Welcome ~ Introduce yourself!
sunshinedean
Posts: 82 Member
I was diagnosed with CFS 19yrs ago ~ I went from being a single mom working 2 jobs (senior citizen home & daycare) to not being able to work at all. They listed Mono then CFS and said I would just have to adjust to it. I found that there are highs & lows with it ~ the highs ~ I worked the lows I got real sick with it which led to being diagnosed with IBS, GERD, Asthma and Fibromayalgia. I was sent to a psych dr to "help me accept the fact I would never work again" I WALKED OUT!!
After all these years of highs (fully functional ~ wife,mom,work) and lows (able to do VERY little) I have found that when I eat healthy and try and stay active.....I do better. I have done alot of research White flour and processed carbs make fibro/CFS worse and I change my sttings to be 30% carbs; 30% fat; 40% protein tnad "aim" for that each day as suggested by the researchers. It has truely helped!!
Catch 22 ~ we need to stay active however if we overdo it we will not be in any shape to be active for a while afterwards. Gives a whole new meaning to after exersize soreness!! LOL I have found my glitche that works for me "water" I work out in the water it takes the shock out off of the muscles ~ I tread water, water jog, calestenics in water, some laps swimming but it wears me out fast. Walking has helped too but I have to do little walks to build up endurance to the mile or 5K.
Eating healthy ~ water work outs have helped me feel better, and lose 28lbs so far since the end of May. (I also found over the years of weight being up & down~ I was in less pain and fatigue when I was carrying less weight around) Now that being said ~ I still have days (2 this past week) that I am not able to function.....this however frustrating that it is, is getting better so I look at what I CAN DO and not what I CAN'T!!
I started this group for "CFS / Fibromayalgia Winners" ~ I want it to be positive support for each other we have enough of the suffering.....we are going to be winners together!! How about it? Who's in??? ....be patient with me this starting a group is a new adventure for me!!
After all these years of highs (fully functional ~ wife,mom,work) and lows (able to do VERY little) I have found that when I eat healthy and try and stay active.....I do better. I have done alot of research White flour and processed carbs make fibro/CFS worse and I change my sttings to be 30% carbs; 30% fat; 40% protein tnad "aim" for that each day as suggested by the researchers. It has truely helped!!
Catch 22 ~ we need to stay active however if we overdo it we will not be in any shape to be active for a while afterwards. Gives a whole new meaning to after exersize soreness!! LOL I have found my glitche that works for me "water" I work out in the water it takes the shock out off of the muscles ~ I tread water, water jog, calestenics in water, some laps swimming but it wears me out fast. Walking has helped too but I have to do little walks to build up endurance to the mile or 5K.
Eating healthy ~ water work outs have helped me feel better, and lose 28lbs so far since the end of May. (I also found over the years of weight being up & down~ I was in less pain and fatigue when I was carrying less weight around) Now that being said ~ I still have days (2 this past week) that I am not able to function.....this however frustrating that it is, is getting better so I look at what I CAN DO and not what I CAN'T!!
I started this group for "CFS / Fibromayalgia Winners" ~ I want it to be positive support for each other we have enough of the suffering.....we are going to be winners together!! How about it? Who's in??? ....be patient with me this starting a group is a new adventure for me!!
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Love that you have created this group! Thank you, what a fantastic idea
I have suffered with poor health for nine years and was finally given a diagnosis of CFS in 2006. After that I really stopped taking care of my health and weight, ate rubbish (lots of takeaway or processed food) and did very little exercise.
Joined MFP recently as I really want to be the best I can be and be healthy enough to finish my degree and land my first teaching job!
Best Wishes Mikaela xxx0 -
Hey there, I love your positivity and admire your determination. I just joined My Fitness Pal this week, and you creating this group just now is too much of a coincidence, if you know what I mean!
I was diagnosed with CFS in 2010, although I was struggling through for at least 2 years before that. I've put on loads of weight because of it. I used to be really active (like so many CFSers) so that didn't help, plus other aspects of this illness which makes it either really easy or really difficult, if you can't stop losing, to put on weight (depending on the person, but usually the former).
I am determined to recover and well on my way with all of the improvements I have made. You are so right about white flour, sugar and refined carbs in general being bad for CFS.
