol can cause ulcers and I wasn't taking tylenol anymore because it had started causing me more stomach distress. And he switched me to percocet.Just a little FYI.


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## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

walk fast for 10min.i`m sorry if you cant walk well,but i have sensations that arnt pain,but are every bit as distressing,and a fast short walk sometimes taks the edge off.crying if good.theres a vidio about the life of c.s. lewis with antony hopkins that will do that.does anyone know the name of that movie?there is also darvon in darvocet.with my hmo its cheaper than tylenol anyway.


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## Bloatarama (Oct 14, 2002)

Squrts, the name of that movie I believe is called "Shadowlands"


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## Bloatarama (Oct 14, 2002)

Exercise, exercise and more exercise!


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## JoJen (Nov 6, 2002)

Eliminate things that are negative......and for those things that can't be eliminated - try to counter with something for pleasure. Something that has no end effort - something just for myself. examples - read a book, listen to music, watch a funny movie, bubble bath and also learning something new.Be thankful for what I can do - even if it's only being able to brush my teeth some days.The most important is my FAITH!!!(great topic for a thread)


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Bloatarama, I do agree, exercise is extremely important in working out the stiffness and aches, preventing muscle injury, oxygenating tissues, and even making your inner organs work more effectively. Balance between activity and knowing when you've done enough and giving it a rest is important too. This takes me to getting the deep sleep in. Not always easy. Benadryl does it for me. When you wake up unrefreshed you have more aches the next day.squrts, I loved Shadowlands. It had a good message and Anthony Hopkins voice is always mesmerizing. It was a sad movie, with many tears shed, but it had a special quality. Debra Winger is a good actress too.


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