I don’t claim to know everything there is to know about Chronic Pain or Fibromyalgia. But a few things that I do know are worth putting in writing. I’ve been in bed most of the last month. While there I have been doing a lot of reading online articles about various chronic pain related illnesses. Here is what I’ve learned:
1. Most of them say the same thing. Fibro is a mystery….it consists of pain and fatigue…exercise and a positive attitude is your best option of treatment although there are various medications (most of which I do take or have tried) to treat the symptoms…they help some people and don’t help other people.
2. Most of us with chronic pain conditions are depressed. No surprise there – wouldn’t you be if you had to fight this all day every day. And then if you already have a propensity to depression as a chemical imbalance then you are really in a bad way. Again…more meds to treat symptoms.
3. Most of the patients with Fibro are women. Now THERE is a whole other entry. I’m sure I will expound on that one day. Today is not gonna be it. You’re welcome!
4. What helps one person may not help the next person. That’s what leads me to the rest of this article:
Through reading all of these articles the conclusion I have come to is this – grit your teeth, suck it up, try everything to find out if what helps you and just wait it out. I’ve been in a flare for 80% of the summer until now (still going on). I have dealt with this for 17 years. Like I said, I’ve been on a boatload of medications and natural treatments. The best way I’ve found to deal with it is to just suck it up and hold on – praying for the end of your flare to come soon. And then when it ends LIVE UP THE GOOD DAYS! Soak up as much of the good days as you can to get you through the bad ones.
Nothing in this earthly world is guaranteed. The newest and shiniest miracle drug is not guaranteed to work for you. While exercise does seem to help some, finding the right balance between just enough and too much is as much a painful process as just living in the flare. All you are guaranteed is that your state of mind is all you can control. Your body is in charge of how you move it. But your mind is in control of how you respond to it. So, do what I do – just hold on tight….make it through the day one minute at a time…occupy your mind as much as possible…and wait for the flare to end. When it does – live it up!!!!!
The Journey Leads Home 
I agree, holding on, trying many things to see what will help you and living up the good days are great ways of living with fibromyalgia! As long as I pace myself I can do quite a lot of fun things on my good and even okay days. I think mental attitude and determination are keys to living a fulfilling life with fibro.
Precisely, Felicia! I’m planning to write an entry next on how I cope on bad days. I’m learning new things each day to keep myself from going insane while laying in bed. HA
Amen!!! I say this all the time and I pray for my good days to come and they do!..I know it feels like they will never get here and its hard. I have been in bed almost all day long for the last two months..somehow i push through and make myself get up and clean and get kids to school and then rest all day… I make sure I get to church unless its the worst of the worst.. I am the same I use a laptop or my iphone and read read read and share with my family and friends as much as i can. My family has a hard time understanding but like I say So Do I!!! Keep Praying for those Good days! They will keep popping up! hopefully more frequent!
I guess I’m going through a flare. The one thing I guess I’m “proudest” of is I do get out of bed – even if it’s to lay on the couch LOL. Since Thursday I wake up and think “what about just laying here all day”. The problem with that is we have a TV and it’s in the living room – never had a TV in the bedroom. So I guess that’s incentive to get out of bed? LOL After 17 years do you think you’ve “accepted” your fibro and deal with it as it comes? I’m still in the trying everything and anything to help myself. I don’t think there is a “cure” and I guess that’s the hard part for me.
I’m hanging in there with you Pam!
Hugs, Gerri