Views who are ya all

:waving my hand:  I'm a lurker too. At this time, I'm here to support a friend who just had her surgery today and is resting peacefully! I will post a every now and then, but not often.  I do read here every single day though  :)


Shauna

Fibro. is a hard thing to live with it is true. And a lot of people do not understand it. Since my wls I have a lot more energy, but I still struggle. Do others continue to struggle?

***Please read this post all the way through before making an opinion of WLS***  (this is for any pre-op lurkers that might be out there!)

Unfortunately, I suffer more now than before I had surgery.  I have read studies where it is believed that each "trauma" your body endures will make your Fibromyalgia more prominent or worsen your symptoms.  I have had many surgeries in the last 12 years, starting with a c-section.  Each time i had surgery my FM symptoms did worsen.  It was not until after I had my Duodenal Switch, and started losing weight that I realized that something more than just my obesity was wrong with me.  I had my DS 2 years ago and fought for a diagnosis until 2 months ago.  All along I blamed everything on my weight, you see.

It was about 6 months ago that I started researching for myself on the internet for answers.  Not until then did I realize that many symptoms that I had been suffering silently about would have helped my doctors diagnose me sooner.  I ended up writing down all of the symptoms down that I had been suffering with, taking them to my PCP and said this is why I think I have Fibromyalgia.

I suffer every single day.  More so from the Chronic Fatigue, but I believe that is due to not being able to treat it successfully with medications.  I am feeling better most days as far as the pain is concerned.  I still hurt though. I am a 37 year old and am considering disability.  I have not been able to work since October 2009, and should have stopped working in May 2009.  I risked way to much by continuing to work, but there is nothing I can do to change what is already done.

I cannot even begin to imagine the world of hurt that I would be in had I not lost my excess weight.  Nor do I believe that I would be here with a correct diagnosis either.  As I reread this post I realize that I am rambling, but I hope it has in some way helped you or someone else who may be reading. 

My heart truly aches for anyone suffering with this disease.  Peace be with you.

well today is another day and it was so hard to get out of bed today. my alarm must of went off like 3 times and didnt hear it. My husband had to wake me up to ask if i was going to work. yesterday was not a good day and i have a feeling today will be worst. i had these big cramps in my hands like if i had bad arthritis and couldnt keep my fingers from bunching up. does anyone else every experience that with fm? Than just this morning i feel a bit of discomfort everywhere today. Usually it's just my shoulder but this morning I'm just all pain. I am so fustrated that continue to pray that one day I can log YEAH NO PAIN TODAY but soon, I have faith that will one day happen.

This is all so common with fibro, that constant body wide ache, I truely pray that someday soon they will come up with a cure not just treatment. I didn't used to have the fatigue part of fibro but have started having that issue recently so I know how that feels. Some days I just want to sleep 24 hrs. straight. Know we are all here and understand exactly what you are going thru.

If you are to go on disability, will it be from work? Like do you have disability insurance? I hope so. that is something that I have always paid for when I start a new job. My dad became disabled and he had no disability insurance. He and my mom have had it pretty rough. She has to work so they will have insurance to pay for their medication and doctor bills.I worry about how long I will be able to work. I am a special ed teacher, so my work can get pretty physical. I hope to work retirement.

Well I got lost in all that christmas wrapping paper but I have battled my way back!  LOL I have fibromayligia also and starteed on my jurney towards WLS, and that is how I found my MD for my fibro.  With my past few surgeries I had severe fibro flares so to try to control it I started to go to Fibro and fatugue Center Inc.  Dr. Loya worked me up and I signed up for a one year treatment plan.  I first walked in with a cane now I do not need one anymore !  When I first went in August I did not have any days with out some continual level of pain, now I have days where I only hurt when I take my braces off at night.  I can not tell you how much better I feel.  The fatugue is better- the fibro fog improved.( and the Dr's office actually knows hat that is !!)  I still have symptoms but I can now live with it instead of wish I wouldn't live long.  (There are several centers accross the US)
My throid medicine was wrong because my body was blocking some of it now I am losing weight ( have not had surgery as yet) with proper diet and I am more active as I feel better.  I do not think I could go off the disibility and go back to work but I feel good enough to volenteer to teach religion for 1 hour a week, which is more than I could do 6 months ago.
I found out one of the key things for me is getting REM sleep.  During REM sleep your body makes growth hormone as we get older we do not grow but it repairs our cells.  In fibromyalgia our mitochrondia (power house of our cells) is hurting and we need to help repair it.   There is no cure but it can be managed.

