A year ago this week I started experiencing pain in my knees, by the end of the week the pain had spread to my entire body and I could barely move. A month later, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is best described as a widespread chronic pain disorder. It causes pain and weakness in the muscles, fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. Nobody knows what causes it and there are few effective treatments for it. A year ago, I was working as a veterinary nurse. Two months later, I was forced to quit as my body just couldn’t handle the physical aspects of the job. I had to re-examine what to do with my life based on what my body was capable of. Needless to say, it was a tough period of my life.
I joined a couple of online support groups but I soon became tired of them as I felt that most members were trying to out do each other with how sick they were and how little they could do. I didn’t want to dwell on my condition and my limitations. I wanted to know what I could do, not what I couldn’t do. I stopped researching about fibro and quit going to my rheumatologist (he wasn’t much help anyway). I got my current job and tried to get on with my life. It worked to a certain degree. I gained back most of my mobility and learned to cope with the other crap that comes with fibro.
My life has changed dramatically from the life I had a year ago. I try not to dwell on the things I have lost but instead focus on what I have gained. I am debating going back to my rheumatologist to see if there is anything he can do for the persistent pain in my legs. If I can get that pain under control then maybe I can exercise more and be able to do more of the things I want to do.
Dancing About Architecture 
My sister-in-law has just been diagnosed with this, which did put her mind at rest about the pain and irritation she had been having – but also made her mind whir about how to handle it.
Do you have tips that worked for you?
Good for you for getting on with life. As a health care professional, who often works with Rheumatologists, my advice would be to make sure you are seeing one who sees FM as a true disorder. Some of them don’t and then obviously won’t give you great care.
P.S. I still owe you an email, but I’ve been under the weather. I haven’t forgotten. : )
Jeanie: I have quite a few tips but, if you don’t mind, I will write an entire post about it (tomorrow hopefully). If your sister-in-law has email, she is more than welcome to email me to chat about fibro.
Jodi: My rheumatologist is one of those ones that don’t really believe it is a true disorder, even though he diagnosed me with it. Therefore, I have gotten no real help from him. My GP, on the other hand, has been fantastic, but there isn’t much she can do. Hope you are feeling better soon.
Is there anything you can do diet wise? Acupuncture? Massage therapy?