Chronic pain Support

changing health, content creation, Pain, Social media strategist, Virtual Assistant

Restoration for Chronic Illnesses learning Burnout Avoidance and finding Chronic peace.

Butterfly Chats

By: Latoya Clark

When coping with chronic illness, taking breaks can serve as a barrier between good and bad days. It’s important to remember that chronic illness can have a significant impact on your daily life. Taking breaks can be a helpful tool to manage your symptoms and improve your overall well-being. Here are a few reasons why taking breaks is so important:

  • Reducing stress: Chronic illness can cause stress and anxiety, which can in turn exacerbate symptoms. Taking breaks and engaging in relaxing activities can help reduce stress levels.
  • Avoiding burnout: Coping with chronic illness can be exhausting, both physically and mentally. Taking regular breaks can help prevent burnout and allow you to recharge.

 Chronic illness can be overwhelming and exhausting, leading to burnout. It’s important to prioritize self-care and find ways to manage symptoms and stress. This may include seeking support from loved ones or a therapist, practicing relaxation techniques, and making necessary lifestyle adjustments. Remember to listen to your body, take breaks when needed, and seek help when necessary.

  • Chronic illness can be challenging, and it is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. Burnout is an actual concern for many people with chronic illnesses, and it is essential to take steps to prevent it. Here are some tips for avoiding burnout:

Improving productivity: ​

  • Taking breaks can actually help improve productivity in the long run. By giving yourself time to rest and recharge, you’ll be better able to focus and stay on task when you return to your work.
  • Setting boundaries and saying no to things that don’t serve you
  • Connecting with loved ones and building a support system
  • Practicing mindfulness and being present at the moment
  • Seeking professional help if needed, such as therapy or counseling
  • Remember, taking breaks doesn’t have to mean taking a whole day off. Even just a few minutes of rest and relaxation throughout the day can make a big difference in managing your chronic illness. 
  • Take a short walk outside to get some fresh air and sunlight.
  • Practice deep breathing exercises to reduce stress and increase relaxation.
  • Engage in a hobby or activity that you enjoy, such as reading, painting, or listening to music.
  • Stretch your muscles and do some light exercises to increase blood flow and reduce muscle tension. 

Chronic illness can be a major source of stress and anxiety. The constant worry about symptoms and managing the illness can take a toll on your emotional well-being. In addition, the physical symptoms of chronic illness can also cause stress. This can include pain, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping.

Stress and anxiety can make chronic illness symptoms worse. Therefore, it is important to find ways to manage stress and reduce anxiety. Some ways to do this include exercise, relaxation techniques, and support groups.

Chronic illness can be a major source of stress and anxiety. This is because chronic illness can often lead to a loss of control over one’s life. This can make it difficult to manage day-to-day activities and can cause feelings of isolation, frustration, and helplessness.

We can try to reduce the impact of stress, although eliminating it is not always possible. These include:

  • Finding ways to manage and cope with stress
  • Seeking social support
  • Getting regular exercise
  • Practicing relaxation techniques
  • Taking breaks when needed

By taking steps to reduce stress, you can help improve your overall well-being and make it easier to manage your chronic illness.

Advertisement
changing health, content creation, education, holiday season, Pain, Social media strategist, Uncategorized, Virtual Assistant

The Importance of Nurturing your Wants and Needs.

Butterfly Chats

by Latoya Clark

6 minutes

It is essential to take care of our wants and needs. Our needs are the foundation on which our wants are built. When we have our needs met, we are able to explore and experience different wants. Wants are not the same as needs because they are not necessary for survival but the desire is the driver of wants. Satisfying our needs and fulfilling our wants is essential to human satisfaction.

There are different levels of needs and wants. The most basic need is physiological, which is the need of the body to survive. The next level is safety, which is the need of the mind to feel secure. The third level is love and belonging, which are the needs of the heart to feel connected. The fourth level is esteem, which is the need of the ego to feel respected. The fifth and final level is self-actualization, which is the need of the soul to reach its full potential.

We all have different needs and wants. It is important to identify what our needs and wants are so that we can take steps to satisfy them. It is also important to be mindful of

Butterfly chats media is working closely with healthcare advocates to give patients in need the medication and supplies they need to live productive lives. We appreciate any donations.

One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Make a one-time donation

We are thankful that you are choosing to give your hard-earned money to us. This donation will be used to support a chronically ill patient live a better life.

