Newbie with college probs

Hey guys!
I'm new to this whole forum thingy, so we'll see how this goes.... :P

I've been dealing with chronic pain for a while, and I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia a little over a month ago. So I'm obviously at the very beginning stages of figuring all of this out haha

But as a 20 year-old college student, I'm definitely struggling. I'm taking 18 credits, I have a work study job in admissions 3 days a week, and it's a class requirement that I volunteer in the community at least 2 hours a week.

Between work and classes, I'm basically busy 9:30am-4pm.
I have at least 2 quizzes every week, various papers to write, projects due, tons of stuff I need to study, ect.... And I've reached the point where I literally just can't do it anymore.
By the time I get back to my dorm at like 4pm, I am DONE. I can't function like at all after that. I'm physically and mentally wiped out in every possible way, so it's nearly impossible to read assignments, study, write papers, or anything like that. I'm forced to push myself way too hard every day, which I know is making my fibro worse.
My teachers and classmates have been really understanding and everything......but I really don't know what to do anymore.

I feel like it's unfair for me to ask teachers to make exceptions and all of that, but I just can't do this..... Which is super frustrating for me, cause I've always been a really independent person who tries to do it all. And it's killing me that I can't really be like that anymore.

I need all of these classes in order to graduate and it's stuff I'm really enjoying learning about and all that.....so I dunno. I've kinda hit a brick wall.

Like, I've already had to miss lots of classes cause there are just some days I can't even get out of bed. And like I said, everybody has been great about it.....I just feel like it's not fair for me to keep missing classes and texting my boss last minute cause fibro's not letting me function.

I'm in so much pain....all the time.....and I try super hard to be really positive about it - people are always surprised to learn that I'm in constant pain. And I'm starting to have a harder time with fibro fog; it's been making it really hard to concentrate and pay attention in class.


Does anybody have any advice or suggestions as to how I can be handling all of this....??

Oh, boy. I feel for you! Welcome to the forum, Der4Christ.

Have you checked out Fibro 101, our 1st thread? That would be my first suggestion. There's lots and lots of good information in there - such as a list of possible symptoms, "what else could it be?", meds, supplements, and exercise ideas, (and even humor!) I've been here for years and I still refer to it.

What are you doing for your Fibro? We are all so different, and that's one of the things that makes it so hard to treat. This dang condition won't kill us, as my doctor says. To quote: "You're healthy! You just have a bunch of stuff that makes you miserable." True. But life is a lot more enjoyable when you can concentrate on something besides your pain....not that it isn't always there....but there are levels.

I hope you'll stick around so we can get to know you. This is a great place for support.

Debbie

Yeah, I can see that.

Well, good luck!

Debbie

My full blown symptoms start in college at 23... I did independent study and changed to a program where I would graduate sooner. That was before fibro meds.

For my master's, I was on cymbalta so it was manageable despite being a single mother and working part time...you don't want to know about my student loans now since I couldn't work full time.(Thank goodness for the Income Based Repayment Plan.) I did lose a lot of hair right before presenting my thesis, but it grew back. :)

I took more classes to get certified to teach, but did that while working full time. Wanted to die from the exhaustion and flare ups the first semester. I decided to try adderall for my ADHD, which I had never tried when I went to school full time and was working full time during the summer. Something strange happened in addition to being able to focus, my muscles felt better as well as my levels of exhaustion going down. I was able to exercise without flaring up every time I did.

You are young and have time to "leave no stone unturned" to find a medication or therapy or SOMETHING that will give you at least a "little" more relief than you have now.

Hey, college prof here.

Does your school have a disability support services? Check with the Dean of Students Office. If you register with them, you can get some help in terms of comunication with your profs, and possible accomodations. Of course, you will need to have your illness(es) documented.

Without this kind of registration, many professors will not be understanding for the long run. We hear a lot of excuses, valid and not, for why work isn't done. After a certain point, we can't be fair to everyone if we are accepting excuses. So, get the support services set up to help you run interference with your professors. I hope these services exist at your campus. Most schools have some version of this.

Make a schedule and keep to it. This is hard for dorm life, with its lack of privacy and assumed cafe plan. When you get back in the afternoon, take a rest, and then do your work. Don't let yourself get sucked into the drama of dorm life. Have a quiet place to work. Really do your work according to the schedule. If your school has a counseling center, they msy hsve people who can help with organization and time management.

For instance, home at 4:30' rest until 5:30. Not watch tv or chat or surf the net, but rest. Eat dinner. By 6:30, be at your work spot... Making a list of what needs to be done. Break it up. 45 minutes on, 15 off. Change tasks periodically.... Reading here, writing.... Then back to the dorm at 9:30. then you have your down time, and bed by 11:30 or so.

I know it seems strict, but you need to work smart. Eat smart. Get some exercise, and, above all, sleep smart. If you set up the good habits now, you will be able to do it. We still have two and a half months until finals.

Now, worst case scenario, you might have to drop a class or two, especially if you are seriously behind and/or the class cannot be adapted and/or the prof isn't sympzthetic. Tis is not the end of the world. This si the time to time to talk to your advisor. Minimize the damage.

You are not a super human, you are an ordinary human. With a
chronic condition. You do have to make hard choices.

I am sympathetic to student problems, but only so far. I have several chronic conditions, so I understand how hard it can be. I like to help people who are trying to help themselves. I am less patient with students who want me to change my policies. I have a student this semesterwho self-disclosed with crohns, which I also have. She told me the paperwork was coming, and I asked her to make an appointment with me when she had it so we could discuss accomodations. No paperwork yet, and several excuses (not accepted) formissed work. We are a third of the way through the
semester. Last semester, I had a student who was in great standing disappear. Startedgetting emails from him, and support services. Hehad a serious situation, but did the right thing! He returned after threeweeks, worked his tushie off, and passed. I helped him as much as I could.

Lastly, make sure you schedule some you time. If you don't want to
push your body too far, you will need some pampering.

Glad to meet you. Have a pain-less day,