Anyway, thanks for starting the group!0 -
so sorry to hear ur story but im glad u made a group my mother and aunte have fms and my cousin has it now also i see how hard it is,i have all the symptoms for it but when i go to gp the dont test me for it so ive kinda gave up n just follow advice thats given to my mum ,i know that eating healthy is very important so brillant on joing mfp n making a support group i will tell my family to join your group also thank you xxxxxxx0
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Hi, I have believed for years that I have Fibromyalgia, but my GPs don't seem to be picking up on it. It's so frustrating! I've lost 10lb since joining MFP, but each time I exercise, I feel exhausted for the rest of the day. I've been doing the 30 day shred, now on level 2 and I walk and cycle when I can. i definitely agree with the swimming/water exercise as it help me, too.
I can manage the pain mostly as I've got used to living with it, but it's the tiredness that gets me down. I've never looked into what foods aggravate the condition and I'm very interested in what anyone has to say about that. I've read about the sugar and white bread on here, but is there anything else i really should be avoiding please? I guess i should do some internet research, but, as I haven't been diagnosed, I don't want to look too deeply into it, if you know what i mean.
Thank you for your motivation' it's good to know that exercise and healthy eating don't make it worse! I look forward to supporting and being supported in this group. Thank you xxxx0 -
Hi, I have believed for years that I have Fibromyalgia, but my GPs don't seem to be picking up on it. It's so frustrating! I've lost 10lb since joining MFP, but each time I exercise, I feel exhausted for the rest of the day. I've been doing the 30 day shred, now on level 2 and I walk and cycle when I can. i definitely agree with the swimming/water exercise as it help me, too.
I can manage the pain mostly as I've got used to living with it, but it's the tiredness that gets me down. I've never looked into what foods aggravate the condition and I'm very interested in what anyone has to say about that. I've read about the sugar and white bread on here, but is there anything else i really should be avoiding please? I guess i should do some internet research, but, as I haven't been diagnosed, I don't want to look too deeply into it, if you know what i mean.
Thank you for your motivation' it's good to know that exercise and healthy eating don't make it worse! I look forward to supporting and being supported in this group. Thank you xxxx
Hi! If you think you have fibro you have two options:
1. Go to the G.P. and insist that you see a rheumatologist with experience in CFS and/or Fibromyalgia. This is helpful if you need tablets and a decent physiotherapist (who they can refer you to) to help deal with the pain.
2. Do research yourself and find what works for you. This would be beneficial for helping to prevent wasting energy going backwards and forwards to the doctors if, ultimately, all you will be left with is the label of 'Fibromyalgia' rather than any help in dealing with the condition.
I have done a lot of research myself and am on my way to getting my life back. If anyone wants my advice you can just send me a private message and/or add me. I am happy to help anyone who is trying to get their life back on track and is interested to know what's worked for me.
Also, I just want to add that as part of my journey I have discovered that juicing is a great addition to the diet for the characteristic overwhelming fatigue and brain 'fog'.0 -
A few of you have said that your GP has not "formally" diagnosed you with something you believe in your gut you have...... I say YOU know YOU best!! Sure we rely on Drs for alot, but you know what you are facing everyday better then someone who spends 5 min with you. If you have the symptoms and you want to make them more manageable then by all means gather all the information you can about it and make steps to make your life better for you!! Having a Dr diagnos you formally will not change your symptoms ~ only what you put into practice can. Learn as much as you can ~ share that info with others ~ find out what works best for your body to make you thehealthiest you you can be!!
What kinds of things do you want to get out of our group? feedback on what you are looking for so we can start individual threads on that subject......like "food triggers ~ what helps/what doesn't" stuff like that....
together we can make a brighter tomorrow for ourselves!! :flowerforyou:0 -
This is a great message board and everyone seems to want to try everything they can to be as healthy as possible. That's great because too many times i've seen people diagnosed with FM or CFS who don't want to bother. They curl up and gather sympathy. Well that's definitely not me! I was diagnosed 10 years ago and pushed through it, working and raising a family until finally... I couldn't. Two years ago I went off on disability and can't seem to find my way back - but I keep working on it. In addition to FM and CFS, I have also had multiple bowel surgeries including having my colon removed so needless to say I have other issues at work. But my weight fluctuates 30lbs depending on if my guts are working or not.
