I heard discussions are better so I am reposting my blog so everyone can get to know a little bit about me, I have only been on living with fibro for a few days and so far I love it and am very excited for this great opportunity that has arrived. I have been officially diagnosed for 10 months now and about a month ago finally accepted that Fibromyalgia is a part of me now and it feels good to not be embarrassed, for a while I didn't want anyone to talk about it or know that I have a disease mainly because I didn't want people to treat me differently and at first when I heard the word disease it made me feel like a weak person like i'm not normal. Since Fibro is easy to hide from people...Thats what I did for the first 6-8 months that I was diagnosed. I put on a brave face and acted as if nothing was wrong and people believed me and had NO idea inside I felt like a truck had run over me and then backed up to check what he had ran over about 5-10 times. I went to cheer practice for about 7 months and no one knew on my team and neither did my coach and I pushed myself so hard and by the time I would get home I would be in tears crying to my mom and to my boyfriend Chad because I was in a unbearable amount of pain and sometimes I wouldn't even let them know I was in pain, I really hid from it and thought if I just acted as if the pain wasn't there it would go away. Little did I know that was the worst thing I could possibly do for my body and that the pain only got worse living my life that way.
After I graduated high school in May I had a lot of spare time so thats when I started doing research and stopped the feeling sorry for myself act and realized I am not the only one out there. It feels so good talking to other people about how they feel when they go to a fair or some sort of event and walk around all day and then they suffer the next few days to a week because of Fibro. Its interesting getting to know people and read about how they got diagnosed and what made them go in and get checked and what helps them feel better/worse. I know for me my boyfriend and my family has been a HUGE factor in accepting it and not being scared to say I'm hurting and when my mom tells a random cashier at the grocery store my face doesn't turn beat red and I don't get tears in my eyes anymore. I look forward to this opportunity and hope to remember to do a discussion every day if not every other day...and sorry I'm not the best writer...when you have fibro you want to get things out before you forget what your going to say!
So glad you reposted, you will hear from more people on the discussions, and they are just awesome people too, that know just how you feel, and will certainly applaude your wisdom and courage! We are so glad to have you with us!
Thats so good that you are accepting having this illness. That is the hardest thing about it, other than feeling like crap all the time. It's great you have support from Mum (Or Mom should I say lol), the family and the boyfriend. Nice one Chad!
You should never feel embarassed abot having Fibro. It's not contagious or makes your bits drop off (lmao). In fact it makes us very special and strong and caring people! There's not many people like that in the world.
Hi jacklyn, I can’t even image having this dreaded pain at your young age , sometimes I look back and feel so greatful that I felt so good until I was 45, I give you credit for being open and honest about it, I was diagnosed about 3 years ago and still have not told a lot of people, I just make excuses about why I can’t do certain things. Acceptance was the hardest thing for me, I am a nurse and the thoughts in the medical community are that fibro is a trash can diagnosis and a lot of people just don’t understand it. I was one of those people until it tore my life apart. I’m working on rebuilding a different life that includes my limitations. We can over come this and hopefully someday someone will figure out what’s the best way to treat it. Right now there are so many different theory’s its hard to know what direction to go in. This site has been a blessing !!!
Your letter made me so sad, from the awfulness of your having such a debilitating illness at so young an age, to your brave attempts to keep it in check by mustering a stiff upper lip, despite the horrendous pain.
Despite being cursed with such an awful illness, it seems like you have been BLESSED with a wonderful family and boyfriend! And you seem to be blossoming, despite the illness, thanks to your own courage at "coming out" and your family and boyfriend's support. Your mom has set the best possible example by owning that you're ill - while talking to others - and putting it out there as if it's a normal part of life, which, in a way, it is, for some of us at least.
I'm so glad you finally let go of all of the pretense and allowed yourself to own that you're ill. That was very brave of you. What an inspirational young woman! I hope that if any other young people are reading this thread, they are inspired to admit to their own illness, hard as that first step is to take. Hey, I hope that anyone at any age reading this thread is inspired to step forth.
Come out from the darkness into the sunlight. The truth will set you free.
Great letter, Jacklyn! You did a remarkable job of expressing the difficulty of your journey and just how far you've come in such a short time. Welcome!
I have to ask if you have back issues, haven't met too many nurses that hadn't injured their backs with all the lifting involved, not to mention the countless hours on your feet on concrete floors!
I have back problems from both car accidents and Psoriatic Arthritis, so if chronic pain causes Fibro, I know the cause of mine!
Thank you so much for your wonderful sweet words! I appreciate it! I know I am extremely lucky and I take advantage of having such an amazing group that supports me so well! I wish everyone going through what were going through has what I have. Support wise! Haha I am excited for this experience on this website I feel like a new refreshing chapter has opened up at a great time in my life. Thank you again and I hope that you are doing good!
No, please do NOT go to that link. Envito has been issued a stern warning letter from the US Food and Drug Administration for some very unsafe and illegal practices. Here is a copy of the FDA's letter to them:
Apparently Envito is "treating" people with some untested, untried form of stem cells while having absolutely no legal authority to do so whatever and it has not ever applied for the necessary legal requirements to be doing drug TESTING (yes, and you are their human guinea pig.) The FDA is responding by telling them to stop doing it because they have not been approved by the FDA.
Envito and/or its sister company also claims to cure everything from Autism to Cancer to Fibro. Really? Wow, and yet no other doctors know of this or are cashing in on it???
Please ALWAYS type in the word "FRAUD" after googling a dubious source/product/clinic. You will be AMAZED at the amount of information you will find if a company/product/doctor is not legit or is doing things that are shady or illegal. This clinic definitely falls into this category.
Hi SK, yes I do have a lot of back pain, I have 4 bulging discs in my neck, unfortunately I have no single episode at work that I reported my injurys, however I know that all 4 discs evolved gradually over 24 years of lifting patients, moving patients dead wt off the operating table onto carts after surgery, I have put thousands of legs up in stirrups , and there are a lot of heavy legs here in buffalo, not to mention all the equipment and transporting patients on carts and walking all day long. I do believe the chronic pain i have had to work in has had something to do with this fibro. I was able to work 12 hrs on my feet with horrible neck pain, but once I developed fibro, forget it, the pain & fatique and weakness, all became to much. I love nursing and I love making a difference in someones life when they are sick, so I struggle to find a balance, it kills me that I may have to give up doing what I love, working even 3/10 hrs days was difficult , so I will try 3/ 8 hr days, I just dont think i can give up patient care right now, I am very torn , I think like you, if chronic pain is the culprit I know how I developed it. . Did an MRI dx ur psoriatic arthritis ? Can you work ?
thank you again! Everyone is so nice I am so pleased