Hi TracySue. I am sorry you are going through all of this. But, I somewhat know where you are coming from. I have had panic attacks and thought I was dying. Perhaps your doctor could help you with meds for those and/or some therapy to teach you how to get through those attacks.

I need to exercise as well, but find it painful. If there is a day I feel better, I am afraid to do it because I don't want to feel bad the next day. It is a vicious cycle. I am starting out slow and doing what I can. I will ride 5-10 minutes on my stationary bike or take a walk. I have also tried online yoga videos and do what I can for as long as I can. My primary doc said to do something, even if it doesnt seem much, and it will help in the long run.

I just wanted to let you know you are not alone.

Thanks basketballmom23! I do feel like no one understands me. Some days it seems like everyone (home, work, friends) is commenting on how lazy I am. Then other days I hear from everyone that I shouldn't be taking any kind of medication, and that I obviously have a problem. I've had fibromyalgia for quite a while, but no one up until this past year has called it that and given me medication that helped. I have been going downhill lately.

I went to a yoga class last week and it took me a week to recover, and yoga used to be my thing. Not too long ago I went to the gym everyday or I would hurt the next, I just need to get back in that cycle. But how is my problem now.

Thanks for the support!

You need to see a Pain Management Dr.

Omigosh, the pain management people here in Northern California at Kaiser did almost nothing for me in the weeks I went in for their basic class. Unfortunately, there was nothing specific to FMS. Most of the people in the class had deteriorating joints or an injury of some kind.

One thing they discouraged was humming or moaning. Now I find this really nurturing, so I just kept doing it. Recently, I read that it was a good thing to do. What is good today, might not be so great tomorrow, vice versa, vice versa. I don't know what to believe anymore. I just keep doing what works for me and hoping for a cure soon.

TracySue, I am sorry to hear you are going through this endless cycle right now. I think we can all feel crazy sometimes when fibro flares are really bad. We just get tired of struggling with it. And sometimes (dare I say it) we have a right to bitch about it. Fibro sucks! No, the people around us don't always want to hear it, but we have to let it out sometimes.

I know how you feel about people thinking you are lazy. If they do, it is because they don't understand what you are going through. So it is okay to ignore them. As for wanting to be a pleasant person again, I can SO relate to that. I also hate not being the nice, easy-going person I used to be. The only thing that helps these days is just being honest with people when I don't feel well. I don't try to smile and fake it anymore. I just tell them that I am not up to par. I have found that a lot of people have compassion for this.

When it comes to exercise, the only advice I can offer is to try water walking. That is all I can manage these days myself. Some days I am not up to that either, but I do it as often as I can.

Ultimately, you know what you can and cannot do and there is no need to feel guilt or shame or sadness about it. Just take it one day at a time and remember that the people here DO understand and DO care.

Gentle Hugs,
Kimber