Hi Tess. Glad to have you here, but I wish it was under different circumstances. You have sure had a full plate of a lot of stuff. So sorry that you have been through all that.

I have PTSD as well, so I understand that. I used to work in the ER too...as the night unit clerk. I could no longer do that when I got fibro.

I am 53, and on disability for fibro, depression, and anxiety. I'm not so sure that I agree with your doctor about keeping busy. Busy stresses me, and causes me more pain....but you may be different than me.

Join in on our check-in thread each day...run by our awesome cat, Leo. Welcome to the group.

Welcome to the group Tess! Things will get better. You are not alone !

Welcome, Tess.....as idajoy said, sorry its for these reasons.

Wow.....so much you have been through. Fibro can def be triggered by physical problems. Many of us can relate there. Don't feel alone with this diagnosis.

For me, this has been a life-changing condition, but one I have learned to live with. Reducing stress has been key for me.....lots of rest, proper nutrition, exercise all help.

You'll find tons of great info and support here.....I'd suggest "Fibromyalgia for Dummies".....great book for newly diagnosed....I still refer to it sometimes.

HUGS from down south :)

Hi, Tess:-) Welcome!

I was diagnosed at 25. I have PTSD, dx'd in 2013 following a lot of medical trauma (mine wasn't MRSA but it ate my skin anyway, oh rapture) in 2011, and I agree that trauma and stress are *not good* for FM. I can't say they predispose, given many here haven't any such history, but stress always is bad for the body, right?

If you haven't heard of "Fibromyalgia for Dummies"? It's our go-to book, useful, helpful, etc., and I also recommend you bop over to PTSD board if you want. I'm there, as well, and we have a lot of people who've gone from High Function to... Well, as you said, dependent and scared. Me among them. Epilepsy, fibro and all, I was still going strong (and had 8 years fibro "remission" without meds even at one stretch!).... Then the medical trauma hit and, well, kerblooie. Now I'm lucky to walk without a cane, etc., and life has taken yet another unexpected turn. I couldn't get through it without the Fibro board. No one else understands pain, stress, and fatigue like these folks. I'm so blessed to be here.

Big hugs, and you're so not alone....

Leo

Hi Tess. I had to quit nursing at age fifty. I developed fibro symptoms during the winter, no known reason. Lights hurt, cold hurt, one day i had to leave work because I couldn't speak coherently (too many pain signals). I started in on a nurse practitioner course but couldn't go to the library (air conditioning caused huge amt. of pain).

I spent a lot of time hating myself and my fate because I couldn't find any work that I could reliably do. I went to Voc Rehab and tried bookkeeping. Hands issues. Any repetitive movements caused pain. Any cold draft extremely painful. I went back to work for a doc's office very very part-time, but I couldn't handle the stress. I kept trying to find a work situation I could handle.

You may get a lot better (not cured, but better) with time as you adjust to your limits and learn how to manage your new life. Right now, 15 years after diagnosis, I think I may have found something I can do, at least for 3 hours a day at home. You might work with job counseling places. Or volunteer somewhere where you'd like to work. It all depends on your symptoms and perhaps, how much you can persevere. You have to be very kind to yourself.

This may take awhile, but after you & your docs find treatments that help you (including exercise of some sort, CBT, etc.) then you can begin to see how much time per day you have for any type of work. If you can't support yourself, consider getting on social security disability.

Hang in there, Tess. This is a great group, very supportive.

Morning Tess - I just wanted to invite you to join us on morning check in. Our fearless leader, head Nerd and spokesmodel, Leo, provides a fact and fun filled check in every morning. You can either lurk or join in. I do both, depending on how I feel and/or how much I have to try and do on a given day.

I was diagnosed in 2008. I applied and received disability in 2009 using a company called Allsup (you can find them online). Like most of us, I have a lot of underlying health issues too. I went for Cognitiver Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for quite awhile to help myself cope with this diagnosis and get tools to better manage the situation. That made a big difference in my approach to daily living.

My Fibromyalgia (FMS) started after a long period of high stress and then a disc in my back failed. That apparently was the last straw. I already knew what was going on when I went to the rheumy as my best friend has FMS too.

You are just getting started on figuring out what medication regimen will work for you. We are all on different "cocktails" which is one of the reasons why this illness is so difficult to treat. Once your doctor/s gets that sorted, you'll feel better. You might want to have a sleep study done too. Restorative sleep is a critical part of managing Fibromyalgia (FMS).

I'm not quite sure what the rheumy had in mind when he told you to stay busy. That is kind of unrealistic until you get a better handle on your illness. Even then, pacing is key to living with FMS. None of us can just do what we want whenever we feel like it. We can, however, live our lives just at a slower pace. I've retooled my interests to better suit my health situation. I'm a novice gardener with three butterfly gardens that were designed for easy maintenance. I work on genealogy, read, watch movies both in and out of the house and am generally grateful that I have the time to look after myself properly. It is easier and mentally healthier to be grateful for the things that you can do as opposed to continuing to have unrealistic expectations.

Get the book "Fibromyalgia for Dummies." You can find it on Amazon. This is our go-to book.

Anyway, welcome again and I hope that you will feel comfortable here. We get it!