Guest guest Posted May 21, 2002 Report Share Posted May 21, 2002 Sherri, Welcome to the group. So sorry to hear your depression is so bad. The only advice I can give is to keep trying different doctors(I know, hard when you don't have insurance), and eventually you will find one who is sympathetic and helpful. Also, keep trying different medications and supplements and therapies. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. I'm sure everyone here will be willing to offer advice on alternative meds to try. I'm currently trying drug therapy pretty much for the first time. I tried for years to treat my fibro with vitamins and supplements and herbs, and it just didn't help nearly enough. So a lot of these drugs are new to me. I'm learning. :-) Take care, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2002 Report Share Posted May 21, 2002 Sherri, Welcome to the group. So sorry to hear your depression is so bad. The only advice I can give is to keep trying different doctors(I know, hard when you don't have insurance), and eventually you will find one who is sympathetic and helpful. Also, keep trying different medications and supplements and therapies. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. I'm sure everyone here will be willing to offer advice on alternative meds to try. I'm currently trying drug therapy pretty much for the first time. I tried for years to treat my fibro with vitamins and supplements and herbs, and it just didn't help nearly enough. So a lot of these drugs are new to me. I'm learning. :-) Take care, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2002 Report Share Posted May 21, 2002 Hello all! I have been reading all your messages the past few days and decided it was time to jump right in. (oh,oh bad choice of words, LOL!) My name is Sherri and I am 40 yrs old. I was diagnosed with CFS in 2000 but think I've been suffering since 1993. Back then, I just thought it was depression. I had lost my sister who was 9 months pregnant in a car accident. We were in the military at the time (and I was healthy) We were 2000 miles away when it happened. Had to get on a plane and come back home to Indiana. It was the worst time in my life then. Anyway, we got out of the service in March of 93 and moved home to try and take care of the 5 kids she left behind. In 1996 I got pregnant and that is when alot of my physical problems started. Thought I was gonna die! Had so many problems so when I had my son I thought I was going to get better and never did. Even after having my baby (which is another story in itself) I was suffering from deep depression, tired all the time (extremely). I cried almost all day and night. Couldn't figure out why I felt this way because I had this beautiful baby boy. In the years before I had him, I was crying and thought about dying all the time. I would actually pray to God everynight before I went to bed asking him to take me. I couldn't stand the thought of facing one more day. Thought my kids would be better off without me. In 1997 I finally went to another doctor and she diagnosed me with sever clinical depression and put me on prozac. I also was hypothyroid at the time and helped me with that. So far, my thyroid is working okay. Just had it tested a couple weeks ago. The prozac worked some, at least I wasn't crying all the time. I was still in pain (meaning sadness) but could at least cope with the daily things in life. Decided to try and get a job in 2000. Was a cashier at Wal-mart. Started out just a few hours a week because of being tired. Really thought working would help with that. The last day that I worked there was on a Saturday and I had worked a couple of hours and suddenly got very tired and sick. Went home at 2 p.m. and slept the rest of the day and night, got up Sun morning for about 15 min and went back to bed until Monday. Got up and made appt to see doctor. She diagnosed me with CFS but didn't do anything except up my prozac. I had to quit work because I couldn't cope, which was only a couple months after I started. This past January I woke up with a really sore and stiff neck. Thought it would go away so waited a few days. It got worse so went to a chiropractor. He said that my neck was curved the wrong way and my back went at an angle. I had 3 treatments a week for 6 weeks and was still getting worse. Went to my reg doc and she thought it was a pinched nerve so gave me Skelaxin and saw me the next week. Then she decided to put me on prednisone for 15 days. I was sicker than a dog and it seems to me that is when my whole entire body went bad. Now, I have all of the 18 tender points, can hardly walk. Can't do my regular household chores. Getting severe fibro fog. The whole shebang. I didn't realize that FMS