Does anyone else feel like they are not believed when in pain?

Hello,

Yes,I feel that way whenever I verbally answer a family member about how I am feeling.

Right now. Fibro has me on the muscle of lower back area and it does not feel good to the touch,just mash a muscle and it hurts.Even when I sit and move I feel it. Oh well! Could be worse.

You are not complaining just keep trying to feel better and remember thats how you are feeling-no one feels for you thats your discomfort. Being tired is my worse aggravation,right now.

Have a good year!!!!

How are my friends this Year?The cold is possibly hurting some of us more than others.The heat is my culprit.

Don't despair! I was diagnosed in 2004 with FMS after nearly eighteen months of misery & frustration until eventually, after an act of desperation, my GP referred me to a physio. who instantly recognised the condition! The main issue for FM sufferers is that invariably we look healthy but feel rubbish! My concern in the beginning was being judged as an attention seeking hypochondriac!! I had to take matters into my own hands researching the condition, and by chance found a fellow sufferer and together we set up our own self help group. Hearing you're not on your own and all about other people dealing with similar issues to your own was a great support and helped me in the early years.I was also referred to a pain management programme at my local hospital which was helpful - something you can ask your GP about?FMA UK are a national support group.

10 years on and I now manage my condition, which to this day continues to confound the 'professionals' I try To take some gentle exercise most days, either on the Wii fit (walking, or stepping) or making myself walk outside for whatever amount of time feels comfortable ,be it five mins fifteen mins whatever's comfortable, just remember to be kind to yourself and don't overdo it! Motivation is tough some days but really helps psychologically if you can manage it Do you take any ordinary painkillers?? I take two paracetamol in the morning and two in the evening, of course I would check with your GP first but these are the only meds. I take now having tried various meds. prescribed by my GP without little success. Good luck, hope this helps.

Hi

I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia myself and I'm a male 23 year old I get pains though out my body an sleepless nights I'm finding it very hard to concentrate and my short term memory is terrible but when I tell people I know about it I get the feeling there just sat there thinking I look fine his just overreacting and feeling sorry for him self I see my friends less an less because I feel like I'm moaning most of the time I'm currently on a course of 300mg of gabapentin 3 Times a day but they made me feel like I was walking around with my head in the clouds so the doctor is taking me back off them and said to give amitriptyline ago what's the difference and how's it worked for other people

Hi ,I also have just been diagnosed with it . So I have joined the club ! Ha ha . Have others had problems with their fingers ? My fingers have felt like they are locked usually in the night ,also really painful wrists ? This is as you all know only a touch of my symptoms ,but I just wondered wether it was a common symptom ? X

Hi all, thanks for replying. My biggest problem, because I feel so rubbish, I eat, rubbish mainly, so the weight is creeping on again very slowly. I've also noticed that my short term memory is awful at the moment, can't have a quick conversation because I have to describe things when I don't remember the names, all very frustrating. Back to the GP soon. Hopefully the weather will get a bit brighter and less wet then I can get out too. x

Hi, I have finally been given a diagnosis of CFS and FMS after 4 years of wondering what on earth was going on! Fibro fog is the pits....I find myself having to concentrate really hard to remember the thread of a current conversation and then end up not being able to word find when its my turn to talk! Lesley, I had the weird finger wrist lock thing for a while!..It would happen when I woke up and I wouldn't be able to move my fingers or wrist properly...like they'd tightened up completely but my thumbs would be fine?! I have restless leg syndrome too and take a small dose of ropinerole for it that has totally helped me get to sleep better, as I used to be in torment with my legs as soon as I tried resting. Hot baths help with the pains too. It's great to talk!! k

Hi x thanks for replying , some of the things that are happening to my body ,it's like I'm making things up !!! It helps that some other people know what I am talking about ! That's how I feel with the wrist locking thing !! Ha ha x I could write a list of other things ha ha as I'm sure so could you ha ha oh well ........upwards and onwards so they say ! Great to talk too x

