Hypochondria

[Mr Bee]

If you have Fibromyalgia, then you have heard this term innumerable times.

Having settled my brain down a bit from all the vile people I’ve met including family that run this term by me on several occasions, finally I can put into words the function that causes a fellow sufferer to moan ‘so much’!

Fibromyalgia is overwhelming. It functionally attacks all the senses at once. The brain is then inundated with pain that it cannot deal with. The brain wasn’t designed for so much crisis, especially in a high tech world which magnifies anxieties.

So, the body, mind and soul go into ‘poor me’ mode. No one wants to moan. It’s a simple beg for help!

This is not hypochondria.
It is FIBROMYALGIA. (CFS. MS. ME.)

Call it what you like but if you are judged a hypochondriac, then consider how truly dumb that person is making that statement.

Bond not break!

 

[Auriel]

I've said it so many times Mr Bee (so have some of the other's) if they had it they'd NEVER be able to say that

 

[thparker13]

I can so relate! Nobody, not even the doctors truly understand since they aren’t going thru it themselves! I at one point, at my lowest since diagnosis, told my husband that I was unsure I wanted to continue if the pain is only going to get worse along with age. I was already suffering enough, I didn’t want my family to see me get worse. I’ve since gotten on better medication, learned to correct my diet, lost weight, go to the gym, rest when I need it, and spend plenty of time in the sun (warms my bones). I no longer feel the desperation I felt and now am better understanding my pain and how to mentally cope with it a bit better.
I’m not sure how my family sees me now, I’d like to believe they believe me and my doctors, but I also know it’s complicated at times when they can’t see my ailments.
Mr. Bee - I truly hope you have great support when all else fails. Everyone needs a team of supportive people to help them thru the trying times!

 

[BlueBells]

@Mr Bee @Auriel @thparker13

My brother called me that all the time, and I had to search the dictionary to learn the meaning. I KNEW that something was not right, but I also KNEW I was not making it up.

Put into perspective, I was primary school with a teenage brother. That's a testy mix for starters ! Add in that's in the 1960's. Who had even heard of fibromyalgia? I was only diagnosed late 2019.

People may not understand, nor comprehend (wow, even half the people on here are still trying to comprehend the complexities of fibro), but rather it's the attitude.

Dumb? Yeah, maybe, or just not interested in hearing/understanding what we are trying to cope with. Frustrating? Yep, big time.

I tend to think that the "good one day, off the planet the next, and wondering where the planet went the next day"...this is what makes it hard to explain. Most disabilities, illnesses, etcetera are either there or improving, not on and off like playing with a light switch. It's understandable people think hypochondria.

This site is helping me to understand so much more, and that is helping me explain to others. Are you finding that at all?

Please take care.

 

[Badger]

People without chronic conditions get grumpy enough with a cold or twisted ankle. If only people could appreciate the pain of that injury never going away with the knowledge more will happen through life and mount up. The kicker if it's Fibro is there are many other symptoms to deal with on top such as chronic fatigue. It's crazy to think as sufferers we can forget what it's like to wake up feeling refreshed.

Learning to live with it can feel like learning to swim by starting at the bottom of the pool. It's stressful trying to find the right words in dealing with people and their reactions can be quite upsetting. @Mr Bee take care of yourself, here's hoping for a reasonable day.

 

[sunkacola]

Learning to live with it can feel like learning to swim by starting at the bottom of the pool.

I like that analogy, Badger.

Someone asked me a little while back if it is hard for me to get comfortable at night to go to sleep.
My immediate answer was, "I don't know that I am ever comfortable".

People don't understand how that is possible, so they don't believe it.
They also don't want to believe it because if they do it means it could happen to them, and no one wants to think about that. Especially when talking about someone who has been strong, healthy, and very active all their life previously, not someone who never took care of themselves.

I thought about it, though, and realized that there are.....very rarely, maybe a few times a month.....times when I am actually comfortable. And then I notice it! I think....wow!! I'm comfortable!! And I don't want to move for anything, because it's so rare. Of course, that usually only lasts a few minutes and I either have to move, or else it stops being comfortable.

Most people don't really notice when they are comfortable. Only when they are not.

 

[Badger]

I remind myself to take notice of moments where I'm distracted from the focus on discomfort. It could be a view, taste, movie, music etc. even vivid dreams. Although I hope to learn how to be with things as they are, it would also be nice to be more present with pleasant sensations and appreciate the nuance. It might give me old brain a bit of a break.

 

[SBee]

Although I take 2 low doses of anti depressants, one for mood swings the other amitriptyline for nerve pain, I appreciate the sedating side effect they both have, as well as them both doing their ' proper jobs '. But apparently I still shout out in the night because of pain when turning or moving, so even unconsciously in my mind, my body is aware of being in discomfort.

I fully understand those rare times when we are not in any discomfort. Sadly they are fleeting, unexpected and yet very welcome. It's quite striking to be reminded of this @sunkacola because obviously our own perspectives, or our ' normal ' are polar opposite to most others experiences.

 

[Mr Bee]

Mr. Bee - I truly hope you have great support when all else fails. Everyone needs a team of supportive people to help them thru the trying times!

I’ve had fm for 37 yrs. In that time I’ve gone from assault corses guru to infirm cripple in mind and body. But, my outlook is positive because of Jehovah. No one has ever helped except him.

