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Living with Fibromyalgia: Introduce yourself & meet others

Posted by Justin McClanahan, Moderator @JustinMcClanahan, Jan 30, 2024

Welcome to the Fibromyalgia Support Group on Mayo Clinic Connect.

This is a welcoming forum where you can meet people who know first-hand about living with fibromyalgia. Together we can learn from each other and share stories about challenges and coping strategies, setbacks and the things that help.

Find your comfy spot, settle in and introduce yourself. What is your experience living with fibromyalgia (i.e., treatment, symptom management, coping strategies, etc.)? Got a question, tip or story to share?

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

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orest | @orest | Sep 20 5:10pm
In reply to @faithraass "So for past year I have been getting worse with my fibro and how senstive I..." + (show)
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So for past year I have been getting worse with my fibro and how senstive I am to any kind of touches. It feels like someone is showing toothpicks under my fingernails when I try to file my nails or even to hold a pen, type on the keyboard. I am pushing through but by the end of the day I am in so much pain and I hide to cry. My love language is acts of service for my family and when I am not able to cook for them or do the gardening in my yard and green house I feel like am the a HUGE failure.

How do you guys cope and if you have any suggestions I am open, I am so tired of my whole body just hurting.Over the past year, my fibromyalgia symptoms have worsened, and I’ve become increasingly sensitive to any kind of touch. It feels like someone is sliding toothpicks under my fingernails when I try to file my nails, hold a pen, or type on the keyboard. I’m pushing through, but by the end of the day, I’m in so much pain that I often find myself hiding to cry.

My love language is acts of service, particularly for my family. When I’m unable to cook for them or take care of the gardening in my yard and greenhouse, I feel like a huge failure.

How do you cope with similar situations? If you have any suggestions, I’m open to them. I’m just so tired of my whole body hurting.

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@faithraass I would suggest getting counseling. To feel like a failure if you can't at this time express your love language is something that requires some help from outside your circle, someone who can be objective and knowledgeable. Many people suffer from thinking a certain way for whatever reasons and need help untangling those ideas to be able to see things in a healthier way.....When I First became diagnosed - without going into it - I finally got counseling and it was a huge help to know what feelings are valid and what aren't. Sometimes being happy or being good to yourself hurts especially if you don't think you deserve it.

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orest | @orest | Sep 20 5:22pm
In reply to @orest "@faithraass I would suggest getting counseling. To feel like a failure if you can't at this..." + (show)
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@faithraass I would suggest getting counseling. To feel like a failure if you can't at this time express your love language is something that requires some help from outside your circle, someone who can be objective and knowledgeable. Many people suffer from thinking a certain way for whatever reasons and need help untangling those ideas to be able to see things in a healthier way.....When I First became diagnosed - without going into it - I finally got counseling and it was a huge help to know what feelings are valid and what aren't. Sometimes being happy or being good to yourself hurts especially if you don't think you deserve it.

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@orest I want to add that I am saying this in the context of having chronic illness(es). That is being given a huge curveball and it is very confusing as to how to navigate it. For me I wanted to save myself time and misery and get help figuring it out...this is a time in your life that you just can't do what you have planned or would like, you have to face what you are dealing with, because if you don't, your illness will become much more to bear than it needs to be, and not taking care of you first will snowball. Doing this is a courageous act and is also loving because you need help in figuring out how to put your best foot forward for yourself and for those you love- otherwise you will be overburdened to be any good to yourself or others...

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faithraass | @faithraass | Sep 21 3:19pm

Thank you, I am in counseling and it is helping 🙂

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faithraass | @faithraass | Sep 21 3:24pm
In reply to @orest "@dmarkz0101 I agree that people who are coping with illness need to take care of themselves..." + (show)
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@dmarkz0101 I agree that people who are coping with illness need to take care of themselves first -if they don't eventually they will be too affected by their own illness to be of any help to others. Many people will unknowingly take advantage of others if help is offered, when they should be trying to help themselves. I see this over and over when the "givers" give give give" to their own detriment.
Fibromyalgia is not a condition that responds well to stress, lack of rest, skipped meals and poor sleep....your new pains are saying that you need to take care of you. faithraass has been courageous in tackling others peoples issues while juggling her own- what a great heart, but she needs to become courageous for herself now...talk to the people who ask for or take help offered or volunteered from her and let them know that she has to pull back and take care of herself.

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@orest, I am also dealing with the death of a parent that happened in June, and then I am having to help the other parent because of their own health issues. My husband and I run our own business, and that's stressful enough on its own. I have taken up working in my yard with my plants and my greenhouse, and that is comforting.

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