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Posted 1/20/2011 8:37 AM (GMT 0)
Good Morning,

     I was not entirely sure what to put in the title so I figured I would try and make it interesting. This is my first time posting in anyy forum but I have had FMS for about eleven years now. I was diagnosed when I was nineteen and at that point I wasn't entirely sure what was going on and it just made me angry. I was married with a child and working full time to support my family. (Wife was working too to be clear.)

     I believe we spent roughly five to six thousand dollars trying to get me diagnosed which also made me very angry at the time and that turned me away from Doctors for a while. After a few years I gave up my somewhat childish avoidance and went back. I was on something they usually hand out before Lyrica and then on the Lyrica for a while... had an unfortunate mishap where the town I went on vacation to did NOT have a pharmacy that stocked Lyrica... so I went on cold turkey withdrawl for a week long vacation with my entire family and then that put me off Doctors for another five years.

     Had another mental breakthrough recently and I started seeing a therapist and she has made some amazing breakthroughs. She has made me see the light and I have started shedding the multiple layers of protection I had around my emotions and the numbness is fading. With emotions, feelings, excitement, and passion comes the pain. The pain is back worse than it was in the beginning and I have a much higher pain tolerance now than I ever have before. The massive anti depressants my physician and therapist have me on are absolutely helping me be the person I was before the FMS snuck in and invaded my body. The Lyrica is supposed to help too but I have intense flare ups and sometimes it is unbearable.

     I suppose I should also mention that I was diagnosed with Meniere's about a year after the FMS and the two seem to feed off each other... if I get incredibly dizzy the pain flares up and vice versa.

     I've dealt with it for eleven years alone and now it's time I find help and find someone to help me live my life the way it was meant to be lead.

Thanks,

Michael in Idaho

Posted 1/20/2011 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Michael,

Thanks for joining us. This is a wonderful place and I am sure that you will get a lot of help here. If you get the chance, check out the thread called fibro101. It is the first thread on the forum. There is a ton of valuable information there.

I hope that you are feeling better soon. Keep posting.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 1/20/2011 2:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Michael,
I too am experiencing flare ups of the pain.

I can relate to your anger. for me I was angry (or grieving) the life I used to have. But I have come to accept some of my limitations.

What is driving me crazy right now (besides the pain) is the fibro fog I have right now where it is impeding my work. Even though I have a pretty secure job, I really worry because right now I can't get my work done, I am so out of it.

Hang in there, realize there are a lot of us out here who have gone through things you have gone through. Reach out when you need to.
Posted 1/20/2011 3:25 PM (GMT 0)
having an illness that causes financial stress, emotional stress, and physical stress is enough to put a well built wall up around anyone going thru it. The doctors dont understand, friends, family, co-workers dont understand. Even when we have close family members or friends we still tend to feel all alone in this battle.

Getting to the point that you are ready to break down the wall and reach out for help is the beginning of getting your life back. It will be a different life but it can still be a good life.

It took me several years, some good doctors, a very understanding husband, the right combo of meds and my own frame of mind to get here but I am now happy with my life and live it as well as I can.


please, come here any time you need to vent, tell a funny story, ask questions.....
Posted 1/20/2011 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Michael, just wanted to welcome you to our fibro family and to let you know that I do understand what dealing with fibro can be like. I am so glad that you are finally breaking down the walls that you put up and therapy can be a wonderful thing when you have the right threrapist.

Life will never be exactly like it was before the fibro but I have learned that life can still be enjoyable and fullfilling even while dealing with this disease. I try to take life one day at a time and always try to remember that I have fibro, it doesnt have me.

You have come to a great place for support for we have a wonderful group of caring people. I will keep you in my prayers and I hope to hear from you again soon.

Gentle Hugs
Shirley
Posted 1/20/2011 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome Michael,

Grieving for the life that once was and then moving on helps us all. I hope you are comforted by knowing that you are not alone, I find that helps a lot.
I have learned that my mind has tremendous powers and although pain and flare-ups and my arthritis all can be going at once my mind set has a huge impact on how well I cope. Good for you for doing this at your young age.
Welcome ... may the healing continue.
Nancy
Posted 1/20/2011 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Michael, and welcome!  You sure went through the wringer for a diagnosis, didn't you!  A lot of us went through that, too.  Back years ago, doctors really didn't know a lot about fibro and some are still in the Dark Ages today but it's getting better and better all of the time. 

