Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Support Thread

This is a support thread for those with Fibromyalgia or any other form of chronic pain.

It's a place for us to talk about our frustrations, ask questions, get support, and share in our successes. For many this is going to be a life long journey, and it's helpful to have others along who understand.

I don't know of any threads but I would like to join.

Any time I've posted asking for help/advice/support on the topic, I haven't gotten many replies, if any.

The few replies I got were from people who didn't really sound like they knew what FMS was. I'd be all in favor of an actually Support Thread. I have CFS, too, and I can't really take medicine for either because I have sever bipolar and have a really bad chem imbalance from it. I would love to have a place to discuss all natural ways to treat it, or just hear what other ladies do to get by.

I figured there'd be at least a few ladies on here interested =D

We can use this thread! If we find another one that's already active we can use that one though, but for now we can use this one. If we don't hear of another in a few days I'll edit the OP to reflect that this is the support thread, sound good?

Well, I guess first would be intro's?

I just got an official diagnosis this week. I hadn't really thought at all that I'd have fibro, I was expecting lupus or something. I've been in pain a while, but it had gotten a lot worse over the last few months. I also thought I had a gluten problem, but now I'm really thinking that it might be fibro and not gluten.

So far my Dr put me on flexeril at night to help me sleep (the pains been keeping me up). I've been on that a few days and it's help a TON. I still hurt during the day, but the sleep is making it a lot easier to work with.

I've thought about Cymbalta, but I want to just try this for a while first.

So, that's my story! I'm really new to Fibro, but I'm really glad to have other ladies who understand!

Alright, I'll give my story. I'll try to keep it short, I tend to ramble lol.

I've been in pain all of my life. I'm very sensitive to stress, low pressure weather systems, depression, illnesses, and lack of sleep. Any of these or none of these can exacerbate my symptoms to extreme degrees.

I first remember feeling pain at 10. I would tell my mom I didn't want to go outside because my legs and back hurt and she never believed me. I complained into my teenage years about the fatigue and pain, and everyone just called me lazy.

Having the baby and getting on Depo (there are studies that show it SERIOUSLY messes with your body if you have FMS) have completely ruined me. I'm bedridden some days. I'm working on getting my disability because I can't keep a job and it's so hard not to be down about that. Everyone is constantly judging me.

No medication has worked for me, and I refuse to try anymore. I want all natural help.

My symptoms associated with FMS:
Pain in all 18 pressure points
Muscle tightness/weakness/numbness
CFS
Nausea/IBS
Dizziness/disorientation on bad days
and
Weakened immune system


I've tried to get support on BG for this, because when it gets bad I'm so depressed I can't stand it. I literally have no one to talk to and no one understands. =[

Quoting Chroma Hex [+1]:" Alright, I'll give my story. I'll try to keep it short, I tend to ramble lol. I've been in pain all ... [snip!] ... this, because when it gets bad I'm so depressed I can't stand it. I literally have no one to talk to and no one understands. =["

Awww hun, I'm so sorry =( I get what you mean, that no one understands. It's really hard to talk to someone when they don't get that you hurt ALL the time. They really don't understand what that means, and they look at you like you're just being a wuss, or like they expect it has to get better at some point. They don't really understand or believe that it really just always hurts.

I know I had pain as a kid. The Dr said it was arthritis, but I suspect that was just a guess at the time. I've been checked for RA, so I don't think that's it.

I think the really hard part of something like this, is I keep thinking "it won't get better." As in, when you have the flu ,or an infection, or something like that you know it will go away. It hurts NOW, but it won't always hurt. With something chronic I get down because I feel like I'll never feel better, I'll ALWAYS hurt, and it makes it hard to look forward to things.

Quoting she nan igans:" Awww hun, I'm so sorry =( I get what you mean, that no one understands. It's really hard to talk to ... [snip!] ... I get down because I feel like I'll never feel better, I'll ALWAYS hurt, and it makes it hard to look forward to things."

I've been told so much lately to get over it. I'm like "I found out I have something that will never go away and will only get worse six months ago. I never got an apology from anyone that kept telling me there was nothing wrong with me all these years. I'm grieving over the life I'm going to have, I think I deserve a little time to feel sorry for myself."

Everyone keeps giving me a hard time over getting on disability. I understand that most people with FMS still work...but there are varying degrees of the disorder. There are some days when I literally can't walk and it talks all I can to take care of my own daughter. I don't want to live on 700 a month for the rest of my life...between my daughter and I, I'll NEVER be able to live alone. =[ But I'm the bad guy for not "sucking it up and getting over it."

Quoting Chroma Hex [+1]:" I've been told so much lately to get over it. I'm like "I found out I have something that will never ... [snip!] ... my daughter and I, I'll NEVER be able to live alone. =[ But I'm the bad guy for not "sucking it up and getting over it.""

