Hello, fibro friends.

[bookworm1402]

My name is Megan. I'm 29, a step mom, and a wife. I used to work, but can't anymore because I can literally do nothing for my family if I also have a job. I was diagnosed in May of 2013. It's been a really hard battle, but I'm learning to deal with it much better. The things I can't seem to get a grasp on are staying motivated to make art and stress management. If you all have any suggestions to deal with these, please let me know! Thanks!

 

[diamond]

Hi Megan you are very young to be dealing with health issues. I had bad fatigue on and off from my late 20's onwards but was lucky enough that i had long periods of remission so never sought a diagnosis until i got pain to at 47.

It is hard to manage stress as it is stressful loosing your former self and dealing with chronic pain.

I found achieving the things i could that were part of my identity helped me keep feeling enough like myself to cope.

Everyone is different as to what that might be.

For some it is hobblies...resting enough to still socialize or taking care of your home and family if that gives you a sense of satisfaction.

For me it was still keeping my home nice by doing a little whenever i could....staying well enough for outings into the countryside....a bit of light gardening looking after my cats and generally appreciating small pleasures....like feeding the birds in the garden or buying gifts for my partner and son as treats and taking a lot of interest in their lives and hobbies and friends so that my world ( in my mind ) didn't shrink as much if that makes sense even if it was full of other peoples activities around me rather than my own.

I am a lot older than you and i think back to myself at 29...my son was only 4 and i was quite a high flying career girl so your outlook and interests will be very different.

There are younger people on here too...lovely people who will offer you support and advice and encouragement.

Tell us more about yourself or ask any specific questions we would love to help in any way we can.

Take care...oh yes and looking after your health must be your top priority and as you say reducing stress....try not to stress over unimportant things if at all possible..think health first every time as anxiety sends our fibro nuts!

 

[Cheryl Ann]

The things I can't seem to get a grasp on are staying motivated to make art and stress management. If you all have any suggestions to deal with these, please let me know! Thanks!

Welcome Megan
I'm glad you found this place! I have found it to be very helpful to share and to read what others have shared and share again.

So sorry that you have fibro. This is a safe, supportive place to be.

I know what you are talking about when you say you've lost your motivation for art. I create things from fabric and for a long time, I didn't want anything to do with it even though I knew it was an activity that usually makes me feel happy. I think that's called depression.

I used to fight depression. I had everything and everything was practically perfect. Why was I depressed? I believe there is a theory that physically/ neurologically links depression to fibromyalgia.

Anyway, I try not to fight it now. It is a part of me and I have to acknowledge it exists before I can let it go. So I play some word games on my phone and if I'm tired I will just fall asleep. I don't worry so much about what time I wake up. I figure I'll take what sleep I can get and hope that it is restorative. Sometimes I just need to relax. I'm so on edge but unconsciously so. I can remember waking up many, many times in the middle of the night and realizing that I was holding my head up off the pillow. What? That was when I was still working in the school district.

So, back on track...To get out of a funk,
* I take naps
* Drink water
* Take long hot showers (which I am now going to try putting lavender Epsom's salts and Clary Sage oil into the tub and shower while the tub
fills up a bit)
* Think about the fabrics, paints, colored pencils, stencils, etc that I like to use
* Relax
* Listen to music that makes you feel good and or inspired
* Sing out loud
* Dance
* Think about the art you would like to create
* Do something nice for someone (even a text message or phone call is good)
* Take your medicine!
* Eat
* Drink more water
* Set a calming atmosphere
* Light a candle
* Ease your way back to your art
* Why do you like art?
* What does your art do for you?
* Clean your art room
* Last ditch effort - hold a pencil between your teeth for 2 minutes (This exercise is supposed to activate certain muscles that you use for smiling
and in so doing, your body releases endorphins.

 

[diamond]

very lovely positive thread Cheryl Ann...hope it helps Megan

 

[bookworm1402]

very lovely positive thread Cheryl Ann...hope it helps Megan

Thanks, Cheryl!

 

[bookworm1402]

Welcome Megan
I'm glad you found this place! I have found it to be very helpful to share and to read what others have shared and share again.

So sorry that you have fibro. This is a safe, supportive place to be.

I know what you are talking about when you say you've lost your motivation for art. I create things from fabric and for a long time, I didn't want anything to do with it even though I knew it was an activity that usually makes me feel happy. I think that's called depression.

I used to fight depression. I had everything and everything was practically perfect. Why was I depressed? I believe there is a theory that physically/ neurologically links depression to fibromyalgia.

Anyway, I try not to fight it now. It is a part of me and I have to acknowledge it exists before I can let it go. So I play some word games on my phone and if I'm tired I will just fall asleep. I don't worry so much about what time I wake up. I figure I'll take what sleep I can get and hope that it is restorative. Sometimes I just need to relax. I'm so on edge but unconsciously so. I can remember waking up many, many times in the middle of the night and realizing that I was holding my head up off the pillow. What? That was when I was still working in the school district.

So, back on track...To get out of a funk,
* I take naps
* Drink water
* Take long hot showers (which I am now going to try putting lavender Epsom's salts and Clary Sage oil into the tub and shower while the tub
fills up a bit)
* Think about the fabrics, paints, colored pencils, stencils, etc that I like to use
* Relax
* Listen to music that makes you feel good and or inspired
* Sing out loud
* Dance
* Think about the art you would like to create
* Do something nice for someone (even a text message or phone call is good)
* Take your medicine!
* Eat
* Drink more water
* Set a calming atmosphere
* Light a candle
* Ease your way back to your art
* Why do you like art?
* What does your art do for you?
* Clean your art room
* Last ditch effort - hold a pencil between your teeth for 2 minutes (This exercise is supposed to activate certain muscles that you use for smiling
and in so doing, your body releases endorphins.

Thanks so much! XOXO

 

[bookworm1402]

Hi Megan you are very young to be dealing with health issues. I had bad fatigue on and off from my late 20's onwards but was lucky enough that i had long periods of remission so never sought a diagnosis until i got pain to at 47.

It is hard to manage stress as it is stressful loosing your former self and dealing with chronic pain.

I found achieving the things i could that were part of my identity helped me keep feeling enough like myself to cope.

Everyone is different as to what that might be.

For some it is hobblies...resting enough to still socialize or taking care of your home and family if that gives you a sense of satisfaction.

For me it was still keeping my home nice by doing a little whenever i could....staying well enough for outings into the countryside....a bit of light gardening looking after my cats and generally appreciating small pleasures....like feeding the birds in the garden or buying gifts for my partner and son as treats and taking a lot of interest in their lives and hobbies and friends so that my world ( in my mind ) didn't shrink as much if that makes sense even if it was full of other peoples activities around me rather than my own.

I am a lot older than you and i think back to myself at 29...my son was only 4 and i was quite a high flying career girl so your outlook and interests will be very different.

There are younger people on here too...lovely people who will offer you support and advice and encouragement.

Tell us more about yourself or ask any specific questions we would love to help in any way we can.

Take care...oh yes and looking after your health must be your top priority and as you say reducing stress....try not to stress over unimportant things if at all possible..think health first every time as anxiety sends our fibro nuts!

I meet so many women who were diagnosed later in life. My step daughter, who is 13, just met a friend at school who has fibro. How horrible would that be? I think I'm lucky in some ways, and in others I just want to scream WHY. Thanks for your support! This is a great forum so far.

 

[Cheryl Ann]

You're welcome Megan