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"Active" pain settling down?

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Posted 1/11/2014 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, Hope all is well (as best as they can be)

I have a question about the "active" pain of fibro. I have had fibro for about 5 yrs or so. The first few years were the worst. Anyway, I stay home now and I am able to take care of myself. My last work day was in May of 2011. I only take a muscle relaxer, Tylenol, and motrin for pain.
Not that I am complaining..lol, but my "active" pain has settled, a lot. I don't hardly have any. I have more of the muscle tightness, soreness, and other problems with it. If I push down on my muscles it still feels like bruises under the skin..and the fatigue is there but not as bad as it used to be. Has anyone else had their fibro settle down like this? This makes me wonder if I really have it. I thought I was suppose to be in pain, esp "active" pain all the time for the rest of my life. I didn't know that it could settle down.
Just wondering if anyone has been through a period like this.

Take care,
KL
Posted 1/11/2014 10:42 PM (GMT 0)
Every FMS patient is different, and some seem to have it "worse" than others. I do have flares (I've been in a bad one for over 3 weeks now) where the pain is worse even with meds, then I have my "normal-ish" amount of pain that I've settled into by way of narcotics, nerve pain meds and muscle relaxers along with a host of other non-med things that I do to manage pain and life, and then there was the "before" pain, when I was on nothing and in pretty complete misery all the time.

If I thought that stopping working completely (I've cut back to about 25 hrs/wk and work from home) would allow me to get rid of what you call the "active" pain, I would do it. My PMD thinks doing so will not likely cause a decrease in pain, and the psychological impact might be negative.
Posted 1/12/2014 5:44 AM (GMT 0)
Klambert- I am no longer working either. Have you ever thought about that probably your pain is uncontrolled due to less stress and not working? I know that is the reason for my well controlled pain at times. I know sometimes I get this idea maybe I can go back to work. Then I have to put it into reality the reason I am doing so well is because I am away from stress. I would have no doubt that if I went back to work things would be miserable.
Posted 1/12/2014 6:46 AM (GMT 0)
Same here....
I was so sick when I was working. Everyday I just wanted to go home and crawl into bed for a week. Now that I've been out of work for almost two years I'm feeling better. Mind you I still have bad days but nothing like I was before.
Posted 1/12/2014 7:36 AM (GMT 0)
I still work full time but my active pain has settled down. I've adjusted my diet, have acupuncture and make sure to keep moving. I know if I wasn't working I wouldn't move enough and I'd be in more pain. My job isn't high stress, because I'm in the finance department I know that the end of each quarter is more stressful so I try to take better care of myself to make sure my pain levels don't go up.

Joy
Posted 1/12/2014 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
ak angel,
I think the same thing as you do. I feel so much better than before and I tell my hubby, (actually I just told him 2 nights ago) I think I am ready to try to go back to work...and you know what? He says no your not. lol. The funny thing is, I know he is right...BUT somewhere down inside I want to get back out, feel independent, and "normal" I guess. He said I would give you a few months and you would be back the same way you were. I probably would last longer than a few months, but before to long I know the ugly side of fibro would come back.
Trix007,
When I read the last part of your post, about what your md said, the psychological part. I agree. People think I am so lucky to stay home. HAHA. NO ONE knows what it's like to stay home, except those of us who do. I am thankful I can manage my fibro, and I happy taking care of house and hubby to the best of my ability, (and he takes wonderful care of me)...but after a year or so it started to bring me down. This fibro will really affect every detail of your life. Going from being a RN to staying at home with chronic pain, has been a lot to swallow.

Well thanks for all the posts. I was starting to question "do I really have fibro?" or "is it going away?" lol fat chance.
Posted 1/12/2014 6:40 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, Klambert, my pain is less then it was when I was first diagnosed with fibro. I tried things to see what helped me be in control of the pain. I, too, use ibuprofen, Tylenol, and a muscle relaxer but I also added magnesium malate and vitamin D3 to the mix and am so much better now.

I still have fibro and always will, unless they find the cause and then a cure for it. But my life is a lot better now. When I see my rheumy, they press on the tender points and I am still very tender but don't notice that usually since I don't go around pressing myself to cause pain. tongue

So, you are not alone and I'm really happy you are doing well. I will add that there are times when I flare and am hurting badly again and also, if I forget to take the pain meds, I'm hurting more, too.

Sherrine
Posted 1/12/2014 7:03 PM (GMT 0)

Sherrine said...

When I see my rheumy, they press on the tender points and I am still very tender but don't notice that usually since I don't go around pressing myself to cause pain. tongue
Sherrine

This is SO funny and true! Before I had my trigger point injections I thought that it was just my right leg that hurt so much. The right knee actually has a bit of osteoarthritis and I had TrPs all around the knee, and a weakened ligament, so about 30% or so of my right leg was always excruciating.

When I went for injections my PMD asked if the left leg hurt and I said no, then she started pressing on the left leg and had me yelping! I too have learned not to go pressing on things!
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