I thankfully haven't run into that yet. Mine isn't bad enough to not be able to work, but I know that I have a hard time some days caring for my kids. I'm a SAHM with a 2.5 year old and a 1.5 year old and it's really difficult some days. It's hard when just lifting the kids hurts so much that I can hardly get the little one in adn out of his high chair or crib. I want to take them out and DO more, but I hurt and it's really really difficult. My daughter comes up and kisses/hugs me and says "Mama sick," because she knows I hurt, even though I try not to show it.

I'm one of those pretty positive people, but it's hard sometimes to stay positive. I was happy to find out it was fibro as opposed to something that could kill me, but at the same time it's hard to know that it's probably only going to get worse.

But while people are difficult in understanding sometimes, I remind myself that before I had it, I wasn't all that understanding. Unless you've been through it, it's really hard to "get it" and I try to remind myself of that.

I have fibro and just had all my blood work done thursday for lupus. I have had chronic pain for 9 years and last year finally was told its fibro. I have only been given sleeping pills for night pain, but it's hard to take them when I have 3.5 year old and an infant. We are going to work on new treatment next week depending OB what my blood results show. Its been a frustersting road for me because people don't understand my pain. Or they always tell me it's in my head, and it most defiantly is not!!!!

<blockquote><b>Quoting Chroma Hex [+1]:</b>" I've been told so much lately to get over it. I'm like "I found out I have something that will never ... [snip!] ... my daughter and I, I'll NEVER be able to live alone. =[ But I'm the bad guy for not "sucking it up and getting over it.""</blockquote>




I'm sorry  I honestly don't know if I'll be able to return to work either. I'm a teacher and I stand and bend all day. And sometimes I can't even leave my bed, so I'm unsure of what will happen.

Quoting ILOVEWINE:" I have fibro and just had all my blood work done thursday for lupus. I have had chronic pain for 9 years ... [snip!] ... road for me because people don't understand my pain. Or they always tell me it's in my head, and it most defiantly is not!!!!"

So far the muscle relaxer has worked great for me for bed time. I was taking a sleeping pill before (over the counter one) and that knocked me out. The muscle relaxers made me sleepy and took away a lot of the pain so I could get some sleep. It doesn't knock me out though, so I can still hear the kids. I'm taking 5mg I think, since I think each one is 5 and the dr said I could take one or two before bed.

Question.

How do you gals manage weight loss/exercise?

I want to work out SO BAD, but I'm so afraid of pushing myself too hard. I was taking up running, and overdoing it I admit. However, overdoing it used to mean i was extra sore, this last time it laid me flat on my back for like days. It was HORRIBLE. Now I'm afraid to push myself at all.

Quoting she nan igans:" Question. How do you gals manage weight loss/exercise? I want to work out SO BAD, but I'm so afraid ... [snip!] ... was extra sore, this last time it laid me flat on my back for like days. It was HORRIBLE. Now I'm afraid to push myself at all."

I'm about to start a new exercise regimen, actually. My doctor helped me decide on it, and I'm going to talk to the fitness guy at the Wellness Center for more advice.

From what I've read, the most important thing is stretching and cardio. Walking is the best thing someone with FMS can do. I try to get out of the house at least once a day, even if it's just to take DS and go to Wal-Mart with a friend and look around.

Running isn't so good...but jogging/walking and doing reps of each is great. I've heard that yoga is AMAZING for helping FMS, but I just don't have the money for a class. I'd do it on my own at home, but I like to know how to do those things properly.

If I have to do too much in a day, it does wear me down for the next few. You'll just have to take it easier than most people. I need to lose 50lbs, and I imagine it'll take close to or over a year. =[

Quoting Chroma Hex [+1]:" I'm about to start a new exercise regimen, actually. My doctor helped me decide on it, and I'm going ... [snip!] ... You'll just have to take it easier than most people. I need to lose 50lbs, and I imagine it'll take close to or over a year. =["

I've lost 20 so far (well, over 40 from when I had my son, but 20 since recently working on it). I still have another 30 or so to be in the "normal" range, and then we'll see.

I love to work out, that's my hard thing. I have the mindset of "push through the pain" but I know I can't do that anymore and it sucks. I had to pull back from any running. I'm back to walking, and I do stair climbing. Also, I do weight lifting, but I've noticed all I am MUCH weaker then I was even a few weeks ago =(

Quoting she nan igans:" I've lost 20 so far (well, over 40 from when I had my son, but 20 since recently working on it). I still ... [snip!] ... and I do stair climbing. Also, I do weight lifting, but I've noticed all I am MUCH weaker then I was even a few weeks ago =("

Anything can trigger your FMS to suddenly spike...and most of the time, you don't go back to the way you were before. That's the hard part. It happens so suddenly and fiercely...I feel like I'm constantly changing my life style.

The important thing is that you stay active, even if you have to cut back! Doing shorter exercises but more throughout the day has proven to cause extra weight loss anyway.