just diagnosed

Hi Shanscelica, welcome to our fibro family and I want you to know that all of us here do understand what it is like to live with pain. I have two mottos that I try to live by, the first is one day at a time. There will always be the bad days but there will also be better days where the pain is less and you feel almost normal. I can do each day knowing that the next might be better. My second is I have fibro, fibro does not have me. I refuse to let this disease control my whole life. I have had fibro since I was very young and have dealt with just about everything fibro can throw at you.

I did manage to raise 5 children and worked up until a year and a half ago. So please know that this is only going to control your life if you let it. There are changes you will make with fibro, alot of us find that gentle exercise helps us deal better. Running even a 1/4 mile would probably put me on a stretcher. lol but taking leisurely walks, stretching exercises, and swimming therapy can be very helpful. The less we move around the more pain we seem to have.

I have to admire you for your line of work. That has to be hard in itself dealing with those poor babies and being on your feet 12 hours in a row would be very difficult. I just want you to know that we have a great support network here and always feel free to ask questions, vent when you need to or offer support to others when you can. Hope to hear from you soon.
Gentle Hugs
Shirley

Welcome, Shanna! I am sorry to hear that you are having so much pain. I cannot imagine having to be on my feet for 12 hours per day.

I was diagnosed about 11/2years ago. I run an in-home Day Care center. Since I was diagnosed, I have drastically decreased the number of children that I keep, and the number of hours that I work. Stress management has become important to me, and this has helped a great deal.

My doctor is a neurologist at the Pain Clinic at our local hospital. I take Lyrica to manage my pain, and he also prescribes Flexeril for me to take on an as needed basis. I actually only take this about once weekly. In addition, I take Trazodone at beditime in order to help me stay asleep. I take a Vitamin D3 supplement every day, as my count was very low when I was tested at the time I was diagnosed (it has since raised to the low end of normal). This is apparently a common problem for those of us with Fibro, and it is important for you to get tested if you haven't done so already. I noticed an improvement in my symptoms after I began taking the supplement, and I have noticed that several other people on this forum have also mentioned this.

As several other people have mentioned, inactivity can be our enemy. I know from experience that it is so hard to think about getting up and moving when you are in so much pain, let alone doing any form of exercise. Yet, I notice that the less I move, the more I hurt. There are times that I have had to force myself exercise. I do some simple stretching exercises that I was taught when I went through Physical Therapy a year ago whenever I am feeling stiff. My doctor is a firm believer in water exercise, and insists that I go at least 2 times per week. I actually love doing this, and go 3-5 times per week. Our hospital has a heated pool that the exercise classes take place in, and the water temperature is about 91 degrees. It feels great! Many hospitals now have this, and people can either exercise on their own or attend classes. Equipment such as weights and flotation devices is made available for people to use. In warmer weather, I walk our dogs for about 11/2 hours in the evenings. In addition, I use an eliptical trainer about 3 times per week. If I am not active for 2 or 3 days, I can really feel a difference in my pain levels. This is particularly true if I happen to miss water exercise classes for a few days. The medication is only a part of the pain management. We have to find other ways to manage the pain along with taking the medications.

Please don't give up. You have come to the right place for advice. This is a very caring group of people, and I believe it always helps to get advice from people who have actually experienced the symptoms. I wish you the best, and I hope that you find a way to get some relief from your pain soon.

Hi, Shanna, and welcome!  I'm so glad your boyfriend found us and you decided to join in!  I have had fibro for 24 years and have had a full and enjoyable life in spite of the illness!  Your life isn't over.  It's just beginning!  You will learn what to use to control the pain so  you will be the one in control...not fibro.  It will take trial and error but you will hit on what helps you and then you will be on your way.

 

I use ibuprofen with food, extra strength Tylenol, malic acid/magnesium supplements, and vitamin D3 to help with my pain and fatigue.  There are links on Fibro 101, the first thread on the forum, about the vitamins and supplements and how they work in the body.  They have helped me and others, but not everyone.  They are not expensive so it might be worth a shot.  We always suggest that you talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting anything just to make sure there are no drug interactions.  My doctor said they were fine but he didn't think they would work.  Well, he was wrong! 

 

I also do gentle stretching exercises that can be found on Fibro 101 and I also do gentle exercise daily.  I walk or swim as my daily exercise.  You get enough exercise...probably, too much....with your job but the stretching could help you out anyway.  It's hard to be on your feet all of the time but your job sounds wonderful. 

 

Moist heat helps, too.  A hot shower feels wonderful.  Some use a Bed Buddy.  You can find these at Walgreen's and other places or you could make your own by taking a tube sock, filling it 2/3's full of raw long grain rice and tying a knot at the end.  Pop it in the microwave and it gives off moist heat due to the moisture in the rice.

 

A positive outlook is a huge help with this illness.  I find counting my blessings helps a lot and I try not to focus on my pain.  If I get busy, the pain will fade in the background and that helps.  I never do a "body check" to see what hurts.  It doesn't help matters and the pain will change anyway to other parts of my body.  I guess I have just accepted this as part of my life and I just keep going.  I do pace myself because I can't get things done in the same time frame BUT they do get done!  That's what's important. 

 

Try to keep yourself on a sleep schedule.  This could help you too.  I go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time every day.  My body is so accustomed to it that I usually fall asleep in minutes.  I do get up several times in the middle of the night but can usually fall right back to sleep.  The sleep schedule helped me with this.

 

So, don't dispair.  We are here to help you.  You have some wonderful times ahead of you and you can do so much in spite of this illness.  I know because I have.  I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  I hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine

Thank you all for your support through one of the hardest weeks of my life.  I have had a chance to look through some of fibro101 and was amazed at some of the information that was posted, especially the symptoms.  I cant believe that I was misdiagnosed for some many years by so many docs.  How could it have been missed.  I cried right there, reading the symptoms.  Just couldnt believe the pieces were never put together.  Still have some people and some docs say that its a bs diagnosis, which just makes me feel unjustified...as if the pain isnt real or the symptoms are made up.  To me, both the pain and the symptoms are very real.  It helps to know that there are kind people that are able to talk, to be here to listen, that understand and that are  to willing to hear me complain from time to time.  You have no idea how much that means to me.  Thank you.  I'll appreciate it forever and i will keep you all close to my heart.  Thanks again.

Shanna

 

~ "You have to give up the life you've planned to find the life that's waiting for you."

Post Edited (shanscelica) : 3/15/2011 11:02:29 PM (GMT-6)