Hi from a Newbie : )

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I just joined the list. My name is Ev, but everyone just calls

me Mama or Mama Ev

I'll answer the questions to help introduce myself...

I've read some of the posts for awhile to try and get the feel of

your list and I have to tell you it sounds like a wonderful place to

be.

P.S. I am sorry I got so long winded, but writing this was such

great therapy, I want to thank you for letting me (even if

it was against your will ...

Age range: 42

Male/female: female

What are the symptoms? I've done some searching on Fibro. and I

have almost all of the common and not so

common symptoms ... the blurred vision

surprised me, because for so long I thought

I just had the wrong eyeglass perscription...

Has you illness been diagnosed? Yes... I just got the " official "

diagnosis from my Dr. a couple of

weeks ago.

How long did you suffer before you got help? Years... It started

out gradually and I tried putting it off. But about 3 yrs. ago

it got to the point that I literally had to " drag " myself out of

bed in the mornings. So I went to the Dr and they would put it

off saying it was " allergies " ... I got to the point I didn't

want to go for anymore " tests " that cost the earth but produced

no results... Then I found my " savior " ... LOL... but she feels

like one to me... My favorite Dr. who I found, her own mother

has Fibro. and she is a " believer " ... Lucky me in finding a

local Dr. who believes... Now we have that easy part behind us,

but have the " hard " part ahead... We are working on experimenting

with meds that will help me with the pain and symptoms I suffer

from... But the kicker, I am allergic to most meds... So we

are giving it our best college try ; )

I had a bad experience with an antidepressant she wanted me to

try for pain, but it put me out for 3 days... almost literally...

I even got frightened enough to call the ER at our hospital to

see if I needed something to counteract what it had done to me

The " on call " Dr. told me, no, it would just take time to

wear off and I could call the day a waste... grr... I coulda

told him, but held my tongue and went back to bed ...

So now it's back to the grindstone, when I am brave enuf to try

another med...

Is there a time that you can remember when it started? I think it

was probably starting years ago, but 3 yrs. ago I had went

through 2 surgeries within 12 days of each other, my mother-

in-law (whom was my BEST friend on earth) lost her battle

with cancer, and I think it was too much stress and I

firmly believe this triggered my Fibro to flare up...

Some of us have found lack of exercise we are overweight. Have you

found this to be a problem also? I do battle my weight more now

than I ever had to before. I am also hypothyroid, I found

out last year and it has made a difference in my weight. My

metabolisim is very high and I never had a weight problem

all my life until now... I went from 115 # to about 145-150#

It may not seem bad to some, but it is hard for me to adjust

to such a gain... I have tried to drop the weight... I work

as a CNA in our Care Center (it is almost too much some days,

but I refuse to let the Fibro win! I plan on putting up a

big battle

I walk nightly... But I have a sinking feeling I am at my

weight where I'll stay for awhile... Unless I get tougher

with it

I think if my metabolism wasn't so high I would be battling

a very much larger weight gain...

Are you on disability? Not yet... I think some days I should

apply, but I am so scared... I have read about others' battles

in applying for disability... But I do know the most important

thing is to get my medical opinions and stuff documented...

In case the day comes when I have no other option... Fibro

is a very, very hard battle to fight... It drains your spirit

if you don't fight it, is how I feel at times...

If you are any pointers for others trying to get on disability?

What have you found that helps ease the pain, warm baths, medications

etc.? Warm baths are number one in my book

Medicine would be great if it wasn't for all my allergies...

Massages... very, very gentle ones for me, though... I hurt

so, so bad at times, even touching feels like it's torture

some days...

Laughter... Laugh hard, Laugh often and Laugh long!

Do you have sleep problems? How do you deal with it? Oh, yes... I

hate the sleep problems... At first I think I drove my poor

husband nuts with all my whining, tossing and turning... I

have that restless leg deal, too... yuk... I usually try

to get a warm bath in before bed and that eases some of the

problems... But, I have a feeling sleep problems go hand in

hand with fibro, eh?

Do you have family that understands your illness? Yes... Thank

goodness, my family is understanding... and if they don't they hide

it good

I feel bad because I try not to complain to them too much, they

deal with so much seeing me the way I am now, compared to the way

I used to be that it bothers me to complain to them too much, but

there are times when it's hard not to let out some of the pain...

Some have found certain foods causes problems with CFS or Fibro, have

you? Yes, I think it's the fibro that have caused my food

problems... I had my gallbladder removed but couldn't figure

out why certain foods almost made me ill... Now I think it's

due to my Fibro.. Mayonaisse tops my list and I love it...

What type of Doctor have you found that has helped you the most?

My regular Dr... She is awesome!