could come on so fast???? I do not have insurance so we decided to do two tests last week. One was my thyroid and the other was an ANA test which both came back okay. Thyroid was normal and the ANA was negative. She also changed me to Effexor XR (In 2001) and gave me Zanaflex and Celebrex. Celebrex isn't doing any good. Neither are the relaxers. I called her back yesterday to see what tests we could do next and she said that we could do all the blood tests in the world and I would still have to see a Rheumy so she is done with me now. Just wants to forget about me and send me to the RH. I am soooo confused and aggrivated. Dr also told me a month ago to try for disability. I called the SSS office and they told me since I haven't worked (oh, they haven't raised kids?) in the past ten years I was out of luck. I have tried and tried to get insurance but everyone turns me down. So now I am kinda stuck. Thanks for listening and sorry this was soooo long. Hope to get to know you all better. I may not post that much because of the depression but will at least try. Cyberhugs, Sherri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2002 Report Share Posted May 21, 2002 Sherri, welcome - I think you have reached a site in which many can relate to you. Don't give up !!!! And for disability - I am fighting Wal-Mart & Hartford for simple short term. ( I say fight - but truely I don't have much of that in me anymore) As for SS - there is such a thing as SSI. This is for those who have not paid in enough SS from a public job. They don't consider housewife and mother as a job - but personally I think it is the most important one in the world !!!!! Check out the site for posts on SS disability - there are several good ones with useful information that might help you. gentle hugs, Cinda New here also/long Hello all! I have been reading all your messages the past few days and decided it was time to jump right in. (oh,oh bad choice of words, LOL!) My name is Sherri and I am 40 yrs old. I was diagnosed with CFS in 2000 but think I've been suffering since 1993. Back then, I just thought it was depression. I had lost my sister who was 9 months pregnant in a car accident. We were in the military at the time (and I was healthy) We were 2000 miles away when it happened. Had to get on a plane and come back home to Indiana. It was the worst time in my life then. Anyway, we got out of the service in March of 93 and moved home to try and take care of the 5 kids she left behind. In 1996 I got pregnant and that is when alot of my physical problems started. Thought I was gonna die! Had so many problems so when I had my son I thought I was going to get better and never did. Even after having my baby (which is another story in itself) I was suffering from deep depression, tired all the time (extremely). I cried almost all day and night. Couldn't figure out why I felt this way because I had this beautiful baby boy. In the years before I had him, I was crying and thought about dying all the time. I would actually pray to God everynight before I went to bed asking him to take me. I couldn't stand the thought of facing one more day. Thought my kids would be better off without me. In 1997 I finally went to another doctor and she diagnosed me with sever clinical depression and put me on prozac. I also was hypothyroid at the time and helped me with that. So far, my thyroid is working okay. Just had it tested a couple weeks ago. The prozac worked some, at least I wasn't crying all the time. I was still in pain (meaning sadness) but could at least cope with the daily things in life. Decided to try and get a job in 2000. Was a cashier at Wal-mart. Started out just a few hours a week because of being tired. Really thought working would help with that. The last day that I worked there was on a Saturday and I had worked a couple of hours and suddenly got very tired and sick. Went home at 2 p.m. and slept the rest of the day and night, got up Sun morning for about 15 min and went back to bed until Monday. Got up and made appt to see doctor. She diagnosed me with CFS but didn't do anything except up my prozac. I had to quit work because I couldn't cope, which was only a couple months after I started. This past January I woke up with a really sore and stiff neck. Thought it would go away so waited a few days. It got worse so went to a chiropractor. He said that my neck was curved the wrong way and my back went at an angle. I had 3 treatments a week for 6 weeks and was still getting worse. Went to my reg doc and she thought it was a pinched nerve so gave me Skelaxin and saw me the next week. Then she decided to put me on prednisone for 15 days. I was sicker than a dog and it seems to me that is when my whole entire body went bad. Now, I