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jcairns82

Active member
Joined
Oct 9, 2013
Messages
82
Diagnosis
02/1993
Country
CA
State
Canada
Hey everyone,

New to the forum and apparently, this is the place to post about how Fibromyalgia impacts my daily life.

I was diagnosed about 20 years ago with fibromyalgia and it's pretty wild to type that and see it in print. It's a diagnosis that I don't share with too many people, as they either don't understand it. Or they have heard of it and think it's not a real thing.

My biggest trigger is stress. When under a lot of stress from work, school, family, and friends, then I'm in consistently more pain and find it difficult to move. My biggest stress relievers have been yoga, swimming and running. However, I find that I need to watch how much I do of each. I can push past my limits and it actually causes even more damage.

Recently, my partner asked when I'm in pain and the response was, "I'm really never not in pain." It's always there, like a constant hum that either dials up really loud or goes a little softer at time.
 
I admire your ways of dealing with stress, as the running part would have me laid flat in bed in no time. I am sure that the yoga and swimming help, but if it is stress that is giving you grief you might want to try and slow things down a bit. With work and family, and even friends, there is always something that needs done or places to go and people to see. There is the constant multi-tasking that is wearing to the body as well as the mind. Somethings must grind to a halt for a few hours a day or one of these days you will not be able to keep going.

These are a few ways to battle stress. Take time out for you. Read books or take long bubble baths, go walking for the pleasure of seeing nature, try watching movies at home that make you laugh and take your mind off your work and etc... Let grandma if able have the children for a day or weekend. Try starting a new hobby, like flower gardening or needlework, painting pictures or doing simple crafts. Try writing your thoughts and worries in a journal. I was once told that it gives the mind relief to write things down and get them out of your head. Even doing a volunteer job such as visiting or calling an elderly neighbor can transfer your thoughts to someone other then yourself, and as you care for them in listening, your own troubles will disappear for a while.

Stress has a way of making us feel on edge all the time. It can cause nervous trembling and chest pain. It can make ones mind race in circles just trying to figure out how to get everything done on time. If possible try to teach yourself to leave your work (job), at the office and try to slow down and say no once in a while. You will feel much better for it. It is something we all had to or have to learn in order to have a peaceful life with fibro.

Hope some of this is helpful to you. :)
 
Hey 1sweed, thanks for taking the time to post. It's definitely appreciated and a nice reminder that it's okay to stop and slow down a bit. I feel that being diagnosed at such a young age that I have a different view on life than others. It can be short and you never know what's going to happen, so I try to accomplish as much as I can (when not laid up in bed).
 
I was diagnosised early in life, back in the 1985, the first time at around the age of thirty-five. I did what you are doing, figuring I could beat the odds and just keep on working just as hard and not slow down one bit. Like you say life is short, so enjoy it while you can. I had my own housecleaning business and lots of people to clean for and had been in business for 10 years. Within a short time I was needing to drop some of my work, and before long I had one person to clean for, and even then I was really unable to do the work. It was not my choice to quit working I loved what I did for a living, but since I had refused to believe that anything could slow me down I lost everything I thought I was gaining, from fibro.

I am not saying you should give up your life or the things you enjoy, but to do somethings at a slower pace. Take time to smell the roses is a good ole saying. Get things done, but don't race to get them done. You will hurt less and have less stress if you try to do so. When I was first diagnosised doctors used to tell patients that exercise and hard work, was good for getting over fibro, but having learned better, they now say to take a slower pace.

I wish you well and I hope the coping skills on this forum help you as well. Good sharing with you and I hope you will continue to let us know how your doing. :)
 
Hey everyone,

New to the forum and apparently, this is the place to post about how Fibromyalgia impacts my daily life.

I was diagnosed about 20 years ago with fibromyalgia and it's pretty wild to type that and see it in print. It's a diagnosis that I don't share with too many people, as they either don't understand it. Or they have heard of it and think it's not a real thing.

My biggest trigger is stress. When under a lot of stress from work, school, family, and friends, then I'm in consistently more pain and find it difficult to move. My biggest stress relievers have been yoga, swimming and running. However, I find that I need to watch how much I do of each. I can push past my limits and it actually causes even more damage.

