hi to all am new member just recently been given official diagnosis of fybromyalgia any tips on how people cope with this and a job be helpful

Hello Wendy
Welcome to the forum!! I'm new here myself I just got diagnosis about 2 weeks ago. I'm currently not working myself but I don't think I could hold down a full time job maybe part time but not over doing it. But I haven't tried I don't know if I could or not. I'm just having a hard time coping with being diagnosis and with the pain. I know there is some sweet ladies on her that will have some good tips for you. I'm sorry I couldn't be of any help. I hope you get an answer soon. Take care and good luck. :angel:

Hi Wendy.
I'm new to this site too, and have been diagnosed with Fibro for about... 6 months or so. What type of job do you do, if I may ask?
I currently work at a Bookstore, and my job is physically demanding, which can be very very very rough. If you have a physical job, I can certainly tell you what's worked for me.

Welcome to all of you! This is a wonderful site, and I cannot tell you all how much everybody one here, and the pain management board have helped me with dealing with our health issues.

I have not worked in 5 years, I have been a stay at home mom, but now, since September 4, 2007 I am not able to work. I have a hard time keeping up with my house. I take care of our boys, they are 2 and almost 5. I applied for disability about 2 months ago, and I hope and pray it comes through. I have always worked since I was 10, and sometimes 3 jobs, not because I had to, I love the thrill of working hard, and making money. My last job, was in management at a car rental company and I work 50+ hours, it was very physically demanding and long hours. I would have to wear a suit with heels, and clean cars when it was 95 degrees, or when it was 20 degrees below zero. I worked there until a month before my first son was born and I have no idea how I made it. I remember crying, trying to figure out a way for me to stop working even in the beginning of my pregnancy. My sciatic nerve started in my 10th week. I am still not sure how I made it, but I do attribute my stressful pregnancy to my son coming out fussy, and colically. My second pregnancy was less stressful, I did not work, and my second son came out happy, and never cried. It is hard for me to look back at what I used to be, and the person I am now. I do not like how I look, I have gained weight, and I have to take it easy.

Are there other illnesses that you guys have? Like alot of us have tmjd, migraines, ibs, myofascial pain syndrome, so we have to manage those too.

I think one of the most important things is finding the right primary care physicians. I have a great one, and he is very understanding about my health issues, and what medications work. He is my only prescibing doctor, so it makes it much easier. I hope you are all on a variety of medications to help with the symptoms we have. We have talked about that there are 5 or 6 meds that most of us are on, like, an antidepressant like cymbalta or prozac, an anti-anxiety like valium or xanax, a muscle relaxant like flexeril, a pain medication like vicoden or stronger, and then lyrica or neurontin, and a sleep aid, like ambien. I have valium as a muscle relaxant, and I would say I sometimes use it for anxiety too. Like I said above, a lot of us have other health issues too, so we have to manage it all, and the unpredictability of what the day will bring.

I think having as less stress as possible is huge. Working is a huge stressor for a lot of us, as I have read. I know I could not hold down a job, I have thought a lot about it, and right now it would not be possible. I give anybody who works an A+. I have read there are some people who have fibro who only have an occasional flare up, and it might be months before they have another. And then there are most of us here who have pain everyday and then we have flare ups, like I have had 3 in the last 2 weeks. They have lasted 2-3 days each, and my arms and legs throb, and I feel like I have been run over by a freight train. I am unable to do anything, and have to take care of the boys from the couch. I am lucky they are great, and my oldest helps his mom so much.

Does the weather affect you? It does me, I live in Maine, and we have all the 4 seasons, and they are strong. I have noticed that I am affected even by thunderstorms. But when it rains, or even when it is coming our way I feel it. If I have a hard day, or my husband and I are nt getting along, my pain goes through the roof. I am sitting with a heating pad right now on my back, and an ice pack over my left eye. I have a couple of heating pads, and I love my heated throw, worth the money. I go to bed with a ice pack like blanket, it is wonderful and worth looking into, it is made my rubber maid, and it looks like a bunch of ketchup packets hooked all together, it is about the size of a large pizza box, but perfect for large areas that need ice, like your back. Also it is great if you want just a couple of the small packets like for my sons snack for school, all you do it cut them off. I also have an soft frozen ice pack for the left side of my face that I go to bed with too. Yup, I am a mess!

I hope I have helped some with what works for me. I am on a couple of times a day, and we all love to help if you have any questions. I am sorry you all have fibro, but you are blessed to have found here, I do not feel so lonely anymore.

Good luck,

Kassandra

welcome to the boards new friends,
it takes time to adjust to this new reality. i found a small job that keeps me feeling useful. i also have a volunteer job i do. thankfully i have my social security for my minimal financial security.
neither job requires me every day and i am free to say it is a "no go" day if i have to.
while fibro is not the easiest it is doable. believe in your own ability to listen to your body. plug in and listen, then you will know what you are able to do today.
it takes a bit of time to adjust to every day pain. it can be done. have patience with yourself and remember to love this body that carries you every day.
again welcome. may you find answers, friends and laughter here.
peace,
bluelakelady

Welcome to the board, Wendy, Trup and Bin0x. Keep a positive attitude, that is very important. Remember that your life isn't over, but just beginning a new chapter. One that will still hold fun, excitement and value, you will just enjoy these things in a different way. Diet, exercise and learning what is good and bad for your fibro is one of the best tips I can give you. It may take a while to get it all figured out but never give up or give in.

Glojer

Hi Wendy,
I'm one of those people who haven't worked for pay constantly. Over the years I took jobs as needed but stopped when we could make it without it. I even ran my own in home daycare for over 4 years when my kids were little. They are young adults (at least in age;)) now and they help a lot. I have had this mess for 5 years now. I started having symptoms when I was almost 39. It seems to me that it came on when I was physically weak from an illness (bronc. is I remember right) and underwent some extremely stressful things at the same time. After that it just never went away.

I've had two full time jobs since then. The first was a secretarial job. That seemed ok as long as I didn't get too busy and I could get up and move around. If things got too crazy I had trouble thinking fast enough :dizzy: and if I couldn't move around I'd get terribly stiff. Then, I got a job as a house keeper for a couple who owned what can only be called a mini-mansion. I worked there 3 weeks and it almost killed me. By the end of each day I could hardly move. If I sat down when I got home I couldn't stand back up and make supper because I hurt so bad. That job had to go.

I was doing those jobs on top of my full time job as a wife and mom. When I say full time job, that's what I mean. My boys pick up after themselves but my husband doesn't. I do all the cooking, my laundry, my husband's laundry, the linens, and most of the house work (my boys help when they aren't working or at school; the hubby, almost never). When the boys are at school or work and the yard needs attention, I take care of that (notice, not hubby). I do all of the shopping and errands. I do the paying of the bills. I take the boys where they need to be (one is usually at college so can't be here to help with that, one is still learning to drive, one hasn't started driving). I also go to all of the meetings at school for my youngest who has learning disabilities. If the cars need servicing, it's me that takes them. If something breaks, I fix it myself or call someone to do it. I REFUSE to get a job when he won't help with anything else. I know not everyone can do that.

Limit your stress and against what the rest of the world says, don't go the extra mile. Do what must be done up to what you can do and let the rest go. If you must work, don't volunteer to work late or to do that extra project. It may keep you from getting promoted but that's better than losing what you have. After work, take care of what you can at home. When you can't, don't stress over it, let it go. Making sure you get enough sleep is extremely important. The better you treat yourself the more likely you are to be able to keep your job.