How old are you, how long have you been a fibro warrior?

[vickythecat]

Hi,

I know age is nothing but a number in most cases. I am turning 40 in a month, and I still feel like I am 28 most of the time (not physically, but mentally). But I was wondering how old we are on this forum and how long we have been battling with fibro. Thanks!

Here are my statistics

Current age: (almost) 40 (ahhhhhh, can't get used to it!!!)
Officially diagnosed: 34
Have had signs/missed diagnosis since: the age of 19

No one could explain why I had fascia pain or why I was so fatigued at only 19. It was my normal, I always had pain and was tired a lot, but thought I was being weak. My GP wanted to diagnose me with chronic fatigue syndrome, but he told me it would be a death sentence at such a young age with so much going for me, so decided against it. He referred me to physical therapy and counseling. After 4 years of trying to keep afloat, I had a nervous breakdown and ended up in a psychiatric hospital for over 15 months. From there on, doctors blamed my depression, anxiety, personality disorders, bipolarism as the cause of all my physical ailments.

 

[lyrin]

Age: 35
Diagnosed: 35. Mentally I don't feel like an adult lol.
Symptoms for at least 5 years. And oooh the fatigue.

Why does fibro seem to come along with mental disorders?

 

[Tipnatee N]

Started the progressed of diagnosing at 30, finalized diagnosed 32, now I'm 38.

Judged by between the peak of life traumas unraveled and shocked from horific physically traumas. I guess maybe it's mostly mental breakdown that pushing fibro to erupted? Are there any fibro patients out there with no mental disorder, I wonder? Perhaps it's genetically programmed it that way. And maybe the bigger the shockers the higer levels of fatigue and pains?

I had always been with some questionable physical or mental problems since I was little . But always an energizing bunny and strong minded and will. Yet fibro manage to turnded me upside down to the completely unrecognizable degrees of my self.

I always has this theory of fibro mentally turning us in to the infant stage. Where My brain still never leaned how to function like a baby crying just about everything , don't recognize the sign of what's real what false and so it frighten of everything and constantly stay alert on flight/fight situation but experinces of how to flee or fight back were reducing to non-existent.

Questions are unended with fibro , and no answer are ever proven.

 

[Lubkos way]

I like the question because,I always wondered what I might have in common with other fibro sufferers that would give me a clue as to the genesis of this which sometimes feels like a curse.

Looking back,there were subtle signs before I had a complete meltdown 3 or 4 years later.

It took several years to be diagnosed as well,and by that time my life went from all is well to losing my mom,my 13 year career and my health.

So I am 53,and was given this gift that keeps on giving for roughly 20 years(late 90's).

The thing that makes me curious too is,why do women make up the vast majority?

Oh,just in case someone is unaware,I am a guy and that kind of gives me extra questions.

In some ways,it narrows down the possible causes.It excludes the possibility that the dysfunction is in female hormonal systems and body parts for obvious reasons.

In my mind,it leaves only the immune system.I say this because the answer to one simple question.

How can anyone be in such excruciating pain,when there is no visible attacker,or measurable damage being done?

It can only be the immune system reacting to something,but the big question is what?

It is clear that modern(haha!)medicine has no real clue because they can not measure it or even agree it exists.I have a theory,anyone else?

 

[Tipnatee N]

I'm sure Lubkos way, you probably heard most of the theories about fibro there is.

I used to think that the reason to minority male in fibro was do to different type of the nature of male stress resistance in regarding of reproductive organs' neurons wired differently. I now believe that I couldn't be more wrong.

Because of stresses are the cause of many unexplain illnesses/disorders Including the unexplain auto immune problems. I now believe that fibro are just a category of the unsolve/untreated group amoung those stress related illnesses/disorders. Sadly I also believe that fibro were more likely to deem as unnecesary treatments in the medical world cause it such a head scratching invisible illness/disorders, like fixing one parts and the others parts are fallen type of annoying problems. Top of that we aren't dying so we get sweep under the rug along with the pains medicines.

Now since the diagnoses are getting much easier for fibro, and less sexual discrimination in this world. ( by that I meant the idea of 'illness for women only') Which probably the real stupid reason of why less male with fibro to begin with.

