Does it get better?

Hi Laura, and welcome to the forum!

I'm 21 years old and have gone through a lot of conflicts between college and fibromyalgia, too. My fibro was much, MUCH worse in the first year, which was the end of my freshman year and the beginning of my sophomore year. Well, I should phrase it differently. It was much more acute then, I had days where I was fine and days where I thought I was dying, and not much in between. There were days I literally could not get out of bed. I wore wrist braces constantly, which made a lot of people ask questions. It was incredibly hard before I knew what was wrong with me.

After I was diagnosed in spring of my sophomore year (2008), I began talking to my classmates about what is wrong with me, which helped me feel less awkward. I had to get a rolling backpack because I can't carry anything, and I had to learn where the elevators on campus are to avoid the stairs. I also began taking a laptop to class so I didn't have to wear the wrist braces, which I mostly needed for writing notes. Typing is much easier for me.

I withdrew in Fall 2008, the first semester of my junior year, but returned this past spring. Over time my fibro has become less intense. Instead of coming and going at extremes, it is constantly at a mid-level pain. I started taking Savella and miraculously did not have a bad reaction to it after my body acclimated, and that helps, mostly by preventing flares. It doesn't help my day-to-day very much. I'm still in school and hoping to graduate on time next spring.

So my answer is that yes, it did get better for me, even before I started Savella. I can't promise that this will happen for you, or for anyone else with fibromyalgia. I also don't know for sure that the difficulties that made me leave school for a time are 100% from the fibro because I also suffered a concussion in January 2008 and had Post-Concussive Syndrome for a year afterwards.

It's still hard for me, as I think it is for most young people, to deal with having FMS. Psychologically speaking, I have good days and bad days still. It's important to accept your limitations, but it will happen for you in your own time. I fear every day that I will not be able to pursue my dreams of graduate school and then a career as an archaeologist. But I try to be optimistic and hope for the best, always. I know that I can do a lot of things if I just have help, and I focus on what I can do, no matter what the necessary conditions are, instead of on what I can't. As far as my future career goes, I fortunately have an interest in archaeological lab work, while most archaeologists prefer fieldwork. Lab work would allow me to be out of the sun and do a lot less hard labor and be able to sit when I need to. Also, archaeology is what I love and it is easier to manage my pain when I am doing what I love.

I hope you can find what you love and that you learn how to use your body the way it is now. It will never help you to agonize over what you used to be able to do and how easy it was to do things that are now difficult or impossible. Try to do things in different ways, you might be surprised at what you can do if you just do it a little differently from healthy people.

-Sandi

Hello Laura!

I too am sorry you had a need to join us, but at least you are here with people who truly understand and care about you. Plus we all share our experiences of what works and what doesn't, ideas for reducing pain, even a good chocolate recipe now and then...lol

Your one comment really touched my heart.. "I'm only 20 years old and I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to live." All of us are living proof that YES, you can live and have a wonderful and satisfying life too...complete with spouse, job, kids and grandkids. Now don't get me wrong here...no being wonder woman any more or maybe just being 'normal', whatever that is. But we do most of what anyone else does, it's just we have to work in concert with a good doctor and plan well what we do.

I was teaching at a local community college until just over a year ago when doc said it's time I quit. But I'm wayyyy older than you and have many other conditions going on at the same time. Very different for me, but you will slowly see that there are sadly many people in your age bracket in the family here. Sure you read posts of them being miserable, having problems and feeling very down, but what most of us forget to share are the fun and 'normal' things we do every day.

So what is MY life like? I live with hubby in a very rural wooded area of Washington state. ;-) Grandson, who is almost your age, lives with us and goes to college...Green River CC. We have kids and other grandchildren we see often so our lives are busy and full. Oh, what about the pain thing?? Ya, it about makes me crazy some times. And I'm not so fond of the pills, but without something for pain I would have no life at all so my awesome doctor and I work together to keep me as comfortable as reasonable and still be able to live normally. I can even drive with the regime I'm on but it took a long time to get here. If you do want to take medications that your doc is suggesting then ask about taking a much smaller dose. This is YOUR body those pills are going in to so you get to choose. Sometimes we forget that we do have a choice. One medication that is often helpful with fibro pain are antidepressants. Most of them leave me a zombie and I'm not about to live that way. So we found one could tolerate at very small doses. Sheesh, I can just lick the inside of the lid and get a full dose for me...lol

This is a 'do-it-yourself' disorder. We get help from our medical team but other than that we're on our own. We have to find out what works for us and every one will have a different story. This fibro is miserable but no way will I let it get the better of ME! How about you??? Want to travel with us down the road to living a good life? Here, take my hand <extending hand> and let's get moving...slowly if you don't mind. My legs are hurting right now. ;-)

Warm hugs,
Chutzie

Dear LVangel,

Welcome to the group!  I'm really glad some of our members cheered you up.  I too am on Team Washington.  In the SW.  You will find our members in every state and around the world, I imagine.  I'm sorry you have to deal with this DD at such a young age---I'm in the mom, grandma, great-grandma catagory myself but I've had it since my mid-20's.  So, as Chutzie said, life does go on and it is definitly what we MAKE it.  Believe me, some days are harder than others to get your good face on and your good attitude going., but it is not impossible to do.

Keep on keepin' on (KOKO) girl.

Yo-yo