EzbG
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2022
- Messages
- 44
- Reason
- DX FIBRO
- Diagnosis
- 08/1997
- Country
- US
- State
- CA
Hi all. I used to visit this site years ago, but didn’t post. But, after a recent reminder of the “whys” of what I was going through, I am back, but this time to ask for help. My story is kind of long. But I couldn’t really leave anything out.
I was diagnosed with Fibro in 1997, after being told for years by doctors that “you’re stressed out.” The doctor that diagnosed me, didn’t know I had researched and thought I knew what was the problem - and I simply described it as ‘feeling like you have the flu - the real flu that every fiber hurts - constantly.’ She asked a couple of logical questions, and then said, “have you ever heard of fibromyalgia?” We got it “under control” by concentrating on getting more sleep each night. Fast forward to 2001, and a slip & fall at work. I managed a team of inventory counters, and was walking along the checker area, and slipped and fell on drops of dish soap. 4 years later I had fusion surgery, which was deemed “a failure.” Nerves were damaged by the fusion hardware, and were continuing to have contact with the nerves. They removed the hardware. Pain levels were dramatically reduced - but… I got MRSA. 1.5 years later, they finally killed the MRSA, but left me with constant pain, 1/4 the feeling in my right hip/leg, and PTSD.
I still managed the Fibro okay, but oddly - I tended to forget I had it, because the back pain tended to overwhelm the Fibro pain, which is mostly controlled by opioids.
I still manage an inventory team, but its my own company. In January, I lost my 2nd in command to covid. That was the beginning of an incredible amount of stress. In my work, from Nov 15 to Feb 15 is very busy. My #2 used to manage teams, to give me time off. Now, it’s all on me. Silly me - I thought the building pain, lack of concentration, headaches, etc was signs of the extra workload. But when it didn’t recede by April, I just thought it was more damage to the disks that weren’t fused. Mid-year inventories were rough - and I was getting grouchy. The pain & exhaustion…. I was done. Told hubby I’m shutting down the company. At this same time, there were major changes going on at hubby’s work, and he was also tired, and getting grouchier every day. That was stacking on me. I was overwhelmed!
I had promised hubby in 2010 I wouldn’t commit suicide, but here I was - seriously thinking about it. I finally told him, about 5 weeks ago - “I am drowning, and I am not sure I have another surface in me.” It’s an odd analogy, but it was perfect. We spent time planning how to make things easier on me. AN answer came when he told his company of 36 years - “I am leaving.” Loooong story short - an investment company that owns his company, bought the (failing) competition. Instead of keeping them as competitors, they merged the 2 companies. Hubby‘s company was the better company - better software, better equipment, better methods, better service. But the other company had 5 times the people and so the powers the be decided they would go to the other companies equipment. Things were bad from the word go - the exact same 8 man team was capable of counting a major company grocery store in 6-8 hours pre-merge, was now taking 10-14 hours to do the same stores… that’s how slow the equipment was. After 11 months of that, he said “enough!”
HE is now my 2nd in command. He leads the team when I need rest. But I was still drowning. It’s not just the company - we bought a house 4 years ago, and it still isn’t together! Lots of projects still need doing. Some I can handle alone, but many need 2 people. He was always too tired to help. Every project needed doing, but so many straws, and this camel has a ”broken back.”
A family friend recently posted a meme on social media about Fibro, and comparing the pain of Fibro to other pain - kidney stones, appendicitis, heart attack, slipped disks, pain after surgery - and hubby saw it, and read it out loud to me. I walked to the kitchen where he was, stunned! It was the “smack in the forehead“ moment for me, then him. We realized! The constant fatigue, aches, pain so bad I got the cane out, because I couldn’t walk, the foggy head, the “word salad” - what I call the merging of 2 words, or switching the 2 word’s syllables. It’s the fibro… not the back getting worse.
We now have hope… and goals. Baby steps, to do & finish all the things that overwhelmed me. I now feel the life preserver around me. There will be a huge amount of teaching going on, as I am and always have been the “man“ of the house - I’m the mechanic, carpenter, maid, bookkeeper, business owner. He is the “tool hander.” I’m NOT belittling him - he was never taught, and I was self taught. I will guide, instruct, and hand tools, until I am better, then we can share.
I found this site a few years ago, and looked for it today. I’m looking to see what is “new” for fibro patients. I am NOT looking for medication recommendations, as I have gotten off more meds you can shake a stick at. I am looking to see what folks do to help - physically & mentally. What are you doing to get better sleep? Etc. Has any one tried accupuncture, acupressure, reiki, laser lights?
