Members that are healed

If a member has been healed, they most likely didn't have fibromyalgia to begin with. Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness. There is no cure...yet...but doctors and researchers are working on it.

But there are success stories! I feel I'm one of those. I worked hard to try to help myself as much as possible through listening to my body, searching for things that could help me control the pain and fatigue, and through gentle exercises and pacing myself. I have also used positive thinking to make me feel a whole lot better. Consequently my days are usually comfortable...comfortable for fibro. I live a pretty normal life now. Yes, I do have pain but it not only is under control but I've had fibro for so long that I'm accustomed to having pain. It's a part of my life so I don't notice it like I used to. Just not thinking about illness all of the time is such a blessing.

I have flares that knock me down but that's part of the fibro beast. I know what to do and I know that they will pass so I don't get stressed out when that happens. By not stressing, I'm not creating even more pain so my flares usually subside fairly quickly. And by not stressing over fibro overall, I'm not letting this illness run my life.

I always try to do things and don't tell myself I can't do something. 99% of the time I find that I can do what I want to do. I might have to work around fibro to do it....usually by pacing myself. It all gets done but in a different time frame.

I have done a lot of traveling with fibro...even flights overseas. I've toured Italy, gone on a cruise down the Danube River visiting the Christmas markets along the way, stood on a glacier in the Canadian Rockies, parasailed and snorkeled in the Caribbean, etc. When I first developed fibro I never thought I could do all of these things! But I have.

So you do have a full and enjoyable life ahead of you! Keep searching and trying things to see what helps you control your pain. Notice that I said control your pain. I didn't say pain-free. If you expect to be pain-free, you most likely will be in for a letdown. I found that when I realized that I would not be pain-free I finally totally accepted this illness and could move on and start living my life again. I do things differently with fibro but I do them anyway. See what I mean?

So today is the first day of the rest of your life. We do arm you with information on this forum and by reading past posts, Fibro 101, and just joining in the conversations and learning, you will get in control of fibro. Do read the link in Fibro 101 about how to maintain a positive attitude when you have chronic pain. That helps me a lot when I'm having a not so good day...that and talking to God.

I hope this has helped you and that you will be a success story soon!

Sherrine

I can only tell you my story. I was diagnosed with fibro and TMJ when I was 22. I couldn't lift my head off the pillow, I was in that much pain. I couldn't lift my arms, the were so fatigued. I had some other symptoms as well, like tremor, shortness of breath, heart papls, vertigo, headache etc.. I took flexeril and Elavil for a while. I was supposed to get trigger point injections but I didn't. I had every pain pill you could imagine. I was basically housebound for almost a year. I did recover to about 99% and went on with life pain free, normal and happy until about 10 months ago, which is almost 20 years later.

I got diagnosed with fibro again but I have lyme and exposure to chronic toxic mold, so I'm much, sicker these days but Im still hopeful that I can recover to some level of normalcy.

I would be realistic about your illness and realistic about fibro but at the same time, stay positive. Everybody's body is so different and responds differently to different things, you never know what can happen.

I am not sure if I am a success story. My Doctor does not mince words, there is no cure for Fibromyalgia. You can, however, accomplish many things. Pain has been a part of me for a long time. I have not tried a whole lot of pain medications but I am on medications and I have tried many pain creams. Your body does have natural abilities to stop pain. I read somewhere that with Fibromyalgia your body is trying to lessen pain and is quite tied up with the process. That may be why even strong pain medications may not help as your body is too busy and can't figure out or does not have any more capacity to do something with the meds. My Doctor has never promised me a totally pain free life.

I will focus on things I have managed to do. My Husband and I have had so many beautiful vacations in many parts of the world. We still go out for dinners. We still visit friends. I amazed myself last Christmas. I was quite organized. Started in November. Managed to have a Christmas Eve dinner. I accept help with open arms now. I find ways to simplify tasks which is especially important when you have Osteoarthritis also. I attend my Physio in a heated pool. On the pool day I walk some also. I never sit the whole day. Sitting is just as hard for me as walking. I do a bit of both. I have had the wind knocked out of me with the car accident but I am slowly trying, at very least, to get back to where I was. It is not going to happen overnight.

I struggle with my poor hearing but I still like music. I still smile and laugh at funny things, when I hear them. I do have to remind my Husband that I am in pain and I am moving at a slower pace but that is OK. My, In Sickness and in Health clause of our Marriage License kicked in 12 years ago.

I pat myself on the back whenever I complete a task, something we all should do.

Loring

Osteoarthritis in Multiple Joints, Fibromyalgia, Neuralgia, Chronic Daily Headaches, I.B., Hard of Hearing...

Amen Loring........and Myself09, I like your way of thinking ROFL!!!!!!! Hopeful47, I have to agree with Sherrine. If someone says they are cured from it. they probably did not really have it to begin with.

14 years now and everyday has pain, some more than others. Fibro will wax and wane, periods of where it will be tolerable and periods of OH CRAP I WOKE THE DRAGON AND HE IS NOT HAPPY!!!!

The key is learning what works for you and then applying it. Drs and Pills can only do so much. You really have to believe you can feel better and then work at finding ways. I DO NOT let this condition slow me down. I work 50 hrs a week as a store manager, Just got back from vacation where I walked and walked the city of Myrtle Beach, road some great waves on my boogie board, walked the city of Southport North Carolina and then went to Wilmington NC to Wrightsville beach and rode some more waves and walked lots more and did all of this in 3 days. That does not include my 11hr drive there and back!!!!

I also put up a 10,400 gallon pool this year and tore it down for the approaching winter, not to mention took my mom to a Cyndi Lauper and Cher concert earlier this year!!!!! There is NO WAY I am going to miss out on these precious moments because of this ridiculous condition. Life is to short. I had a great friend and mentor pass this summer from a massive stroke at 37. You never ever know, that is why I keep going.

You can get here too. You just have to believe you can get better than you are now and take action. No matter how small of a step. I wish you well on your journey. Please keep posting and asking those questions. It is how you learn and puts you on the right path to feeling better.

Hugs xxxxx
Michael

Hmm. Honestly, Mojave, that's kind of insulting. What you are saying is that the only cause of fibromyalgia is human behavior, and that if anyone wanted to cure themselves, they just have to get their head right and it all will fall in place.

-shrugs- Believe whatever you like. But you might want to redefine your parameters about the cause and the cure of a condition that is still largely a mystery for doctors.

I realize that people are sensitive because they have been sick for a long time and its a frustrating illness. But if someone has a success story they shouldn't be doubted or insinuated that they never really had it. We should be asking how they healed, it's interesting too see how people recover from any chronic illness, especially since fibro is still such a mystery. People have recovered from terminal cancer, though it seems almost impossible, it doesn't mean they didn't have cancer in the first place. It means something amazing happened in their body that allowed them to heal.

Terrific attitude SkyBlue! You can do anything, if you try. Rock on!

Louise, the point I am trying to make is that Mojave believes that s/he has found a cure, and it simply is not that easy for everyone.

We can support one another and make suggestions about what has worked for us. But, at the heart of all of this is that we are very different people, not only with regards to a condition, but also medically, geographically, sociologically, economically, religiously, politically, ethnically, etc. The list can go on.

To say definitively that THIS is what works, for everyone, and the rest of you are barking up the wrong tree, is reductive. Very often, newly diagnosed people will point to this thing or that thing, and if the rest of us followed their suggestions, we would just feel better. We had a woman asking about diachronic earth purges, once.

Sorry, Sherrine, in advance, but here is an example of what I mean. I eat SCD, which is selected carbohydrates that are supposed to help people with crohn's and ulcerative colitis reduce the amount of complex carbs in the colon. I tried it during a huge flare up of crohns, and it has really helped that condition. I still follow it. But, others have tried it, and seen no improvement.

I guess what I am trying to say in my long-winded and occasionally not-very-direct way, is that offer up what works for you, by all means, but be respectful of differences. When you are new to a message board, you sometimes come in with the best of intentions, but your audience is fairly savvy about their options, and perhaps doesn't appreciate the well-meaning but also dismissive suggestion.

If someone is healed how is it not fibro? There are millions of people diagnosed each year. It would be hard to believe that none ever get better. There is no cure but it doesn't mean people can't get better. Maybe you don't really have fibro either or had something else. Fibro is not disease, it's a collection of common symptoms. It's a mystery syndrome. None of us can say what people have or don't have. I thought this website was to support each other but it doesn't really seem that way.

Louise, the word "healed" means free from illness, totally cured. There is no cure for fibro yet. Doctors studying this illness as their life work still don't know what causes it. People have come here saying they don't have fibro anymore and sure enough they are back asking questions on how they can feel better. This is why I say using the word healed in the same sentence as fibro doesn't jibe.

Now, we CAN feel better and I described in my first post on this thread that I feel I am a msuccess story when dealing with this illness. I do lead a pretty normal life...if I continue to do the things I have found that help me. If I stopped doing these things and lived like the average Joe I would be in a world of pain in a day or two.

Myself, no need to apologize. I'm glad the selective carbohydrate diet helps you. I find when any if my other illnesses act up fibro is right behind it. So the diet helps your Crohn's, you feel better, and fibro is settling down. I know this is a guess and you know your body better than anyone. Bottom line is if you feel better doing something just keep it up! I do watch my carbohydrates also but for diabetes because this does help my diabetes which in turn helps me feel better all over.

Even our emotional health plays a big part in this illness. We all know what stress will do to us! UGH! We all have to keep a fine balance of the things we know help us and what helps one might not help another with this illness. It's such an individualized illness!

By the way, welcome CountingMySpoons! I like your user name. We have the Spoon Theory posted in Fibro 101 and it is a good description of what we go through. It would be good if you posted an introductory thread so members will know you are here. You can get lost in the shuffle otherwise.

Sherrine

Hello,

 

Honestly, I think each person is unique and experiences fibro differently. I was officially dxs several years back. My pain got progressively worse. I took several short term "breaks". I got so down. I had Lyme had to have the whole pic line and 2 rounds of IV antibiotics. The last time I got a blood clot, they took the line and and I said...enough.

 

Stuggled with it for a few years more. Then I decided to be proactive and really pay attention to what I eat. For me, its very important. If I stay away from process foods as much as possible and sugar...I feel a lot better. I try to drink tons of water and stay focused on my blessings in life. Depression causes pain, I enjoy being in love with my hubby and leading an active life. I'm working 40 hours. Sometimes I have to call out every once in a while, but I found that if I dont' focus on Fibro, I do so much better. For me, I think I will have it for the rest of my life, and I am on pain medication...but I will not let fibro rob me of my life. I'm 48 and have a lot more of life to live.

 

Bottom line...you have to find what works for you and stick to it. Don't let the doctors tell you how you feel, you know how you feel and work on feeling better. My rheumy has fibro and he doesn't even always get it right.

 

Best of Luck to finding what works for you!!