The key to staying sane? No processed foods. Ya, sure, cheat once in awhile, but try to make every single calorie that you put in your mouth have nutritional value! Also, DON'T overdo it on your good days and you really will have more good days. And on your bad days? Let yourself rest, be taken care of, and try not to feel guilty about it (that's the hard one for me). Use your support system. Wouldn't you do the same for them? I've tried EVERYTHING ever suggested towards having less pain and more energy so I'd be happy to answer any questions. I guess you could say I'm a pro at knowing what is out there and what works for me.
Keep positive! Attitude is everything with these illnesses. Yes, you can still have a life!0 -
This is a great message board and everyone seems to want to try everything they can to be as healthy as possible. That's great because too many times i've seen people diagnosed with FM or CFS who don't want to bother. They curl up and gather sympathy. Well that's definitely not me! I was diagnosed 10 years ago and pushed through it, working and raising a family until finally... I couldn't. Two years ago I went off on disability and can't seem to find my way back - but I keep working on it. In addition to FM and CFS, I have also had multiple bowel surgeries including having my colon removed so needless to say I have other issues at work. But my weight fluctuates 30lbs depending on if my guts are working or not.
The key to staying sane? No processed foods. Ya, sure, cheat once in awhile, but try to make every single calorie that you put in your mouth have nutritional value! Also, DON'T overdo it on your good days and you really will have more good days. And on your bad days? Let yourself rest, be taken care of, and try not to feel guilty about it (that's the hard one for me). Use your support system. Wouldn't you do the same for them? I've tried EVERYTHING ever suggested towards having less pain and more energy so I'd be happy to answer any questions. I guess you could say I'm a pro at knowing what is out there and what works for me.
Keep positive! Attitude is everything with these illnesses. Yes, you can still have a life!
You are soooo right attitude is everything!!! Is it frustrating ~ YES; does depression try to rear it's ugly head? ~ Yes; BUT there is no way in God's green earth that any illness is going to take away my happiness!! So I surround myself with positive people and I do what I can when I can ~ and pray the God helps me accept the rest!!
I too have seen alot walo in self pity; I have to admit over the years I have had a pitty party or two when I couldn't do something I felt I should be able to do.....I NEVER saw any positive come from any of those pity parties in fact I always felt worse!! So I wanted a group that would encourage each other daily, share things that worked for them and things that didn't; issue challenges that we could achieve and feel proud of withoutfeeling less then the rest of the group because we couldn't exersize the way everyone else did. A place where we can GROW and become healthy together!!0 -
The everyday things can seem overwhelming at times. I know some days just the thought of having a shower and having to hold my arms up to wash my hair seems more than I can manage. So if you don't have to do it, don't. Use your energy for the things you absolutely have to do and learn to put aside the less important things. I function about 6 hours a day. That's all I can be upright and useful. So i plan my days around that window. I stay in bed until the last minute or head back to bed early to prepare for the next day. I take breaks in my lay-z-boy or lie in the sun so the heat can beam down on my legs and give me some relief. And I still manage to take care of my family, although truth be told my partner is a phenomenal help, as are my kids and I'm so incredibly grateful for them.
What I'm saying is ya, it sucks. It hurts and we're all exhausted. So what? So work around it. Have your pity party days and then move on. Oh ya, and remove ALL toxic people from your life! You know, the ones that always stress you out or leave you feeling crappy about yourself? Get rid of them and lift that weight off your shoulders. Mental strength is the number one requirement for living a healthy happy life with FM and CFS.0 -
Hello there!
I have had CFS for 16 years - it felt like it destroyed my life - had to give up Uni and my dream career, lost my late teens/twenties when my friends were out partying and finding themselves I was in bed or being experimented on by 'specialists' who wanted to write the next amazing paper on cureing CFS at one point I was anti psychotic meds?!?! When I should have been starting my career as a teacher I was listening to a councellor tell me I had a black aura and should smile more and all but one of my uni friends had deserted me - they couldn't handle seeing me go from an active person to dragging myself round with a walking stick who fell asleep mid conversation (not sure how they thought I was handling it!)
But I refused to be beaten - I am stubborn according to my doctor and after 18 months I dragged myself back to Uni - I finished my degree - still couldn't do the job but hey I wanted to finish. After that I fought and got and kept a full time job - always feel I have to prove myself more than my 'healthy' colleagues - got used to having no social life or life really - one step to far and I was in a heap for weeks.
