HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

so much pain/anxiety

Support Forums
>
Fibromyalgia
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/26/2010 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
I hate to start out with negative vibes sad but I'm in so much pain it's horrible.  I woke up at 1:45 this morning in extreme pain all through my body.  I took a pain pill & and ativan and sat in a hot scalding shower for 30 min.  I then laid on a heating pad for the rest of the night.  It was awful.  I've  new pain. sharp, shooting pain through my ankles(on the outer side) then it shoots into my feet.  The rest of the pain is aching, throbbing absolutely aggrivating pain in my forearms, wrists, fingers, knees, shoulders.  It just seems like it doesn't ever stop.  I tried to chck my emails and just sitting there I became so overwhelmed with pain that I started having an anxiety attack. I had to get up and walk around and then go into my serrenity/meditation room.  I sat there, listened to some calming music and with all my strength fought the pain away. But it was a good hour & it was exhausting. I know that most of the overall body aches are fibro but I'm thinking that the new and increasing joint pain is probably my RA.  It seems like it's (RA) getting worse than the fibro now.  My anxiety attacks are happening closer and closer together too.  Is this what I have to look forward too?  Or is this just a really bad flare?

I'm so tired of this, very tired.  I don't even want to be around people anymore, I'm afraid they'll start asking me questions about how I'm doing and I'll just blurt out crying.

That's not good is it?  Do I need a counselor/therapy??  Oh god, I'm a mess.

thank you for listening,

Deb

Posted 9/26/2010 5:52 AM (GMT 0)
Flower,
I understand where you're coming from. It's 1:44 in the morning here in NY. It's pouring rain outside and I'm
hurting like a bear. I see there is another hurricane building and for me this is the worst time of year. I usually
end up at the drs for a depro medrol shot. For me it works like an anti-inflammatory and calms the pain.
I have a lot more pain in the wet cold when the weather fronts are building. With the combo of arthritis and
fibro sometimes it can really kick my butt. The hot showers help most of the time and I have the heat from
my waterbed. When I'm up I try to chill by playing games on the computer to take my mind off of it until I
get tired enough to go back to bed. Thankfully, I'm out of work on disability right now so I can sleep in a bit
on most days except for the ones I go to Physical Therapy.
Hope you feel better.
Nana Monster
Posted 9/26/2010 6:31 AM (GMT 0)
Deb, I'm so sorry that you are in so much pain. I understand how overwhelming
it can be to hurt so bad. You did the right thing by doing what you could to calm
yourself down. I'm also a big believer in relaxation therapy. I do it on a daily basis,
to help keep my stress level down. Worrying is the worst thing for us, it does no
good and uses up our energy and causes the anxiety.

I know how frustrating it can be living with multiple health issues, sometimes it does
feel like "piling on ." When the load feels too heavy, I pray. There are some things
we have control over and some things I put in God's hands...it makes it easier
for me to deal with. Try to take one day at a time, and at times it's an hour at a
time.

Accepting chronic illness does take time. I believe we do mourn the loss of good
health. I went through a grieving process and at times still will have a day where
I'm down and have a good cry, I think we all have some bad days. If you find
you are having a difficult time, it might help to talk to a couselor.

Do talk to your doctor about your concerns about the fibro and RA. It is possible

that you were having a bad fibro and bad RA flare together. i get them alot...

dueling flares is what I call them and heat does help!

Hope you feel better, sending prayers and gentle hugs :)

Hugs, Robin

Posted 9/26/2010 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
Oh gosh, Deb, so sorry that you're having all this pain! :( I don't usually get it as bad as you're describing, but I have been there, and it is horrible. You just want to scream and tear your hair out, but that would make it even worse!! Hopefully, it's eased up by now and you're getting some relief.

Hugs, Debbie
Posted 9/26/2010 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
Deb, sorry your hurting today, sending you a super soft hug and hope you feel better soon.

Hugs, Tina
Posted 9/26/2010 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
I'm still new to this. Not new to the pain (been having that for 2 years now) but new to the diagnosis and knowing now that really BAD times are "flares". Just got thru a 4 day one that ended yesterday. I was ready to call the emergency number at my Dr's office but decided to wait it out. Anyway, I wish I had advice for you but I don't. Sounds like you've been at this longer than me. I was hurting so bad the other night I just rolled back and forth all night on my GIANT heating pad that I tie around my body at night (so I can also switch to my stomach and still have the heating pad on my back). My pain that night was in my left hip?!? but it was awful. Fealt like it was broken or something. Have you tried soaking in a tub of epsom salt when it's really bad?? that has actually worked for me and I often forget to resort to that. Though it's very painful for me to get into and out of the tub, while I'm in there I can relax enough to get some relief. Also, I've bought lotion from bath and body that has peppermint in it. It's not as strong as muscle rubs (bengay, etc) and I use it ALL over my body. I've even massaged it into my scalp when I'm having BAD migraines (also have peppermint conditioner for that too - works surprisingly well). I also have pure peppermint oil that I mix with something (lotion) but you have to be careful with that as it's POWERFUL. I hope you are feeling better super soon. Hugs!
Posted 9/27/2010 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for the support.  I knew I could count on all of you to cheer me up. Even though I'm still in alot of pain and it's hard for me to type this,  I'm smiling just knowing that you understand what I'm talking about.  MrsMike I think you said somethng about epsom salt baths. I"m the queen of epsom baths, I  practicly live in my tub.  sad  Unfortunately, last night when I got out of the tub.Dizzy from the heat and the pain meds,  I was changing into my pj's and lost my balance and fell.  I hit my arm on a dresser then tumbled to the floor. Screaming in pain, my husband ran in, helped me up, got me some ice for my arm.  I really thought I broke it again.  My forearm swelled up and is turning black and blue. I cried for an hour it hurt so bad. What next?...Wait, I shouldn't say that