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about six years ago now. That was after seeing four specialists at the Hospital. I felt I was not being taken seriously. Since then I have been on various medications and my condition is getting worse. The medication that seems to work for me at the moment is Gabapentin and Tramadol. Like a lot of sufferers I am in constant pain and very tender to touch. The chronic fatigue is the worst feeling. Is any one else on this medication and if so does it help them x

I also get comments all the time on how well I look, it gets me down sometimes as I wish I felt as good on the inside as i do on the outside, it kinda makes me feel guilty sometimes.I got myself checked out for celiac disease everything was ok there, I am onto getting my urine checked for Mercury poisoning next and that will be me I have been checked for everything under the sun.It is lookin awfy like I have full blown F/M after all, jeeze lol.

It's so annoying sometimes when people see you looking so well, but then don't see you an hour later shuffling around like a snail train! The tender all over bit is getting worse at the moment, even sat still.....but it could be a lot worse!.....keep smiling! JK

Yes! You are not on your own there I assure you. I am constantly in pain with my back, arms or legs or all 3! I always feel like I am complaining when I mention it but I also feel like people aren't really taking me seriously and just over look it or don't react when I mention it. Every time I go to the doctors I feel like a complete hypochondriac when I reel off my list of symptoms. I think it is because a lot of people are not familiar with fibromyalgia as there is not really a lot of awareness out there. I think people think its like being told you have low blood sugar or IBS (which most of us know is a pain in itself!) but Fibromyalgia has such a wide range of symptoms and can incapacitate you a lot of the time and people really just don't understand and often think you're just being lazy. I don't know what the answer is but believe me you are not alone!

Thank you for the honest posts! I'm afraid I don't even tell my husband how I am feeling unless I can't do anything at all, so a discussion like this is helpful and, in a strange way, reassuring. Lyrica helps me by deadening the pain and therefore makes me feel I can do things, but the drawback is that I then sometimes do too much and suffer with fatigue one or two days later. I do try to swim every other day as it makes me feel 'oiled' but again, I have to be very careful not to overdo it. I don't seem to be able to tell how much or how little to do at the time - my body tells me later what mistakes I have made. Lyrica also helps with sleep - most of the time and if I am feeling anxious about anything, it helps with that too. However, I try to limit it to one in the morning and one at night as I don't want to become too dependent, although I sometimes take an extra one when pain is particularly bad. I went to a support group and it was obvious, out of Fibro sufferers I am relatively lucky.

Happier New Year to all my 'Fibro" friends.You have been so forthcoming with your comments and concerns

about this condition.I have truly enjoyed words spoken of how I feel everyday in one aspect or another to

your comments.

Tigs you are right on.I have not tried any medication for this condition because I am aging with it and don't

know which to claim at this point (smiles) but just know, it will follow you into your 50's and beyond????.

But telling others how you feel makes me feel guilty so rather than saying how I really feel-I just say I am

Great today....

Please,keep the comments coming.I am about to be convinced on Lyrica with Tigs message because I do

have days when I feel like I can do a lot,then at the end of that days cycle I am so done for the next 2/days.

Hi folks - I was finally diagnosed with FMS in October last year (by a rheumatologist) It was a relief to know what was going on with my body and when in pain I keep thinking that it

could be a lot worse as I had also had test for MS. I try not to say too much when people

ask how I am or say how well I look. I just laugh and say I'm OK as long as I keep taking

the pills! My 'fibro fog' seams to be getting worse - It could be my age of course (late 60's)

but it's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

I am like a lot of suffers, I get the worst pain first thing in the morning, later at night and

sometimes during the night. In the night I don't know if I am aware of it because I can't

sleep, or if it is the pain that keeps me awake. Have tried several types of medication but at the moment I take Ibroprofen in the morning and, if needed, at midday but I take Codeine at night as it helps me feel drowsy.