Men with fibromyalgia, not just a little thing!

[Dick T.@94]

Men with Fibromyalgia I am in total Agreement

I was diagnosed fifteen years ago, I was so bad I was literally not able to move any part of my body to get out of bed. My wife had to exercise all my limbs so I could get out of bed. When I went to the head of rumetology, at the New England Medical Hospital in Boston. He was totally convinced that fibromyalgia was a disease, not just something they told you that you had when they couldn't find anything else to diagnois. They tested all the pressure points on me and after they scraped me off the ceiling, they said, "yes, I did have fibromyalgia".

But they also said that in the three months that I had this problem, I was at the level of patients he had been treating for at least a year and a half. He was very taken-aback and asked if he could use these finding in his next article.

This fibromyalgia totally ruined my life after the first five years of suffering I had to go on SSI disability and could no longer work or function. I have lost most of my friends and even my brother and sister think I have the plague and ignore me altogether. So any one who says its a bunch of Hooey! and that men should just work thru this, I've got news for them and many bills they can pay for me, if they'd like.

I still see a psychiatrist, because I can't cope with any part of this great life of mine, to add to the mix my wife in 2011 just after our 40th Anniversary right at my feet from a massive coronary, I certainly was prepared for that.

HAPPY LIFE!

 

[HeidiLynn3]

Hello there First off, I am so sorry about your wife..I couldn't even begin to imagine. I have never really talked to a lot of men with fibro so it is nice to meet you! I can honestly say that fibro has made my life a living hell, and I hate it. Are you on anything for the pain/fatigue from hell?

 

[Dick T.@94]

Hi There HeidiLynn3

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I think I get a little carried away. But when I start on the subject of Fibromyalgia I just go nuts and don't know when to stop.

This illness is not really manageable there are to many factors that affect the problem itself. If you don't hydrate yourself properly, anxiety, depression, even the weather, and GOD only knows what else.

There are to many factors that who can get a handle on it to manage it. They tell me to get a good psychiatrist. Well I've had six. Only two of them I could really relate to, and four that we just didn't mesh.

My last one told me, "I can't prescribe medication for you forever and to get over it so you can stop all the meds". Isn't that just wonderful. Haven't been back to see him since and now I'm in trouble with anxiety and depression to beat the band and the Fibro. and everything else is at a fever pitch.

They ask me for my pain level 1 to 10 and I answer 25. Great LIFE isn't it! I'm having the time of my life!

How about you?

Dick T.@94

 

[1sweed]

DickT.@94,
Gosh Dick, I can understand the heartache and anger you have had in your life. The loss of your job and your health, and finally your wife, had to be a crushing blow. There is always depression and anger with having fibro, because no one knows enough about it to help in any satisfing manner. You might be suffering from PTS as well. It can be brought on my severe emotiomal distress. I hope coming here helps you find some ways to deal with your losses and improve your life a bit at a time.

When my fibro started I had a whole array of problems that acted like MS, from unable to move and vision problems, leg weakness and weak muscles, speech and breathing problems. Over the years things have mellowed out a bit and as long as I avoid stress I do alright. But the one thing that helped me the most was talking with my therapist and working through the painful memories I had experienced. Please check out the section on alternative methods. I had therapy called "EMDR " which really helped me in regards to my illness and bad memories. Do a web search about this treatment and ask your psychiatist about it. It works for some people and it just might help you. Please keep coming and let us know how you are doing.

 

[mariposa]

Dick, I'm so sorry to hear of your severe pain issues, and of the loss of your wife. :-( I'm glad you found your way here and I hope that talking to others with the same pain issues will somehow help you to cope with the things in your life that surely must feel overwhelming for you.

Sounds as if you were lucky to have found that doc in Boston who took Fibro seriously! Seems that he was in the minority 15 years ago... way too many doctors didn't know a thing about Fibro and some even mocked it as "made up" as we all know.