Fibromyalgia Support

[Kell25]

Hi Everyone

I have had fibro for abuot 6 months now, and as you can all agree it's really hard to deal with! No matter what health problems I have had to face over the last few years, I have always stayed positive and happy. Unfortunately I have become quite sad with what I have to put up with at the moment, and feeling sorry for myself. It's so hard lately to put a smile on my face, when deep down I am in constant pain and am really unhappy with dealing with this. What have you guys done to help get through this? And what sorts of treatments have you tried to help with pain?

I am also finding it really hard at the moment with exercising, as if I do 30mins of water aerobics or walking, the next day I am exhausted and extremly sore. I seem to turn to lollies & chocolate when feeling down and in pain, which is not doing me any good. So putting some weight back on is getting me even more down.

Do you all seem to go through these sorts of things also?

Thanks so much, look forward to some responses.

[bosslady]

Hey
I've had fibro for 6 years now and being honest have been a guinea pig off treatments including morphine and a whole host o others. I find meds dont actually help me much, i have a morphine patch on a low dose which helps my sickness, (i have ibs, gerd, and acid reflux) pacing helps but as always its difficult to gauge one day to the next, i also find acupuncture helpful i have a session every 2 weeks, its really painful for me but the next day it does provide some relief.
I have tried physio but it was just to painful for me and hydro therapy but again it was to painful. CBT could be helpful but for me it was at the wrong time i needed it when i first for ill by the time i got an appointment 4 years had passed and i was much more aware of myself and in control of the situation. The begining was hard for me i was 20 when i got ill and in the prime of my life good career, clubbing etc.. within 6 months i was wheelchair bound and pretty much friendless. It seemed to happen overnight and was really upsetting i remember spending most of those days sobbing and feeling terribly low. no one believing i was ill and feeling so crap and in pain.
DLA was a fight, social services was a fight but luckily that all sorted itself out the last 3 years i have made mental improvements, the pain is still excruciating and hasn't changed much from when i first got fibro, but having a good head on my shoulders has helped me loads. i read loads of self help books on called 'in the meantime' and it really helped me, try and find books which you can relate to at the end of the day its each to their own, some books i've tried just haven't touched my soul!
I have also turned to god which for me was surprising as i was never a religious being growing up, praying has helped me get through each day and feel good about who i am.
learning to love the new (fibro) me was hard but when i got there i felt like nothing could get me down. learning to be thankful for today and what i can do, even if thats sit up in bed on my own, i celebrate it!
its easy to see the negative and whilst yes i still have the days of why me i now have a cry and forgive myself for those thoughts this helps me.
feel free to write to me if you want to talk more.
good luck
claire x

[Danidj]

I was born with spastic displegia. (a mild form of cerebral palsy) I have recently been diagnosed as a Type II diabetic, I have high blood pressure, migraines and recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. There are times when I think doctors think I am fabricating my symptoms to get pain medications. From the last two weeks of September until today I have been to my primary doctor and in the ER three times trying to get help with pain. I began having localized pain in the left side of my chest and I had shortness of breath. After chest xrays and EKG's which turned out normal, the doctor said it was costochondritis (inflamation of the cartilage in the sternum) and I should rest and apply moist heat to the area. This did not work. I went back to the ER because the pain was causing tingling in my left arm and leg. After another normal chest xray and EKG I was told my potassium level was a little low, given two potassium pills and sent home. Yesterday I had to go to the hospital to get a bone density scan and a series of xrays done that my doctor ordered. I was in so much pain after the test and xrays I went back downstairs to be seen in the ER again. The doctor said that my pain was related to fibromyalgia. I was given two pain shots and sent home. The pain medications that I am on are not working. Has anyone ever been hospitalized due to fibromyalgia pain? What can be done to control pain when oral medication is not working? I know this sounds strange, but I wish the doctor would put me in the hospital, the pain is unbearable.

[mandy13]

Hiya,

Im so sorry your feeling low i know how you feel, I get days where the pain is so bad i can't walk and it really gets to me i sit crying. I was also feeling the same about my weight, i was 3 stone over weight and no matter what i did i couldn't shift the weight then someone asked me if i'd had my thyroid checked i hadn't so i went to see my G.P had the test and it came back that i had a thyroid problem so i was put onto some medication and lost the 3 stone over 4 months. Im still in alot of pain but find i can cope better not carrying extra around on my joints. I was told that people who have fibromyalgia can have thyroid problems so its worth having a checkup. Alot of doctors say that weight gain isn't a symptom of a overactive thyroid but my G.P said it is and she was right in my case.
I think for me the hardest things to cope with are the pain from fibro and watching my 3 boys doing alot of the housework/ caring for me which makes me feel very guilty and upsets me all the time but my children and my new boyfriend helps me alot and makes me smile .

If you need someone to talk to just ask
Gentle hugs xx
Amanda.