New member

Hello all! I am new to the forum and really wish I didn't have to be here, but so thankful that I've found a community to discuss fibromyalgia symptoms and treatments.

I am a 48 year old female, married with 3 grown kids and have 3 senior labrador retrievers who are the light of my life! I have recently gone back to school after being laid off too many times to count and am now worried I'm not going to be able to proceed with the career choice I have made.

I went to my doctor this past Thursday for my symptoms and am still waiting on my blood work results to come in, but my doctor is pretty sure it's Fibromyalgia, as I reacted to almost all the trigger points. He has already put me on Cymbalta and I'm hoping this will alleviate some of the pain. I have a wonderful doctor who listened to what I was saying and did not think I was just neurotic! Yay!

Now that I look back over the last year, things are making sense as to what's been going on. Last March my feet started hurting pretty badly and I went to the doctor who told me to have special insoles made for my shoes, which did alleviate the pain for about 6 months or so. Then in October I started to wake up with pain in my shoulders which I thought was just from sleeping in an awkward position. I really didn't think too much of it at the time. Then about 6 weeks ago I was at the store and picked up a gallon of milk and my arm starting to hurt/burn. First thought was I really needed to get back to the gym. Over the last 4 weeks the symptoms/pain in my body has progressed to where I can't function doing daily activities.

Anyway, I am very happy to have found a place where others know what I am going through.

Thanks for reading!

Welcome, LivingLabs, and Merry Christmas!  I'm so glad you found us and joined our family.  We have wonderful members who love to help one another and, as a bonus, really do care about each other too.  I think you will like it here.

 

I'm sorry we are meeting this way, also.  Fibro can be pretty tough but do you know what?  We are tougher!  Once you find what helps you control the pain, you can have a full and enjoyable life in spite of this illness.  I've had fibro for 24 years and have done amazing things in spite of it.  Just keep a positive outlook, count  your blessings, and live one day at a time.  You'll be surprised all that you can accomplish!

 

It sounds like you have a very good doctor there.  He's checking you to rule out other illnesses that have many of the same symptoms as fibro.  That's good.  Cymbalta is one of the favored medications for fibro, too, along with Lyrica and Savella.  I personally don't use these but many on the forum do. 

 

I used ibuprofen with food for years but recently had to stop because I got the dreaded bleeding ulcers.  I still take extra strength Tylenol, vitamin D3, and malic acid/magnesium supplements.  The vitamin D3 and malic acid/magnesium supplements have helped quite a few on this forum with pain and fatigue.  You might want to give that a try, too.  They sure help me.  Always check with  your doctor or pharmacist first to make sure this doesn't interact with any medications you are taking.

 

It's important to keep moving with fibro.  If you sit or lay too long, you will be stiff as a board and have more pain.  I do gentle stretching exercises, a daily gentle exercise (I walk and/or swim.  Yoga is another good exercise for fibro.), gentle massages, moist heat, and pacing myself.  Everything gets done but in a different time frame.  All of these plus the vitamins, supplements, and medication helps keep me in control of the pain.

 

Be sure to check out Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum.  There are links to good information about fibro and you will learn a lot there.  Good starting links are called Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia.  You just might see yourself there.  There are also links about vitamin D3 and malic acid/magnesium supplements and how these work in your body.  Also, there is a link to the gentle stretching exercises I mentioned.  These can be done sitting down so if you have a desk job, you can sneak these in! 

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  Hope to hear more from  you soon!

 

Sherrine

Hi! I am new as well--Just joined yesterday. And Ill tell you this: this forum has made me feel so welcome, and even in the short time that Ive been here, Ive talked with several members and I feel like I just might be able to kick some butt! Im glad you have found this place as I did, even though meeting would be better under other circumstances :) Hope you have a Merry Christmas!

I'm still waiting for all my blood work to come back sometime this week to see what my vit D level is. I will speak to my doctor and see what he wants me to take. Thanks for that info!

I did take a walk today for about 20 minutes (a walk that used to take me 15 at most) and my feet are absolutely killing me! Funny that having my arms do the natural swing with my body as I walk can hurt so bad. My fingers started tingling and not in a good way. It's just going to take time, I'm sure. :)

I'm sure you all will get sick of all the questions I'll post! LOL