But now 16 years on I am still here, still fighting - the good days have got better and last longer, the bad days last shorter, the headaches are pretty much under control and the limits I live under are not as strict as they used to be. Yeah I can still over reach, I can still put myself in bed for a couple of days/weeks but I feel in control enough to start fixing the damage done by the past years of low exercise and the rubbish diet which resulted from the feeling there was only one way I could reward my self.
Have been going just over a month - have had a warning shot or two fired at my by my cfs but so far it is behaving and I am getting back into control - I have to say it is very empowering and I am loving feeling in control - the danger is I will push too far so I am trying very hard to pace my self!0 -
Hi! I am Cheryl....I was diagnosed with Fibro in 2001 after my first daughter was born. Looking back I am SURE I have had it a LOT longer than that, but Fibro wasn't "accepted" back then.....Sadly, I am thinking my youngest DD has it...she is 9 and exhibits a LOT of the same symptoms I had back then as a child. :-(
I haven't found "triggers" except heavy house cleaning, (not sure why, but the repetitve motion of mopping, etc) and certain exercising. I have started C25K (running program- never have been a runner) and surprisingly that does NOT cause a flare up!! I have tried Lyrica, worked great for a while, then started causing leg pain and Cymbalta- broke out in hives, so currently I am taking nothing.
I am a single mom now, so have to work to support my girls.....I am looking forward to this group and sharing a common bond!0 -
Hi,
I am Marti and have been struggling with Fibromyalgia and Polymyalgia Rheumatica for the past several years. I was finally diagnosed by my Primary Care Doc, Everyone should have him. He sent me to a rheumatologist, who confirmed the fibro, and then did blood tests for Sed Rates found they were high so they put me on Prednisone, only thing used to treat Poly, Lyrica, Celexa, and told to lose weight.
Not an easy task with prednisone, I have gained over 50 lbs since taking the drugs and am really wanting to get well at least as well as possible with these challenging diseases. It has been suggested that I go forward with bariatric surgery for my well being and to correct several issues that are popping up from the extra weight.
I guess it is like a Rubic's cube, But I am determined this time to get some of the weight off before doing anything so drastic. Thank you for the opportunity to be on CFS/Fibromyalgia. I have done much research on this and am trying my hardest to get it to ease up without adding more drugs. I just got out of the hospital after a 3 day stay to rule out having a heart attack but it was the Fibro and Pmr going out of whack again,
My sugar level was out of sight and I have not been diagnosed with Diabetes so before that happens I wanted to take this positive step. I have daughters that are concerned and Grandchildren I really want to romp with.
Hope to communicate more with all of you . Have Cool day we are in the high 90's and I am hiding out.0 -
Prednisone is a wicked drug! My mom was on HIGH doses of it for a long time and is now a diabetic from it. She is finally off of the drug, but the effects have been long lasting. I hope they find a way for you to be off of it.....0
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Hi I'm Blaqheart nice to meet everyone.
I was diagnosed with Fibro in 2004. I may have it, but it doesn't have me.
I manage mine on my own using a variety of natural healing modalities. I believe the body is very capable of healing itself if we get out of the way and allow it. I don't and won't take any prescriptions or even over counter and haven't for nearly 6 years. I'm not willing to take the risk because to me none of them are worth it.
I am very active. I work out at my gym 3 times a week using weights. I lift heavy up to 40 lbs.
I'm also following the program "The Butt Bible". I have now completed week 2 for level 1. I credit this to actually curing my long time back pain! I noticed a big difference halfway through week 1.0 -
Hi all. I'm glad to see such a great group here - it's really inspiring!
I had 'growing pains' throughout my childhood and was incorrectly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 19. Turns out I had child onset osteoarthritis and fibro. I've also always had migraines and tension headaches - I was 15 when I got my first prescription for muscle relaxers. Crazy, right?
In the past I would try everything and nothing seemed to help my chronic pain and headaches, fatigue, brain fog, irritability... I felt hopeless and since no matter what I did I wouldn't feel better and would usually feel worse, I eventually did nothing.