Make a yearly donation

Choose the Amount

$5.00
$50.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Thank you for giving!Thank you for giving!Thank you for giving!

It’s no secret that people with chronic illnesses and pain often have a hard time feeding their needs and wants. Simply put, it’s hard to want what you can’t have and it’s even harder to get what you want when you’re sick. But that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible – far from it, in fact.

Satisfying our needs and fulfilling our wants is essential to human satisfaction. And while it may be difficult, it’s not impossible to do so when you’re living with a chronic illness or pain. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of feeding your needs and your wants – even when it seems impossible.

Chronic illness and pain can be incredibly isolating. It can be difficult to maintain relationships and keep up with social activities. It can be hard to work and take care of responsibilities. And it can be tempting to just give up.

But it’s important to remember that you are not your illness. You are a person with wants and needs, just like everyone else. And those needs don’t go away just because you’re sick.

In fact, it’s even more important to take care of yourself when you’re dealing with chronic illness and pain. self-care can help you manage your symptoms, cope with your feelings, and maintain your quality of life.

So how do you take care of yourself when you’re sick? It depends on what you need. But there are a few things that everyone needs, like food, shelter, and love.

Keep reading to learn more about the importance of feeding your needs – both your physical needs and your emotional needs – when you’re dealing with chronic illness and



When it comes to chronic illness and pain, it is important to remember that everyone’s needs are different. Depending on your age, gender, culture, and location, your needs will vary. However, there are some basic needs that everyone should try to meet.

Firstly, it is important to eat a balanced and healthy diet. Keeping in mind that most of us have GI issues which makes eating healthy difficult. This is where self-love and compassion play a huge role in your eventual victory over constant pain. This will help your body to cope with chronic illness or pain. Secondly, you should make sure that you get enough exercise. Exercise releases endorphins, which have pain-relieving properties. Again, keeping a close eye on reality and the fact that just getting out of bed is a win for most days. Do what you can and let that be enough. Finally, you should make sure to get enough rest. When you are well-rested, your body is better able to cope with pain.

If you can meet your basic needs, you will be in a much better position to cope with chronic illness and pain. Chronic pain can make it difficult to pursue the life you want. It can be hard to maintain friendships, balance work and leisure, and keep up with family obligations when you’re struggling to take care of yourself. It’s easy to become consumed by your illness and pain, and forget about the other aspects of your life that bring you joy.
It’s important to remember that you are more than your illness or pain. You have needs and wants that are separate from your chronic illness and pain, and it’s important to feed those needs and wants. Doing so will help you maintain your sense of self, build resilience, and find joy in spite of your chronic illness and pain.

When you have a chronic illness there is no easy answer. There are a lot of sacrifices when it comes to illness. be kind to yourself and express compassion towards yourself. Our needs are the very basic things that we need to survive. Water, shelter, food, sleep, etc. However, with a chronic illness, our needs can become more complex and hard to maintain.

For example, when you have chronic pain, you may need to take more pain medication than someone who doesn’t have chronic pain. This can lead to addiction and other problems. Or, you may need special equipment to help you cope with your chronic pain, such as a cane or special mattress.

Similarly, when you have a chronic illness, you may need to see more doctors or specialists than someone who is healthy. This can lead to higher medical bills. You may also need to miss work more often, which can lead to lost income.



It can be ours that wants the very thing that makes us feel good. For example, a new phone, a new car, a new book, a new anything. With a chronic illness, it can be difficult to want to do anything. Just getting out of bed can be a daunting task, let alone working a job, taking care of our responsibilities, and then trying to do the things we want to do. It’s no wonder that so many of us with chronic illnesses end up feeling depressed and anxious.

Take a moment to check us out on all our socials. We have giveaways happening on TikTok and Instagram is bursting with encouragement and day in the life reels. We would love to have you there.

Uncategorized

Calming The Fibro Flare!

Butterfly Chats

Disclaimer: before we get started I do need to state that I am a current warrior with chronic pain due to fibro and I am in no way a medical professional by license. I am not advising you to change any current or future treatment plans you may be on. I advise you to consult your own medical team before trying or making any changes to your current or future treatments. 