have all of the 18 tender points, can hardly walk. Can't do my regular household chores. Getting severe fibro fog. The whole shebang. I didn't realize that FMS could come on so fast???? I do not have insurance so we decided to do two tests last week. One was my thyroid and the other was an ANA test which both came back okay. Thyroid was normal and the ANA was negative. She also changed me to Effexor XR (In 2001) and gave me Zanaflex and Celebrex. Celebrex isn't doing any good. Neither are the relaxers. I called her back yesterday to see what tests we could do next and she said that we could do all the blood tests in the world and I would still have to see a Rheumy so she is done with me now. Just wants to forget about me and send me to the RH. I am soooo confused and aggrivated. Dr also told me a month ago to try for disability. I called the SSS office and they told me since I haven't worked (oh, they haven't raised kids?) in the past ten years I was out of luck. I have tried and tried to get insurance but everyone turns me down. So now I am kinda stuck. Thanks for listening and sorry this was soooo long. Hope to get to know you all better. I may not post that much because of the depression but will at least try. Cyberhugs, Sherri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2002 Report Share Posted May 21, 2002 Sherri, welcome - I think you have reached a site in which many can relate to you. Don't give up !!!! And for disability - I am fighting Wal-Mart & Hartford for simple short term. ( I say fight - but truely I don't have much of that in me anymore) As for SS - there is such a thing as SSI. This is for those who have not paid in enough SS from a public job. They don't consider housewife and mother as a job - but personally I think it is the most important one in the world !!!!! Check out the site for posts on SS disability - there are several good ones with useful information that might help you. gentle hugs, Cinda New here also/long Hello all! I have been reading all your messages the past few days and decided it was time to jump right in. (oh,oh bad choice of words, LOL!) My name is Sherri and I am 40 yrs old. I was diagnosed with CFS in 2000 but think I've been suffering since 1993. Back then, I just thought it was depression. I had lost my sister who was 9 months pregnant in a car accident. We were in the military at the time (and I was healthy) We were 2000 miles away when it happened. Had to get on a plane and come back home to Indiana. It was the worst time in my life then. Anyway, we got out of the service in March of 93 and moved home to try and take care of the 5 kids she left behind. In 1996 I got pregnant and that is when alot of my physical problems started. Thought I was gonna die! Had so many problems so when I had my son I thought I was going to get better and never did. Even after having my baby (which is another story in itself) I was suffering from deep depression, tired all the time (extremely). I cried almost all day and night. Couldn't figure out why I felt this way because I had this beautiful baby boy. In the years before I had him, I was crying and thought about dying all the time. I would actually pray to God everynight before I went to bed asking him to take me. I couldn't stand the thought of facing one more day. Thought my kids would be better off without me. In 1997 I finally went to another doctor and she diagnosed me with sever clinical depression and put me on prozac. I also was hypothyroid at the time and helped me with that. So far, my thyroid is working okay. Just had it tested a couple weeks ago. The prozac worked some, at least I wasn't crying all the time. I was still in pain (meaning sadness) but could at least cope with the daily things in life. Decided to try and get a job in 2000. Was a cashier at Wal-mart. Started out just a few hours a week because of being tired. Really thought working would help with that. The last day that I worked there was on a Saturday and I had worked a couple of hours and suddenly got very tired and sick. Went home at 2 p.m. and slept the rest of the day and night, got up Sun morning for about 15 min and went back to bed until Monday. Got up and made appt to see doctor. She diagnosed me with CFS but didn't do anything except up my prozac. I had to quit work because I couldn't cope, which was only a couple months after I started. This past January I woke up with a really sore and stiff neck. Thought it would go away so waited a few days. It got worse so went to a chiropractor. He said that my neck was curved the wrong way and my back went at an angle. I had 3 treatments a week for 6 weeks and was still getting worse. Went to my reg doc and she thought it was a pinched nerve so gave me Skelaxin and saw