I guess it's just the time for more male to join in the head scratching world of weird call fibromyalgia. There's a lot of rooms under the rug to goes round.

 

[missv]

Hi everyone,

I’m 45 and soon to be 46. I was healthy & happy go lucky until a car accident in October 2000. I was front seat passenger. Since then everything went downhill.

Things started slowly besides the fact I ended up having rotator cuff surgery bc of the accident and that’s when I began having numerous problems with pain.

Diagnosed with sciatica in 2004 and after multiple tests I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression along with chronic pain.

I wasn’t diagnosed until November 4, 2011 with fibromyalgia after everything else under the sun was ruled out.

Now I have so many issues with Pain sometimes I can’t think straight!

Hopefully things get better but then again I’m getting older not younger! Lol

I wish everyone the best through the trying times!

 

[Tipnatee N]

missv

So sorry to hear you've been through such accident.XOXO missv

I do feel that fibro 'physically' I feel more like an old age person too . Even a lot older than I should be, but my body neurons' memories are equally of a toddler. While my actually long term of life memories are the same or still there even during the fibro fog, my own body don't seem to recognize it like it had been erased. Like my own body now have a different brain, the brain of a baby that have no idea what it facing and that's why everything hurts.


Does it make any sense ? It should't isn't it?

 

[vickythecat]

Like my own body now have a different brain, the brain of a baby that have no idea what it facing and that's why everything hurts.


Does it make any sense ?

This does make sense to me - it how I feel as well! Like my brain is quite young - much younger than my biological age of almost 40 (sorry I still can't believe it, I still feel so not a 'woman', let alone a '40 year old woman'!). Add fibro to the equation; my body does feel sooo much older than my brain. And it must mess my brain up. Like 'I am telling you to move and run. But you are not running? what is wrong with you?'

My mom is 74 and is for the first time in her life complaining about fatigue. She keeps telling me 'I've never been tired or fatigued before in my life, this really sucks'. She is finally beginning to understand my lifelong battle (I used to complain of fatigue as a child, but was always dismissed) But on the other hand, I am completely confused how a person can never have known what fatigue is like. I thought it was something everybody, no matter their age, felt.

The other day she told me about a friend of hers - she and her husband go swimming every morning at 6 am, then they have a community breakfast (with lots of people), then they do volunteer work at different organizations, then an hour long walk before dinner...They are both almost 80. I am very happy for them, but it honestly made me so sad. I can't even do half of what they do on a day......and I am half their age!

Life is so unfair ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - sorry had to scream my frustration and sadness there

 

[Tipnatee N]

Awe Vicky

I know , it's our grown body but it move and act like a little baby kitten or a puppy . Sadly we don't look as cute as them doing it.:mrgreen:

 

[Lubkos way]

I am a little concerned that,you all think that it is over for us,and that there is no hope to crawl out of this miserable fibro hole!I think NOT!!

There is a specific reason why I decided to begin chatting with any and all fibro sufferers who made me feel welcome.

I did not join this wonderful site after 20 years of living in veritable isolation and suddenly said,I want to share.

I mean it in the sense that,since I got sick,I simply had no one to really share thoughts with about what I was going through.

Someone who actually understood what a nightmare we live,and not only every night,trying to close our eyes and sleep,but every single day as we struggle to find a fleeting moment or two of relief from the pain,to get the strength to get through the day.

I will share some more good news,because I want you all to realize that,there is hope.I am proof.

Today,I hit eight days virtually pain free!!(I do feel exercise pain,and we all know it is not comparable to fibro pain!)

It is even more impressive since,I have been painting,plastering and climbing ladders for five of those days full time,and it is double what my previous best was.

I really believe that the treatment protocols I put together,are showing such promising results that,unless something changes,Dec.1,I will let you all know what I have been doing to get mind blowing improvements.

For now,definitely a treatment,but it has been only three months since the first treatment and I began the second Oct.21.

Final results could take up to 24 months(10 treatments),maybe sooner,it depends on your response to treatment.I responded incredibly fast.

There is a question I would like to ask anyone who would like to answer it.

