Fibromyalgia And Surgery: What Did I Learn?

I'm back home from the hospital and learned a few things about surgical floor staff and Fibro.

• [1] Just like any other area of health care that does not see a lot of people with Fibromyalgia, there are surgical staff members whose eyes glaze over when you say "I have Fibromyalgia", and there are those whose eyes light up with recognition and respond, "don't feel shy about speaking up for yourself when your pain level increases.
  

• [2] Don’t be afraid to ask for extra blankets. I needed a total of 3 to keep warm.
  
• [3] Don’t be afraid to ask to have the air conditioning in your room turned down, or the heat turned up – depending on the time of year.
  

Remember cold aggravates Fibromyalgia and increases your pain and stiffness. You might not be able to turn the air conditioning off if you have a roommate. I had a private room so there was no problem. If you can’t get the air conditioning turned off, or the heat turned up, get as many blankets as you can stand to lay under. The weight of 3 blankets was my threshold.

• [4] Remind everyone from the pre-op registration desk, to the OR personnel, to the recovery floor staff, “I have Fibromyalgia and it may affect my recovery, the actual physical surgery may exacerbate my Fibromyalgia symptoms. Fibro and physical injury seem to form a vicious pain cycle so I will be requesting my post op pain meds.”
  

My doctor informed me that due to recent change in legislation, a post op patient has to request certain pain meds when their pain level increases, even if it is prescribed by the surgeon to be administered at certain intervals. If you have break through pain in-between the scheduled dispensing times, YOU must say something.

You are your best advocate. If you think you will be unable to speak up for yourself, hav a family member or friend do so.