me the next week. Then she decided to put me on prednisone for 15 days. I was sicker than a dog and it seems to me that is when my whole entire body went bad. Now, I have all of the 18 tender points, can hardly walk. Can't do my regular household chores. Getting severe fibro fog. The whole shebang. I didn't realize that FMS could come on so fast???? I do not have insurance so we decided to do two tests last week. One was my thyroid and the other was an ANA test which both came back okay. Thyroid was normal and the ANA was negative. She also changed me to Effexor XR (In 2001) and gave me Zanaflex and Celebrex. Celebrex isn't doing any good. Neither are the relaxers. I called her back yesterday to see what tests we could do next and she said that we could do all the blood tests in the world and I would still have to see a Rheumy so she is done with me now. Just wants to forget about me and send me to the RH. I am soooo confused and aggrivated. Dr also told me a month ago to try for disability. I called the SSS office and they told me since I haven't worked (oh, they haven't raised kids?) in the past ten years I was out of luck. I have tried and tried to get insurance but everyone turns me down. So now I am kinda stuck. Thanks for listening and sorry this was soooo long. Hope to get to know you all better. I may not post that much because of the depression but will at least try. Cyberhugs, Sherri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2002 Report Share Posted May 21, 2002 Big cyber hug to you, Sherri. SSI/Disability is one of my sore spots (pun intended). I have been trying to avoid filing, but I don't think I really have a choice at this point. Sounds to me as if the stress you were under really kicked things off. If you are in Indiana, there are several state programs that might assist you with medical help. I've recently lost my job and am scrambling amongst my family for my COBRA premiums each month, but I know I could not survive without insurance. Even if I qualify for Disability immediately, it's still a two year wait for Medicare and, after working in health insurance for nearly 15 years, I can honestly say Medicare stinks. I really hope things work out for you. Please take care! ~ :-D New here also/long Hello all! I have been reading all your messages the past few days and decided it was time to jump right in. (oh,oh bad choice of words, LOL!) My name is Sherri and I am 40 yrs old. I was diagnosed with CFS in 2000 but think I've been suffering since 1993. Back then, I just thought it was depression. I had lost my sister who was 9 months pregnant in a car accident. We were in the military at the time (and I was healthy) We were 2000 miles away when it happened. Had to get on a plane and come back home to Indiana. It was the worst time in my life then. Anyway, we got out of the service in March of 93 and moved home to try and take care of the 5 kids she left behind. In 1996 I got pregnant and that is when alot of my physical problems started. Thought I was gonna die! Had so many problems so when I had my son I thought I was going to get better and never did. Even after having my baby (which is another story in itself) I was suffering from deep depression, tired all the time (extremely). I cried almost all day and night. Couldn't figure out why I felt this way because I had this beautiful baby boy. In the years before I had him, I was crying and thought about dying all the time. I would actually pray to God everynight before I went to bed asking him to take me. I couldn't stand the thought of facing one more day. Thought my kids would be better off without me. In 1997 I finally went to another doctor and she diagnosed me with sever clinical depression and put me on prozac. I also was hypothyroid at the time and helped me with that. So far, my thyroid is working okay. Just had it tested a couple weeks ago. The prozac worked some, at least I wasn't crying all the time. I was still in pain (meaning sadness) but could at least cope with the daily things in life. Decided to try and get a job in 2000. Was a cashier at Wal-mart. Started out just a few hours a week because of being tired. Really thought working would help with that. The last day that I worked there was on a Saturday and I had worked a couple of hours and suddenly got very tired and sick. Went home at 2 p.m. and slept the rest of the day and night, got up Sun morning for about 15 min and went back to bed until Monday. Got up and made appt to see doctor. She diagnosed me with CFS but didn't do anything except up my prozac. I had to quit work because I couldn't cope, which was only a couple months after I started. This past January I woke up with a really sore and stiff neck. Thought it would go away so waited