Hi I am one of the lurking Fibro ladies.  I read your post about a week ago & have been thinking I should introduce myself.  But, where do I begin?  First my profile & all my pics on it seem to be a different person than how I have been feeling lately.  I still look the same but right now I am not feeling like the happy outgoing woman I see in those pics.

I will be honest the reason I have not posted is because complaining about how I feel seems worthless & not helpful to anyone.  I look on here to see if anyone has tried a medication or anything that might help me too.  I just tried Neurontin, I only got up to about 500mg & was hungry all the time.  I gained 5 pounds while on it, so I decided it was not worth it since I felt no change in my pain.  I did not want 5 pounds to turn into 10lbs etc...  I had WLS 2.5 years ago & have stayed the same weight consistently despite being unable to exercise.

I was just officially diagnosed after finally being referred to the pain clinic.  I have been pretty sure I had fibro over the past 10 yrs off & on.  But, it was in 2009 that I had my confirmation by having a flare that was systemic & lasted months.  It was terrible it was brought on by both emotional & physical stress.  Since then I have had flares but have been managing.  I had my plastic surgery Sept. 27th 2010 & since then I have been in a heck of a flare.  Combined with it being wintertime & being in pain every single day I am becoming depressed.  I always have a rough time in the winter due to the lack of sunshine & the cold.  So I know this to will pass...but some days I have a hard time seeing that far out.

So meds wise I just take 1/2 percocet every 4 hours PRN to take the edge off.  I take antidepressants that normally work well (just having a rough couple weeks), & I take Klonopin before bedtime to sleep.  I have the best bed in the world but still wake up in pain every morning.  Yet, a trip to the store sends me back to bed because my body hurts so much.

I just bought a 1mm wetsuit to wear to gentle water aerobics.  I went yesterday on my own to try it out in the heated outdoor pool.  It helped but the cold is still rough especially when getting in & out because it is not an indoor pool.  I felt like I had worked out like crazy & was so sore.  But, I have to force myself to do it otherwise I am going to turn into a bowl of Jello! ;-)  As you all know it is a fine balancing act.

The pain clinic Dr. recommended acupuncture, gentle water aerobics, & Bowen therapy.  She also gave me some pod casts to listen to that are like meditation relaxation sessions.  I have not started anything but the meditation & water aerobics so far.  ANY MIRACLE CURES YOU KNOW OF PLEASE SHARE! ;-) J/K  I know there are none, but I would love to hear what helps others most so maybe I can try it.

Okay this was VERY LONG!  It is not really "who I am" but right now I feel like it defines a large portion of my life.  I am also a mother of 4 girls, a wife to a wonderful man, & I just want to be able to spend more time with them & enjoy them.  My 5 yr old was talking about wanting to go to Disneyland the other day.  I said sure we can go there someday soon...  She said "no you can't Mom because you'll be too sick".  That is how my 5 yr old sees her Mommy... as sick or hurting all the time.  I want to take her to Disneyland someday, even if I have to rent a scooter I told her I will take her!

Okay, I introduced myself.  I don't think it will be very helpful to anyone.  But, I did it & that is a good start.

Thanks Gina for sharing and welcome!!!
yes this fibro is crazy!!
I too am usually (don't know how) I present as humor and plugging away. I have two artifical knees and now one shoulder. This winter the cold is killing me. I pushed myself really hard before Christmas. This that I am in, is not like a usual flare where I hurt so bad, this is like a start of a depression. I am still managing my 4 days volunteering at school but I have not been to church for like a month and that is one thing I really loved and usually went no matter what.
I take 4 vicoden a day and fexeril.. Nothing really helps me enough.
Keep in touch your offically our fibro sister now!!!
Pam

Glad you posted! If nothing else just knowing that others are out there in the same boat helps. The only non drug thing that helps me is heat, sometimes I'll just crank my electric blanket up and curl up inside and toast myself. I take cymbalta and that seems to help me, it's also an ant depressant so helps with that too. I sure wish there was a cure for this, wouldn't that be a blessing?! Feel free to pop in any time.