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[Cindy Wood]

Hello,
I am new to this support group but I've needed this for a long time. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2017 although I have suffered from it all my life in some form or another I just didn't know what it was when I was younger I always thought I had the flu to explain the body aches I though something was seriously wrong that i surely had something that I was going to die from because it wasn't normal to feel that way most of the time. I have such broken sleep patterns, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, moderate to severe sometimes anxiety and depression, I always think to my self why cant i just be normal . I need to find my own ways to cope with it but I'm coming up empty I feel so overwhelmed because my brain is racing and trying to process to much at one time and I cant concentrate long enough on anything it is so frustrating, how do you get yourself to calm down enough to process anything?

 

[Jemima]

Hi Cindy,

I reallllly relate to your racing brain. I was like that for years. I cannot guarantee it will help you - we've all got all sorts of different things going on - but my "magic pill" for that was starting to take magnesium. I specifically take KAL brand Magnesium Glycinate, and it's like whatever was making me race got unplugged, and my brain is finally still! I'll add to that, too, that getting a handle on anxiety using breathing exercises and relaxation techniques also helped me shift down a gear and get a handle on a pattern of catastrophising thoughts. I'm probably repeating myself (if so, sorry!) but I recommend reading up on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems to better understand stress responses and anxiety, and also psychologist Paul Gilbert's theory of the three emotional regulation systems and learning to self-soothe. This provided a real "aha" moment for me. I hope you find something that helps!

 

[Cindy Wood]

Jemima ,
Thank you so much you have so much helpful information and you are a real caring person. I'm so glad I joined this support group it's definitely what I needed. You have an old wise soul, you should consider being a counselor for people with fibro we really need someone who understands us and cares like you do, again Thank you so much. I will definitely the magnesium.

 

[Jemima]

Jemima ,
Thank you so much you have so much helpful information and you are a real caring person. I'm so glad I joined this support group it's definitely what I needed. You have an old wise soul, you should consider being a counselor for people with fibro we really need someone who understands us and cares like you do, again Thank you so much. I will definitely the magnesium.

That's so sweet, Cindy. Thank you! It's wonderful that you're here - I hope it really helps.

 

[sunkacola]

Hello,
I am new to this support group but I've needed this for a long time. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2017 although I have suffered from it all my life in some form or another I just didn't know what it was when I was younger I always thought I had the flu to explain the body aches I though something was seriously wrong that i surely had something that I was going to die from because it wasn't normal to feel that way most of the time. I have such broken sleep patterns, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, moderate to severe sometimes anxiety and depression, I always think to my self why cant i just be normal . I need to find my own ways to cope with it but I'm coming up empty I feel so overwhelmed because my brain is racing and trying to process to much at one time and I cant concentrate long enough on anything it is so frustrating, how do you get yourself to calm down enough to process anything?

Hi Cindy,
I struggled for years to find a way to manage fibromyalgia effectively. I took drugs for about 3 years until I realized that is not the best way to go with something like fibromyalgia. I realized it was up to me, not to any doctor, and I had to help myself. A long period of experimentation and trial and error followed that led me in many different directions. Some were dead ends, and some were good ideas but didn't work for me, and other things did work and made my life easier. These days, while I still have fibro, still have chronic pain, and still get laid low and even incapacitated with it at times, those times are less frequent and often the pain is less severe. Overall my life is better, and while I still cannot do what I used to be able to do I can do enough, if I manage things the best I can, to make my life livable and acceptable even if not always enjoyable. And I am able to enjoy a lot more now than I did when I was relying on doctors and drugs to treat my fibromyalgia. Fibro is a systemic syndrome, and cannot be helped by treating symptoms, but can be helped by taking the whole system into account.
I put what I learned and a lot of tips, options, and things that I hope will be encouraging into a post. Check it out, and see if you can start trying something there. And if you have questions, feel free to ask!

My advice for managing fibromyalgia (especially for newcomers)

I am not a doctor or anything, just a person who has lived with fibromyalgia for several years now and has done a lot of research and trial and error experimentation. What follows is just basics. There are a lot of variations. You will find your own versions of everything I say, as this is not a...

www.fibromyalgiaforums.org