My new rheumatologist finally put everything together and on top of a few other issues it turns out I'm gluten intolerant. I cut out the gluten and the veil lifted! I still get flares and pain/migraines here and there but it's not a constant, every single day of my life issue anymore. I was working on getting on disability and have scrapped it and am amped to be going back to school in the next year or so. I'm also set to lose weight that gluten and a few of my previous medications were making impossible to get rid of.0 -
Thank you , I have a minor victory today, my rheumatologist agreed to drop me from 10mg down to 7.5 mg and work me down. I am going to work on her getting me off lyrica. her call made my day. So sorry to hear about your mom, Bless her heart. I really hope that I will be in time getting off of it.0
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Hi,
I am Marti and have been struggling with Fibromyalgia and Polymyalgia Rheumatica for the past several years. I was finally diagnosed by my Primary Care Doc, Everyone should have him. He sent me to a rheumatologist, who confirmed the fibro, and then did blood tests for Sed Rates found they were high so they put me on Prednisone, only thing used to treat Poly, Lyrica, Celexa, and told to lose weight.
Not an easy task with prednisone, I have gained over 50 lbs since taking the drugs and am really wanting to get well at least as well as possible with these challenging diseases. It has been suggested that I go forward with bariatric surgery for my well being and to correct several issues that are popping up from the extra weight.
I guess it is like a Rubic's cube, But I am determined this time to get some of the weight off before doing anything so drastic. Thank you for the opportunity to be on CFS/Fibromyalgia. I have done much research on this and am trying my hardest to get it to ease up without adding more drugs. I just got out of the hospital after a 3 day stay to rule out having a heart attack but it was the Fibro and Pmr going out of whack again,
My sugar level was out of sight and I have not been diagnosed with Diabetes so before that happens I wanted to take this positive step. I have daughters that are concerned and Grandchildren I really want to romp with.
Hope to communicate more with all of you . Have Cool day we are in the high 90's and I am hiding out.
I have been on steroids more then I care to!! I hate it and beside the weight it effects my mood as well ( I become very intolerant of others and extremely irritable) I know when Dr wants me to take it I have no choice but I fight him every step of the way. Meds there in the beginning were ridiculous I had a tray of meds and I was a zombie! I did a dangerous thing one day and threw them all away ~ um some you need taken off slowly ~ I survived and changed Drs. One that understood me and what I was facing. He doesn't prescribe anything unless it is vital and he knows that I would rather live in pain then be on anything that takes me back to the zombie days. I did tell him of my plans for diet and exercise and he is monitoring me ~ SLOW & Steady I am grasping my health ...... I may never be "cured" but I will be living the best life I can.....NOT being controlled by any illness or medication!! Every one of us is different; so PLEASE communicate with your DR ~ if he/she isn't listening to you ~ find one who will!! Life is tooo short to be wasting any of it!!0 -
Hi! If you think you have fibro you have two options:
1. Go to the G.P. and insist that you see a rheumatologist with experience in CFS and/or Fibromyalgia. This is helpful if you need tablets and a decent physiotherapist (who they can refer you to) to help deal with the pain.
2. Do research yourself and find what works for you. This would be beneficial for helping to prevent wasting energy going backwards and forwards to the doctors if, ultimately, all you will be left with is the label of 'Fibromyalgia' rather than any help in dealing with the condition.
I have done a lot of research myself and am on my way to getting my life back. If anyone wants my advice you can just send me a private message and/or add me. I am happy to help anyone who is trying to get their life back on track and is interested to know what's worked for me.
Also, I just want to add that as part of my journey I have discovered that juicing is a great addition to the diet for the characteristic overwhelming fatigue and brain 'fog'.
Thanks Ellevated! I am taking in all the advice on here. What a fab group. I am starting to cut out lots of the foods listed on here NOW! I will go to my GP again when I feel that I can't cope any more and I've done all I can to help myself. Thanks so much for the advice. I'll add you if that's ok?0 -
Thank you , I have a minor victory today, my rheumatologist agreed to drop me from 10mg down to 7.5 mg and work me down. I am going to work on her getting me off lyrica. her call made my day. So sorry to hear about your mom, Bless her heart. I really hope that I will be in time getting off of it.
