Hi hello howdy

[fibrofoxy]

I'm Reba and I was diagnosed with fibro almost a full year ago. I believe I have it, but I also acknowledge I only received the diagnosis because none of the doctors I saw can tell me anything more, lol. I'm still advocating for further investigation. My current suspicions are POTS, CFS, and/or EDS. I used to suspect lupus but have shelved that for the time being.

I'm still working a full time admin position but I miss work every week, anywhere from half a day to 2 full days. I'm getting by with FMLA. I experienced really bad bullying from my entire team of coworkers, management included, for 4 months after the onset of the illness. The only reason I found out I have fibro is because we were horribly understaffed and I worked myself sick trying to be their team player.

I struggle to walk most days, either because my pain primarily affects my legs, or because I'm just plain too fatigued (or even dizzy). So I use mobility aids, including a cane, a rollator, and a wheelchair, depending on the day.

I'm in my late 20s. My early 20s (and teens but anyway) were stolen by depression, which I thankfully finally opened up and got help for. But I still have a lot of dreams and goals and sometimes I feel like I have to give them all up because of this illness.

Still, this storm of life has got me to lean more than ever on my faith and I keep on trusting that my God has a plan.

I'm looking for friends who have chronic illness or a disability. I don't really know anyone in my real life who seems to... GET what this feels like.

Thanks for reading and hope to chat soon =)

 

[SBee]

Good morning \afternoon\evening @fibrofoxy

Loving the purple fox btw. Welcome. Can honestly say you're in the right place for others that really do get it. What it feels like on a daily constant basis, and how to live with chronic debilitating illness. Course we've all got different symptoms and the severity of them, mixed in with other health problems too but fibro wise we understand.

Assume you have had a good nose around forum threads, but I hope you came across @sunkacola 's thread for newcomers? Packed with so much info and advice. One part in your post struck me as to how many of us seem to be people pleasers, so push ourselves further than we should? Depression is a pretty common symptom, either because of or running alongside fibro.( Me too, had it before but still there, under control ) Glad you have found the right ways to get support with that.

Whilst in my case fibro was suspected, I had to have a run of tests to eliminate other possibilities ( am in UK) but it's good You still want to push for investigations in case something else is also going on health wise. A lot of symptoms do crossover with other chronic conditions. Good on you for pushing for answers.
Take care.

 

[BlueBells]

Welcome to the forums, @fibrofoxy . Love your name and your fox

I admire your drive. I'm not sure I have any left, and then something happens and I just have to push. Mind you , I am not as bad as you are with pain and mobility, but the fatigue, yes, I well understand that.

One thing for sure, you will find others on here to chat with, and we all understand the craziness of fibro, so

I'm looking for friends who have chronic illness or a disability. I don't really know anyone in my real life who seems to... GET what this feels like.

You will certainly find that here.

 

[fibrofoxy]

Good morning \afternoon\evening @fibrofoxy

Loving the purple fox btw. Welcome. Can honestly say you're in the right place for others that really do get it. What it feels like on a daily constant basis, and how to live with chronic debilitating illness. Course we've all got different symptoms and the severity of them, mixed in with other health problems too but fibro wise we understand.

Assume you have had a good nose around forum threads, but I hope you came across @sunkacola 's thread for newcomers? Packed with so much info and advice. One part in your post struck me as to how many of us seem to be people pleasers, so push ourselves further than we should?

Hi, thanks!
I will definitely have to check that post out.
I agree about how so many of us seem to be people pleasers. Every fibromite (I just saw that word used by someone on these forums and I am obsessed lol) I've read from online, has said that they struggle with people pleasing. At this point I (half jokingly) wonder if it should be diagnostic criteria. It's something I am constantly working to unlearn through mindfulness and self development.
Hope your day goes well.

 

[fibrofoxy]

Welcome to the forums, @fibrofoxy . Love your name and your fox

I admire your drive. I'm not sure I have any left, and then something happens and I just have to push. Mind you , I am not as bad as you are with pain and mobility, but the fatigue, yes, I well understand that.

One thing for sure, you will find others on here to chat with, and we all understand the craziness of fibro, so

You will certainly find that here.

Hi and thanks!
Yes, fibro really brings strength out of a person (in my experience) that you never knew you had. You sort of come to a place where you simply have to live your life and be forgiving of yourself when you need rest.
Hope to chat again soon

 

[sunkacola]

But I still have a lot of dreams and goals and sometimes I feel like I have to give them all up because of this illness.

It is completely understandable that you would feel this way. And there may be dreams that you will have to let go, this is true. This is true for everyone in the world, not just those of us with chronic illness.

However,
One thing that I always try to remember is that dreams can always shift and change. And, sometimes we can look at a dream or desire that we have and dive deep into what the real need or desire or dream is underneath what we feel we want. Sometimes that is not the same thing.

I'm just going to make up a random example. Maybe the dream is to own a certain kind of big house, with some land. And maybe it turns out in a person's life that that is not achievable because it costs too much and that money is just never going to be there. But if they dive into what lies behind and underneath that dream they may find out that what they are really wanting is the security of having a place that feels safe and secure and lasting and that feels like home. And maybe that can be achieved in a way that is absolutely real and satisfying, but in a smaller way, an achievable way.

Or, maybe the dream can be reached, just needs to be accomplished in a different way. People run marathons who have no legs. And so on.

I'm never saying give up on your dreams! I'm saying, hold fast to them, and at the same time know that there may be several different paths to take to that dream; several different ways that you might not have considered yet may exist to accomplish what it is that you really want from that dream.

This is not a prescription or a direction from me. Just some thoughts, some things to think about, maybe.

You can have a life worth living. You can do this.