Hi Everyone!! Im new to this....

Hi there, I was just diagnosed with FM 4 days ago and I am trying to wrap my head around it...it answers so many health issues my drs have just told me to "deal with"...but it leaves so many things unanswered. Im 29 years old with 2 kids, (2.5 and 7) living in Northern Ontario Canada. Im a Medical Esthetician, and now not sure how long I'll be able to continue in my career. Im hoping that by reading everyone elses experiences and seeing how other people cope with the pain and the sleep deprivation, I will find something that works for me and I can continue to be educated and grow. I hope everyone has had a good day and more to come!! Thanks for listening to my lil rant!!

xo,

Bex

Welcome Bex!

I am new to the forum as I just signed up and thought I'd say hello. My name is Mary and I'm 31 years old. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a few years ago, but it's possible I've had it half my life. I live in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan working as a full-time student.

With Fibromyalgia, you learn to find what works for you. It all depends on your symptoms and what you can handle doing to make yourself feel better. For years I couldn't find anything that helped, but as the days go by, you find things that help you cope.

For my pain, I take oxycodone (15mg, 4 times a day)  I know it's not for everyone, but it really has helped me. Honestly without the combination of both these things, I'd have a hard time functioning. Both help with my pain, I sleep much better, my anxiety is less, and I'm generally less worried and a lot more happy.

I was worried about my work and career situation myself, so I had to go back to school to retrain myself for something I could physically and mentally handle, as standing on my feet for long hours has never been easy for me. I am working towards becoming a medical transcriptionist. I also find with Fibromyalgia, I have a hard time regulating my body temperature, and now the Canadian cold isn't so easy to tolerate like it was when I was overweight. It has been the only downside to the weight loss.

My weight has always contributed to excess pain, up until I found a weight loss program that works. After losing 40 pounds, I find my pain to be easier to deal with, I have more energy (from exercising), and I sleep better at night. Before the weight loss, I found myself falling asleep at all times of day, and I couldn't even walk 4 blocks without my legs hurting for days.

Basically my advice to you, is to try different things. What works for someone might not work for you. Pills generally don't help, I've been on a huge array of them (so many I lost count, not a single one made a difference with my pain), but some natural herbs you might find at a health food store may help (check out a herbal dictonary or look up Fibromyalgia for recommendations as to what helps).

This is just a basic layout of things that I have done to make living with so many health problems tolerable.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I'll give you all the advice I can. :)

Good luck on your journey, I wish you the best on managing your Fibromyalgia.

I am sorry that I had to edit your post hon, but we aren't allowed to discuss mm on the forum.  Email me if you would like to talk about it though, I understand where you are coming from...  Hugs, Karen

Post Edited By Moderator (getting by) : 5/28/2012 6:08:59 AM (GMT-6)

Welcome here Bex- I hope you can find a treatment plan that works for you. I came to this in bad shape. It was here where I got my ideas and treatment plan that works wonderful for me. I wrote each symptom, making the worse ones on top. I look to see what others were doing for them and started some remedies. You will find out we all react different to the treatments also. Always discuss treatments with your Dr. before starting. You would surprised how vitamin supplements can be dangerious when taken not supervised by a Dr. It happen to me. I actually knew more then my Dr. did on some treatments and symptoms others were experiencing. Hopefully you had your vitamins checked at the Dr. If not, that is real important. Believe it or not the biggest help for me was vitamin supplements. Finding the right pain meds for your needs can be the tricky one. I have been going to pain management for many years. Most of them treat fibro patients. I use to have real bad insomnia, but once I got the pain under controlled I started sleeping some better. My treatment been a little harder to achieve due to dependency issues on meds. So I have to be extremely careful what I take. The last and important thing is having a great support system. My husband is just now getting it after 20 years. I had to seek professional mental help, so I could get the support I needed. I am happy to say that I am doing great, but I am disabled from multiple health problems. Once I stop work, it made a huge difference with pain control. I hope I didn't get too long winded!

Hi, Bex, and welcome!  Have you ever been checked for anemia because of your fatigue?  I was checked last year and I was quite anemic.  I'm on iron now and am doing far better.  Usually with gentle exercises like walking, the fatigue gets better but it sounds like you are plenty busy with two young children and a job! 

 

The lack of sleep isn't helping things.  I sleep quite well but I've had fibro for 25 years and figured out what works for me.  I don't have caffeine in the afternoon and evening.  I might have some chocolate in a dessert in the evening IF I've been sleeping well right along.  I have myself on a sleep schedule.  I go to bed and get up at the same times nearly every day.  My body is trained so that when I lay down in bed, it goes to sleep....usually in about 15 minutes.  I only get up once in the night now to use the bathroom.  I used to wake up because of back pain but that got 100% better once I was put on a muscle relaxer. 

