For the last few months it has been the IBS. I can manage to get the pain under control, my sleep has been getting better, the fog comes and goes depending on how much sleep I get, the same with the fatigue.

But the IBS is making everything else so much worse, just wish I could eat normal. I seem to have flares with it just like fibro. I can go out, but just feel miserable, fluish, gassy and rumbly stomach.

Thankfully I have retired and can stay home and rest.

Blessing to all who share their lives with me.

Lately the pain has kept me awake for hours at night , even with 15mg. of Codeine, so must see about that. I know I can get an increase in dose, and the pain , thankfully is not every night, usually once a week.Isabelle1954

The unpredictable "pattern" of symptoms throughout the day; am I going to look drunk walking through the grocery store, cause I am dizzy and have problems with my balance.........will I have enough energy and not too much pain to get supper on the table?..........will I be able to follow the conversation when meeting up with friends?........Hmmmm, I could go on........and on........

It is also the fatigue and semi-brainless fog. My pain is not gone, but better with gabapentin. But I hate that my sister automatically vacuums and/or does dishes when she is here for movie night. The forgetfulness is rediculous, and not being to speak because I can't remember the simplest of words is just depressing. I had a bad day with this yesterday and the final thing was trying to find the lid for the cat food. I always keep it in the same place and even my sister helped look for it. I had to put the food in a sandwich bag, and after a few minutes, I thought "could I be that bad?". I looked in the fridge and saw an already opened can with the lid. I showed my sister and just started crying. It's just too much sometimes.

The fatigue is the worse part. The pain is a constant companion but the fatigue disrupts my life in the worst way. I hate it when my family is counting on me to take care of them and I can't even get out of the bed. Parenting from the bed with six kids is an absolute nightmare. I have a lot of days where I just give up. I let them argue, I let the house stay dirty. I let them eat what they want. I just want their mom back.

Pain and fog. The pain in my chest and back are worst. I've had every test known, and even though I know its not a heart thing, the pain scares me. I run to my drs constantly to be sure. I feel better after, but it still stinks. :(

Yes, the fatigue and "out there" feeling is the worst for me. I just feel so guilty when I just want to stay home! I'm raising my grandchildren...ages 12, 14, & 15, so I do a lot of running them around. Just so tired.
My family has also been worried about my memory. But I went to a neurologist a few weeks ago because he was making sure that a spot on my brain was okay (which it's nothing). I told him about worrying about my memory. He did a test asking questions and said my memory is fine for someone my age. Well, we're not so sure.
I know that Lyrica is said to cause problems like that, so I'm cutting back to just one at night, instead of taking one in the morning also. We'll see what that does.
Sorry this is so long!

Lady12 said it the best "the unpredictability" of symptoms.

When I wrote my first response it was IBS.

Yesterday it was brain fog which is so much more noticeable when I'm around lots of people like at church yesterday. What saves me is my ability to ask questions and then let people ramble on, just have to make eye contact and nod my head once in a while!

Here lately the worst part for me has been the fatigue and the rapid increase in pain when I try to get something done. I literally feel like my body has taken control of my life. It controls everything I do, and dont do. I get so frustrated when my body tries to tell me to stop and I end up feeling guilty. It wont let me enjoy giving the babies a bath, cook dinner, picking my children up, being playful with the kids, even trying to put the babies in their carseats causes pain. Taking care of my children at home has been my joy for 24 years and now its taken from me...its being taken from the ones still at home and its not fair they dont get 100% of me like the older ones did.

Honestly, I think for me the most difficult part is the myths and misunderstandings that about. Just yesterday I listened to a friend go on and on about how her mother, who has fibro, would be better if she just gave up gluten, and if she didn't, then "don't complain to me about it."

As I listened to her go on, I wondered if she had any idea what her mother probably suffered on a daily basis and how painful it must be for her to hear such judgment. That in turn made me want to hide my illness.

I did want to say, though I didn't (but I probably should have), I've been gluten free for a looooooooong time, but I still have fibro.

Oh, Susanbant, that is so very true. Every day I wonder when this will all simply go away and life will go back to normal.

Definitely the fatigue because it makes EVERYTHING feel much worse. The second and probably the thing that frustrates me is the brain fog because it will eventually cause me to leave my job.