Recently, my partner asked when I'm in pain and the response was, "I'm really never not in pain." It's always there, like a constant hum that either dials up really loud or goes a little softer at time.

You sound like a really brave person! I was diagnosed two years and half ago, but I'm still in denial. Stress seems to make everything worse, have you tried to find a way to control that? I know isn't easy, but there are many excellent natural aids that can help you a lot! Like for example natural supplements and relaxing videos (ASMR videos). When you are very stressed, your body produces a lot cortisol... this at the same times makes the stress worse... so this can turn into a really bad vicious circle!
 
I know isn't easy, but there are many excellent natural aids that can help you a lot! Like for example natural supplements and relaxing videos (ASMR videos). When you are very stressed, your body produces a lot cortisol... this at the same times makes the stress worse... so this can turn into a really bad vicious circle!

Do you have a recommendation for one of those videos that makes a difference, Trellum? I know that stress affects fibro terribly... as well as some other things like IBS. I'm not sure a video would be enough to help the people I know with one or both of these things, but I'm sure they'd be willing to try anything that may help reduce the stress.
 
Yes stress is such an issue with Fibromyalgia and if you can reduce stress it is so much better. Some things that I have found over the years that help me reduce stress are: hot baths, reading, meditating, yoga, stretching, taking a walk and thinking of happier things, watching "I Love Lucy," talking to friends, watching a good movie and basically anything I enjoy that helps to take my mind off of things!
 
I completely understand the par of the pain being there through out,I feel it with every muscle and joint movement. I get tired easily so I can not do much of running. I do walk though and occasional do swimming, I have also joined a gym where by I do minor aerobics to try and strengthen the muscles.

I also don't discuss much about my problem because people don't understand this sickness. Since I laugh and smile with them, they don't associate this with continuous pain. So sometimes I suffer alone. I also get tired of explaining and answering same questions over and over again. I refer people to Google so that they can read for themselves.
 
Hello, folks! I, too, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia over 20 years ago. Ten years later I contracted Lyme Disease (just to complicate things!). I think of fibro as a thief: it stole my beloved teaching career (I had to retire 10 years earlier than planned); it proved to be too much for a loving committed relationship, so now I'm essentially alone; I'd like a dollar for every day I've missed due to pain; I've lost faith in most doctors (at least now they seem to believe that it exists, but finding effective pain control is exhaustingly difficult and often dispiriting; I lost my beloved farm, which brought me so much joy; when my mother, who lived with me toward the end of her life, suffered dementia, I lacked the stamina to take care of her (I'm an only child).
Despite this laundry list of negatives, I do try to maintain as positive an attitude as I can with the help of spiritual practice. When I'm not too depressed or in too much pain, I take walks in summer and do treadmill in winter. I try to swim and do physical therapy. I pray and meditate. I go to a pain clinic for pain control (Vicodin as needed or flares).
I'm not superwoman by many means, and there are days when I can't help but dwell on the pain and all I've lost in my life. Also, I'm terribly isolated: I'm fairly new in town and find it all but impossible to make good friends and develop a support system. I've never had this problem anywhere before. I look forward to receiving and giving support on the forum.
 
lottelein511,
Since this is your first post I will welcome you into the forum here. If you take time to read the posts in the area of pain management I am sure you will find lots of good coping skills and ways to help relief pain without drugs. Check out the alternative med topic as well for it contains a lot of good ideas and possibilities to help you manage pain in natural ways.

It is good to keep a positive attitude in dealing with fibro and all it's weird symptoms that can cause a host of problems. Being able to keep a sense of humor is good as well. This forum is filled with good kind support and caring folks who know the pain of fibro, as well as, the isolation of being on your own most of the time. Please post more and feel free to ask questions and give your thoughts and opinions in your answers. It is easy to make new friends on the forum, look you have just made one, Me. Have a good day. :)
 
I can totally relate to stress being such a trigger for Fibromyalgia flare-ups. I recently had to quit a decent paying job and go on to lesser paying work, because the stress was beginning to become more than my poor body can handle. I'd rather bring a few less dollars, and not live with that much pain. It was becoming constant and without end.
 
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