 

You mentioned that since you got your diagnosis that "now not sure how long I'll be able to continue my career."  Getting a diagnosis didn't change a thing.  We can't let fibro win.  If you are able to do your job, just keep on keeping on.  Fibro isn't a progressive illness.  You may have pain in different areas because fibro fluctuates and some days you will have good days and some days will be bad.  Weather fronts cause me problems.  It's so cold where you are but I'm sure you are used to it, too.  Just try to stay warm and focus on other things when the snow and rain head your way.  I think you will do just fine!

 

Congratulations on your weight loss!  That should help, too.  I lost 85 pounds by counting carbohydrates and walking and I've kept it off for about 6 years so far.  It's easy to do but just take a day at a time.  Don't try to lose it overnight because you didn't gain it overnight.  If you lose slowly and maintain healthy eating habits, you should be able to keep it off.

 

I use ibuprofen with food, extra strength Tylenol, malic acid/magnesium supplements, vitamin D3, and an alternative pain med called Curamin to help with pain and fatigue.  There are links in Fibro 101 about the malic acid/magnesium and vitamin D3 supplements and how they work in  your body.  These help me and have helped others on the forum.  You might give these a try but do ask your doctor first. 

 

Be sure to pace yourself, too.  It all gets done but in a different time frame.  If you are really tired...especially after work...your hubby and 7 years old child can pitch in, too.  You can't do everything...really!

I'm looking forward to getting to know  you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  Hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine 

 

 

It is def a challenge to juggle my work, Esthetics, my family with 2 kids, and my home life. My fiance isnt very supportive at all. My mom seems to understand, and is there for me. But its not like on a bad day I can ship my kids off to her, or anyone else for that matter. And I tend to live a pretty stressful life, and Im not sure if thats because I have a hard time coping, or I feel ike I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. I do most things around the house, and with the kids. Mornings are the hardest, to get my butt outta bed and get going. It just takes HOURS!!! I am exhausted every day, ALL DAY, and to be honest, I get by with energy drinks. I practically live off them. but then I feel like crap. Its so irritating. And on top of that, with my fiance thinking Im lazy, or jsut faking to get out of doing the house work or whatever. Its actually wearing on me, physically and emotionally. Its coming to the point that if hes not going to help, why is he around?? I was a single mom before...I'll do it again!! Anyway, today isnt a great day, IM ranting and mad, and tired.....so I guess my little vent session is over, Im going to go for a walk, before I have to go get my kids and start my nightly routine!! Take care and hope everyone is having a better day then me!!!

Hi Bex and welcome!
I live in northern Maine so I have the same changeable weather you have. It certainly doesn't help! Today it's damp and cold and I woke up in a lot of pain. So hard to get moving on these days. I can understand being tired and crabby and I don't have kids to raise (mine are grown). I'm exhausted all the time but I don't sleep well. I have a lot of trouble getting to sleep and then don't stay asleep for more than a couple hours. It's no fun at all being tired all the time.
You may not want to hear this but the energy drinks are doing you no favors. In the long run they just make you more tired. Hahaha who am I to say that?!?! I drink coffee all day. but it's true.
As to the fiancee, that's rough. Maybe you could have him read the Fibro 101? If he utterly refuses to understand or even try, maybe he's not the one for you. Or maybe you're just having a bad day of it? Hard to tell without knowing him and you. I know I sometimes say things I don't mean when I'm hurting.
Anyhoo, I just wanted to welcome you not blab your eyes off! So, welcome ^^

But you know what? You have to take care of you first, only then will you be able to take care of the kids and "him". And the house won't fall down if it all doesn't get done when either of you think it should be. Learn to pace yourself. Don't try to do it all. Let it go, and tell "him" if he doesn't like it, he can do it. Or there is the door, don't let it hit you in the butt on your way out.

I was going to suggest what Deepwell did, get your thyroid checked. Wein yourself off those energy drinks. It's a viscious cycle you're putting your body through w/ the caffeine, then feeling bad and tired. I hope things get better for you. Your fiance probably is feeling frustrated, but he should be helping you. Don't let anyone make you feel lazy or anything like that. Do they think we like feeling like this? I know for me I'd rather be out there, playing w/ my kids, going places.... Hang in there Bex! Oh, I'm new to all of this, so I'm learning along w/ you.
Meg