Re: Friends who can hurt your feelings

February 5, 2008

I am new to this group. I have been reading your messages and can relate to

something in almost all your messages. I have fibro for approx. 9-10 years. I

was diagnosed 4 years ago.

I have 3 kids and a husband, who all beleave that I over exagerate my pain and

that I shouldn't be on so much pain medication. My husband just thinks I am

being lazy to get out of doing some of the housework. It is all so very

frustrating.

I also, have lost all my friends and at times feel very isolated. Thank

goodness for this group. It feels like it has opened my world alittle.

I don't drive because of meds I am on. I am not on that many pain meds but am

afraid that if I got pulled over and the police thinks I take vicodin that I

might get a dui. I take one every 6 hrs. I know that I am overly paranoid but

that is me. My kids freaked when they found out I take vicodin. I am in

constant pain. I try to do stretches and take hot baths when the pain gets so

bad that I can't stand another minute. I used to get mad at my family but this

has been going on for so long that it doesn't even bother me anymore.

I probably not making any sense. I am not used to posting messages on the

computor.

I am hoping to get to know you all and hope you all have a pain free day.

Thank you,

D. in CA

---------------------------------

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February 6, 2008

, it seems the world is full of myths and misunderstanding about this

illness. First of all, pain meds were made for PAIN. Hydrocodone and other

meds get labeled with a bad rap because so many people abuse them that don't

have pain. I take hydrocodone. I am not affected by it in any way except for

pain relief. It does not get me high or lessen my abilities. It actually

allows me to function. I still have to work and I work full time. No one has

ever seen me " messed up " or " drugged out " ... because I take it for pain. I

don't take it to get high.

I know how many around us think we are making this all up or imagining it. Or

they think " It can't be THAT bad " .... Well,,, it IS that BAD. It is a horrible

lonely curse of an illness. I am lucky to at least have a doctor that knows it

is real.

You have found the right place. I felt like an alien before I found this

site. I found all these people going through the very same thing. It truly

helps to be understood.

Welcome,

Debra V. (east Tx)

Doolin wrote:

I am new to this group. I have been reading your messages and can

relate to something in almost all your messages. I have fibro for approx. 9-10

years. I was diagnosed 4 years ago.

I have 3 kids and a husband, who all beleave that I over exagerate my pain and

that I shouldn't be on so much pain medication. My husband just thinks I am

being lazy to get out of doing some of the housework. It is all so very

frustrating.

I also, have lost all my friends and at times feel very isolated. Thank goodness

for this group. It feels like it has opened my world alittle.

I don't drive because of meds I am on. I am not on that many pain meds but am

afraid that if I got pulled over and the police thinks I take vicodin that I

might get a dui. I take one every 6 hrs. I know that I am overly paranoid but

that is me. My kids freaked when they found out I take vicodin. I am in constant

pain. I try to do stretches and take hot baths when the pain gets so bad that I

can't stand another minute. I used to get mad at my family but this has been

going on for so long that it doesn't even bother me anymore.

I probably not making any sense. I am not used to posting messages on the

computor.

I am hoping to get to know you all and hope you all have a pain free day.

Thank you,

D. in CA

---------------------------------

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

February 6, 2008

I can identify with everything you said. Particularly the alien part. I truly

felt like I came from a different planet for the years I've had this pain,

fatigue and brain fog. When I was first dx years ago, I told my friends and

family just assuming that they would hear what I said and accept it. I didn't

necessarily expect them to understand it, because I didn't really understand it.

I'm not sure anyone actually understands it. But these were my friends and

family, they would of course accept what I told them to be true and read the

pamphlets and things I got to help them see what I had. They all felt bad for

me and were sorry I had this Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. But as

I slowly found out they were waiting for it to go away, as if I had told them I

had the flu. I told them it didn't go away. Then I realized that what they

thought fatigue meant was that I got tired faster than usual and it was the kind

of tired they got when they had a long day

at work or did something strenuous, and it would be gone after I rested.

Wrong. I tried to explain the rebound effect. They didn't get it. They put it

in the category of when you get a bruise, it may hurt worse the next day, but

after that it got better. For a few years my daughter, during her twenties,

decided I was crazy and I lied and told everyone she knew that was the case,

including her younger brother who at that point didn't know not to believe her.

I had to get the psychiatrist I was seeing tell her that I was not crazy and was

not lieing, but that I did have PTSD and did have Fibromyalgia and several other

things. It actually wasn't until last year that she started to try to

understand what I go through and she still doesn't understand why I can't take

care of all three of her boys at one time (6, 3, 10 mons). If they were older

maybe, but we squabble because I can only have the 6 year old stay here right

now (talking overnight.) I've written it down to

try to explain, I've discussed it and she has this blank look on her face, but

then says she understands. My friends just drifted away. My mother thinks I'm

a lazy bum. My son actually understands basically because he just believes what

I tell him. That's the whole thing getting people to just believe me. I don't

lie about other things, why would I lie about this.

No one except the people on this group, and my son, knows that I take

hydrocodone. I take 5mg 3 X day and it helps take the edge off. Once before

years ago I took the same dosage, I only started this one a few months ago, and

my daughter and son-in-law said I was addicted to it. That is because they saw

me take it one time. So now I just don't tell.

I'm going to send her my Martism for today. My super active life style is

down the drain and why would I give up the things I loved to do if I could just

get better.

I do what I do because I can.

I don't do what I don't because I can't.

If I could fix it I would publish a plan.

I would love to do it all again.

Blessed be, Marti

debra van ness wrote:

, it seems the world is full of myths and misunderstanding about

this illness. First of all, pain meds were made for PAIN. Hydrocodone and other

meds get labeled with a bad rap because so many people abuse them that don't

have pain. I take hydrocodone. I am not affected by it in any way except for

pain relief. It does not get me high or lessen my abilities. It actually allows

me to function. I still have to work and I work full time. No one has ever seen

me " messed up " or " drugged out " ... because I take it for pain. I don't take it

to get high.

I know how many around us think we are making this all up or imagining it. Or

they think " It can't be THAT bad " .... Well,,, it IS that BAD. It is a horrible

lonely curse of an illness. I am lucky to at least have a doctor that knows it

is real.

You have found the right place. I felt like an alien before I found this site. I

found all these people going through the very same thing. It truly helps to be

understood.