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.
Hello everyone,
Today, after many tests to eliminate any other causes, my doctor said the word fibromyalgia to me. I have been having back pain for 3-4 years, but in the last year, the pain took over my body. He believes the cause was a traumatic event that happened to me a few years back.
After hearing it was all in my brain, it was a relief to know I wasn't crazy. I've always had a high tolerance to pain, so I knew it had to be real.
I'm a 44 year-old woman, an early childhood educator. I had to find another job to help with the pain. I couldn't lift children anymore and I just don't have the energy I used to have.
I guess I am reaching out to others to see if you have suggestions. Are there foods I should avoid? Would swimming help me stay active without hurting so much? Would chiropractic care help? Do the seasons affect the pain? Apart from pain, what other changes have you felt?
I know attitude has a lot to do with feeling better. I don't want fibromyalgia to win.
Thank you so much!
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I'm alive, I'm sleeping like a rock, and for some reason I wanted cherry juice so that seems to be helping. (??? Weirdo that I am.)***Infamous therapies over history:1. The Attic. The madwoman in the attic is a motif in literature going waaaaaay back: the nutty female relative is locked in the attic. (See: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte for a grotesquely racist version of it, and Charlotte Perkins...
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We're all troubled.WSo, to remind ourselves we're not at rock bottom (this is a reverse optimism thing I learned as a kid):We are not living on the island of Krakatoa when the volcano goes boom!Yeah, okay, that sucks.***Toay in 1942, Pierre Laval announced that the way to free France was for Germany to win WW2. Pierre did not win a lot of friends. When the war ended, quite quickly he was tried...
As AngelaJo said, we do recommend the book "Fibromyalgia for Dummies" to our newbies. It will give you a comprehensive overview of this complex illness and a lot of ways to try and manage it. It is also a good educational tool for friends, family and sometimes doctors. You can find it on Amazon.
Anything with an artificial sweetner may ratchet up your pain levels. Stevia or Agave which are nontoxic are a better choice. Deep fried foods or any food containing nitrates can be problematic too. You have to pay attention to how you feel after eating and adjust your diet accordingly.
If you want to swim, get into a class specifically for arthritics. You may need a note from your doctor. The pool is heated and the pace is much slower than any other water exercise class. Do what you can, NOT what you think you should do. Yoga and Tai Chi are also good choices. There are some pretty good senior sit down exercise DVDs too that can be done at home.
Some people like chiropratic care or a massage. Accupuncture is good too. You have to figure out what works best for you as we all have different levels of intensity in the pain department.
Yes, the seasons affect pain levels. Crazy temp swings, humidity and heat or intense cold can make your pain levels worse. I am more accurate than the local weather forecaster. I'm completely heat intolerant now and apparently working on an allergy to cold as I now get hives.
One thing that we do suggest is that you have a sleep study done. Fibromyalgia interrupts the deep sleep cycle with short bursts of high intensity brain activity. Your muscles require deep sleep in order to recover from the days activities. No deep sleep means higher levels of pain. You may think that you are sleeping just fine. Managing the sleep issues that come with Fibromyalgia is a critical part of care. Most people are pretty surprised to find out what they are actually doing while asleep. A sleep study will pinpoint any problems and in turn, a medication to help. These days, it is possible to have a sleep study done at home.
Pacing is key to living with this beast. You have to respect your limits. And learn to say "no" and mean it without feeling any guilt. Break tasks down into more manageable increments, acknowledge that dust bunnies never killed anyone and don't over schedule on any one day.
We have a daily check in hosted by the resident brainiac Leo. She regales us with stories about the local wildlife, history, science and any obscure fun facts that wander through her noggin. Just look for the Puma avatar and the day of the week in the heading. It is a good way to get to know everyone. This is a very active group. Happy Valentine's Day! You are not alone!