How far would you go or What would you be willing to do,to get back your health??!!

 

[Tipnatee N]

Lubkos way

When did we ever said that we gave up for sure , and that's it for us ? Now that is quite an insult don't you think?

 

[Lubkos way]

Sorry Tipnatee or anyone else who may have felt insulted,there was no insult intended at all.The last thing I want to do is step on anyone's feelings!

It has become clear to me that,I spent too much energy,of which is in short supply and precious,over too many years,hearing and thinking about this illness being permanent,like it or not.

Well I did not like it then,or now,and I do not believe in that way of thinking anymore.

We need every ounce of energy to be directed at healing and I just wonder, does it begin to happen in your mind first,your body,or both at the same time?What kind of thinking promotes healing of one's body?Or,is it the body getting better,and promoting healthier thoughts?

Or is it just the luck of the draw?

 

[vickythecat]

I am a little concerned that,you all think that it is over for us,and that there is no hope to crawl out of this miserable fibro hole!I think NOT!!

Oh I have not given up at all either! In fact, as much as fibro sucks, it only made me a stronger person, and more importantly it showed me what is important in life. I have never been more passionate about certain causes than I am now.

I look at my life before - sure it was great without the fatigue and pain, but I just floated as society expects you to. You follow a certain path - the path everyone else in on. Chronic illnesses come along - and you are thrown off that path. It is scary at first (and still at times, frustrating and sad), but then you start to create your own path. I takes a while to appreciate and get used to it - once you do, it feels so great, so empowering.

Being completely pain-free is no longer a goal of mine. I accepted it, and that acceptance makes my path smoother (with lots of soft chairs along the way to sit and rest

 

[Tipnatee N]

Well Lubkos way , I admit that hurt me quite a bit and I was disappointed in your choice of outburst.

Cause it's the same feeling I get when normal healthy people giving me grief say things like "why don't you go out running like a normal person so you can get well, why are you giving up so easily? " Or when somebody say that "it's all in your head" , or " it's your imaginary " "don't be such a scaredy cat and get a grip of your self"

It's not that I stop trying to move!!. :evil: . How many time do I have to say it! But how do I run like a normal person when I felt like I have ' two left feet' that nobody can see it? Or wrong visions where sometime left switching to the right and nothing is there when I try to grab or stepping on it? Try that while climbing the stairs again and the next fall might be fatal. I still have the scars from the battle wounds that I haven't yet stop getting.

Not everybody are them same , and I am not the same as you are. Learning and coping with the limits of my body can help moving aways from daily injuries that I often gets from trying to be like a normal people. Cause everytime I leap I landed flat on my face literally, even that I still leap every chance that I get regardless of how many cuts and bruises I have to endure. Nobody can see it cause all they see is depressing painful expression looks on my face. But does that made it right to criticizing my conviction , my hope, and how I'm coping?

As I said to you a while back that I'm not scare of pains cause I live with pains single day without a break. And just to be clear!

NOT THING IS PERMANENT WITH FIBRO! :x

This annoying thing just kept changing it's mind every single days for me. I would rather have something more permanant so I can work with than not knowing what it'll be like tomorrow.

Like metaphorically, how many different vehicles do I have to keep on learning how to pilot or driving each day under how many unpredictable crazy conditions , circumsances , and rules??

However I believe that everybody are in title of the outburst , after all we're all just humans.
There's nothing wrong to be true to your emotion as long as still within the reasons and constantly trying to learn about each others' circumstances. I maybe on the disagreable side at the moment but on my good day I sure do know how if feels like to gain a little bit of freedom. That's what I'm seriously trying to achieve more not less.

 

[nofunmyalgia]

Am I a senior here?
I am 46 and had fibro since I was 15 but diagnosed when I was 25. I feel any year is worse (every few years I develop one more major pain), but also better because of info there are out there. For the first ten years nobody mentioned that I can do anything about it (and I lived in 3 different countries and was diagnosed in each). It was Oopsy, sorry you have that. But then I was encouraged to go to chiropractor, physiotherapist, counselling, yoga, meditation and I think I feel better now than when I was in my 20s. Or I might be just numb to the pain