Physical therapy can Eliminate or Reduce Pain helps you to Avoid Surgery, and Develop Mobility. Recover from a Stroke or other injury, Recuperate From a Sports Injury Improve Your Balance, and Prevent Falls. It can also help Manage Diabetes and Vascular Conditions as well as Manage Age-Related Issues. So now  Aqua therapy is my favorite form of therapy. The water helps support your joints and allows you to move more freely than you can on land. I’ll tell you that what is called elephant legs is real. Basically, it’s when gravity hits you once you get out of the pool. You feel so heavy and hours after the therapy is when you will know how hard you have been working. You will be sore but you also will know that you have gotten a good workout if you stick with it. Will help you get stronger. In addition to all the other Benefits of Aquatic Therapy Increase joint flexibility.  Pool therapy offers a tremendous advantage because it reduces the effects of gravity allowing for increased joint range of motion crease in muscle strength Decrease in pain Decrease in abnormal tone, spasticity, and rigidity

Regular gentle exercise is one of the most effective ways that fibromyalgia flare-ups can be avoided or diminished and pain managed. Exercise in moderation may increase pain at first but may help prevent or improve pain over time and build up endurance, muscle strength, avoidance of depression, and boost moods. Physical therapy techniques aim to improve your range of motion and strengthen the muscles. This can also help reduce FM pain. Your therapist will tailor a program to help manage specific symptoms. They can also teach self-care techniques, including FM education, to help you manage the fatigue and pain on your own. Its been shown that pain management education can lead to increased performance during exercise. Tai chi is one of my personal favorites is the mind-body technique involving deep breathing, meditation, and controlled movements. Tai chi can improve muscle strength, balance, and stamina. It’s not strenuous, but you can develop sore muscles or sprains if you overdo it. Above all, consider all your options and ask questions, try things out and remember that you don’t have to do all the things at once. Try one see how you feel take a break then pick another activity rinse and repeat. 

Pharma Meds

antidepressants used in the treatment of chronic pain include amitriptyline and nortriptyline (Pamelor). They may be prescribed to relieve chronic pain including duloxetine (Cymbalta), (Effexor XR, Fetzima, Savella).

Cbd

Driven nutrition https://www.drivennutrition.net/

Charlotte’s Web™ FULL SPECTRUM HEMP OIL Gummy – (Sleep, Calm, Recovery) – Raspberry – Sleep – 10mg 60ct

Charlotte’s Web™ FULL SPECTRUM HEMP OIL Gummy – (Sleep, Calm, Recovery) – Ginger – Recovery – 10mg 60ct

Charlotte’s Web™ FULL SPECTRUM HEMP OIL Gummy – (Sleep, Calm, Recovery) – LemonLime – Calm – 10mg 30ct – LemonLime – Calm – 10mg 30ct

As well as CBD oil 750mg I increased slowly to this level over almost 2years. 

meditation uses neural pathways that make the brain less sensitive to pain and increases the use of the brain’s own pain-reducing opioids. If you have chronic pain, meditation is worth looking at.

 Stretching

Among the most beneficial forms of exercise for chronic pain patients are those that include stretching. There are many proven benefits to stretching including improved range of motion, less muscle stiffness, and better circulation.

Pacing is an essential technique for mastering chronic pain and often involves taking a break before you need to. Pacing may reduce the severity and duration of flare-ups. Pacing may reduce feelings of frustration and low mood through repeated pain flare-ups.

 Support having a strong support system has been by far the best tool I have. To be honest, you will have times when your medicine will not work your tools will fail and your pain will win for that day. So to have the emotional support of your community of pain warriors will mean so much to you. You have them there to not judge you and for you to not need to justify or explain to them anything about what you are going through. At times only needing to say “I’m in a flare right now” is all you need to say. Most times you’ll find at least one other person also in the same spot. In some cases maybe even have the same symptoms. However, that support and understanding will be what gets through to the next moment.

Uncategorized

Welcome to Butterfly Chats

Butterfly Chats
Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

Disclaimer: before we get started I do need to state that I am a current warrior with chronic pain due to fibro and I am in no way a medical professional by license. I am not advising you to change any current or future treatment plans you may be on. I advise you to consult your own medical team before trying or making any changes to your current or future treatments. 

Let’s Talk CBD Baby!

I first started considering CBD about four years ago and I’ve done extensive research on if CBD has had a big enough impact on pain to make a difference. For me, I decided that it was enough evidence that merit a conversation with my care team. I will admit that I was nervous about this talk. Would they think I’m drug-seeking would they remove other pain meds from my current regime would he put me in jail all the thoughts came. However, This is why having a compassionate and open-minded care team is so important. I understand that not all of us have access to this type of care. I’m working as hard as I can to partner with the right organizations with the hopes of bridging the gap between good care providers and the pain community closer. 