 

[sunkacola]

I’ve had fm for 37 yrs. In that time I’ve gone from assault corses guru to infirm cripple in mind and body. But, my outlook is positive because of Jehovah. No one has ever helped except him.

Because this is an international forum with many people of many different faiths and belief systems, we ask that specific religions or gods or religious practices not be discussed on the forum so that everyone will feel welcome equally.

Of course, if anyone wants to discuss religion or practices with each other, they can do so in private messages.
Thanks very much.

 

[BlueBells]

@Mr Bee

I’ve had fm for 37 yrs. In that time I’ve gone from assault corses guru to infirm cripple in mind and body. But, my outlook is positive because of Jehovah. No one has ever helped except him.

That's good.

I see your comment a little differently from @sunkacola . I understand you to mean that your faith helps and supports you, and that applies to anyone with a strong belief, whether it be of a religious form or faith in their style of meditation, or their doctor, or .......what ever may work for them.

@sunkacola , I just have a different take on the comment, I did not see it as "discussing religion" at all.

 

[sunkacola]

@Mr Bee


That's good.

I see your comment a little differently from @sunkacola . I understand you to mean that your faith helps and supports you, and that applies to anyone with a strong belief, whether it be of a religious form or faith in their style of meditation, or their doctor, or .......what ever may work for them.

@sunkacola , I just have a different take on the comment, I did not see it as "discussing religion" at all.

BlueBells, thanks for giving me this opportunity to clarify why I made that last post.

I think it's fine when people get help from their faith, whatever it is.

But once people start mentioning specific gods, like Jehova or Allah or Krishna, etc. then it can be a problem for some people. Religion has been used...misused... to abuse and oppress many people over the centuries, and is still very often used that way today.

In order to avoid triggering anyone or making anyone feel uncomfortable reading the posts, I simply ask that people say only that their faith supports them, or that they get support from their church, or other non-specific comments like that, rather than making specific references to their religion or to their specific god. That way there's much less chance that it will cause anyone to feel uncomfortable. We don't discuss politics for the same reason.

We all need to be sensitive to others here, and do our best to make sure that everyone feels welcome.
Thank you.

 

[Jamesy]

If you have Fibromyalgia, then you have heard this term innumerable times.

Having settled my brain down a bit from all the vile people I’ve met including family that run this term by me on several occasions, finally I can put into words the function that causes a fellow sufferer to moan ‘so much’!

Fibromyalgia is overwhelming. It functionally attacks all the senses at once. The brain is then inundated with pain that it cannot deal with. The brain wasn’t designed for so much crisis, especially in a high tech world which magnifies anxieties.

So, the body, mind and soul go into ‘poor me’ mode. No one wants to moan. It’s a simple beg for help!

This is not hypochondria.
It is FIBROMYALGIA. (CFS. MS. ME.)

Call it what you like but if you are judged a hypochondriac, then consider how truly dumb that person is making that statement.

Bond not break!

I'm in a flare up now after 15 yrs of pretty much smooth sailing. It affects everything.
The neck and chest pound and throb along with nose eyes and mouth and tongue to the point where it is audible when sitting still. The stomach is affected with lower ab muscles and weak achy legs to the point where they shake to hold up a strong young man. THis is torture and luckily people who have actually heard my body buzz and pulsate understand something is way wrong.

 

[BlueBells]

@sunkacola

I understand what you mean now, yes, I can see that. I felt your comment was rather harsh, though, especially when sat beside your comment on the thread where someone mentioned a group they go to, which helps them.

No, I cannot remember details, I've been very busy, and fibro fog is biting me at the moment. I just felt the harshness, that was all I was meaning to say.

 

[sunkacola]

@sunkacola

I understand what you mean now, yes, I can see that. I felt your comment was rather harsh, though, especially when sat beside your comment on the thread where someone mentioned a group they go to, which helps them.

No, I cannot remember details, I've been very busy, and fibro fog is biting me at the moment. I just felt the harshness, that was all I was meaning to say.

I Certainly don't intend to be harsh!!
But, I have heard from people who are very badly triggered by specific religious talk, and the fact is so am I!

So I am only attempting, and trying very hard to do it gently and politely, to make it possible for people to say what they want to say without saying things that trigger other people!

So, if a person wants to say they pray or they go to church or a group, or do a spiritual practice whatever, that's very unlikely to trigger anyone. And I welcome anyone to do that all they want to.

But when people mention really specific things, specific gods or churches for instance, it can....and will..... trigger others. Not because of the person making the post, but because in some people's past and/or childhood there was abuse associated with that religion. Sadly, this is all too common among people in a certain generation (I don't know how common it is still today).

I was, and am, only intending to let people know that they can say what helps them without being super specific about it, and that way they won't be triggering other people, which is its own kind of "harsh".

Please understand I am trying to let everyone be comfortable. I don't know how to put this in some other way but I am doing my best not to be "harsh". If it seems that way to someone, please accept my apologies and forgive me, knowing my intentions are good.

I am sorry if someone doesn't like how I said something. Please remember that I also have fibro, have really terrible days and sleepless nights and incredible pain.

I try to be respectful to everyone all the time, but I may not always achieve that goal on every day, especially if it is a really bad day and I absolutely don't have the energy to sit and try to think of the very best way to say something.

And even if I do, it might still seem off to someone. If I fall short in someone's view then I feel truly bad about that, but please know and be understanding that I can only do my best, and honestly, that is what I am doing here.
Thank you.