FANNtasy3

Welcome Beth. Its been a while since Ive posted on the board. I can relate to a number of your concerns so I felt compelled to reply.
I try to stay away from the pain meds as much as possible. I only ask for them when I really cant stand the pain. The over the counter meds dont help me at all. I dont even bother taking them. I figure, "If it doesnt help, why bombard my liver with more meds if there is no benefit."
Ive recognized that most of my joint pain is mostly caused by the chronic stiffness I have throughout my body. I have been taking the muscle relaxer Soma to relieve the stiffness and it does help with a great deal of the joint pain.
Sometimes it takes me the whole day just to get in the shower, just pulling my shirt off is enough to exhaust me.
My rheumy rxed a vitamin B complex Cerefolin to me, with NAC. Was told it is a vitamin rxed to patience with altzheimers. Hes hoping it will help with my short term memory problem. Im so fogged-up most of the time my son calls me, "Dory" from Finding Nemo. LOL! Honestly, I do sometimes sound like that.
As far as your hubby understanding... He wants to help and understand. He may just be throwing those things out to you as if he were throwing you a life preserver. Hes trying to encourage you not to give up. Unfortunately, they dont understand untill they have walked a mile in out foot steps. We would never wish this on them, but we wish they actually knew how it feels.
I was dxed in 2003 but according to docs in Philly, Ive had this all my life. I too have a hubby who says things like, "Just start excercising" and sometimes gets resentfull of my illness. Your hubby is probably frustrated because there is nothing he can DO to help you. So, he tries to encourage you with things he can SAY. There in lies the rub. Men dont know what to say when their object of affection is ailing. They were not programmed to be caregivers like women. Biologically, hes not equiped to deal with suffering. He may never get it. Hopefully someday he will, but I know the angst you feel when those comments are said, even when said with the best intensions. We KNOW what we should be doing, we CANT at the particular moment these suggestions are made hence, we just feel they dont understand. Learning to live with Fibro and a husband certainly has its mental moments.
A nutricianist told me to get outside every day, hurricane or snow storm. Do something physical outdoors at least 20 minutes a day, just picking up sticks or walking or gardening. I try everyday, even if Im just walking around my yard. I do admit there are times I never leave my porch, but I also have never let this keep me in bed either. I guess living most of my life feeling like Im coming down with the flu has me so confused as to wheather Im sick or not, I just run on automatic pilot.
Find peace and get rid of your stresses. There always is time, thats all we have. Remember to take your time, everything will work out in the end. If you cant deal with something today, it will always be there tomorrow. And if it doesnt get done tomorrow, its probably not something you need to stress over anyway or needed to feel responsible for in the first place. No matter what happenes, you will always manage... you do have all the time in the world.
Feel well,
Felicia