"What's wrong?"

I do not even try. "just not feeling well today. And how are you?". "oh, i'm a little tired. Hey, did you try that new sushi place?"

Deflect with vague comment, and then redirect. You won't get others to understand, and it's not helpful to your image to get snarky.

Don't try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

There will always be a few here and there who can understand but I've come to find most don't.

How can they understand when before fibro we experienced pain like them like the occasional aches and pains and sleep deprived nights from understandable circumstances.

How can they understand that this pain is much different, much worse, and can be very debilitating?

How can they understand that we can have much more trouble sleeping now which can be very debilitating and when we lay in bed trying to sleep it's painful.

I think in time more and more people will come to understand what it's all about. Was fibromyalgia talked about as much as it is now years ago?

All we can do in the meantime is allow people to see that we're trying to be positive and trying to do all that we can to help ourselves naturally.

I find it's more frustrating and depressing to talk with a person with a diagnosis who isn't helping themselves than a person who is really trying to work with it.

For example, I recently learned my sister is going to be having a full hysterectomy because she has precancerous cells, the aggressive kind. I asked my sister if she would like me to send her a few links about trying to beat the possibility of getting cancer with diet. She doesn't sound interested. That's okay but it does make it more difficult to know she won't be trying to do all that she can to beat this possibility of having cancer in the future.

This question is kind of like, "How are you feeling lately?" In one way, that's nice of people to ask. But in another, especially when they are fairly close and know I have a chronic condition, it can make me sound like a parrot, since I've explained again and again that this condition is not going away, and has its ups and downs (I need a 'repeat' button, I think!)

I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and overlook their memory lapses on this, and think they are just being "nice," in asking how I am, but, yes, it can sometimes get under my skin, especially when the person then tries to compare their health issues with mine or says, "oh, I've felt a little tired lately, too." EEK! They probably mean well, but really have no clue!

As many of you know, I had been trying to convince my employer to allow me to reduce my 8hr work day down to 6-6 1/2 hrs. per day.  Well, he finally gave in.....after I gave him a little more information concerning 'why' I was requesting that....for health reasons!  I included this synopsis....and now he seems to understand "me".    .com/"> Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Exhaustion, Pain, Flu-Like Symptoms   Many people with fibromyalgia (FMS) continue to work full or part time. But the chronic pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia often make working very difficult. If you are employed, it's important to learn about managing fibromyalgia symptoms and coping with pain and fatigue.   By self-managing fibromyalgia pain and controlling daily stress , most people with fibromyalgia can do almost anything they choose. First, openly discuss your fibromyalgia with your boss and coworkers. Talk about the symptoms of pain, fatigue, and stiffness. Explain how you may have good days and bad days. Explaining fibromyalgia will give people at work a better idea of what you are feeling each day. Can you take work home if you are feeling fatigued. Taking a midday nap helps many people with fibromyalgia and other chronic health conditions function on the job. Having FMS means everything has changed, and a lot of these changes are invisible. Unlike having cancer or being hurt in an accident, most people do not understand even a little about FMS and its effects. Please understand the difference between 'happy' and 'healthy.'   One patient described it, “When you've got the flu, you probably feel miserable with it. But I've been sick for years. I can't be miserable all the time, in fact, I work hard at not being miserable. So if you're talking to me and I sound happy, it means I'm happy. That's all. It doesn't mean that I'm not in a lot of pain or extremely tired or that I'm getting better or any of those things. Please don't say, 'Oh, you're sounding better!' I am not sounding better. I am sounding happy.   With a lot of diseases you're either paralyzed or you can move. With this one, it gets more confusing.” Fibro Fatigue Everyone wrestles with feelings of fatigue at one time or another...the morning after too little sleep or a late night out on the town. But for people with fibromyalgia, fatigue can be overwhelming, all-consuming, and frustratingly inexplicable. For some people, fatigue can be even a bigger problem than the pain. In people with fibromyalgia, fatigue seems to be an entity all its own. The fatigue experienced by fibromyalgia sufferers is unlike ordinary fatigue, the kind you get from pulling an all-nighter or from dealing with a stressful spell at work. It is much more than just feeling tired from not getting enough sleep or from overexerting yourself. The kind of fatigue that people with FMS have is debilitating and comes out of malfunctions in your body's energy-producing processes. In some people, the fatigue can be life altering, forcing job changes and the end of beloved hobbies and activities. Unfortunately, even a good night's sleep does little to erase the agony.   Typical lifestyle changes can include lowering stress, .com/od/copingwithfmscfs/a/pacing101.htm"> pacing yourself, .com/od/copingwithfmscfs/a/sleepbarriers.htm"> improving sleep habits and getting regular .com/od/treatingfmscfs/a/exercise.htm"> moderate exercise . Some people find it helps to work fewer hours, or quit working outside the home; however, many people with CFS are able to continue working. In some cases, having fibromyalgia might simply mean doing your job a little differently than you used to. Simply tweaking the way you work can sometimes make all the difference. Here are some tips: Pace your workload . Conserve energy . Reserve the harder or heavier jobs for the times of day when you feel most energetic. Take regular breaks , even when you feel okay. Gentle stretching, relaxation exercises, and short rests can help rejuvenate you. Resist the urge to compare yourself with colleagues . Remember, they do not have fibromyalgia. If necessary, consider working part-time or from home . Be honest with yourself about your ability to do your job . Remember, your health must be a priority.

how are you never bothered me.I can ignore that question and brush it off with a fine. is when it is pressed as what's wrong that I am tricked into thinking they care.