Oh & as far as a counselor.  I acutally have an appt. with a psychiatrist this wed. but it's mandatory for my disability claim.  They said something in my application gave them the impression I might be depressed so they want me to see one.  Hmmmmm, ya think?  So it's not about what truly hurts,( my body) now they want to see if I'm messed up in the 'ole noggin.  Great!

much  thanks, & hugs to all,

Deb      

Posted 9/27/2010 5:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Flower,
Well, it's one in the morning again and I'm back up aching. We have a weather front coming in for 2 days of rain,
go figure. Sorry to hear you fell, it sure stinks to be in so much pain. Are you going for workers disability or
state? I'm out on workers and have been for 3 months now, they figure about another month for my knee to heal.
Why did they ask if you are depressed? It seems drs do this often so they can get you on all sorts of meds.
Mine asked me if I was depressed and I told him NO I just hurt a lot. There is a big difference. We experience pain
so it tends to slow us down and worry about what the future holds for us and our physical problems but it's a long
ways from being depressed. Good luck with the pych dr and hope you get your disability straightened out. I'd do the
tub thing but I don't own one. I pulled it out and made a giant walk-in closet!!!
Godspeed,
Nana Monster
Posted 9/27/2010 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Nanamonster, sorry to hear you had another bad evening/morning.  I hate that.  It really messes up your whole day.  The damp air always gets to me too. 
I'm going for state, I haven't been able to work for the last 16 months.

We'll see how the dr goes, I'll let you know. 

I've ALWAYS wanted a walkin closet, but I don't think I could give up my tub for one,

especially now with all my pain shakehead  

Take it easy.

Deb wink  

Posted 9/28/2010 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Flower,
Gee, I got a call from the disability people today. What does it mean 75% disabled? We need more information.
Personally I think it means I can't work as I'm not healed enough to do my job. I explained to the woman what the
Physical Therapy dude said about the knee and that it still swells pretty bad after 2 hours on it, which being on my
feet on concrete for 8 hours says it all??!! I'm waiting to hear back from her as it's been 2 weeks without income.
With my spare time I made curtains for my bathroom and working on ones for my kitchen.

Hope you're feeling better and the weather where you are is nice...here it's been pouring out since last nite.
Nana Monster
Posted 9/28/2010 4:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hi  Nanamonster,

75% disabled?  What??  Tell that to your employer, "sorry, I can only work 25% of the time, and I can't tell you exactly when that 25% will be".  confused   At least you're being productive with your time, making curtains.   What kind of work do you do, if you don't mind me asking that you are standing on concrete??

The weather here is still very hot, 105 today.  A little humid too, which makes me feel worse.  I wish we would actually get some rain.  It would be great for my garden.

Take care, and I hope you can get some sleep.

Deb :-)

Posted 9/29/2010 5:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi again Flower,
I work in the dishroom of a 200 bed nursing home. I check the breakfast trays, then unload dishes which is very
fast paced, very heavy work..take a break...check the lunch trays (lots of stretching, bending and lifting) then
I have to rack all the dishes that come in the dishroom and send them to the one loading in. I figure I touch at'
least 2,000 things in and hour and a half. There is NO air conditioning and sometimes it gets up to 120 degrees in
there with 2 fans working. When unloading I have to unrack like 20 stoneware plates while checking them to be
clean, put them on my left arm while I have the empty rack in my right, put the empty rack back then put the plates
in a holder...all in about 10 seconds. Then any dirty ones get sent back to the loader to be sent through again.
I'm short and chunky and can keep up pretty good with trashed out knees but by the time I get home I can
barely walk. I've been doing it for 11 years now.....9 more and I can retire!!!! smilewinkgrin
Nana Monster
Posted 9/29/2010 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, that IS a hard job! I can't imagine doing that. Got to hand it to you, Nana.

Deb, good luck at the psychiatrist. More hoops to jump through, eh?

Debbie
Posted 9/30/2010 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
OMG, Nanamonster, that is A LOT of work. shocked   God Bless you,I don't know how you do it. Shear will I guess.  I hope the 9 years go by fast for you. 

Debbie, I think my appt. with the psych. went well.  She seemed nice and I realize they (the state) has to follow guidelines.  We'll see what happens next.  I don't expect to hear soon as I know it takes a while for paperwork and such to make it's rounds.

I'm physically feeling ok today, but emotionally a wreck.  I can't wait for the day when both my emotions and body feel good on the same day.  :-)    It's been a while since that's happened. sad

Take care,

Deb

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply