Posted 1/8/2017 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
Here is part of your original post..."I've noticed that fibro patients still get unrecognized anonymously in public statistics."
I had to delete your thread because you mentioned suicide which is against forum rules. I was unable to just edit it. There were no responses yet so I thought I'd start this for you.
I do want to respond to a few of your concerns because you sound so angry, frustrated, sad, etc. I want you to know that you really can have a good life in spite of fibromyalgia.
First off, there is no cure...yet. Doctors and researchers are working on this right now but, since they don't know what is causing fibro to hit, they can't develop a cure. But there have been medications that have helped many that these doctors have developed...things like Lyrica, Savella, and Cymbalta. Antidepressants do seem to help fibro patients and I do think you could use an antidepressant for both fibro and depression. I'm not a doctor but you certainly sound depressed to me...which isn't uncommon with fibro patients I might add. You are not alone.
Fibromyalgia is not a terminal illness. You will not die because of Fibro. I know the pain can be scary at times. I had a severe episode five years ago and had great difficulty standing and walking. I needed two canes to walk in baby steps and thought I was going to pass out when I did walk. But I didn't stop walking! I even went out to lunch with friends many times. You definitely cannot give in to this illness. I kept searching to find things that would help me. I take ibuprofen with food, Tylenol, magnesium malate, vitamin D3, and a muscle relaxer called Robaxin which has made a significant difference in my pain. I now can walk again and don't need a cane either. I'm back to taking care of my home, playing with my pup, just doing normal things and enjoying life. So do try to find things that will help ease your pain. Four of the five things I listed above are over the counter things! Plus, walking helps with the pain. It's a gentle exercise and gentle exercise has been shown to really help with fibro pain and it helps with energy too.
You should be able to stand by your bed. When I got so I was having great difficulty doing things like that I headed to a board certified rheumatologist to see what was going on with me. Fibromyalgia isn't considered a progressive illness so, if you are getting worse and worse, you need to be checked out again! Make sure your doctor treats fibro patients. Most do now but there still are some in the Dark Ages when it comes to this illness. When I saw the rheumy many tests were done and I found out that I not only have fibro but also ankylosing spondylitis and sacroiliitis too! This is when I was put on ibuprofen again and also given the muscle relaxer. So I do suggest you get a second opinion. There are illnesses that have many of the same symptoms as fibro...things like lupus and Lyme disease...that do need to be ruled out. These illnesses have different treatments than fibro. Plus, you could have fibro along with something else that is causing you so much pain. You HAVE to be an active participant in your health care.
You said, "I have hope if I can forget that I won't be normal again." What is "normal"? What can be normal to one person isn't normal to another person. We are all so different. I think the big issue here is that you haven't accepted your illness and learned how to live a good life in spite of it. Acceptance is extremely important, Kriya! Once you accept any problem then you can move forward in finding what will help that problem. You honestly can have pain but still live a good life! You just need to try things and find what combination of things help tamper down the pain. I mentioned things above but I also use a few more supplements like krill oil and CoQ10 that help with pain too. I've found what works for me so, even though I always have pain, I can shove it in the background. I do pace myself too and that is important.
I've done things like stand on a glaciers in the Canadian Rockies, parasailed, snorkeled, etc. while having pain! If I want to do something I try it and usually surprise myself that I did do it with fibro! Don't limit yourself. Enjoy your life.
Now to your original post that I put at the beginning of this post. I don't want people to know I have fibro. It isn't their business or their problem. They have their own problems...everyone does! It's my problem and I needed to learn how to live a good life in spite of this.
I saw a program the other day about a well-known commentator, author, and a doctor. He was in his first year of medical school when he dove in a pool and hit his head on the bottom of the pool. He was instantly paralyzed. He couldn't move his arms or legs. He would have drowned if his friend hadn't noticed him on the bottom of the pool. He was rescued and hospitalized. He did get some use of his arms but has been in a wheelchair ever since the accident. He even has to breath differently than the rest of us. He accepted what had happened to him, he notified the medical school and said he wanted to continue with his classes! Professors came to the hospital and gave the lecture they gave in class that day. He got nurses to help turn pages in the books so he could read and study. And when he got out of the hospital he went back to school and got his degree. Bottom line....he accepted his illness and moved forward with his life and has had a great life in spite of his major problem!
I wrote a post on New Year's Day entitled A Brand New Year. I wrote this partially because I read your post about how you couldn't be happy because people didn't believe your pain. Do scan down and read that. It just might help you. I hope this post helps you too.
Sherrine