I've been dealing with this illness since May. I've had blood work and they couldn't find anything out of the normal range. I'm in constant pain throughout my body and the only way for me to sit on the floor is to fall unto the floor. Once there, I have a terrible time trying to get back up. I can bend over, but can't kneel. I've always been very active, so this is a butt kicker.

Sleeping during the night is impossible.....I'm in constant pain. About a month ago I decided to see a Holistic doctor, but I'm not seeing that it is helping. This is the worst thing that I've ever had to deal with. In the beginning I thought that this was a new "adventure" when one morning I couldn't find the strenght to sit on the toliet and fell unto it. Then my next stage was extreme pity for myself and now I'm in the pissed stage.

How do you cope?

First off Welcome to the boards karmaburger! :bouncing: This board is full of people who feel just like you. We are a bunch of supportive people, and you will find that you are NOT alone! First of all, have you been diagnosed, (we shorten that to dx) by a fibro doc? I dont think I have ever heard of anyone who just woke up with this disease one morning. But then again I am suprised every day by finding out something new about this dd. (dd=dreaded disease) I was dx back in 2003. I was in such pain I had to selll my beloved travel business after being there for 17 years, and yes I was pissed! That was followed by a nervous breakdown where I slept for days, I didnt shower much and just forget the makeup!:( My hubby got me a puppy (long haired wiener dog) and that has lifed my spirits ever since. She is my baby and we are always glued together. (she also made me get off my butt and let her out, and feed her etc) Since then I have been grieving for my old life. And I had the right to! I had a wonderful life of free travel all over the world, I loved most of my employees and I loved my job. I rarely leave the house still, but mainly because of the pain. But here I have found that you cant continue to live in a pity party forever. Bluelakelady had a wonderful thread that she started called "living with fibro from an old pro" Look on that thread and go to the very first posting by bluelakelady. Her additude changed the way a lot of us feel. (you cant post on that thread anymore because we all started chatting to much and not about the dd, so the moderators closed it :( but you should read through it anyway) There are so many people on this board that truely care! (and you can get to know us all too!) Eventually, after being mad, after grieving you can "choose" to come to terms with this dd ! I am working on trying to be more positive, and say good bye to my old life, for this is my new life and like it or not I have to live it, and if I have to live it I might as well find the good things about it instead of focusing always on the bad. It is hard, perhaps one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do, and yes I still get mad, and I still get depressed, but I am working on dealing with it in a better way. I wish you all the luck in dealing with this. If you need to talk further, I am here for you, so just reply okay!.......Hugs...Sbella :wave:

:wave: Hey Karmaburger, Welcome to the boards and the wonderfully weird world of fibro. My friend S/Bella has already been in touch I see, it's never long before one of my fellow fibromites will come to say hello and offer advice and tips. Most of us take each day as it comes, I was dx in Feb 07, so I'm very new to all this, yeh course you get p***ed, we all do at one time or another, it's a whole new ball game. Stress is your enemy, do not ever forget that, it can spark things off, we've all been there and done that believe me. A lot of gals on here, like S/Bella and myself have dogs, they do get us out and about, at least they get us out of bed, it's very easy to slip into a 'what's the point?' rut. Take me mate's advice and read Bluelakelady's old thread, she and the rest of the Golden Girls are full of valuable advice and experiences which they are happy to share with the rest of us:angel: they have a unique way of dealing with the old dd. I'm a nurse, unable to work now due to dd and I'm having a hard time dealing with it :( I can no longer ride my motorbike, but am now looking at getting a 3 wheeler, a trike instead, there is always a way round things Sweet, you're not alone on here, keep posting and let us know how your doing and ask all the Qs you need to, we are here for each other, we laugh, cry and boy! do we go off or as we call it, vent at times. Take heart Sweet, I know it may seem like the end of the world right now, but it ain't, honest, it's just the beginning of doing things differently is all. Take care try to keep well Snoozyowl;)

Hi there,

May I ask who the golden girls are here on the forum? Also why are they so named ? Just interested to know.

Take care.

goldenwings :angel:

You are right, it didn't happen over night. I remember thinking that getting up from a kneeling position was becoming difficult and that I should do more leg presses. The next thing I noticed is that as I walked my dogs, the pain in my butt would become worse, especially when we walked up hills. I figured, "no pain, no gain", and never imagined a chronic disease was creeping up on me. I went back to New York for my granddaughters graduation and noticed my calves were terrible sore and needed to streach them constantly. Stayed at a hotel that had a great gym, but after the first days workout I realized I needed a rest. I returned to home on June 4 of this year and things just continued down hill from there.