Thank you in advance for all suggestions!! Thank you for taking the time to read my “book.”
I was diagnosed with Fibro in 1997, after being told for years by doctors that “you’re stressed out.” The doctor that diagnosed me, didn’t know I had researched and thought I knew what was the problem - and I simply described it as ‘feeling like you have the flu - the real flu that every fiber hurts - constantly.’ She asked a couple of logical questions, and then said, “have you ever heard of fibromyalgia?” We got it “under control” by concentrating on getting more sleep each night. Fast forward to 2001, and a slip & fall at work. I managed a team of inventory counters, and was walking along the checker area, and slipped and fell on drops of dish soap. 4 years later I had fusion surgery, which was deemed “a failure.” Nerves were damaged by the fusion hardware, and were continuing to have contact with the nerves. They removed the hardware. Pain levels were dramatically reduced - but… I got MRSA. 1.5 years later, they finally killed the MRSA, but left me with constant pain, 1/4 the feeling in my right hip/leg, and PTSD.
I still managed the Fibro okay, but oddly - I tended to forget I had it, because the back pain tended to overwhelm the Fibro pain, which is mostly controlled by opioids.
I still manage an inventory team, but its my own company. In January, I lost my 2nd in command to covid. That was the beginning of an incredible amount of stress. In my work, from Nov 15 to Feb 15 is very busy. My #2 used to manage teams, to give me time off. Now, it’s all on me. Silly me - I thought the building pain, lack of concentration, headaches, etc was signs of the extra workload. But when it didn’t recede by April, I just thought it was more damage to the disks that weren’t fused. Mid-year inventories were rough - and I was getting grouchy. The pain & exhaustion…. I was done. Told hubby I’m shutting down the company. At this same time, there were major changes going on at hubby’s work, and he was also tired, and getting grouchier every day. That was stacking on me. I was overwhelmed!
I had promised hubby in 2010 I wouldn’t commit suicide, but here I was - seriously thinking about it. I finally told him, about 5 weeks ago - “I am drowning, and I am not sure I have another surface in me.” It’s an odd analogy, but it was perfect. We spent time planning how to make things easier on me. AN answer came when he told his company of 36 years - “I am leaving.” Loooong story short - an investment company that owns his company, bought the (failing) competition. Instead of keeping them as competitors, they merged the 2 companies. Hubby‘s company was the better company - better software, better equipment, better methods, better service. But the other company had 5 times the people and so the powers the be decided they would go to the other companies equipment. Things were bad from the word go - the exact same 8 man team was capable of counting a major company grocery store in 6-8 hours pre-merge, was now taking 10-14 hours to do the same stores… that’s how slow the equipment was. After 11 months of that, he said “enough!”
HE is now my 2nd in command. He leads the team when I need rest. But I was still drowning. It’s not just the company - we bought a house 4 years ago, and it still isn’t together! Lots of projects still need doing. Some I can handle alone, but many need 2 people. He was always too tired to help. Every project needed doing, but so many straws, and this camel has a ”broken back.”
A family friend recently posted a meme on social media about Fibro, and comparing the pain of Fibro to other pain - kidney stones, appendicitis, heart attack, slipped disks, pain after surgery - and hubby saw it, and read it out loud to me. I walked to the kitchen where he was, stunned! It was the “smack in the forehead“ moment for me, then him. We realized! The constant fatigue, aches, pain so bad I got the cane out, because I couldn’t walk, the foggy head, the “word salad” - what I call the merging of 2 words, or switching the 2 word’s syllables. It’s the fibro… not the back getting worse.
We now have hope… and goals. Baby steps, to do & finish all the things that overwhelmed me. I now feel the life preserver around me. There will be a huge amount of teaching going on, as I am and always have been the “man“ of the house - I’m the mechanic, carpenter, maid, bookkeeper, business owner. He is the “tool hander.” I’m NOT belittling him - he was never taught, and I was self taught. I will guide, instruct, and hand tools, until I am better, then we can share.
I found this site a few years ago, and looked for it today. I’m looking to see what is “new” for fibro patients. I am NOT looking for medication recommendations, as I have gotten off more meds you can shake a stick at. I am looking to see what folks do to help - physically & mentally. What are you doing to get better sleep? Etc. Has any one tried accupuncture, acupressure, reiki, laser lights?
Thank you in advance for all suggestions!! Thank you for taking the time to read my “book.”