As a woman who needs medical appointments for maintaining care (and possible) treatments for Fibromyalgia; who has no access to family physicians or nurse practitioner practices in my immediate local (I can't travel outside my city limits because I do not drive). I have to think outside my medical team "box" and pick and choose alternative health care solutions. Your medical team could include your GP/FP, a nurse practitioner, physiotherapist, message therapist, acupuncturists, and/or any specialist(s) that you need for your chronic illness care and maintenance.

Before I was diagnosed, I had an amazing physician who believed in my struggles and worked along side of me to find solutions; trial and error with prescriptions, tests such as ultrasounds, x-rays, CT-scans, MRI, and she referred me to different specialists. It was a long process of the elimination game to zero in on the "real culprit". In November 2018, she diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. The rheumatologist confirmed her diagnosis with additional blood work and a single consultation that I do, in fact, have Fibromyalgia.

My lovely doctor closed her practice in the summer 2019; my family was transferred to another physician within an umbrella of medical services but when he closed his office in April 2020, he did not refer us to another GP within that umbrella and we lost many needed services.

I was more likely to click the second over the first one for many reasons, but my #1 why is that I don't even have a waiting room to get to, there is no GP available and online services seem to begun a new health care system in its own.

I must note that this services look like they are coming from the private sector (Loblaws)  and most, if not all, have fees associated with them. To speak with a GP, it is $49 (please see gallery of screenshots from their PC health app. I read on the reviews page that PEI will assist or repay the fee to see the GP, if you do not have one to consult. I do not live in PEI, please verify with your health care department from your government agency.

With PC health services, there is an option to book an appointment with a chronic pain physician. I was most impressed with the variety of appointments.

As I have stated before, I am without a family physician; I have been without OHIP covered medical services for a year. Any services I have gotten since May 2020, I have paid out of pocket for physiotherapy, a consultation with a naturopathic doctor, and my adrenal function test. As a person who has no GP/FP (and on a waitlist), I am considering this alternative to find answers and continue to maintain care.

I wanted to share my favorite products I use on a daily bases for my self-care and products that ease my pain during recovery from a flare or daily pains.

Every night before I fall asleep, I use Yves Rocher Anti-Fatigue/Anti-Tiredness Foot Soothing Iced Gel & Yves Rocher Light Legs Fresh Gel. I just discovered these Yves Rocher products this month and I love them very much, I don't hurt as much in the morning.
My favorite pain relief topical cream is by Mind Body Matrix. I was gifted a sample size bottle last summer when I joined the International Fibromyalgia Coaching Institute. I was so pleased that I felt immediate relief in my back, neck, and shoulders (or wherever else, I had applied it for pain relief). It is a pricey item, but I believe it is worth the cost, for it's an alternative to prescription medication that I don't have access to.
I use an essential oil called Worry Not, I apply it at bedtime on my wrists, breathe in the aroma and peacefully fall asleep.
If I have a headache, I use a frozen eye pillow created by KrumaCreations, either on the back of my neck or over my eyes.

My top apps for tracking my fibromyalgia symptoms, pain, and moods:
Bellabeat
Daylio
​GeoPain

​For my 38th birthday, my family got me my beautiful Bellabeat leaf, in rose gold; it's a smart jewelry on premium blackwood that gives an earthy/nature look that I adore. The bellabeat tracks activity, sleep, meditation,  reproductive health, and smart alarm. I decided that this was the product for me because of the sleep tracking and the beautiful design.

​Recently, I saw that Bellabeat has a waitlist for their new edition. It is called Ivy Bellabeat and it tracks heart rate, resting heart rate, respiratory rate, sleep quality and duration, and more. I love that the Ivy has these new tracking options, but I am not sure I am in love with the design/the look of the Ivy.

Daylio is a fun way to track moods. I use it everyday for almost every activity I do each day. I discovered this app two years ago; it compiles your data and the stat reports are great to go over and see what improves mood and what doesn't help improve mood, there's cute badges "achievements" to earn, and weekly mood reports that show you last week vs. this week mood chart.

GeoPain is fantastic for tracking daily medication and has a great pain chart; it has a great design and 3D body chart. It was easier to track my headaches, I could draw on the actual area that hurts, and see the different headaches (sinus or migraine). On GeoPain, under treatments, you can list your medication and supplements, and so much more.

Please comment below, let me know your favorite health & wellness tracking app?