MysticMoon
New member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2013
- Messages
- 4
- Diagnosis
- 05/2008
- Country
- US
- State
- Oregon
I was diagnosed with FMS several years go after a surgery that I never seemed to recover from. It took many frustrating dr visits, a multitude of tests, and years of fighting to get the treatment that works for me. While I do not have my entire life back, I am at a place where I can function most days.
Like many of you on this forum I have dealt with pain, depression, anxiety, anger and the entire gambit of emotions that go along with FMS. It is a life altering illness, and each person must find what works best for them. For some people Lyrica or Cymbalta is a godsend, for others nothing seems to help. I went through over two years of med trials trying to find anything that would help me regain some sense of normalcy in my life. I found that I was better off doing my own research, firing doctors who hindered my progress, and seeking out doctors that would listen to me, and be willing to try treatments that I suggested...as well as giving me new options to try.
It was an uphill battle, that although I have not 'won' I am finally at a place where I don't feel hopeless. I know I will never be 'cured' but I have realized that I am in control. On my bad days, I am in control when I decide to take it easy and pamper myself. On my good days, I am in control, and know what my limits are and make sure to do things I enjoy. In short, I refused to let my diagnosis define my life. Fibro has already taken away too much from me, I refuse to let it keep taking away more. It wasn't easy (it took years for me to get to this point), and many days I felt like giving up, but I am too stubborn and determined to allow Fibro to destroy my life.
I have bad days, just like everyone else. I have days that anger gets the best of me, but I decided to allow myself to have those days. I have days that I wonder what the point of living in pain 24/7 is, and realized I still have so much left to do in my life. I let myself have a pity party when I need one. I allow myself to pretend I am 'normal' despite the pain when I want to spend time doing things I enjoy. I know I will pay for it with more pain, but I refuse to allow the fear of a few days of more pain to keep me from living my life, and enjoying it.
It has not been an easy journey. I don't want anyone to misunderstand and think that I don't empathize with people struggling every day. I have been there, and I do understand all of the highs and lows. It took the death of a dear friend to make me realize that my life is worth fighting for. I didn't get where I am now without a lot of anger, pain, emotionally and physically, and I have lost more than I care to remember. However, what I do still have is me, and the determination not to give in to my health. (Fibro is only one diagnosis in a long list of health issues I contend with daily).
I hope that everyone is able to find some way to get some sense of normalcy back into their lives, if they haven't already. I look forward to getting to know fellow forum members, helping if I can, and learning what has helped and failed to help them. All information is valuable, because we are all different and what works for someone may help another, or not...and what failed someone may still help another, or not. Since the doctors don't seem to understand how to treat the complexities of FMS, it is forums like this one that serve to give people hope...and that is the most valuable thing a person with chronic pain can ever have...hope that it may get better.
Like many of you on this forum I have dealt with pain, depression, anxiety, anger and the entire gambit of emotions that go along with FMS. It is a life altering illness, and each person must find what works best for them. For some people Lyrica or Cymbalta is a godsend, for others nothing seems to help. I went through over two years of med trials trying to find anything that would help me regain some sense of normalcy in my life. I found that I was better off doing my own research, firing doctors who hindered my progress, and seeking out doctors that would listen to me, and be willing to try treatments that I suggested...as well as giving me new options to try.
It was an uphill battle, that although I have not 'won' I am finally at a place where I don't feel hopeless. I know I will never be 'cured' but I have realized that I am in control. On my bad days, I am in control when I decide to take it easy and pamper myself. On my good days, I am in control, and know what my limits are and make sure to do things I enjoy. In short, I refused to let my diagnosis define my life. Fibro has already taken away too much from me, I refuse to let it keep taking away more. It wasn't easy (it took years for me to get to this point), and many days I felt like giving up, but I am too stubborn and determined to allow Fibro to destroy my life.
I have bad days, just like everyone else. I have days that anger gets the best of me, but I decided to allow myself to have those days. I have days that I wonder what the point of living in pain 24/7 is, and realized I still have so much left to do in my life. I let myself have a pity party when I need one. I allow myself to pretend I am 'normal' despite the pain when I want to spend time doing things I enjoy. I know I will pay for it with more pain, but I refuse to allow the fear of a few days of more pain to keep me from living my life, and enjoying it.
It has not been an easy journey. I don't want anyone to misunderstand and think that I don't empathize with people struggling every day. I have been there, and I do understand all of the highs and lows. It took the death of a dear friend to make me realize that my life is worth fighting for. I didn't get where I am now without a lot of anger, pain, emotionally and physically, and I have lost more than I care to remember. However, what I do still have is me, and the determination not to give in to my health. (Fibro is only one diagnosis in a long list of health issues I contend with daily).
I hope that everyone is able to find some way to get some sense of normalcy back into their lives, if they haven't already. I look forward to getting to know fellow forum members, helping if I can, and learning what has helped and failed to help them. All information is valuable, because we are all different and what works for someone may help another, or not...and what failed someone may still help another, or not. Since the doctors don't seem to understand how to treat the complexities of FMS, it is forums like this one that serve to give people hope...and that is the most valuable thing a person with chronic pain can ever have...hope that it may get better.