CBD has been found to likely be Effective for Seizure disorder (epilepsy).as well as Possibly Effective for Multiple sclerosis (MS). A prescription-only nasal spray product containing both delta-9 (THC) and cannabidiol has been shown to be effective for improving pain, muscle-tightness, and urination frequency in people with MS. 

CBD has helped me in a moderate way by allowing me to shave a few points off my pain point. I started off on 500mg once a day mostly at night to help with sleep. It indeed has helped with sleep and still to this day helps me sleep even though I’ve had to taper up for CBD for pain.

When I sat down with my dr at my normal appointment. I was able to bring up my pain levels and start the conversation on how together we can reduce it. I’m blessed to have a primary dr who specializes in fibromyalgia. At the time he was new to treating fibro but today there are several doctors who are special so it’s worth the time to do a search or ask your insurance company for recommendations.

But what do I say to my doctor?

Bringing this topic up with my dr was easy compared to with other providers but if you the language to use with your provider. Here is what I said.

“ Hey, doctor, id like to ask your thoughts on CBD as it refers to Pain relief”. How do you feel about the research and if you feel it is worth a shot for me to try.”

Like most medications, it is best to do this under a doctor’s care. However, any good distillery will have extremely knowledgeable employees that will know all the dosing and each one works. I will caution you from trying for the first time gas station CBD . not to say anything is wrong with it at all but you know… Use your best judgment.

In regards to side effects or signs that you may need to seek medical assistance. 

When taken by mouth: CBD is mostly safe to take inappropriate doses. Doses of up to 200 mg daily have been used safely for up to 13 weeks. With the guidance of a healthcare provider. There is a specific prescription CBD used at higher doses and for longer durations.

CBD can cause some side effects, such as dry mouth, low blood pressure, lightheadedness, and drowsiness. 

After about a year and a half, I noticed the strength I was using wasn’t quite getting it done with pain relief and sleep at night so I went back to my distillery and decided to up to 750mg. I also use gummies, especially on those busy days when you may not have the time or the company tolerance to take a tenure. Having a gummy handy is very helpful. 

Contact

spooninesupport@butterflychats.com

 If you need food support or school supplies assistance please reach out to me at spooniesupport@butterflychats.com

With your name, phone number, and a number of people in your home and we will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

changing health, education, Pain

Adjusting to sudden health changes

Butterfly Chats

Hello my Butterflies,

o glad you are back to see me today. I hope and pray each episode adds value and joy to your life. Please don’t forget to like and share this episode with anyone connected with your chronic pain journey. No matter if it’s a caregiver or a warrior. Also, if you will please leave a review of any or all of my episodes. This will help me know what kind of shows your want to hear. 

Disclaimer: before we get started i do need to state that I am a current warrior with chronic pain due to fibro and I am in no way a medical professional by license. I am not advising you to change any current or future treatment plans you may be on. I advise you to consult your own medical team before trying or making any changes to your current or future treatments. 

 So go grab you something to sip on and let’s get into this topic today. 

When thinking about chronic pain or invisible illness you have to factor in so many other factors that most people in the illness or disabled world may not have to. Considering we look fine and from all outside accounts, all is well with us. To the person looking in who may have a plan with you that day or have some sort of expectation of you. To hear you say that you need to change the plan. Looking at you and wonder why? What’s the deal?  You would say well I just don’t feel well… Which in our languages means “right now I’m seeing three of you and have a searing popping sound happening in my ears. Which means improbably about to faint or need to sit down ten seconds ago.” they look at you and you have simile on your face you happen to be wearing clean clothes that day and look presentable. For you, this is not a huge deal as long as you respect your body and do what it needs you to do. However, for the cancelie( the person being canceled on) they may feel slightly frustrated or maybe even mad or upset. Perhaps because you’ve canceled on them a number of times. They have no idea what physical stress this adds to your already stressed and tired body knowing that you have disappointed them once again. However, you know that you saved yourself and them a ton of embarrassment by not pushing yourself. This would have caused some sort of sense when you had an episode or something all in public. Now no one likes that. 

So taking that into account when you have a chronic or invisible illness you are well served to have a backup plan for when things change. Because they certainly will change. Our health changes are faster than the weather in the deep south. 