Awesome! My mom was on the prednisone for other issues- she still has tons of health issues, but really tries to do as much as she can. She is a huge help to me with my girls since I am a single mom.....0 -
Seems like I've had CFS/Fibro forever. I've been on disability for it since 98. I find I feel 100 times better when I watch what goes into my body and make sure I don't overdo.I also take a ton of vitamins and supplements. They've been a huge blessing.0
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hey there! my name is Colette and I've had fibro and cfs since 2003. I'm 46, married 22 years w/ 2 kids, aged 20 and 17. My condition unfortunately has had me home bound more and more as it has progressed. What a journey this has been(I'm sure you all can agree w/that!) and I've gained a lot of weight on it - well, that is why I am here at mfp (jut started 3 days ago).....Hope to get to know you better and hope you are having a pain free day!0
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Morning everyone. I was diagnosed with fibro over 20 years ago now after a serious car accident I was extremely lucky in that I had a great doctor who immediately sent me to a rheumatologist who in turn sent me to a fibro specialist on Vancouver island. Considering these were the dark days of fibro when it was at best considerd a myth and at worst, well you've all been there I'm sure. I became a bit of a test patient and test case as everything with my situation was pretty classic. I had all the tender points and there were days that were so bad I just wanted to curl up and disappear. I eventually had to give up my career. There were long hours, long days and lots of travel. All of which conspired to make it impossible to function. It took years to come to terms with not being able to work and further years to finally reach a happy medium with daily pain. I haven't had a pain free day in 20 years but that doesn't mean I don't have good days. Since I've joined this site I have been able to increase my walking from 400 metres up to 7 kilometres. I've done it slowly, rested between days and I've been able to increase without deleterious affect. I'm so thrilled with that. I still have to bite my tongue al,ost every day when someone, quite well meaning, says but you look great there can't really be anything wrong with you! Argh that irritates me, walk a mile in my shoes. Then say that. I very seldom talk about it and almost never refer to it, so it is wonderful to find a group within a site from which I have already received so much support. Thanks so much for getting this up and going. Cheers to all of us.0
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I just found this group on here, am so happy to join. I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis behind my kneecaps after a half marathon two years ago. I already had Hashimoto's and was trying to lose weight. Even after OA diagnosis, had some problems. Found I have positive ANA-DX with UCTD. Mine manifests as lupus, raynaud's, ibs, sjorgren's. Started Plaquenil, NSAIDS and Celexa. A few months later, amitryptilene and methotrexate. Even then, still some pain. Added Fibro to the mix. Now I want to lose the weight amitryptilene has put on and get back to my active life. Feeling better pain wise and want a positive support. I have a full time job and three teens so exercise really helps with stress.
Thank you for starting the group!0 -
I was diagnosed with Fibro about 3-4 years ago and stayed in denial until last year when I finally had to stop working. I had a lower back fusion in 2006 and have been in pain ever since. I kept insisting that my pain had to do with the surgery but as it's spread throughout my body I finally had to concede. I've always believed in conquering one's dragons so this has been an extremely difficult adjustment for me, physically, mentally, and spiritually. I've been working real hard trying to balance the three, but boy is it a continuous work in progress. It's been quite a roller coaster ride and I try to keep in positive spirits about what this next new adventure will bring, but dang those lows are dark. lol. I just turned 50 last November and I am convinced this new decade is going to ROCK!....but probably with more comfortable shoes. giggle.
Thank you for this site, it sure helps to know I'm not alone when it comes to struggling with finding the right doctors, meds, physical exercise, diets, work, etc.0 -
Checking in here to say hi. I've been ill now for 7 months with CFS/ME (Drs are still running tests, but if nothing else comes up, this will soon be it). I have fairly bad post exertional malaise and so really cannot exercise at all (15mins slow walking is about max per day - although sometimes I do a little more and then less the day before and after.)
So all my dieting is on restricting calories, which means my allowance is only 1200 cals a day and even that low will show a very small weekly wt loss. I've been eating 1200 most days, but also doing "fast" days sometimes of around 500cals just to help keep things moving. Thankfully my appetite has mostly reduced.0 -
Same here. I can only walk about 15 minutes but can do a bit longer in the pool so calorie restriction is what will help me the most. Hang in there. I enjoy this site because watching my calories is something I can have control over as I learn to manage pain. My motto is now "baby steps."0
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Hi! I'm 21 and was just diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a couple months ago(after suffering with it for around 5 years), soon after being diagnosed with depression and anxiety, several months after being diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis, and about a year after being diagnosed with Vocal Cord Dysfunction and acid reflux.
