Recently Diagnosed

[NWilliams]

Hi. I was recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (July 18th).


I'm mostly just processing at the moment. I'm 21 years old, so it's a long road ahead. I'm trying to remain optimistic about treatment. But it's hard when I can barely make it through my work day. I put so much of my identity into working hard and being independent.

The other day, I couldn't walk on my own. I forgot where I was and where I was going when driving yesterday- even though it's a familiar route. Could not remember for a good twenty minutes to a half an hour, and I couldn't concentrate on the road. Driving itself is very painful for me.

It was terrifying. The thought that I might not be able to be independent anymore is terrifying. And, in the face of that, staying optimistic is hard.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

Hi, there.

I was just diagnosed, too.
I'm 28 but my life kind of stopped at 15 because I had developed agoraphobia and social anxiety due to having PTSD.
I used to work really hard. I worked 3 jobs at a time, all through highschool. I would work in the mornings before school and at lunch hour most days and on spares and after school and on weekends and holidays-- and I always imagined that if I worked hard enough, I could get somewhere and have money so that I didn't have to worry so much about living from paycheque to paycheque the way my mother always did... but for the last 8 years, I've been living with my mom in social housing and unable to leave the house; I haven't been able to work or to contribute and it's all a big mess... and now I'm worried about the future, too.

I couldn't walk at all yesterday.
My little brother had to drive over to lift me out of bed so that I could sit on the toilet and it was terrible.

All we can do is try to be positive.
Reduce stress; as stress levels apparently directly coincide with how much pain you are going to be in.
I was told that cognitive behavioral therapy will help (I've attempted it 3 other times but maybe 4th time's the charm, right?)
And low impact exercise on a regular basis could help-- like swimming, biking or rebounding on a trampoline.

I'm still kind of in shock, too.
This all seems strange.