Allow yourself to feel you are going to have emotions unless, of course, you are a robot then, in that case, you’ll be fine… You can just stop listening now. The rest of this show is not for you. Lol 

With today’s lifestyle of over-scheduling, most people don’t take time to mourn what they’re losing before moving into something new. Numbing feelings of sadness with new distractions, give your thoughts a voice. Write in a journal, talk with a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. You might even consider honoring the loss with a scrapbook, quilt, poem, or painting.

Be patient with the pace of treatment and recovery. This means recovery means something different to every person. Most people sadly take years to get diagnosed so it’s not hard to imagine that after the diagnosis finding the right treatment that works for you can take a while. 

Be open to change. …

Choose the support that’s right for you 

The best treatment for chronic pain is a multimodal therapy plan that could include intervention from a physical therapist, pain psychologist, complementary alternative medicine (i.e. acupuncture) and self-management techniques (such as changes to the diet and exercises regimes) to help you not only manage your pain

don’t let worries about being a burden keep you from reaching out. …

We often fear being perceived as needy and no one wants to feel ashamed of their situation or appear incompetent. you may feel uncomfortable about asking for help from others because of your chronic illness, remember you didn’t ask for your condition. Accept that sometimes it will be annoying to help you. Offer to help those who help you. Communicate during neutral times. relationships are a give and take. One person may be more equipped to do certain things, like cleaning and running errands, while the other may be better at other things like providing emotional support or advice.

Look for support from friends and loved ones who are good listeners.

Plan ahead.

 If you know change is on the horizon, do some prep work. This may require some extra work and using some spoons but it’s well worth it in the end.

Reframe your thinking.

 Changing the way you think is a task that in some cases may need some additional help. This is where a counselor or a mental health professional may come in handy. A neutral third party with no skin in the game to help you weigh out your options and to see things in a more neutral light. 

Strive to maintain some normalcy.

Structure and routine are comforting, so the more you can maintain your day-to-day in the midst of a change, the better off you’ll be. Go for your usual morning walk even if that walk is shorter or if that walk is with the help of mobility aids.  visit the same coffee shop or order door dash from that shop and try to stick to your normal sleeping, waking, and eating times.

Count your blessings. 

Whether you just received a difficult diagnosis or you’re about to start a new job, counting your blessings in a gratitude journal or sharing the top three highlights of your day with a family member at dinner can go a long way toward making you feel less depleted. Even during difficult times, things like noticing a starry sky or beautiful sunset or watching a colorful butterfly can act almost like a reset button for your mind.

Don’t forget your family, they are also experiencing a loss. They are the observers of you being in pain and suffering and not being able to do anything about it. Especially if your diagnosis is hard to find. The fear of the unknown is also a trauma they are going through. 

I do understand that it’s hard to manage your own emotions and other people’s emotions. It’s ok to focus on yours alone. This is where I would suggest a family counseling service to help them and yourself work through the collective stress your all enduring. I would like to leave you with one image though. Just imagine if the roles were reversed. If you were the caregiver and your family member was the one going through the health challenge. How frightened would you feel knowing your loved one was suffering and knowing you could really do nothing to actively support them or heal them. Even though in truth being a support system by being present and loving and offering care is doing a lot to the person going through the health scare. 

The best thing to do is to not allow yourself to get bogged down in the thought traps. Try assigning yourself a worry period. 

Create a “worry period.”

 Choose a set time and place for worrying. It should be the same every day (e.g. in the living room from 5:00 to 5:20 p.m.) and early enough that it won’t make you anxious right before bedtime. 

Write down your worries. 

If an anxious thought or worry comes into your head during the day, make a brief note of it and then continue about your day. Remind yourself that you’ll have time to think about it later, so there’s no need to worry about it right now. so your worries are more likely to lose their power.

Go over your “worry list” during the worry period.

 If the thoughts you wrote down are still bothering you, allow yourself to worry about them, but only for the amount of time you’ve specified for your worry period. And if your worries don’t seem important anymore, simply cut your worry period short and enjoy the rest of your day.

One thing I’m learning is when it comes to sudden health changes. You have to choose your battles. You will need to have a good handle on what your body is doing and saying. When you observe a new symptom. It’s important to take note of it and to watch it. See if it’s happening because of something you may do in the last few days. See if you are getting any relief over time or if it’s getting worse.  Notice what is making it better or worse.