Looking for a Fibro-friend?

Hi I'm Zak, I'm 23 and am looking to find other people my age who are also experiencing life with fibro.

Being young with fibro is extremely hard. As its more common for older people to have aches and pains many of my friends dont understand and have decided i am no fun or they cant be bothered with me.

I have spent the years of my youth not in clubs and partys but in bed or on the sofa.

Sometimes I feel i have wasted my life, sometimes i feel my life has been wasted by my health, but i always feel my life has been lacking.

I am sick of long, cold dark nights with no sleep. I cant face the day sometimes.

I'm at the stage where i just need to know I dont have to keep going alone, or that I am not alone.

Hi Zak,

Welcome to the group! I know how you feel because I have had fibro since I was about 10. I am 29 now. I just got a formal diagnosis a year ago but I have always known that I have it. I spent my younger 20s in the same situation as you. You have to use your energy wisely so that you can just get the important tasks of the day done like homework, laundry, running errands, whatever and when it comes time to hang out with friends you are just dead tired. When I was in high school I always had severe pain and my depression is what was the worst and I wasn't being treated for any of it so that just made it ten times worse. It's hard being young and trying to figure out who you are and make other life decisions as you transition into an adult. But despite these challenges I have been pretty successful in life so the most important thing is to not lose hope. Despite the fibro you can still accomplish your goals you just have to pace yourself. Sleep is a significant issue for me as well and the only way I can get a decent nights sleep is to take ambien. Have you tried taking anything for sleep because that might help with energy.

-Jen

Hi Zak,

Sorry to hear what you're going through at such a young age. I was tried on several sleeping pills and they didn't do much for me. The most I was able to sleep was for 5 hrs and I was fatigued the next day.

For the last several years I've been taking sleep supplements like melatonin and l-theanine. I don't believe I'd be able to fall asleep or have a decent night's sleep without them. What's nice about them is you can take them again in the middle of the night if you wake up fully so you can fall asleep again.

Good luck to you.

Hi Zak,

Welcome to this amazing forum! I found it 2 years ago and it has helped me a ton. I was also sick of feeling so alone. I was diagnosed with Fibro 6 years ago when I was 24. I know EXACTLY what you are going through. If I tried to act "normal" and just push through the pain and go out with my friends I would pay for it for days. It is extremely difficult to deal with chronic pain at a young age. I was determined though to not allow my Firbo to rob me of the life I had planned for myself. I decided from the beginning to always be as functional as possible, have a career, get married and start a family. Right after I was diagnosed with Fibro I got my Paralegal certificate while still working full time. I met my husband soon after that and I just had my beautiful daughter. Parenting with Fibro definitely has its challenges and I am facing new ones every day as my daughter gets older and bigger, but I was not going to let Fibro take being a parent from me. I continue to try to live my life as best as possible despite the challenges.

The spoon theory is a great thing to help us understand our limitations more and to help others relate to us. I decided to be med free as well so I have been managing my Fibro for the last 4 years with just cognitive therapy. That really helps me deal with my feelings of grief and anger and constant battles with my body. When I have set backs especially when I am going through a tough flare I really rely a lot on this forum. Even just reading what everyone else is writing reminds me that I am not alone and that I will get through it.

I hope you find much strength and comfort from this forum! It has really helped me feel less lonely and more "normal".