Tuesday, February 24, 2009

no time for this

My fibromyalgia is acting up full force, I do not think I have had an all out attack since shortly after I was diagnosed several years ago, while I always have some symptoms, today it is like they have all come crashing in, I don't like it and I certainly do not have time for it.
For those of you who do not know what it is, its a a chronic syndrome that causes wide spread joint and muscle pain, chest and abdominal pain, memory "fog", sleep disturbances, numbness of the extremities, headaches, jaw pain (because I grind or clench my teeth all the time), dizziness, problems regulating body temperature, in combination with my scoliosis and arthritis my pain level that is usually at about a 4 (totally manageable for me) to a absolute 10+ today.
It is my own fault I suppose I have felt it coming on full force for a few weeks now, but I thought I was doing all the right things to keep it at bay, guess not!
I was diagnosed with this a few years ago after about 4 years of testing from numerous doctors in three states, for all kinds of scary things, I finally found out what it was after I ended up in the ER because my boss at the time thought I was having a heart attack, I had been complaining of chest pain and he said maybe you are having a heart attack, I said I cannot be I am only....and I realized I had no idea how old I was, my memory was completely foggy. (I was 35 years old at the time). After many more tests I was sent to a Dr who had trained at the Mayo clinic and he helped me figure out what was wrong. The good news with this is it is a syndrome, it may get worse it may get better depending on the day but it is not disease, it is painful and interferes with my life at times but it will not kill me, so I always say it could be worse, I have a sister in law with awful rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes that continues to get worse, another one who has a brain tumor and had to have brain surgery in her 20's, another sister in law who had surgery for thyroid cancer last year, a cousin with a terrible kidney disease, all of those are worse medically speaking and my heart and prayers go out to each of them, I try to remember it could always be worse and be grateful it is not, I know this will pass and I will be able to function again at some point (though it needs to be TODAY as I have to go to work later!!!!), but it is hard to not feel useless and depressed when I can barely get out of bed unassisted, and nothing is helping.

1 comment:

  1. I am so sorry. I know how it feels to constantly battle something. Some days you just go - I can't take anymore!!! Those are the days I put in a stupid old time movie like Thoroughly Modern Millie, and forget that I exist. Course those can't happen to often and life doesn't allow that. I truly hope you feel better soon! You know Mom has terrible scoliosis. That is her biggest problem besides the arthritis. I hope they can help you as you are so much younger than her.

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