a few days. It got worse so went to a chiropractor. He said that my neck was curved the wrong way and my back went at an angle. I had 3 treatments a week for 6 weeks and was still getting worse. Went to my reg doc and she thought it was a pinched nerve so gave me Skelaxin and saw me the next week. Then she decided to put me on prednisone for 15 days. I was sicker than a dog and it seems to me that is when my whole entire body went bad. Now, I have all of the 18 tender points, can hardly walk. Can't do my regular household chores. Getting severe fibro fog. The whole shebang. I didn't realize that FMS could come on so fast???? I do not have insurance so we decided to do two tests last week. One was my thyroid and the other was an ANA test which both came back okay. Thyroid was normal and the ANA was negative. She also changed me to Effexor XR (In 2001) and gave me Zanaflex and Celebrex. Celebrex isn't doing any good. Neither are the relaxers. I called her back yesterday to see what tests we could do next and she said that we could do all the blood tests in the world and I would still have to see a Rheumy so she is done with me now. Just wants to forget about me and send me to the RH. I am soooo confused and aggrivated. Dr also told me a month ago to try for disability. I called the SSS office and they told me since I haven't worked (oh, they haven't raised kids?) in the past ten years I was out of luck. I have tried and tried to get insurance but everyone turns me down. So now I am kinda stuck. Thanks for listening and sorry this was soooo long. Hope to get to know you all better. I may not post that much because of the depression but will at least try. Cyberhugs, Sherri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2002 Report Share Posted May 21, 2002 Big cyber hug to you, Sherri. SSI/Disability is one of my sore spots (pun intended). I have been trying to avoid filing, but I don't think I really have a choice at this point. Sounds to me as if the stress you were under really kicked things off. If you are in Indiana, there are several state programs that might assist you with medical help. I've recently lost my job and am scrambling amongst my family for my COBRA premiums each month, but I know I could not survive without insurance. Even if I qualify for Disability immediately, it's still a two year wait for Medicare and, after working in health insurance for nearly 15 years, I can honestly say Medicare stinks. I really hope things work out for you. Please take care! ~ :-D New here also/long Hello all! I have been reading all your messages the past few days and decided it was time to jump right in. (oh,oh bad choice of words, LOL!) My name is Sherri and I am 40 yrs old. I was diagnosed with CFS in 2000 but think I've been suffering since 1993. Back then, I just thought it was depression. I had lost my sister who was 9 months pregnant in a car accident. We were in the military at the time (and I was healthy) We were 2000 miles away when it happened. Had to get on a plane and come back home to Indiana. It was the worst time in my life then. Anyway, we got out of the service in March of 93 and moved home to try and take care of the 5 kids she left behind. In 1996 I got pregnant and that is when alot of my physical problems started. Thought I was gonna die! Had so many problems so when I had my son I thought I was going to get better and never did. Even after having my baby (which is another story in itself) I was suffering from deep depression, tired all the time (extremely). I cried almost all day and night. Couldn't figure out why I felt this way because I had this beautiful baby boy. In the years before I had him, I was crying and thought about dying all the time. I would actually pray to God everynight before I went to bed asking him to take me. I couldn't stand the thought of facing one more day. Thought my kids would be better off without me. In 1997 I finally went to another doctor and she diagnosed me with sever clinical depression and put me on prozac. I also was hypothyroid at the time and helped me with that. So far, my thyroid is working okay. Just had it tested a couple weeks ago. The prozac worked some, at least I wasn't crying all the time. I was still in pain (meaning sadness) but could at least cope with the daily things in life. Decided to try and get a job in 2000. Was a cashier at Wal-mart. Started out just a few hours a week because of being tired. Really thought working would help with that. The last day that I worked there was on a Saturday and I had worked a couple of hours and suddenly got very tired and sick. Went home at 2 p.m. and slept the rest of the day and night, got up Sun morning for about 15 min and went back to bed until Monday. Got up and made