Too funny! I know what you mean. I've been going through pain for the last 35 yrs. and have been told that same thing more times than I could possibly count. It doesn't take long, however, for my really close friends to know despite me thinking I'm hiding the pain, then I'm the one surprised that they can tell. Guess it's hard not to tell when I suddenly yell out with a stabbing pain, too. Even still, they do not know and I earnestly pray that they never will.

So enjoy the greatness and Hoppy Easter!

Parties in your honor rock and being told you look great when you are in pain and dont feel like you do look great can go both ways I suppose. At least they didnt say you look horrible.

I feel like I have been beaten with 2 bats all over tonight - but my friend told me tonight I look better than I did 3 months ago. WOW REALLY. The weather is going to change Sun and/or Monday cold/rain/snow and I am feeling it .

The often invisible illness - bleeping fibro. Heres to looking great.

I think we are all good at "looking good". If we went around looking like the way we feel, then we would be called lazy.

I do think with some people it goes in one ear and out the other. Unless someone experiences the pain, they have on idea.

I myself don't know how to explain it to some people. On the bad days I can say it feels like my skin is trying to turn inside out. Or that I feel like I my muscles are in knots. On the good days, I feel stiff, like when you first get out of bed stiff or after you do a work out, your muscles are sore, and like I said that is the good days.

The status quot of "I'm a guy and I am suppose to be strong and work through it all" is a line of crap when it comes to Fibro. It's not like you have over done it and will be back to normal in a day or so. It does come back and for me that is the hardest part to deal with mentally. When people say, i hope you feel better tomorrow, well maybe I will, but it doesn't seem to sink into them that I have pain every day, it is just what level or pain I have today.

So as a guy, I feel for you. To try and make some other guys understand, is hard. When one of your friends is moving or building a deck, I am sure they have no clue as to why you can't help them. But if they are true friends and are opened to educating them about the condition, I hope you can have some peace.

If someone is giving you a hard time, ask them if they have ever smashed there fingers, which we all know we have done that and know it hurts like a son of a gun. Then say imagine that pain all over your body and it doesn't go away in a few minutes, it is there all day.

Best of luck to you.

I get what you are saying...some days I feel so bad but when I look in the mirror, I don't look anything like I feel. No one who hasn't experienced this fm/cf will not understand, in my opinion.

Some days the pain is written on my face, but it is like it is subtle...others don't seem to pick up on it. Have to just do my best and not worry what others think about me...easy to say, wish I could do it.

Well, guys or men, it looks like we are having our say on this one.

If I had a nickel for every time someone has told me I was looking good when I can barely put one foot in front of the other, I would have a lot of nickels in the 30 years I have been dealing with this stuff.

Also add to it the number of times I have been told that my pain comes from getting older & I'm getting closer to being rich. Even had a lady boss (family owned business) that would tell me that there was no way I could feel as bad as I would tell her.

I just refer back to the quote I came up with several years ago to describe the way I live life:

I'M 60 - ACT 30 - FEEL 90!

I guess I'm an oddball but I'm thrilled when anyone tells me I look great.

Usually I get "you look tired."

For the most part I've learned to just smile at them and answer, "yes, I do look good don't I." As long as they don't question further I'll keep my mouth shut or just give them a return pleasantry.

My guy and gal friends treat me equally with fibro. It usually gets to a point where friends rarely ask me. They just seem to accept that making plans with me can change. Occasionally they'll send me a useless article or something. It's ok. It's how we as the fibro sufferers handle how we deal with others. I'm choosing to take a light hearted approach... when I can.

Can you imagine if we looked like how we feel? What would that look like? Frightening, no?

Good for you! :o) If you can't FEEL great, at least you can look it. I'm sure most of us would choose to feel great rather than look like a million bucks, but we don't have the luxury of choosing. So, celebrate your awesomeness! :o)