New Fibro Diagnosis

[bbharp]

I'm 24 and full of passion. But since the pain started, my future is a blur. I don't know if I can even get through school. I know I'm smart enough to do well, but I never know what to expect. I'm happy to at the very least, finally have been diagnosed. Now I am struggling with fighting the thoughts that I am lazy, irresponsible and worthless. It's hard for me to do anything right now. Putting my clothes on in the morning is a battle. I can keep a positive attitude in social and work environments, but lately I don't even have the energy to keep up, so I just stay home. It's also taking a huge toll on my relationship. I'm rather irritable, but do my best to never project my pain onto my SO. I don't know how to get my sex drive back, I don't know how to explain how much pain I am in. He says he can tell it truly affects my life, but I can't help but think that in a few months he will GTFO. My parents don't take me seriously, so I generally hide my pain from them. I just want to be successful, but I don't know if I can like this. Maybe that makes me weak, I don't know. All I know is that my entire body is in excruciating, deep pain and that everything makes me short of breath. Please, share your secrets.. How do you live? How do you obtain and maintain success when fibro episodes come and go?

 

[cmetryme]

welcome bb. first i see you were diagnosed this month. you have to give the meds time to work. thats 4-6 weeks.

the meds and hobbies are how we deal. the secret is to keep moving. dont let your family bring you down or stress you out. more stress=more pain.
get on a set sleep schedule. read up on diet. find your triggers and avoid them. come here and vent to people that understand your pain. give your SO some time. have him come here and read the threads so he too knows its real. your not alone. reply to the posts here. it will help you and others.


As you have just started on the meds you will need help keeping track.

get a large daily planner. write down on each day the time, pain level, what hurts and for how long it hurts. document as much as you can on the meds you take. once you have gone a month or until the next doctor visit. look in the book and get an average pain level. number of days your pain was break through pain. now on a separate piece of paper, document what you want to discuss from the book with your doctor.
you and the doctor must agree on an acceptable daily pain level. you must make a treatment plan and agree on that.
Take the notes and the book with you to the doctor. this will help you both see if the meds are working and how long they are working.
he can then adjust your meds, without you asking for them. this book helps me every time i go to the doctor. i know what i want to talk about when i get there.

your pain wont stop, it will just dull so to speak. read the threads out there.

im so sorry your going thru this. i hope to see you posting as it will help us all.

stay well.

 

[Ruralchick]

bbharp, welcome to this group. I'm sorry you have FM but as cmetryme advised, there are some things that help. Also use a heating pad, hot baths/showers to loosen up.

Have your vitamin -D checked. Dr.s don't usually do this so ask for the blood test. Many FMers have low vit.-D, many find it helps the pain level to get it up to where it belongs.

If there is a particular area--like joints--that hurts you can use a spray or topical cream. I like Stopain, spray/roll-on. It's just a couple natural oils. (I use it on both my legs).

Many are helped with magnesium malate,( this one seems to help fibro), B-complex can help with energy, plus B-12. Do your own research, there is much info and books, articles and new research papers. You are challenged with learning to pace, pace some more and be proactive. It can improve over time as you learn what works for you and how to keep flares at bay--and managing the flares when they come.

Feel free to post here and ask questions, someone will be able to help. Now take a deep breath! You can do this because you have to! God bless!