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[wordwarrior]

Hi-

I am new here - looking for a place where others have experience and understand FM. I don't want to hurl my problems/questions at family and friends - this is an obviously misunderstood and virtually unheard of disorder in many circles.

Probably, like most of you, I have been in pain for as long as I can remember. I sought medical help after I left my abusive husband in 2000. Been to Chiropractors, Orthopediacs, Internists, Neurologists, and finally two months ago a well respected Rheumatologist. He finally diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. I also have IBS, TMJ, had 1/2 my thyroid out last year (underactive/hashimoto's disease), massive migraines, bad sleeping problems, tired all the time, etc. Been tested for everything known to mankind. Basically, I'm a mess.

I am also an over achiever, 45 year old BA student at night (last two classes - algebra - yuck!), full time worker, mom, and remarried. I am in and out of court with my ex-abusive husband because he is not happy unless he is making my life a misery.

Right now the Rheumatologist has me on cyclobenzaprine (not sure of the spelling but take it at night and is helping with the sleep a bit) and ultracet (pretty worthless on pain). I take firocet for the migraines - been on a million other things - it is the only thing that takes any of the pain away. My pain throughout the body has gotten worse over the past 5 years. I was once athletic, able to go on two hours sleep and juggle school/work/kids/dating/pushing legislation through for victims of DV/dealing with the ex/driving back and forth to my real house 4 hours away every other weekend in NYS/Working in NJ (yuck)/and writing in my spare time - now I still try to do it all (except dating - I re-married a great guy!), but it is killing me. I can't STAND the idea that anything slowing me down - but FM is like kryptonite to me.

Any suggestions? How do you deal with life as an FM-er? What meds work for you? ARGHHHH - Feel like crap today.

WW1963

[Jenn4508]

Welcome my new friend... You will find much comfort, information, support and caring... I too am 45, remarried for 2 1/2 years to a jerk and am unable to work anymore... I was one of those that worked 70 hours a week, went on 2 hours of sleep, was a single mom of 2, did everything much like you... worked out everyday, blah, blah blah...

I have been diagnosed with Fibro, chronic myofascial pain, hypermobility, chronic fatigue, migraines, IBS, gastritis, divirticulosis, BiPolar 1, anxiety, several skin conditions and I hope I didn't leave anything out.... I take 31 pills a day and get trigger point injections every 28 days but the pain never goes away.... I don't cook hardly at all anymore because I forget what I am doing and don't want to burn the house down...

You need to start taking care of yourself and slow down a bit or your body will slow you down for you... Please take care of yourself and come here for support, information, love and caring... You will find many new friends here that will become just like family.... Once again, welcome aboard... Jenn

[wordwarrior]

Hi-

Yes, I have decided to join these forums because there is really no one else that understands. And the people I care about - I hate to burden with any of this. I've been in real pain for the past 5 years, and have been sent to this doctor and that - went to a chiropractor for 5 years three times a week just for that 15 minutes of release from pain that I would have after a session. The pain was so bad about a year ago I started the "medical merry-go-round" as I put it. Finally two months ago, this Dr (a rhumey) told me I have FM in addition to IBS, TMJ, Skin issues, Migraines, Hashimoto's Disease - autoimmune, Thyroid issues, some herniated disks, etc, etc - and I'm only 45!

I hope this DR works for me - I have had to ditch so many of the others. I have a medical file two inches thick that I photocopy for each new Doc., and I am sick of retelling my story over and over.

The pain I am in has not stopped. I have tried antidepressants, every migraine med known to mankind, and now ultracet which does nothing. The cyclobenzaprine at night at least takes the edge off. What do you use for the pain? What works best? The area in question is my thorasic back region, shoulders, hands, neck, and headaches. The rest of me hurts too - but I can live with that part of the pain.

Anyway - write back when you can.

Wordwarrior

[DeBeachSiren]

Dear Wordwarrior,

I take Elavil, Ambien and Soma at night. I take the Elavil about a half hour before the other 2 and I have pretty good luck with sleeping usually.

I cut out wheat or anything with yeast and processed sugar and my IBS stopped.

You may have nerve entrapment in your upper torso and there's no migraine medicine that will help you. Mine is in my shoulders and neck. I put out a thread here called Ablations and Stimulators. This stuff has really given me a better quality of life.

No I am not pain free and I do have flares, but these things have really helped me.

We all push ourselves sometimes too hard and we pay for it. You might want to slow down and learn to say no. Having fibro when you were a very active person really sucks. It's sort of like a grieving process and everyone is different. Your ex sounds like he's loving keeping you in tension, they do that. What was hard for me was to get tougher and not let people jerk my chain..........when they see that they aren't hurting you the fun wears off. I'm happy you have a husband that treats you nice by the way. I feel that we all are born with crosses to bear and this is ours. I try to do it with dignity. I was very angry when my life changed 15 years ago with this. I learned to live with it, it isn't going to go away.

This is such a great site, you can vent and learn all different things. We try to help out one another. I am not a Newbie, yikes!!!!!!!!! I don't understand the being put in those rediculous terms. It makes me feel like I don't have anything important to say if I'm not a veteran. I changed my internet server and couldn't get in to change my email address, so I started over again. At any rate people care on here. Welcome.

AnneBoleyn

[wordwarrior]

Hi all-

I really try not to do the "why me" thing concerning FM - but I do feel, as an FM'r with many other medical disorders, that I am on "spiritual battlegrounds" every day.

A bit more about my life: I was terribly bullied in school from grade 3-7, at age 12 I was molested by the father of a child I babysat for, at age 15 I met my first husband whom I married and he beat me for 17 years and my three kids, I lost two kids, Left the marriage with the three living kids, came out with a terrible divorce settlement because my ex is "connected", had to scrape my life off the floor, began college at 36, got a job with benefits to cover costs and insurance for the kids (ex only pays $300.00 per month - claims depression to get out of paying what he should), Lost close to $100,000.00 in court over the years with my ex, and now I have FM (have had it since before 2000, but never properly diagnosed). Oh, and I am stuck in NJ for 5 more years because my ex has decided he does not want me to leave - and I have no money/credit left to fight him in court about it. He has not exercised his visitation rights in over 2 years.

The good things: I will graduate with a 3.906GPA 5/09 with highest honors, still have my job, remarried a great guy, and my kids are not too screwed up. Have a home in NYS to go to when I am allowed to move in 5 years - for now we visit every other weekend.

Anyway - taking all the above into consideration - I really think the devil is attacking my life - because I use it as a testimony every chance I get. No matter what he throws at me - I'll keep getting up because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Don't know about you - but my faith is one of the strongest medicines I can take.

Don't get me wrong - I still have plenty of "why me" days - why does my ex get away with things days, why am I responsible for everything days, etc. Then I wallow in the pit of pity for a while, mad at God for not helping me out --- then I see that the devil must be pretty scared of what God is doing in my life or he wouldn't bother with little ol' me. And then I realize that all he can do is mess around with me a bit - and make my life uncomfortable. My eternity is secured! So, I dwell on that and it helps things move along---FM and otherwise.

I'm feeling pretty crappy today - as usual. I feel the migraine lurking and I know it will hit me again today. My back, arms, hands, and legs are killing me. After work I have to go to college till 10PM and then go straight to bed so I can be somewhat able to handle tomorrow at work. At least I get to go to the farm tomorrow night - we spend the weekends (every chance we get) at our "real" house in NYS.

How are you all feeling?

Thanks for listening!

Wordwarrior