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Floating is helping with Fibromyalgia Pain

Floating is helping with Fibromyalgia Pain

Getting off Prescription Drugs and reducing pain from Fibromyalgia

We have had a number of people come through our doors looking for a natural way for pain relief from chronic pain, pain from injuries and pain associated with autoimmune diseases  – and floating has been very effective for many of those suffering from pain. We have heard numerous accounts that after 2 or 3 floats (and in many cases after the first float) there has been substantial relief from pain and stiffness.

This is Cheri’s story about how consistent floating has helped her with the side effects of Fibromyalgia. Cheri has been floating at Float North County for the past 2 years and she is getting the long term benefits from floating because she consistently floats at least 2 times a month.

“Floating is integral to my well being these days and one of the more important things in my arsenal to keep fibromyalgia from running my life. “ – Cheri

Summer 2014 I was diagnosed with stage 3 thyroid cancer at the age of 44.  My thyroid was quickly removed and 5 days later I had a pulmonary embolism.  Within the next few months I went through menopause, blood thinning medications, special low iodine diets, and radio iodine therapy.  By that fall the cancer journey was basically over but I was almost unable to walk due to leg and back pain.  My endocrinologist could not figure it out because my thyroid numbers on medication were “perfect” but I will still exhausted and in a lot of pain.  In those few months I felt like I had aged 30 years.

Fast forward to Spring 2015 and I finally get in with a rheumatologist who diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia.  Turns out all the stuff my body went through over stressed my system and kicked this in.  Soon he had me on Savella, Lyrica and I also tried Cymbalta.  These are the big 3 when it comes to fibro meds.  I had bad reactions to all of them from constant itching to restless legs, etc.  The last one I took was Cymbalta and I was only on it a few months before I put my foot down and said I can’t do this anymore.  It took 6 weeks to wean off of that drug.

During this entire period of trying different drugs I was also suffering horrible insomnia.  I went 9 months with very little sleep  . . . If I got 3 hours in a row that was a “good” night.

Summer 2015 I was in desperation.  I had constant pain, very little sleep, and utter exhaustion.  I did some online research in the middle of the night and read about floating.  I figured, what can it hurt?  If anything maybe I can get a hour of rest in a tub of warm water.  That sounded awesome.

My first float was in the bigger float room instead of the pod.  I am claustrophobic and the pod looked scary to me.  I was so exhausted that as soon as I hit the water and shut the light off, my mind just went to all sorts of strange places.  I felt like I was floating in outer space but totally warm and comfortable.  It was an hour of total relaxation. I felt my spine release about half way through and it felt like I got taller.  All the stress in my back muscles just let go.  That night I slept 9 hours and I was totally sold on floating.

Here we are almost 2 years later and I am still fighting fibro on a daily basis.  It is just part of my life that I have to learn to live with.  I am completely off of all the pharmaceuticals for fibro and I am just on supplements and I use medical marijuana at night for pain and to help with sleep.  I visit a chiropractor twice a month and I try to schedule my float within 24 hours of those visits.  She can work harder on me knowing that a float will maximize my recovery time from the adjustments.

I plan my floats around stressful situations or days that I know are going to cause me more physical pain.  It is great knowing I have a float to look forward to help with recovery from those situations.  Floating is integral to my wellbeing these days and one of the more important things in my arsenal to keep fibromyalgia from running my life.  I now do 90 minutes and have moved to the pod.  I actually feel very secure in there like a baby still in the womb.  Never thought I could get in there and shut the door but I guess my claustrophobia has relaxed a bit too.