Diagnoses

Posted by jasonbrooksf @jasonbrooksf, Oct 24, 2025

Just recently learned that I have a pain syndrome that involves fibromyalgia. I was told this a couple of weeks ago. Learning about it this week it makes sense why I’ve struggled for so long. Before being told about my condition I thought I could be fixed with medication and I could go on with my life. But now I realize it’s life long. I’m just sad and no one to talk about it. I don’t have any friends. Things I planned to do I feel like why even try now cause I know I’m going to be in pain. Just wanting suggestions on how to cope with this. Thanks for reading.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Fibromyalgia Support Group.

feygirrl | @feygirrl | 7 hours ago

In reply to @loriesco "There are various things to try before you give up on yourself. I suffered for 30..." + (show)

@loriesco

There are various things to try before you give up on yourself. I suffered for 30 years. I am 68. I am now feeling 30 years younger. The doctors didn’t fix me. I fixed me. Some intentional, some accidental: 1) I have gout or pseudo gout who knows. I experience debilitating pain in my joints and inflammatory reactions from doing simple things. Now I am on allopurinol medicine and all of that pain is gone. If you have gout in your family history, I suggest you talk to your doctor about that. The second thing is insulin resistance. I had insulin resistance for 20 years and because I was good at controlling my diet I was never put on medicine. Now I am on metformin and my body feels so much better. The third thing is taking extra iron and B12 vitamins. I ate two eggs in the morning and I take take Bronson brand biglysinate iron pills ($10 on Amazon) I noticed the difference in two days!!! When we get older, our body doesn’t digest the nutrition as it should. Insufficient iron and B12 can translate for some of us into neuropathies and problems with our nerves. It took me 30 years to get my body to stop having painful inflammatory reactions that shut my life down. But I did it. So please don’t give up on feeling better and know that it is an individual journey to get better.
As far as not having friends and doing stuff— I am a creative person and Artist. I don’t really have any close friends anymore. I happen to enjoy the companionship of animals like my doggie and I can do Art from day and night and enjoy the TMC movie channel watching movies that are 100 years old. I love to read. I really enjoy being at home and most of the activities. I love most in life, involve things that I do by myself. The point is to do what you can to improve your lot in life and learn to accept the rest. Sit down and really focus on investing in yourself and loving and cherishing your own life without the accoutrements that others bring. Yes I envy that the other ladies go to lunch and the other neighbors get together with their families and husbands, but we can’t have it all in life and it’s worth time to figure out what’s really in your soul to do on this earth. There’s a ton of philanthropic stuff you can do by yourself and at home to help others which is very rewarding.

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@loriesco I love the positivity!

jasonbrooksf | @jasonbrooksf | 7 hours ago

In reply to @feygirrl "@loriesco I love the positivity!" + (show)

@feygirrl I'm still in the grieving process, I think. I'm a middle-aged man that seemed to have somewhat of a bright future. I was confident in myself, I had some savings in the bank, and I was looking to progress in my career. I was looking forward to getting into a relationship and just being somewhat normal. I've already dealt with a lot of other issues in my life that I overcame and I was getting to a place of happiness. That all was snatched away within a few months. Now I'm wishing for to be somewhat normal again. I feel that is a long shot at this point. Now I'm alone and just trying to do what I can to feel descent. I've been going to physical therapy for almost a year, and I've been seeing a chiropractor. Crazy how life just flips on you. This has just been a lonely painful experience. I do deal with gout and I take allopurinol. Yes, that pain has gone away for the most part. I was told to take B12 vitamins. I'm just tired of being by myself. I want to go to support groups, but they are hard to find. I did attend a class at mayo that was helpful. Although it was depressing, it was nice to be around people that were dealing with the same thing as me. At this point I may have to find a partner that has issues like me. I did start to have a small crush on a woman in that class that I know I wasn't supposed to due to her relationship status. She didn't know it but that made me think there may be someone dealing with the same thing as me that may be looking for a relationship. Point being this is an adjustment to say the least, but I do appreciate your advice and the kind words.

loriesco | @loriesco | 5 hours ago

In reply to @jasonbrooksf "@feygirrl I'm still in the grieving process, I think. I'm a middle-aged man that seemed to..." + (show)

@jasonbrooksf life is like that. But I do believe it’s a duality always.. Life is about your attitude and how you handle your obstacles. I think we have to identify our priorities. If your priority is to be engaged with other people then find a volunteer group that engages you in a way that adds to your life. Just this morning I had some extremely negative occurrences pile up and throw me for a loop. Sometimes we must sit still in our desolation. we are being challenged. We might be receiving a lesson. A life lesson. It can’t all be roses. I am very lucky to have some incredible things in my life. But the opposite side of that incredible life is intense desolation. I will wait patiently or impatiently and take a break because something is waiting on the horizon. At 69 I know that. It’s just a matter of time until I get my mojo back and I’m busy working at something that completely engages me. For me it is my art.
When I was 34-36 I had a series of life altering astrology readings. They turned out to be all true. I learned about my character, about my isolation, about my aloneness in life, even though I had a couple marriages and family. That’s all gone. It would be nice to have a partner, but I am more focused on how I live the rest of my life alone, and with a sense of community. One of my astrologers told me once that my chart is riddled with all of this, but when it happens that I need to reach over to the good side. I have a checklist in my head, like a bucket list, and when I go through my “grieving“ and I am ready. My bucket list will be there for me. And then I will curiously Marvel that it was waiting for me all along. Since my brother committed suicide when we were young, it gave me the perspective that life is very precious and no matter what happens to us every day is a gift that is why they call it “the present.” I also have a bucket list in my head of really bad things, like being homeless, not being able to go to the grocery store, living in Gaza or Ukraine, and not having money in the bank to pay my bills. Things that I see all around me. That puts life in perspective. That I am very lucky indeed, to just have all these physical ailments for which I can sit in my cozy home, with my old dog and get up to do my artwork after I finish writing this thought. It’s all about perspective!