1. When were you diagnosed with Fibro? (What led up to your diagnosis? How was your life affected before you were diagnosed?)

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2004. I had experienced a long and sometimes grueling process of having 'the flu', being tired, never having energy, and generally not as happy as I had once been. For me, it all started with a car accident in 1999, that while it totaled my car didn't seem to affect anything but my neck. The next months determined that I would be forever injured, though no specific injury could be pinpointed. In the first days after my accident, I suffered not only the neck pain but also pneumonia. The doctor on call was a loon and I was undiagnosed for the pnuemonia for a week. The next years proved to have ups and downs leading me and doctors to think that I was fairly healthy with a low immune system.

2. When you were diagnosed, what were your feelings? Did you know about Fibromyalgia prior to it?

I would have to say I was relieved to find out I only had Fibromyalgia. The symptoms for Fibro are similar to many other diseases and conditions, some of which are more severely debilitating. I had heard of Fibromyalgia, but didn't know nearly enough about it until I started doing my own research to figure out what was wrong with me. Essentially, I had to diagnose myself. The doctors would just treat each individual symptom as it appeared rather than looking at my health overall. It took me about 4 months to get enough research done to feel confident enough to take it to the doctor. After lots of blood tests, consultations, and journaling my daily life, the doctor finally did the 'testing' for Fibromyalgia.

3. What has maintaining it been like for you? What are your days like?

Maintaining my health is usually not a big problem, but the biggest thing is to anticipate triggers to keep myself able to work and take care of my family. I'm not able to push myself like I once would. A standard day/week/month before Fibromyalgia might consist of 4-6 hours sleep, work 8 hours, cook and clean for family, do hobbies, take trips, with almost no worries of how I will feel later. Now, I have to plan my energy use way in advance. If I want to go on a photo shoot, I have to plan it so that I can nap and/or not do something else in order to have the energy to do the shoot and be able to function the next few days.

4. What are the worst things about having Fibromyalgia?

Not able to be spontaneous anymore. If I got a hair-brained idea, I used to jump on it and do it. Now I usually have to let that go. I get ill more often than most people, and don't get to do as much with people like family and never see friends anymore.

5. What is the support like from friends and family?

Now that my family and friends have done some research and see me doing what I can, and some of what I shouldn't, they understand better. My kids are more understanding now, but I know they wish their 'old mom' was back.

6. Was there any time when you realized how different your life would be because of Fibro?

It wasn't until I had to let my brothers go back to their mother, that I realized my life would be different. Like I said earlier, when I wanted to do something or tackle a project I always did it before. Now I have limits.

7. What advice do you have to give to people who have found out they have Fibromyalgia?

Take care of yourself and understand you are no less of a person because of your illness. Read as much as you can, try different techniques. Nothing is written in stone as to how bad or not you can feel. It takes time and patience.

8. Are there any factual statistics that you think people need to be aware of?

It is estimated that approximately 3-6% of the U.S. population has FM. Although a higher percentage of women of all ages and races are affected, it does strike men and children. Because of its debilitating nature, fibromyalgia has a serious impact on patients' families, friends, and employers, as well as society at large. (taken from [link])

9. Please leave any stories or anecdotes, information here. I will work in anything you have into the article to hopefully make it true to the way you want Fibro to be presented.

Before I became disabled with Fibromyalgia, my husband and I would wrestle. My husband is a large man, around 300 lbs. and I was around 125 lbs. I like to try to whoop his tail, and he liked to make sure I knew who was Daddy. These matches would occur almost weekly and would last at least 30-60 minutes. It was one of my ways of letting off steam. ---- Now, if he even pops my heinie in jest, I bruise or am very sore for a long time. That's the saddest part. I loved to play around with him, and now we just can't.


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Favorite quote: "Funny will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no funny. M