With my shoulders now being effected with this and my legs, I decided to visit my internist. He ran all the necessary blood work and everything came back normal. I then went to Orthopedic and he ex-rayed my shoulders that were now becoming so painful. Results.....normal. A Holistic doctor was suggested and after spending $1000 for six weeks of treatment, I feel worse.

My internist suggested that I take an Elavil before going to bed for the pain. I took my first one last night. Didn't help and I felt worse this morning. I came downstairs and passed out on the tile floor. I figured my legs were finished and this was my future. I put a call into my internist and he felt that it could have been the Elavil. I don't plan to take that again.....the dry mouth alone was enough to determine that. The only other medication I take is Aleve twice a day. It just dulls the flu like symptoms, but the big stuff continues to wear me down.

My big problem is trying to sit on the floor and then trying to get up. Kneeling is out of the question. I figure that when I can accomplish that I will be on the road to recovery.

I have had two doctor say that the "F" word is what they believe I have. I have read your messages and the other'son the message board and find this so terrible sad that this is a disease that just goes on and on.

I too have dogs.....they wait patiently for me each morning to take them for their walks. Today it hasn't happened yet, but I'm sure that this evening will be better. My big love is golf and I haven't picked up a club in months.

Thanks for taking the time to send me those wonderful messages.

:wave: Hey Girls, hows everyone doing? Karmaburger, unfortunately that is the wonder of this dd, tests and bloodwork come back normal most of the time, that's why most docs first thought it was all in our heads, even now as I'm sure you know, we get odd looks coz we look so well:confused: Just to make it more interesting, treatment among fibromites is so varied, what works for me may not for you and so on, that is why we share as much info that we can, its very hit and miss with meds as well. Hey Goldenwings, you are actually included in my 'Golden Girls' :angel: label, this is has nothing to do with age, it's just that you along with Bilji, Glojer, Blue and PA seem to be able to come up with a lot of suggestions and tips to help with fibro on a day to day basis, one of you are always among the first to wecome newcomers and it means so much to someone who is struggling with fibro that there is so much support and warmth. Warm thoughts to you Goldenwings, take care and keep well Snoozyowl;)

Hiya snoozy,

Thanks for explaining, I should have thought about it more and maybe I would have figured it out - doh what am I like ? Never mind, now I know and I agree with how you put it. I personally have found such true friendships here so that is one thing that fibro has given me that is good. Always someone to hold out a hand and help you along.

Did you think about my offer of letting you have the gentle stretching exercise regime I devised for fibro pain in the upper body ?

Take care.

goldenwings :angel:

:wave: Hey Goldenwings, I thought good discription too, same as yourself, I've found so much support and advice on here. The first 2 fibromites to welcome me was PA and Blue, it was a wonderful feeling I actually had tears running down my face thru sheer joy and relief of not being alone anymore with this dd and there were people out there that understood:bouncing: Have thought about your offer and would appreciate your help and advice, have just come thru the other side of a flare and still a bit sore etc, can't get out much with my dog coz of the rain over here in good old Blighty:(My hubby's back prob has also reappeared, would your exercises help him too? Karmaburger these exercises may help you too, no harm in trying:) Look forward to your next post with exercises Goldie take care, keep well hugs Snoozyowl;)

Karmab - I'm new here, but not to FM. I too seemed to just fall apart over time, until it finally got so bad my internist put all the pieces together and realized what was happening. That was 11 years ago! She began with Rx for meds to help me sleep and referred me to a great Rheumatologist - who knows that FM is a very real disease. I've gone to her for about 7 or 8 years now and see her at least every 4-6 months - more if I'm having a flare. Both she and my internist do not belive in just "living with pain." I have a high tolerance for pain, but they finally told me that I "needed" to take pain meds. On the days when I'm having significant pain, I take Tramadol/Ultram; on the days when it's really bad - they Rx'd other meds - Darvocet, Vicodin or now Percocet. (I also take meds at bed to let me go to sleep and to help me stay asleep. If the Elavil doesn't work for your - try something else.) And those are in addition to all the other coping things we do - heat, TENS units, physical therapy, etc.

From what you are writing - it sounds like you need something specifically for the pain. You may have to try differnt ones - differnt meds work for different people. And there are doctors out there that do understand that FM is real and we're not hypochondriacs!!

Hang in there - you are right, it crept up on you and it will take some time to find out what works for you. But you will find it! Don't lose heart:)