Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
hi i am new to this group, actually this is the first thing I've done semi pubically about fibromyalgia. I'm 18 years old just turned 18 in September, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia when I was 17 last year, since then my life changed dramatically. I used to be honor roll in school, that changed because when I'm in pain I find it hard to manage 8 hours of school and I can barley move, I hate being in school this is my senior year and I miss so much school, I feel not as smart as others because I am barely at school, I hate explaining to my teachers what I have they're people who barley know me wanting to know everything when they're well aware of what I have, they have no insight on it, I feel like I disappoint my parents because I miss so much school but how can I help it. my family they don't get what I am going through they think I use my illness as an advantage to stay home from school, I don't I want to be at school, I have a 10 year old brother who I used to play sports with go on walks I can no longer do that it sucks. I feel like a failure and I know once I get older it'll be easier to accept what I have, but I hate have getting this when I'm in school it makes it seem like I'm ruining my life,I was doing research and it showed that its uncommon for young people to get fibromyalgia but not impossible i just want to be able to embrace fibromyalgia not think of it as the worst thing to ever happen to me, I would like your thoughts on this, I'm scared to post this but it needed to be said I've been holding this in for a year....
First of all, find the book "Fibromyalgia for Dummies". It's great for us patients, our families, and sometimes total strangers (and doctors) who "don't get it". It answers a lot of questions, and it's our go-to on this support board.
Second, it's odd but not impossible to be diagnosed young, and probably not as unlikely as doctors think. I was 25. At 18, that sounds a lot older. At 25, it sure didn't feel like it. (I'm 45 now.) And with proper treatment and management, FM doesn't have to own your life. I had 8 years, without meds even, where it was more or less "in remission". Some people can take a medication and do great, others need to modify diet or nutrition issues, but basically.... It all comes down to Not Giving Up.
And it's hard to not give up. Fatigue from pain is crippling, because it hits at *sleep*. Not sleeping? Oh, that one gets me. So if you can get good restful sleep, that's often a big help toward feeling like this is a manageable chronic but not End Of All Things illness. Let's face it, who feels good when tired?
I would advise, if you can, being evaluated more thoroughly. A lot of problems look alike. I was ruled out for about fifty other things, I think, no joke, before the rheumatologist diagnosed me. And he *has* fibromyalgia, so it's not like he didn't "believe". ... Neurologists and rheumatologists do most of the fibro care, though a lot is pushed onto primary care docs, and that's not always great.
Age doesn't make it easier. We all feel too da*n young to feel this lousy. No matter what age we are at diagnosis. So you've got company there, believe me!
Can you tell us about what treatment you're on or what tests you've had? I think between the lot of us here on the board, there's not much we haven't done, tried, seen, etc., so you might get some good feedback:-)
Again, welcome, and feel free to lurk over on check-in to get to "know" us. Some of us post every day, some pop in and out, it's very relaxed and relaxing.
Blessings,
Leo