My nervous system is fried

What a wretched week it's been so far. I've been in so much pain. Yesterday, I was seriously starting to worry that I might need a cane to get around because of my hip. My hip is better today, for which I am very grateful. I didn't want to have to buy a cane.

But what isn't doing better is my nervous system. I'm going through one of those times where it seems like I have bionic hearing. Every noise seems super loud. And it feels like every nerve in my body is exposed and raw and vibrating to every noise. AND, it feels like every noise makes my chest feel tight and weird, like the center of my chest is a huge guitar string that gets plucked with every noise. It's driving me batty.

I was supposed to go to my son's curriculum night tonight. I should be leaving right now, actually. And I just can't do it. I can't be in a room with a bunch of people. My nerves can't take all that noise. Or the feeling of jumping out of my skin just because someone walks up beside me.

Of all the symptoms of a flare, the overactive nervous system is the hardest for me to take. My heart is pounding right now just because noise is driving me crazy. The kids have the TV on, cars are continuously driving by, my neighbors are getting their carpets cleaned by the Stanley Steemer truck and the sound is humming throughout my entire house. Etc, etc. There's so much noise. I can't get away from it.

So far, I haven't found anything that helps this. Sometimes, a small glass of wine can help numb it just a little bit temporarily. But other than that, I haven't found anything that helps. I didn't have one of these "episodes" the whole time I was on Elavil but I was so tired I was barely conscious for the three months I was on it, so that really isn't a viable solution.

Do you experience this? Have you found anything that helps? 

Hypersensitivity to noise is making me crazy

One of the many things I hate about fibromyalgia is the hypersensitity to noise. I've been having so many migraines over the past month and I'm pretty sure it is from the stress of the constant noise around here. Even if I don't let the noise irritate me, I can feel myself tensing up when one of the annoying noises starts again.

Take this very second for instance. I drug my papa-san chair out to the deck so I could sit and write and the minute I sat down the neighbor boy started playing his drum set. He lives two houses down but it is SO LOUD he may as well have it set up on the deck right next to me, even though I am using my noise cancelling headphones. I can feel something tensing up in my head and I feel sure another migraine is going to come on.  I could take my chair back in the house, but then I'd hear the base from my husband's radio down in the garage. There's no escape. I just want to scream.

I know people think I'm terrible for wanting my kids (and the neighbor kids) back in school so badly. But dealing with loud noise every waking moment is driving me over the edge. Kids are loud and I can't help it, the noise gets to me and fries my nerves.

I seriously wonder how I'm going to get through the next couple of weeks without having a heart attack, stroke, or nervous breakdown. I know the stress is taking a serious toll on my body and mind. I'm pretty sure stress is the cause of my migraines and the flare I've been dealing with.  I'm trying everything I can to relax but the constant barrage on my senses is making it impossible.

Do you suffer from hypersensitivity to noise? All the the time, or just when you're flaring? Have you found anything that helps you cope?