This summer I made so much progress in my health... My pain and fatigue decreased, due to more regular/more hours of sleep. I lost over 10 lbs without even exercising, due to eating healthier foods and smaller portions (which also helped with the fatigue). I managed to work 40+ hours (including walking to and from work, and home for lunch) per week.
Then school started.
I had thankfully decided to become a part time student, after 3 awful semesters... However, even with only two classes and 20-25 hours of work per week, I've since worsened quite a bit. I'm trying to continue losing (or at the very least not gain anything back!) and eat healthy, but the stress of school flares my fibro a lot. Sometimes I wish I could just quit school, or take a break for a year or so. Even work can become quite difficult, but it's nothing compared to being a senior at an extremely rigorous university!!!
I still have hope though! And I am glad to have found this online community of people who understand the physical and mental issues which for me are a daily struggle, but which people seem to think is "all in my head" (uh, yeah sure, you try to live in my body for even one of my GOOD days, THEN tell me I'm making it up! They'd go from thinking I'm a wimp to thinking I'm strong I'm sure!
) 0 -
Hi, I'm Stacey, 32, from Alabama, and while I have not been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, I believe that I have it. My mom was diagnosed about five years ago, and she thinks I have it, too. I have that awful achy/tired/cold feeling most of the time that I can only describe as "flu-like", which makes most physical activity (cleaning, exercising, etc) very difficult. I also have trouble sleeping, and cannot sleep through the night without some sort of sleep aid. Anyway, this being the first of the year and all, I have decided that I am sick and tired of being sick and tired, so I have been trying to exercise more and eat a little better (not like a single guy... pizza, frozen burritos, etc). I am starting kinda small and am using my Wii Fit about 20 minutes a day, which is about all I can handle right now. I find if I do the yoga/stretching exercises first, it makes the cardio exercises easier. (I know, duh.) So, that's me. I'm glad that there are groups on MFP for Fibro sufferers, because it helps me feel not so alone.
Take care, all.0 -
Hi I'm Bev from UK. I had ME as a teenager and recovered mostly after two years. I had a virus in November 2011 that brought it back, I have also being diagnosed with fibro. I have had to give up my personal training business. I'm married with two boys, my eldest is autistic.
These are the things that have helped me:
I supplement for cell renewal, energy production, anti inflammatory and healthy gut. I believe this has made a huge difference! Especially the magnesium.
I have turned to eating Paleo, no grains, no gluten, no dairy, no soy, no sugar. 80% of our immune system is in the gut and I believe the body has to be given time to heal. It can not heal the gut with these foods being digested. (I have researched this a lot and was already intolerant to gluten dairy and soy)
I eat less than 50g of carbs a day.... My pain seems to be connected to the my body creating huge amounts of lactic acid (please ask me about Dr Myhill explanation of this of you'd like more info) and by keeping carbs very low the body is unable to convert the glucose to create this lactic acid. I am in 90% less pain by doing this.
My biggest advice: research a lot! Be careful where you take your advice from. Focus on healing the body, I.e. stress reduction (this includes physical stressors like insulin spikes from sugar intake) avoid chemicals (including the chemicals in your food) and keep a positive mind (positive thoughts etc change our chemical output re cortisol levels etc).
I do spend a lot of my time lay down, it's made a massive impact on my life again but I will never give up hope that I can be well again0 -
Hi all. Its really nice to see a FM group that is not full of self pity but full of positive attitude and determination. I'm very pleased to be a part of such a group. I have FM and ME and some days can be like fighting my way through treacle with fatigue, with little men inside my body pulling at all my joints and muscles...BUT... I'm in a very happy place in my life right now, having finally found Mr right and living happy ever after, and there is NO WAY I am going to let FM/ME control me, or affect the lives of those important around me. I work full-time and we have 5 kids (4 being teens) between us and its organised chaos most days but I wouldn't want it any other way. I have put on a while dress size recently, one because the new mr right is a chef and is always producing wonderful experiments in the kitchen and two because of fatigue i find it harder to find the energy to exercise so joined mfp for some motivation to get back my jeans.
Looking forward to good times and making some new friends0