appt to see doctor. She diagnosed me with CFS but didn't do anything except up my prozac. I had to quit work because I couldn't cope, which was only a couple months after I started. This past January I woke up with a really sore and stiff neck. Thought it would go away so waited a few days. It got worse so went to a chiropractor. He said that my neck was curved the wrong way and my back went at an angle. I had 3 treatments a week for 6 weeks and was still getting worse. Went to my reg doc and she thought it was a pinched nerve so gave me Skelaxin and saw me the next week. Then she decided to put me on prednisone for 15 days. I was sicker than a dog and it seems to me that is when my whole entire body went bad. Now, I have all of the 18 tender points, can hardly walk. Can't do my regular household chores. Getting severe fibro fog. The whole shebang. I didn't realize that FMS could come on so fast???? I do not have insurance so we decided to do two tests last week. One was my thyroid and the other was an ANA test which both came back okay. Thyroid was normal and the ANA was negative. She also changed me to Effexor XR (In 2001) and gave me Zanaflex and Celebrex. Celebrex isn't doing any good. Neither are the relaxers. I called her back yesterday to see what tests we could do next and she said that we could do all the blood tests in the world and I would still have to see a Rheumy so she is done with me now. Just wants to forget about me and send me to the RH. I am soooo confused and aggrivated. Dr also told me a month ago to try for disability. I called the SSS office and they told me since I haven't worked (oh, they haven't raised kids?) in the past ten years I was out of luck. I have tried and tried to get insurance but everyone turns me down. So now I am kinda stuck. Thanks for listening and sorry this was soooo long. Hope to get to know you all better. I may not post that much because of the depression but will at least try. Cyberhugs, Sherri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2002 Report Share Posted May 22, 2002 Welcome, Sherri to our group. I think that when you find out that you are not alone and that many of us have gone through a lot of the things that you are going through will help you to cope. In my mind, one of the hardest thing about fibro. Our fibromyalgia family are very caring, loving and very supportive. If you feel that you need to vent or you are going to start screaming, vent here. We will listen and you will know that we do care about you. Take care, Irene Books may well be the only true magic Alice Hoffman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 23, 2002 Report Share Posted May 23, 2002 >disability. I called the SSS office and they told me since I haven't >worked >(oh, they haven't raised kids?) in the past ten years I was out of luck. I >have tried and tried to get insurance but everyone turns me down. So now I >am kinda stuck. WOAH!!! Stop right there and go BACK to the SS office... Tell them you want to apply for SSI.. There are *two* programs... SS Disability for those who have enough quarters of work and SSI for those who don't... one is income-based, one is not!! What state are you in? They cannot deny you the right to apply!!! Go to ssa.gov and check it out... Kit _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 23, 2002 Report Share Posted May 23, 2002 >disability. I called the SSS office and they told me since I haven't >worked >(oh, they haven't raised kids?) in the past ten years I was out of luck. I >have tried and tried to get insurance but everyone turns me down. So now I >am kinda stuck. WOAH!!! Stop right there and go BACK to the SS office... Tell them you want to apply for SSI.. There are *two* programs... SS Disability for those who have enough quarters of work and SSI for those who don't... one is income-based, one is not!! What state are you in? They cannot deny you the right to apply!!! Go to ssa.gov and check it out... Kit _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 23, 2002 Report Share Posted May 23, 2002 >disability. I called the SSS office and they told me since I haven't >worked >(oh, they haven't raised kids?) in the past ten years I was out of luck. I >have tried and tried to get insurance but everyone turns me down. So now I >am kinda stuck. WOAH!!! Stop right there and go BACK to the SS office... Tell them you want to apply for SSI.. There are *two* programs... SS Disability for those who have enough quarters of work and SSI for those who don't... one is income-based, one is not!! What state are you in? They cannot deny you the right to apply!!! Go to ssa.gov and check it out... Kit _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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