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 the group and this is my first post. I hope I am typing this in the right place and using this group in the correct way. I have come to a point where I think I need more information and support.
After ages of odd aches and pains that just got worse and worse my doctor finally started taking me seriously about my pain and ran every test he could think to and finally said its fibromyalgia. that was almost two years ago. During times when things were bad and it seemed the flares would never end my husband was there every step of the way helping me and doing what he could for me. And when there was nothing he could do for me he was there for moral support. Now he has been having a lot of pain. He ignored it for so long as I did with my own pain, but now ignoring it is not longer possible. Now his doctor also thinks he may have fibromyalgia as well. We try to support each other and when I need help I always stop to ask how he is feeling before I ask him to do something. We try to trade off on household chores and such.
Both of us living alone together possibly with the same illness is getting harder. Is anyone else living with someone who has FMS as well? Any suggestions on how to manage?
After ages of odd aches and pains that just got worse and worse my doctor finally started taking me seriously about my pain and ran every test he could think to and finally said its fibromyalgia. that was almost two years ago. During times when things were bad and it seemed the flares would never end my husband was there every step of the way helping me and doing what he could for me. And when there was nothing he could do for me he was there for moral support. Now he has been having a lot of pain. He ignored it for so long as I did with my own pain, but now ignoring it is not longer possible. Now his doctor also thinks he may have fibromyalgia as well. We try to support each other and when I need help I always stop to ask how he is feeling before I ask him to do something. We try to trade off on household chores and such.
Both of us living alone together possibly with the same illness is getting harder. Is anyone else living with someone who has FMS as well? Any suggestions on how to manage?
He is on disability and I'm waiting on a hearing. Some days it's hard. Both of can't hear very well so we wind up screaming at each other which kinda funny. We try to laugh about it. I have cervical spondylosis,FIBRO,Major Depression
and he has DDD,Major Depression. Both of us try and support each other. We do watch movies. I take a nap then he'll lay down. We are taking one day at a time. My thougts and prayers are with you.
A woman I know met her husband on a CFS support board like this and they do fairly well together and support each other.
Welcome to the group.
My hubby and I are in the same situation as you and your's are. Only in our case he was diagnosed first. I have to admit our house is a mess because most evenings I don't feel up to cleaning after cooking. Some nights he cooks some nights I cook. It just depends on who feels up to doing it. He is on disability and I work. He is wonderful about getting up with me in the mornings and cooking breakfast for me. And when he's not doing something else- he has about twenty side projects going at once, or so it seems to me- he helps clean up the house.
We are each other's first support system because we have so many symptoms in common. My advice is just to take it one day at a time and keep supporting each other. I am also here if you ever need someone else to talk to.
gentle hugs
Andrea
We both work full time. This is "how we do it?"--Lots of paper plates, plastic silverware and cups, lots of ordering food in, and a pretty messy house most of the time. (They make some biodegradable cups out of corn now. I plan to buy lots of those).
Buying things in bulk is also a must. When you are having a good day, go to Walmart and Sam's Club and buy everything you need to last at least a month, preferably two months. I also order many things on line.
We used to live in the Seattle area. We had to quit are jobs and move to a small town where life is easier (and you don't spend four hours everyday on the packed freeway). The town is 7 by 5. It takes us 5 minutes to get to work and our son's school is right down the street. So, if he has an afterschool activity and we need to pick him up we can easily do that.
I found some other things that work well for our situation to make things easier.
a swifter mop (It is lightweight and easy to use
a self cleaning litter box
lots of disposable disinfectant wipes
laundry detergent that comes in sheets, not in a bottle
a computer to order stuff online
a dressor in the living room with labels on each drawer so things I need will be close and I won't forget where things are
a light weight vacuum (can't remember the name right now)
a smart phone or an ipod touch--they have calendar apps (which include appointment reminders that alert you before the appointment and sync with outlook or other calendar on your computer), note apps, shopping list apps, symptom tracker apps, contact list apps, medical chart apps (with places to list doctor info., all the prescriptions you take, diagnosis, etc.) I would not be able to live without my ipod touch. With an ipod touch, you do not have to pay monthly fees.
Lastly, on the weekends, I sleep the entire weekend. Unfortunately, because I work full-time, this is what my body needs to do to recooperate. If I didn't do this, I wouldn't be able to work. I am lucky that I had kids early. I don't have much of a social life, but I was denied disability so I don't have much of a choice. I wouldn't be able to take care of a baby or small child and work full time with this illness and either would my husband.
PS Think about getting tested for HTLV (Human T-Cell Lymphoma Virus) since you and your husband both have Fibromyalgia.
(38% of people with HTLV end up with Fibromyalgia)