:wave:Hello,:wave:

I am new to this board, nice to have somewhere to go where there are people who can understand the daily pain. Who don't think I am crazy. I have posted comments to a few people today and I think I will enjoy coming here to give and get support.

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia approx. 8 years ago. Prior to that I was having problems, aches and pains and other things, and very slow recovery to any injury I would have. My ortho suggest that I may have fibro and gave me some information on it, When I got home and read the material I sat reading and crying because I could have written it, or it could have been written about me... I was in shock, especially since no one have ever mentioned this to me before. After the suggestion by my ortho I went to my family doctor armed with the information the ortho had given me, his response was "I don't belive in Fibro" WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?! he had to be kidding me, I finally had at least a possible answer to why I felt so terrible and he didn't believe in it.... I told him the AMA and the American Arthiritis Association recognize it as a valid diagnosis. He shrugged and went on his way.... Well I immediately began looking for a new doctor. I found a good one who sent me to a rhumatoligist (sp) and finally had the diagnosis, not that it made me any better, but at least I didn't feel as if I was out of my mind!

I take minimal medication for this, Percocet when needed, Flexeril when needed and Motrin when needed.... fact of the matter is they are ALWAYS needed I just make the choice to limit myself, for addiction reasons and so I don't get a medicated fog feeling....so most of the day I suffer severe pain and look forward to relief in the evening when I can relax and let the meds work....if I do not have things to do during the day then there are times I use the meds during the day.

Well, thanks for taking the time to read my story...

Bless You All...
Lisa
:angel:

Hi Lisa, welcome to the Board. Thank you for sharing your story with us. There are many wonderful souls of support on this Board who can help you to better understand your disorder, provide compassionate support, and Bluelake lady is helping us all to learn to better nurture ourselves better. We are all learning from her posts on how to be better caregivers to ourselves. We have all been caregivers to others for many years, but FM we have to learn how to be caregivers to ourself. We have to get in touch with our body signals and nurture it or we risk detrimental outcomes.

Our bodies will go through a variety of flare periods, some self induced and others not. We unknowingly do detrimental things to ourself that we don't even have a clue is detrimental because they are just simple common things in life that we have done for years and others without FM do all the time. It is a journey of learning and sharing to help others. With the help of Boards like this we can hopefully learn from each other about the risks and not have to experience the hardships personally.

Like you, when I was first diagnosed (about 15 years ago), they just sent me home with a FM brochure. I didn't have a clue it would ever get worse than what I already had. They didn't tell me that part. Over the past 15 years I have had to learn the hard way. Now totally disabled, unable to work, wheelchair, bedridden, unable to do basic grooming, even having to wear only loose fitting clothes because I have chronic fatigue so bad I can't dress myself. Can't stand or sit unsupported. DH has to help me dress/undress. He retired last year to stay home to take care of me. I asked him to buy me a laptop so I could continue posting to share and warn others of risks so others don't have to get like this. Maybe this would have happened to me anyway, but in reflection (hindsight is always so much more perceptive isn't it?) I think I could have made better decisions along the journey about pushing myself too hard in the early years when I didn't know how much of a risk that was. Or, maybe I would have just been stubborn and had to learn the hardway anyway, many do. Most who get as bad as me can't make it to a computer to share what happens at this stage. Fortunately, my DH (bless his heart) has helped me to do that.

On 9/18/07 I started the Guaifenesin Protocol treatment for FM and am a personal patient of Dr. St. Amand the author. So, we'll see what this does. I can already see some positive improvements with mobility. Prior to starting the GUAI treatment I had a complete body rigor mortis feeling where I could only move in slow motion like I was 200 yrs old........it was rigor mortis without the benefit of death. Now, I am moving more freely, thank goodness. I still revisit rigor mortis level for very brief periods but it is no longer 24/7 like it was. That is a good sign.

Keep posting and share your journey and questions!

Hi Lisa:

It's so nice to meet you! Hope you find healing and good information on this board.

To JAM: Rigor Mortis! That is such a good description of the stiffness. You had me laughing (I'm sorry - but I could relate).

Blessings,
Kirstee

Welcome to the board IninOhio, great to have you here.

Glojer

Thank you so much for the warm welcomes!

Hey lisa I know this is quite old, hopefully you still come around. I live in Northwood, Ohio just outside of toledo and wondering if you can point me in the direction of a doctor? My doc don't believe either!! I am so frustrated with this pain and need to find a doc who understands. Please respond!!

Cat:cool: