Fibromyalgia

[carole]

I have to say that exercise just makes matters far worse for me, but i do try, on the treadmill again, have to do it ,as i need the exercise.

I rarely talk about it either, just that when a post comes up like this one, i feel bound to share my experiences,give advice where i can,when you are first diagnosed it is quite hard and confusing at times, and it is good to know others out there understand.

As i have pointed out no two people are the same with fibromyalgia, i think that is quite an important thing to state, you cannot and should not compare yourself with other fibro sufferers,what you experience may well be different to others.

I personally am in constant pain every day,but some days it is bearable other it is not,and it is not just fibro causing it either,it is just ongoing really, you just have to learn to deal with it as best you can.

Honestly people don't want to hear when they ask you, how are you today, oh well i got this , i got that,they soon tire of it, you just say fine, even though you are feeling like crap , lol,and besides it does you no good to dwell on it either,you just have to make the best of what you are given in life, and count your blessings i guess.

I just wanted to add i used to belong to a fibromyalgia support group some years back, it folded in the end, and i left it well before it did, i found it depressing to go there and talk about how bad we all felt, there were some good parts of it, but mostly it was not good for me at all,.

Medusa i hope your flare up eases soon, bless you.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I try not to even think of my fibro any more than I possibly can. I just accept I'll be in pain and deal with it. It does bother me that my arthritis makes it so hard to walk. But I refuse to go to a wheelchair. I'd have to go to a nursing home and give up my cats. Just not an option for me. I'll take the pain.

One thing that has been bringing me a bit of comfort now that it's cooler is a super soft fluffy throw I found. I love wrapping up in it, specially around my shoulders. It's like getting a hug from a soft fluffy bunny!!!

[carole]

And don't the cats just bring you comfort,my ellie is such a sensitive wee thing, she always seems to know when i am not well, she hardly ever comes up to you and close or sleep beside your head, but when i am not really well,she is there, she knows i swear.

They are great healing therapy i believe and when i am having a bad day, i love nothing better than to snuggle up with them and stroke them, brings me comfort anyday over drugs .

[pomtzu]

Thank you all, for the input. Yes - everyone is different indeed.

Pain meds are really out of the question, since they have a weird affect on me. Any OTC such as Tylenol is useless for me, and the only thing that helps at all is Excedrin, but being that it is half aspirin, I'm not supposed to take it. At times, I have no choice tho. When the fibro pain teams up with the advanced arthritis, it's no picnic. Heat helps the neck, shoulder and arm pain and I do have the wraps that you heat in the microwave, and hot showers feel marvelous. Trouble is, you can stay in the shower for just so long. I have meds for the IBS, since that's just not something you can ignore and requires intervention - it just won't go away on it's own. Temp changes weatherwise, do a number on my hands - just so much as a drop from late summer warmth to a cool Fall day, turns my hands to ice, and this lasts all thru the Winter. As bad as it is tho, I'll take the cold over the heat and humidity of Summer. I hold my hands under the hottest running water that I can tolerate many times thruout the day, wear gloves (yes-in the house too), and have tried hand warmers but they don't work very well. I try not to give in to the fatigue too, even tho I have to push myself thru and past it. Thankfully, not all symptoms strike at the same time, and not always with the same degree of severity.

This is just something that I have to tolerate I suppose - and no - I don't like to talk much about aliments either. It sure doesn't make them any better. I'm thankful that I'm still able to get out of bed each morning and have a reasonable amount of functionability and don't have to depend completely upon others. Think of all those who aren't that lucky.....

If anyone hears of some new miracle relief - please pass it along!

And anyone that thinks fibro sufferers are just a bunch of hypochondriacs - please feel free to walk in our shoes for a while.

[carole]

Ditto Well said Ellie.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Not one of my cats likes to cuddle. I sure wish they did. They are more into the "let's keep mommy moving by tearing things up so she will have to pick up after us" types.

Grandma will lay on the bed with me as long as I don't dare touch her.