I have been suffering years with symptoms of fibro but never heard of it. It was only when I moved and went to new doctor who then suggested fibro...sent to hospital to see a rheumatologist who confirmed and said they would set me up in a pain managment clinic which is a psychotherapist my first few sessions have brought to light a childhood trauma which they seem to think is now playing on my mind and I need to deal with all the traumas I have been through before they can help with the fibro...since my last session I have dropped into a very dark place and feel worse than ever... I have a very long road ahead which involves police and social services. Has anyone else been sent to this sort of pain managment and if so has it helped I dont see a light at the minute and worried my kids and close relatives are going to suffer..please can someone help..
Thank you
Debs
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debs76
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Hi Debs I am so sorry you are having such a tough time. I went to wheumatologist and the physiotherapist not psychotherapist. that is only the first time of heard of that route. I do hope they are helpful to you.
We are always here if you need some body to talk to dont forget we all have Fibro and understand the pain, mobility and how to keep laughing.
Hi debs. I was asked if I wanted to see a counselor, this he said was to help me come to terms with the fact that this was going to me for the rest of my life. I turned him down as it wasn't going to help with the pain or take away the fact that is had to deal with fibro, OA and other conditions. Maybe you feeling you were in a dark place will only be temporary as you work through. Doesn't help at the time though, I hope you start to feel the benefit soon.
Thank you for your kind words... I will try anything to help come to terms with having fibro and not being able to do things I have always done but as you have rightley said it is not going to take the pain away. I feel I am not being taken seriously and feel they are saying its all in my head...I just wish they would live a typical day of a fibro sufferer before they make judgment. .I think this is why I am in a dark place because I feel I am back to square one with people thinking its in my head..my children have become my little helpers or little care bears as my 5 year old says. I think this therepy has brought things to the top when I had dealt with them in my own way and moved on from it..my pain didnt get any better but my depression got worse having to talk about it again...how is that helping..
I know exactly what you mean by not taken seriously, I've always had back problems since I was seven and then I found out I have a congenital disease which has left me with one leg a inch and a half shorter than the other which was a shock. The docs said impossible unless I'd Had a hip replacement , broken my leg and had it set. None af these had happened it took another four years before they said it was since birth but didn't name it or explain!!!!! I spent a year off work and no one could tell what was wrong scans X-rays MIRs, physio lots of mess injections, nothing was helping and I was in extreme pain. People would ask what was wrong with me and as soon as I said oh they don't know an eyebrow would raise as if to say nothing then. I would visit consultants and they would make me feel like it was in my head. This then lead me into a depression. It took six years of me going back to the docs with diff symptoms that eventually the bigger picture emerged and I was diagnosed with fibro and OA. I was sooooo pleased to have a diagnosis people would believe me now. I even had family members call me a hypochondriac that really hurt. My feelings and I got really cross. Soon stopped after diag. A big high to finally have a diagnosis then a bump back to earth as I then had to try and come to terms with it. Even now nine years later I am still met with new challenges . Good luck xx
Hi debs I'm sorry to hear things aren't so good at the moment but things will hopefully improve for you over time.
I was referred to the pain management programme by my pain consultant 5-6 years ago long before fibro was even mentioned. The Team involved a pain psychologist, pain nurse and a specialist physiotherapist and over the course of one year we'd have sessions that dealt with pain, what pain is positive/negative thinking and pacing but to name a few items on the course. Basically the programme takes an holistic approach to pain!