 

I'm so glad that you are coming to grips with fibro now and can face it head on.  That's good.  You want to be in control of fibro, not the other way around.  I'm glad you are getting some relief, too.  We do have our flares but we also know that fibro waxes and wanes so there will be some good times, too.

 

We have a couple of members on this forum that also have Meniere's Disease.  I'm sure they will be popping in to say "Hi".  I have a severe hearing loss but it is due to something else.  I'm sure you know to stay away from sodium.  That just makes things worse with Meniere's.

 

I'm so glad you found us and joined in.  I have a lot of lovely, caring people in this forum and I think you will be comfortable here.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  I hope to hear more from  you soon.

 

Sherrine

Posted 1/20/2011 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Snue -

What cleared up *most* of the fibro fog for me were the right anti-depressants. I do, still, sometimes end up putting the milk in the pantry or the peanut butter in the fridge but those are small things compared to the constant fuzziness and swirling feelings I used to have. Not completely gone but a thousand times better than it used to be. Thanks for the welcome as well.

Gettingby -

Thanks for talking about the Fibro 101 thread, I actually read most of it already. In fact I have read near;y every book on FMS I could get my hands on and nearly every article, website or periodical available. During the years and years that I was shunning Doctor's I tried nearly ever home remedy and every book's suggestion and none of them really seemed to help. Thanks for the information though

MsCrowbar -

You are absolutely correct. I was ninteen, fresh out of HS and college was an aspiration but once you get to the point you can't walk nor think any more it was put on hold. Working crappy night shifts to earn money made seeing Doctors regularly nearly impossible as the financial stress was terrible. I think I am at the point though where I can destroy my walls and barriers and become a better husband and father as long as my Doc and therapist don't quit anytime soon! Thanks for the welcome.

Sotiredoffibro -

You are correct, life will never be exactly the same. Frankly, I really don't have a desire to be the person I was before because I was fresh out of high school and kind of an idiot. I like the person I am now and once my therapist beats the self-imposed emotional exile out of me I think I will be the person I was meant to be. These three drugs seem to be doing miracles for me and I think, minus the pain of course, that I am in better shape mentally and physically than I would have without it. FMS builds up such a mental strength and willpower that you don't see in most people without a chronic illness. I love my FMS and I simultaneouls hate Fibromyalgie with a passion! Thanks for your point of view!

Njgs -

You are right that everyone slips into a moment where they think of what life could have been like. As I said in the paragraph above I feel I am a better person because of FMS. I was a bit of an arrogant arse before I was diagnosed I hear and I don't think I am anymore! Thanks for your advice.

Sherrine -

You are absolutely correct, I am ready to face Fibro head on and kick it's arse. I am not so much the flare up kind of person as mine has been pretty constant on the Pain Scale only moving up or down one depending on the day. With the walls coming down and the anti-depressants clearing my head though it seems like it has jumped up several numbers as of late. At this point I really don't have a choice I can either face it or go hide in my little happy land and ignore it again and be nigh useless. As for Meniere's it is a royal pita but it hasn't had that much of an impact on my life lately. Little spins now and then but nothing I can't force away. I have done a low sodium diet... under 100mg for 6 months and nothing seemed to change... I have done about three dozen diets in the last few years and none of them seemed to really help. I usually eat healthy anyway so I went back to my normal style of eating and while I haven't seen any improvement I'm much happier with my dinner choices!

Michael - ID
Posted 1/20/2011 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Michael!

Wonderful to see you posting here. I think it's the best thing you could do...reach out and talk to others who 'live your life' also. I see you live in Idaho. My family came from north Idaho, Benewah county/Plummer/St. Maries. Still go to see my cousin who lives up the St. Joe river. She's such a compasionate soul and is very watchful of me and my fibro. Nice to have family who understands also.

Please join in the 'Family' here and get to know everyone. I think you'll like the warmth and sometimes some silliness we possess...heavy on the silliness some days...

Warm hugs,
Chutz
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