New to forum and in pain

Hi all,

I'm new here but not new to fibromyalgia. I was diagnosed 4 years ago along with a diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). I went through an awful time for 3 years with both of the syndromes which were caused, I believe, by a lumbar fusion I had in 2007. I was on a ton of meds and saw every specialist out there. I was able to get off all my meds after seeking treatment from an Ayurvedic practitioner and by practicing yoga almost on a daily basis.

Last fall I returned to work on a part time basis; I am a nurse. A few months after that, I started working full time and about 4 months ago accepted a management role. Needless to say, my lifestyle has changing drastically since starting work as I am also a mother and wife and there is little time left for the things that are so important to maintaining my health in check.

about a month ago, I began to feel little indicators of a flare. I didn't
Recognize them as such at that time as I was sure that I was cured of fibro and POTS. Then last week, my world came to a stop when I laid in bed staring the ceiling in so much pain that I considered waking my husband and asking him to take me to the hospital. So here I am in pain and back on trialing meds. So far, meds have not helped. I am not able to work because the pain is intense and I am extremely fatigued, getting no more than a few hours if sleep each day.

I am wondering if anyone has any tips on balancing work and life and fibro. If you work, how much do you do and how do find time for exercise?

Thanks in advance for your support. It really helps to know I am not alone.

Hi Bluesky,

Welcome to the fibromyalgia forum. I am sorry you are going through a flare. I am too with all the damp weather we have been having. It just doesn't seem to go away. But it will sooner or later.

When you have some spare time, check out the first thread on the forum called "fibro 101". There is a ton of useful information there for you to read. I think you will find it helpful.

I hope that you feel better soon. Keep posting and know we all care...

Hugs, Karen

Hi, Blueskyrn, welcome to the forum.

I work as a substitute teacher (very part-time, usually no more than 12 hours a week.) It's a stressful job. More and more, the school district will put a certain job into the subfinder system, I'll accept it, and then when I get there, they've decided to "use" me in a completely different position....so far I haven't refused, but it's pretty irritating, and there are jobs I can't/won't do. They'd better not try to stick me in PE!!

Due to all my physical problems, I don't know how I'd ever manage full-time work again, and I'm always amazed by those Fibromites who can!

Sorry to hear about your pain and fatigue....wish I had some good advice. I walk when I can, but I'm recovering from spinal surgery, so am extremely limited.  I also do PT exercises, which take half an hour to an hour every day.
 
Debbie

Welcome Blueskym- Your post interested me because I am a retired nurse now. As you know nursing is so hard on the body mentally and physicallly. I have had fibro over 20 years and worked with it for most of it. It was hard at times because of work taking narcotics and the nursing board also. I tried numerious meds getting on and off of them. I attemepted cutting my hrs. down to 4 days a week, enoough for benefits. I changed jobs working at a teenage psy. unit. I thought it would be a lot easier on my body. Wrong! Psy. unit made me nuts! lol. I finally after 25 years through in the towel of nursing. I cried so much. Not just giving up my career, but my income. My Dr's told me it was time to stop.

I am here to tell you that I am doing wonderful now! I am on disability. If you dont have long term health insurance you should take it out. I was so thankful I did. I receive it with my disability check. Having both makes enough for me to live comfortable.

I hope you find this site helpful. I know you are looking for tools to help survive working with fibro. Dont let us discourage you. There are several people here on this forum that carry a full time job. Hopefully they will see your post. I came to site in horrrible shape and I learn how to manage my fibro form this forum. I just kept reading post after post and started trying things. I try to keep things as natural as I can. Years ago I took lots of meds that done nothing but caused me problems, but now I keep it simple.

I am not sure what you are using for pain control, but I use subutex. It has been a life saver for me. It doesn't make you tired, doesn't mess with your head and less addicting. I am rarely in lots of pain. I take 2 a day. I wish this pilll was around years ago. It's being used more for chronic pain.

I would think your probably going to have to look at your schedule and make some adjustments. Getting proper sleep and rest makes a big difference with me. I would say reduced your stress, but I know in nursing that is impossible. lol

So If you can get some rest, control your pain and limit your stress you probably could mangage your fibro well. It can be done working. I have read many post of others doing it. I am sorry I got long winded, maybe I miss talking to other nurses. lol

Post Edited (ak angel) : 11/15/2012 12:46:11 AM (GMT-7)

I work fulltime professionally at a University. Since I teach, I have a little more control over what I do when, and can do work almost anyplace. I imagine as an administrator, you have less physical labor and more paperwork, which is it's own special brand of hades.

I am finding as I get older, the stress is harder. It also depends a lot on the school for which I am working. My old school was smaller and private, and the work load was far less. My current job is public, large, with more classes, more needy students, and the usual headaches that come with shared governance.

I have no concrete suggestions, merely the observation that I do sometimes have to choose, and usually work wins. I have a family, but no children (I have a rotating group of 100 plus each semester). There is limited amounts of energy. We all have to make choices about what we will, or will not, do in our lives.

As I said earlier, a schedule is the ONLY way I make it through my day with any kind of sanity intact. I dislike losing my sense of spontaneity, but it had to go.