Hi Susan, I can relate, I have been in constant pain since May also, what is it about May ? My fatigue is really crazy I never feel like I have any energy, I think there were 2 x I actually felt like I hade some energy, and then payed big time for it the next day.
Please don’t apologize for venting, so many of us have struggled through school while dealing with fibro, so it’s a great way to get feed back, and just knowing that others understand must be somewhat reassuring.
It’s sounds like you have some great ideas for parking & the elevator.
Take one day at a time, continue to tell your self I can do this !!
Focus on the goal, and don’t give up. I was thinking about going back to school for my masters, and there are 100’s of reasons why it would be near impossible, but then I think about my friend with MS, who can’t drive anymore, and her disease has began to affect her brain, when I think about her, I think my fears & reasons are nothing compared to hers.
You are such an inspiration to all of us… To just get out there and fight for what we want !!!
Canes are cool. I have bad knees and when my kid was younger always took a cane to amusement parks and crowed places because most people stop there kids from bumping in to you.
I used a cane for two years after some messed up foot surgery, I could not feel the ground and had trouble pushing forward with my foot. It was interesting how differently people reacted to you. They were nice and tended to give me space.
Hi Susan H ! The only thing I would like to address is the 'meds' portion. I have 2 friends who also have fibro. Their Drs. have them on so many meds it makes my head swim! I also have read on many of the discussion groups here about the large quantity of medications that MANY even most people are taking. First I must say that I have a severe negative reaction to antidepressants of ANY kind. ALL 3 of the fibro medications are antidepressant related. By this I mean the inserts read 'although *name of med* is not an antidepressant it WORKS as an antidepressant ...'. My one friend is and has been given hydrocodone, morphine, elavel (sorry, can't get the spelling of this or the next right), effexor, cymbalta or lyrica or savella - she has been on all of them at 1 time or another - plus many many more. I've lost track. My other friend takes 1000 mg. vicodin, xanax bars again I could go on and on. At times when I've tried to talk to them they sound drunker than heck. Words slurred, rambling, falling asleep while talking just awful. It's not only the many types of medications its also the sheer amount of mgs. of each pill taken 2,3,4 times a day! I personally have chosen to give a medication a try (as long as it is not 'antidepressant' related). If I start having bad reactions I stop. If it does nothing - I stop. So far I take 2-750mg hydrocodon, 3-10mg flexeril, over the counter extra strength arthritis pain medication switching it with aspirin back and forth. On good days I can get away with maybe 1 hydrocodon, 1 or 2 flexeril but mostly only the arthritis pain pills.
Until I went into the last part of mentalpause (its my joke about menopause) I worked sometimes 18hr days, as a bartender, 3 or 4 days a week. My Dr. at the time kept telling me to absolutely quit working as she was worried I was pushing myself too hard and I would pay for it later. Welllll, I wanted to pay off my mobile home before I HAD to quit working. Just 1 little year past so I had $ to live on until the SSD kicked in only a little bit more ... I barely made it to 5mos after the payoff. I barely made the payoff! I had started drinking to help the pain medication, something I had never done while I was working ever before. Paid off house in June fell flat on my face before the end of Nov. Boss told me he was sorry but we had talked about the fact that I was beginning to slip -- health wise -- too bad to keep going. I knew I should have quit working back in June.
Point is do not allow ANY doctor to demand that you continue to take a medication if you feel it is not helping. If you are taking something NOW that you feel is effecting you adversely or not helping at all get yourself off of it as safely as you can and move on. PLEASE, don't allow any medication to fog your mind. You want to keep on going to school so keep your brain un-drugged. Drugging our minds is not helping us not be in pain, its only fooling us into thinking so.
That's my look on medication. I don't want to be drugged stupid. I want to be in no, or at least in less, pain.
LUV to All,
Soft Hugs, Jenni
PS. Thanks to all in this support group for saving my life these last 2 (?) years, just by being here and knowing what having to live with fibro is like.
hi Jenni - what a wonderful story you shared with us! I have learned a few things from what you wrote and will keep those in mind when I have my next doctor's appointment! So many FIbro patients go through what I call 'trial and error' episodes involving meds. It can get awfully confusing and there were times when I felt like a guinea pig being tested. Doctors STILL don't seem to get it yet, do they?? Years ago, I had doctors tell me that my FIbro problem was hormonal (can you believe this???) or it was in my head and I needed to see a therapist! Jeez! Talk about feeling lost and alone with what was going on with me. I know my body VERY well, and I know when something is not right or a little off. Now, more and more people in the medical field are FINALLY paying attention to us. It's been a long, hard road for all of us to get people to understand what we are going through. Gentle hugs! Laurie