May I ask how your doctors came up with fibromyalgia/CFS as the final diagnosis? I ask this because back in PA, we had a couple whereby the husband had these symptoms, but they never conclusively diagnosed it as this, and therefore he never got the right treatment. I felt badly, because he was always ill…for a long time. They tried steroids, antibiotics, you name it…and nothing seemed to help for very long. So, just curious how your drs rested on this diagnosis?
And, I’m very sorry for anyone suffering with this here…I remember my neighbor and he was in great pain…
**This is my story. I was diagnosed with Fibro and CFS when they were still being debated as “real” illnesses. Often (15 or so years ago) doctors would just lump leftover symptoms into these categories of Fibro and CFS and Irritable Bowel (which I have too.) I had a really good doctor who believed that I was not making all this up. Eventually, as time went on, and I saw more and more specialists for my chronic problems, I keep getting negatives on all my tests, procedures, exams. Each and every doctor, would say it has to be “Fibro/CFS/Irritable Bowel.” After so many negatives on so many tests, and so many specialists of all different fields saying those diagnoses, I came to believe that this is what I in fact had, that there is little I can do to treat it, and I would have to make the best do that I can in this situation.
**
**I have had mild to moderate symptoms of this since I could remember…so pre-school! The next flare up (or worsening of symptoms) was around 9/10. (Right as I began puberty.) Then another major flare up (meaning it worsened further) sometime during my eighth grade year. Then worsened again about 17/18. Then again at about 23. So…about every five years my condition worsens just a little more. I “loose” a little bit more of myself each time. It started with the fatigue and chronic illness and chronic stomach/GI symptoms. It then went to my neck, shoulders and arms…then to my head and hands…then to my back, and finally the last thing “to go” (or be affected) was my hips, legs, knees and feet.
I really don’t know what’s left to be affected, but, I am sure I’ll figure it out one of these days.
I really am aging so very quickly, though I look so very, very young appearance wise. I can’t imagine how bad I will be by the time I actually do reach middle to senior age. I probably will be in a wheelchair or have to stay in bed all day. It is SO VERY, VERY, VERY hard and I get so much grief from people. Like, “Come on you are so young, why are you so slow?” “Why can’t you keep up?” “Why can’t you do this or that?” “Why can’t you work, and hold down a job?” “Why can’t you make it on time ever?”
It is SO frustrating since so many people really don’t even believe that Fibro and CFS are “real” illnesses. I just don’t know what to do anymore. Thank the Lord that my husband is so super-supportive, and caring, and compassionate. He doesn’t have unrealistic expectations of me. Though I do often feel so very useless. Like I wish I could be and do so much more for and with him, but I just can’t. And he will never let me talk myself down. He sees so much more in me than I do in myself. He believes in me, that I am important, worthwhile, a special person in God’s plan for the good of all, even when my body may show the contrary. He lets me cry out my pain, and release my complaints, sorrows, fears, pains and aches to him. He is such an :angel1: I just love him so very, very much!
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…sorry…I will try this again. As I get older I seem to have more daily flu like symptoms. I mean every single day and most of the day, if not all of it.
