What other techniques remedied are in your chronic illness toolbox besides pain medicines?
Great question! Pain medicines aren't actually in my toolbox at all any more. I used to have tramadol prescribed for the bad days but it became less and less effective and the side-effects were not worth the small amount of relief. (And paracetamol, ibuprofen, codeine don't work)
Anyway, other things... Before I jump into the list, though, for context, I have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and my main issues are chronic pain and fatigue so most of my toolbox focuses on those symptoms...
Things I've found helpful:
Heat packs (I have a couple microwave wheat packs)
A variety of pillows and cushions. Different thicknesses and squishiness so that I can mix and match to prop myself up in bed or make a little nest.
Squishmallows are a vital component of the pillow collection because they're so squishy that you can mold them into exactly what you need. My neck is the major offender so I mold squishmallows to cradle my head and support my neck at the best angle. The cuteness also cheers me up.
Massage tools but be careful not to over-massage
Wet wipes or flannels/wash cloths for days I can't shower (and for all my little spills; I'm a clumsy mfer)
Water bottle (although I'm terrible at drinking water so it's often filled with a cordial drink; I'm more likely to drink a decent amount and actually stay hydrated)
Silicone straws so that I can drink (from cups or cans) without moving if I'm partially laying down
Lip balm and moisturiser lives next to my bed so I can take care of my skin without having to get up if it's a bad day.
I use a lap tray at the moment for writing in bed (photo below on the left; see previous post here) but I'm hoping to get a proper wheelie tray desk thing (photo below on the right).
I have a bunch of easy app games (some of them are just idle clickers) for bed-rot days when I can't really concentrate on anything but I'm not sleeping so it's boring to stare at a wall.
I keep a set of comfy clothes near my bed so I can change without having to go far on a bad day. Changing my clothes after doing a wet wipes wash can make a big difference when I feel like shit.
A bedside hanging pocket tote like this for keeping my journal, books, straws, a simple craft activity, and other little bits and pieces. I spend a lot of time in bed so I need to have a bunch of things stored close-by. You could probably get the same function out of a box or drawer, though.
I've recently started trialling a self-propelled wheelchair so I can get out of the house on high-pain and high-fatigue days. It's not perfect because some days I struggle to self-propel (I'm talking to my doctor soon, though, and hoping I can try a powerchair or at least power-assist) but it's made a massive difference to my mood and how hopeful I'm feeling about the future.
Actions/activities I've found helpful:
I try to make myself get up and move around the house every few hours because I've found my muscles get stiff if I don't. It's also a wee bit of exercise and I don't get enough of that.
If I'm in bed all day, I try to regularly wiggle my feet and do a few leg lifts and stretches to help prevent muscle stiffness. If I can, I do little exercises in bed; I hope I can prevent losing too much muscle mass.
Journalling helps me remember important details and sort out the mess that is my inner thoughts. As well as regular journalling, I write down summaries of my appointments to refer back to later, and little bits of info on whatever I'm currently exploring (e.g. at the moment, it's a lot of notes on mobility aids).
I have a written plan (on paper but also a digital copy) for what to do on bad days. It's basically just a list of little actions I can take to make myself feel a little better or to manage symptoms (e.g. wash my face with a hot flannel, get a wheat pack, change position in bed). It's all fairly obvious stuff but, when I'm in a flare or super fatigued, I somehow completely forget what to do. By having it written down, my partner can remind me too.
I use a notes app (I won't specify which because I don't want to do their advertising for them) to keep digital copies of important info. I don't take my journal everywhere so it means I always have access to things like appointment notes or my bad-day plan. I can also share notes with my partner and family so they have the important info.
I use a digital calendar to keep track of appointments, bills, and tasks I need to do because my memory is not reliable enough these days. I make sure I share deadlines and appointments to my partner's calendar.
And finally, this is probably the most important thing for me: I do something I call Compassionate Aggressive Challenging; I try to challenge rules, standards, and ideals that I'm holding on to but that don't serve my wellbeing. Some are societal expectations like 'you get dressed when you wake up' (why should I? I'm not going anywhere and there's nothing morally wrong with pyjamas). Some are rules I've made up. Things don't need to be put away in certain places. There's no law against being pantsless in your own house. It's ok to eat a combination of "snack foods" instead of a meal you cooked on the stove (as long as you're still getting nutrition, but also some food is better than no food). We put so much pressure on ourselves to live up to standards that often don't serve us, and when we have limited capabilities, it's important to examine them and drop the dumb ones.
