Fibromyalgia

[Flipflop50]

I have just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I don’t know the first thing about it apart from it’s doesn’t have a cure.

I have looked online but I just don’t understand it.

If anyone out there can give me some hope please comment. Dramatic but this is how I feel

[Flipflop50]

So it’s possible to work, just with lots of care and planning.

I have just had to give up my job being a full time enhanced veteran support worker. It’s an all in kind of job. I don’t know what to look for now.

[Flipflop50]

Wolfiefan How are you today?

[Wolfiefan]

Bless you for asking. It’s not going to be an easy couple of weeks. I enjoyed reading and a glass of wine and continuing the crime binge on TV last night.
I’ve got some Stilton and broccoli soup in the soup maker for lunch and a curry in the slow cooker. Feeling a bit crap and depression is rearing its head but I know what I need to do to stay well ish
Hope you’re all having a well ish day too.

[picklemewalnuts]

Flipflop, I'd say you need a job that's not physically demanding, and not particularly stressful. It's not always easy to work that out from an advert.

If you can, take a bit of time to work out what you can manage- it's an investment. I was told to avoid 'boom and bust', so do a bit less than you can manage. Over time your capacity increases and you are able to do more. If you jump straight in at full throttle though, you relapse and end up able to do less.

Have you got an activity tracker of some kind? Or a graduated exercise programme you could start? Set an easily manageable amount for each day, and do it. After two weeks managing that with no ill effects increase it by a small amount. Increase each time you make it to two weeks with no ill effects.

[Flipflop50]

Wolfiefan It’s good that you are looking after your self. Well ish made me laugh!

[Flipflop50]

I don’t have a tracker or any kind of plan as this is all new. I don’t even know where to get them. X

[SophieB100]

I work, I find it helps me.
I'm a TA in a High School, so in class and run my own small groups. Yes, it's tiring, but if I pace myself I find I'm ok. I feel worse in the mornings, but get better as the day goes on. If I've been at work all day, then I always go to bed quite early, even if I feel I don't need to.

I think a good diet helps too - I lost a lot of weight last year, and this has helped loads. Less pressure on joints, I suppose. And yoga helps too. Just gentle stretches.

I suffer more if I'm stressed, and also if I spend too much time alone. It's a fine balancing act - doing enough, but not too much!