I am sorry

 I am so sorry you are having such trouble with your son comprehending your pain. I know people do think that people with FM are being lazy, and I wish they can comprehend the pain.  If they only can feel the pain, they would have a better understanding.  I am only 44 years old and I had to go on disability because of all the health problems I have endured especially FM.  I am a breast cancer survivor. This I handled just fine.  FM is a daily struggle.  I am definitely not a lazy person.  I raised my son on my own, worked full-time and went to college nights part-time and earned my bachelor's business degree.  I was a full force career woman up until last Feb. 2010 when my FM became worse and handling work became unbearable to me.  Not working has helped me cope with my pain much better because I can try to rest as much as possible to obtain some relief.  I am in constant pain and uncomfortable every day of my life. Some days are better than others but I cannot see myself holding down a job when I have no clue how I am going to wake up feeling on the current day.  Going on disability was the hardest decision I had to make, but my health has to come first. I have a 23 year old son and I want to be around to see my future grandchildren.  This week because it has been so cold I have been in absolute agony.  My neck and back feel like they are going to break.  Nothing that I take relieves the pain.  So right now I am taking absolutely nothing and pain is there agonizing everyday.  The only positive thing is that my son has been very understanding and so supportive that I don't think I could go through this without him.  So in this sense, I am blessed.  I have a  lot of other health issues as well, but FM is my worst battle.  My sympathy are with you and all on this forum who are suffering FM among other health issues.  We have to start giving ourselves positive praises for just doing the best we can.  If people want to look at us like we have 9 heads, then it is on their conscious for judging us and not understanding our daily pain. They should be thankful they do not have to endure our daily struggle and they should try to enjoy their lives as much as possible because at any given time in life, your health can change in a matter of a second.  Mine certainly did and I had it all at one time in my life.  God Bless. Thanks for sharing your story.

simplistic007

Simplistic, I'm so sorry you are having this much pain.  Have you tried the things some do...gentle exercises, stretching exercises, malic

Sherrine

First of all, I do not sleep flat on my back because it makes my back hurt more.  I don't sleep on my stomach either.  I sleep on my sides with a pillow wedged behind my back.  This way, I can partially be on my back but have support.  That helps me.  I also get out of bed using a cane.  I roll on my side, draw my legs up in a sitting position so the legs are actually hanging over the floor, and then I push off with the cane.  Gravity will bring your legs down and you will be pulled to a sitting position without using your back muscles.

When getting in and out of a car, sit on the seat with your feet on the pavement.  Then, either using the seat or the steering wheel, swivel your feet into the car while keeping your back straight.  I buy cars with leather seats because they are slippery.  But, when I rent a car and get cloth seats I had to come up with another idea...and I did!  I get a garbage bag and a towel.  I lay the garbage bag on the seat and the towel over it.  Then I do the above.  The garbage bag and towel let  your rear end swivel like you were on a lazy susan!  LOL  Just reverse the above to get out of the car.

Don't use your back muscles when you are lifting things up.  Use your legs instead.  By doing the above things, my back rarely hurts me now.  I hope these suggestions will help you, too!

For your neck, get a Bed Buddy.  You can find these at Walgreen's and other places or you can make one by taking a tube sock, filling it 2/3's full of raw long grain rice, and tying a knot at the end.  Pop it in the microwave and it gives off moist heat due to the moisture in the rice.  This feels great on that sore neck!

The gentle stretching exercises in Fibro 101 should not hurt you at all.  Maybe you are stretching too hard or doing other stretching exercises.  You have to start out slowly.

Sherrine

Sue, I just checked and I don't see that they have taken Percocet off the market.....yet.  Mrsppmrxky must have misunderstood.  I know they took Darvocet off the market in the past couple of weeks.  From what I see, the FDA is considering taking Percocet and Vicodin off the market, too, but haven't done so yet.  I guess no one on the FDA suffers from chronic pain, huh?  Bozos!       

I corrected my previous post.

Sherrine