However, I've had many different physio referrals over the years including the knee service and it there that I was told the same thing about dealing with 'issues'. I don't mind seeing counsellors and have done over and over again to deal with demons and skeletons and now I see a counsellor to help deal with the everyday stresses and am so pleased that journey was ventured I can concentrate more on managing my time around my pain and medications and also to build myself a new life
There are many of us on here always ready for a cuppa and a chat Debs if you need to have a rant
Hi, I've had counselling which did the same to me. Not for FM. it did bring out a lot of feelings and yes my husband was affected, but he understood. I told him what was going on and how I was feeling and we saw it through. I felt such relief at the end, so much so I called her my Robin, listening to me, not judging, just bring out the poison - which was just as well as I thought I was going to have a break down. I didn't and my life did improve. Before that my family were suffering. As I said, pre-FM. Soft hugs and hang on in there. Yes there is light at the end of the tunnel! Don't give in to depression as it can take you down the wrong way. The Samaritans are good to ring whatever time it is too.
im so sorry debs..i just spent half an hour writing to you as this is quite close to my heart and i didnt press submit before leaving the page and lost it. My fingers feel like little shards of glass are in them at the mo so cant re do message as in loads of pain and takes for ever but i will def do tomo. sorry hunni xx
Oh dont you just hate that...bless you..hope you had a restful night and the pain subsided for you...look forward to reading your reply WHEN you feel up to it...but thank you so much for taking the time out for me..xxx
Hi hunni so sorry I have been so ill and not able to type due to my finger tips. How are you? The reason I wanted to answer you is because I think we have something in 'common' other than fibro. From your first comment it seems childhood was not good. I always thought something had happened to me but never really sure if it was a dream or a memory so blocked it out. 4 yrs ago to date something happened to a family member and i was on the scene first and they opened up to me however due to hearing it all it started flashbacks etc. To cut a very very very long story short i was diagnosed with PTSD from suffering sexual childhood abuse between 4-8 first from my dad and his dad then my dad and his mates who had a pedo ring in his pub cellar (mum n him split when i was 4) there were other kids too. Again to cut it short hundreds of flashbacks came out in nightmares or walking to the shops and smelling a smell and when visiting therapist...and this is why I needed to tell you my story. I found with various different therapies where they say 'its good to get it all out so that you can neatly file it all away in the right compartment' ...'you need to remember to be able to move on' didn't work for me at all and i ended up in a very dark hole with a huge cloud over my head. I spent days upon days in bed and in the end didnt go out for well over a year not even into my garden for fear someone would talk to me and I would have a panic attack. I stopped going to the therapy sessions as i found it too hard to cope with and more memories came out with every visit having long lasting results on my health. i even ended up in a mental assessment unit because I could not cope. Having been just made redundant from primary teaching, a happy active teacher 3 mths before it all started, with in six months I was a quivering wreck. So I noticed you said about your visits having an adverse effect on you...I cannot stress enough to stop them and turn to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) This is so much better and deals with how you feel now and how to cope with it all instead of digging up all the past and going through hell. The first session they ask a little history on the past and then from there all coping strategies. I would recommend it to anyone. I would also like to give you some advice on finding your 'inner child' she too lost a bit of her childhood and had to hide away. It really does sound daft but research about the inner child. Mine is called 'Pebbles' and we (not so much now) used to do lots of kids stuff and I was at my happiest when I was. A kids dvd or a simple colouring book it works wonders! even now my other half knows before me if she has come out to play as I get all mischievous and he says 'oh o here comes Pebbles!' LOL. Read up on it all. Also I would recommend a book...not a diary but a real nice book. I bought a leather bound one and found that writing in it before i went to bed or any time of the day if needed as it helped to get the anger out and all the feeling and things i wanted to say out of my head. i drew things in it wrote poems, some flashbacks and some very serious swearing and they people who did it all..sounds mad yep but it sooooo works! I have 2 books and reading back now how i was is frightening but also a real boost because it shows how far I have come through my Ptsd and that it can be done. Yes i will agree you have a long road ahead but with CBT and the simple little steps that I have suggested you WILL come out the other side. I promise you. If I did anyone can!!!
and the last thing i want you to know is DO NOT EVER call yourself a victim of what ever it was that happened to you...WE ARE SURVIVORS!!!!! Repeat it to yourself everyday!!!
I am honestly here if you need to talk either on here or PM but dont shy away from it...YOU ARE A SURVIVOR so have nothing to be ashamed of..takes a while to be able to think and say that but you will!!!!!
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