completely wiped out...

[fimi]

and i got some good news over the weekend - my disability has been APPROVED!!!!! totally elated about that.

Congrats cookiebaker! I'm so pleased for you!!

 

[cookiebaker]

Thank you, @fimi - i am so relieved.. feel like a huge weight has been lifted.

 

[sunkacola]

@cookiebaker , that is very good news. I am happy for you! And, maybe you can give encouragement to people who are afraid to apply because they have hears how often folks are turned down. A success story (even for this, which you'd of course rather not need in the first place) is always helpful to others.
Good for you.

 

[hope23]

I really really hate those days where you actually should be in bed, surrounded with wheatpacks, trying to distract or keep mind busy(and off how much pain im in), with a good chunk of pain meds just to keep pain levels down enough that i dont feel like i should be calling an ambulance, instead, i am off to all three of my jobs and then will need to do a load of my stuff out to new house after work tonight (40 minute drive each way) i know i should be resting but i also know if i do call in sick amd rest for the day, i will completely crash and burn and not even be capable of movement come tomorrow when we have to move all the big stuff.
And then add some furbaby mum guilt on top that in the last week i havent been able to really give them the love, attention, exercise and stimulation they need and deserve

 

[sunkacola]

Companion animal wise, I also have felt guilt about not always doing enough or giving enough to my animals.
But what I do to make up for it is I let them know as often as possible that I love them. I treat them gently, always speak to them in a loving tone, and no matter what I am doing if one comes to me for attention, I give it to them right away.

There are days, although rare, that they don't get a nice walk. And days when I am not as communicative as I want or they want me to be. But a day never passes that they don't get praised for how wonderful they are, petted, and cuddled if that is what they want.

I think we just do the best we can, and after living with and training dogs (and cats) all my life, I know that the most important thing for them, save for being healthy, fed, and housed of course, is to know they are loved.

 

[hope23]

The one thing i can and do always give them is my love even if its just in the way i talk to them or curl up on the floor to snuggle with them. My furbabies have actually always been one of my biggest coping mechanisms on bad days, usually a bad day equals my doggies being allowed on the bed and snuggling with me. There is something about the love your animal shows you that i personally have found can have a positive effect on the severity of my symptoms on those extra bad days. Plus when you have a dog like a blue heeler crossed gsp(Patch) they are snuggle bunnies to the max and outrageously affectionate and caring. If im crying Patch will crawl into me so hes quite literally hugging me and (if im not quick enough to catch him before he does it) licking my tears away.
I am greatful to have a large yard so dont feel too guilty when i cant walk them a good half hour rough and tumble play session between my two equals two very tired and sated dogs

 

[hope23]

One thing i always do when i get home regardless of what i need to get done i will sit on the ground and let them sniff me till theyve satisfied themselves, i like to call it the end of day sniff-spection

 

[cookiebaker]

yup, our furbabies tend to get treated better than partners sometimes.. LOL

My girl seems to know when i am having a bad day.. she will come over more often, checking up on me.

I kind of miss the last one before her, tho (still, even tho it has been 7 years or so) - he was my buddy for sure.
Kind of a crazy mix - shar pei and pittie, and the only one of the litter to look the way he did... and i loved him to death. He was such a "Dawg" lol - protective to a fault but a cuddle bug with us.

 

[hope23]

They are such intuitive creatures, they definitely know when your not running on 100, like my two even behaviour wise, my two are super rough players, anyone watching would think they were actually having a go at each other but on bad days even that is way more docile, like theyre aware that today they need to be a bit quieter or more chilled out. My furbabies are the best!!

 

[This2shallpass]

I do understand your frustrations. This Summer has been quite a challenge for me, being elderly anyway, but suddenly having such intense pain in both my legs, followed by sudden weakness in the legs is something new for me. Seems that my legs just want to give way under me and feel numb. Hubby and I were in a local hardware store, and I was okay and then I wasn't. Could barely stand and no place to sit down. Had to get hubby to help me to our vehicle. Pain comes and goes, as does the weakness. All I hear is that I need to exercise, which is upsetting. I used to really push myself to do just that, only to have murderous attacks of pain for weeks at a time. Honestly, exercise is over rated for anyone with this malady. I was finally diagnosed officially with Fibromyalgia in 1997. That's a large part of my life, and it seems only to be getting worse. Dr's have tried me on first one thing and then another. Most medications (SSRI's and SSNI's have given me horrible side affects, and I recently came off of a very bad experience with Pregabalin. Medications in the past have given me permanent side affects of Vertigo, Anxiety, Panic attacks, and Tinnitus. (Dr's don't like to discuss side affects; but since the computer age, I'm up on things now. I make them listen.) Now, I only take Advil and have to sparingly use it due to stomach issues. Dr's seem to think at the get go, that it's all in our head, so they start us out of on an assembly line of first one thing and then another. This isn't good for Fibromyalgia. I've been on Prozac, Cymbalta, Lexapro and then Pregabalin. No more experimentation will be allowed on THIS person here. I'm waiting for some real help from our medical professionals for Chronic Pain Sufferers. What's happening is barbaric in nature.

 

[sunkacola]

suddenly having such intense pain in both my legs, followed by sudden weakness in the legs is something new for me.

Always have any new symptom checked out by your doctor. It is easy for us to assume everything is the fibromyalgia, but there are many things that are not and that could be causing symptoms like yours, or any new symptoms. If you don't get it checked you run a huge risk of either missing a diagnosis of something that is in dire need of medical intervention, or missing out on finding out that it is something outside of FM, and something that can be treated successfully.

Honestly, exercise is over rated for anyone with this malady.

I am afraid I am going to have to let you know that this statement isn't accurate. (see below)

What's happening is barbaric in nature.

I suggested in your other post that you read my post about how to manage fibromyalgia. Part of that is learning, (and it takes time) to accept the facts of your life and work with your body to feel better. Thinking in terms of something being barbaric is not really helpful. Now, I am not going all Pollyanna on you, sometimes it doesn't hurt just to say it sucks. But if you fight fibromyalgia and think badly of it you are only fighting your own body rather than putting that same energy into taking the best possible care of it.

About exercise..................
Exercise is vitally important for everyone, and more so for people with fibro.
What is important is the kind of exercise you do, how you do it, what time of day, now hard you go at it, what you eat to support that movement, and other factors.

If you find out through gentle baby-step experimentation with many different things you will find what works for you in terms of exercise. You can start so small that you will think it's not even worth doing, (but it is) and build up in such tiny steps over time that your body gets accustomed to it. NOT getting enough exercise is the worst thing that a person with fibro can do, and it pretty much ensures that you will not be likely to feel better in the future.

Most people with fibro who do not exercise in some fashion find that they are able to do less and less as time goes by.

I have found that people who don't think exercise helped them did not go at it slowly enough and did not experiment enough to find out which of the thousands of different kinds of things you can do to get exercise worked the best for their body and mind.

 

[cookiebaker]

but suddenly having such intense pain in both my legs, followed by sudden weakness in the legs is something new for me.

Have to agree with Sunkacola - go get that checked out.. sudden onset anything should be checked out.
even if it does turn out to be FM related, it is still wise to look into it, because what if it isnt?

 

[Nan]

I recognise everything in your post. Take care. Nan x

 

[Nan]

I can definitely agree with your post. Nan