To answer several of your questions, I am a full time contracted employee. If I were to walk out on my contract I could actually lose my certification. I teach in Savannah, GA and there are a few...
Thanks for all of the advice. I have sent numerous e-mails to my teacher specialist (who is supposed to be a sort of liaison for us art teachers) about needing a less stressful environment. To no...
I've tried all of that. The biggest problem is that I teach children who have zero respect for most of the teachers of a particular race in my school. While I have many students who I adore, my days...
To make a long story short, I am an elementary art teacher (of "at risk" kids) with fibro and I disclosed my medical condition to my principal and assistant principal last year. We met with the...
I don't know what the weather is like where you guys live but it is nearly impossible to be depressed about the pain in Savannah, GA during the Spring. I have had the same thoughts lately about...
We have a shi tzu and she is the most demanding dog ever! When she was a puppy if you were on the phone she would bark until you hung up. Now, she won't even go outside by herself. If you let her out...
Lefty, I can sympathize with you 100%. I want to offer a suggestion based on my own experience and beliefs. I stopped taking pain meds a year ago and I found that after getting past the initial...
Thanks tyno3! I don't know what all that dry air would do to my naturally curly hair but I guess I could just shave it off if it meant being able to breathe! :smhair:...
Thank you all so much! I will definitely mention the breathing thing to my dr. I live in Savannah, GA and it has just gotten so hot here that by the time I get myself and the kids ready to go...
I have found that with myself, I get extremely tired the same time every day (around 5:00). If I actually have the opportunity to sleep, I am dead to the world and extremely irritable and incoherent...
Does anyone get anxiety attacks? If so, are they brought on by a particular event or do they just come out of nowhere? I'm asking because I think I had an attack the other night and now I am...
They agreed to allow me to come in late if necessary as long as it doesn't affect my teaching schedule, having custodians stack and unstack my chairs when they sweep, allowing for a parapro when...
I'm so glad I could help. :smile:...
You lose your keys in the car door...daily!...
This is a copy of the letter I sent (it was a bit long-winded, but I had a lot to say) To Whom It May Concern: The purpose of this letter is to identify myself as a person with a disability. I have...
When you have lists of things you need to remember written all over your hands and arms in permanent marker. I had to add this one because Sharpies are now my most favorite thing in the world!...
Wow! I wish I could find a good doc. My rheumy diagnosed me, got mad because I couldn't handle any of the meds he tried and then told me to only come back if I have swelling in my joints because he...
I am an elementary teacher and I recently dealt with some similar issues at work. I received several warnings about being late during the week of daylight savings time and having an unprofessional...
Watch out!!! Before I was DX, I was given several rounds of steroid treatments for pain and it would go away then come back the minute I completed the cycle. I also experience severe mood swings and...
I took Trazodone for about 3 months along with phentermine in the AM. I felt better on it but had to take the phentermine in order to function and have energy. I was actually able to go to the gym on...
I am constantly leaving my keys in the car door. I will use them to unlock it and then get my kids situated in the car. Next I get in the driver's seat and close the door. I then realize that I don't...
What a coincidence, I tried Lyrica about a year ago and it made me too tired to function but I just went to the Dr. today and he wants to put me back on it. This time, he's starting me at a child's...
Sorry you feel so bad these days. I have found that in the short time I have had fibro, everything is related to it, right down to my very first bout with bronchitis last year. My fibro does make all...
:idea: So I have decided that life sucks right now for lack of a better phrase. That is why I am going to compile a list of things to thank Fibro for.... 1. Thanks fibro for making me take a break...
Wow! You guys have described exactly how I feel. Most days, I am extremely fatigued and achy. I get sharp pains in random places throughout the day, sometimes repeatedly in one area for a while. This...
I know what you mean, Patsy. Lately I feel as if I'm in a constant flare because my stress level is so high. This seems to have made me a bit antisocial. I have days when I just don't want to deal...
I just thought I'd add some funny cop stories since you guys are keeping me laughing today. For starters, I was married to a cop. Needless to say that didn't work out because he was rude, stubborn,...
I had always had fairly painful periods but after having kids, they got better. Now that I have FM, not only is the actual period worse, but the PMS is a nightmare! Everyone knows when it's that time...
As a fellow teacher (Elementary Art) I know exactly what you're talking about. Before I was diagnosed, I thought I was going crazy, now I'm just plain mad. My students play "fill in the blanks" with...
Thanks so much for all of your advice. I wish it seemed as simple as seeking counseling and getting my kids to help with the cleaning. There are some things I have left out. I don't even know where...
This is very interesting to me. First off, if it's cosmetic surgery, couldn't it wait until a more convenient time, like when the SIL takes his vacation time to take care of the house and kids?...
So today is my 31st birthday. I had dinner with my family and my grandmother asked me if I felt 31. How incredibly ridiculous and unfair is it that my reply was "I wish I felt like I was 31!" I am so...
I am an elementary art teacher and I haven't worn anything other than a sneaker to work for the past year. I pretty much wear the same outfit to work every day and wear my naturally curly (or frizzy...
Oh, I forgot to tell you that I read something recently about starting new meds on people with FM and it said our initial doses should be only 10% of the typical beginning dose. This totally makes...
I tried Cymbalta (15 mg. for 3 days, 30 mg. for 1 week, then increased to 60 mg. 2 weeks later) and it helped with pain but it made me extremely tired. My doc also forewarned me of the side effects...
Nanners, I just have fibro and my doc changed me to Cymbalta today. Hopefully that works because I am miserable. About your daughter's situation, I can sympathize. I was on so many pain killers at...
Thanks so much for all of your replies. I will try to answer as many questions as I can remember. I am on trazodone at night to help me sleep, phentermine in the AM for energy, and a daily low dose...
I just had a breakdown in front of my 8 year old daughter! I feel like such a horrible mom because I can't do the things with my girls that I would like to do. I am a school teacher so this is our...
The elbow thing didn't start until after I began to have other symptoms like pain throughout my body and tiredness. Forward head posture is basically when my head is in front of my shoulders. The PT...
Hi! I'm new to the forum. I was diagnosed with fibro in June, but I have been in severe pain since an auto accident in May 2007. I broke my hand in the accident. After about two months, I began...
No, neither of us were hurt but I was concerned because my fibro started after an auto accident a little over a year ago that wasn't my fault. I felt awful for being the cause of this other persons'...
I was in a car accident a few months ago that was totally my fault or the fault of the fibro fog. I was so disoriented while driving that I had no clue I was making a left hand turn from the right...
Hi! I am new to the forum. I am a teacher and before I actually got diagnosed with fibro, I thought I was losing my mind. My students would have to finish my sentences and often I would use the wrong...