Best advice needed for flare up after the flu

[Sophiapa]

I've had the flu and after three weeks my fibro is still so bad that I can barely get out of bed. I have no support at home and I'm not doing very well, the pain is unbearable. I'm already on maximum tramadol and pregablin and duloxetine but I'm really not coping. I've been to the Drs but all they suggest is more rest for recuperation. Is there anything else I could try? Please any advice is most welcome. Thank you, Sophia x

[YASMINTINA FMA UK Volunteer]

Hi there I too had flu in January of this year and I was laid up for a long time, saw doctors but said rest my body , just couldn’t keep going, if it’s family that are not supporting you leave them to manage(unless you have young children?) but trying to push yourself it will take longer, if I was able to get up just do little tasks like wash up or hang the washing out but took me weeks to gradually buildup. Hopefully family will remember that you look after them when your having good days . If appetite wasn’t great I kept on lots of warm drinks honey lemon/ soups , orange juice /oranges for vit c . Slept a lot, perhaps listening to music on my iPad and watched some favourite programmes on tv. I must admit having tv at the foot of my bed is handy. Take care your body will let you know when you can push further, seems nowadays if you get flu the virus seems to be stronger xx

[Sophiapa in reply to YASMINTINA]

Thank you for your supportive message and advice. I will gradually try to build up like you said when I feel I can get out of bed. It's so hard sometimes as I feel so alone, thank you for your support xx

[Marty52 in reply to Sophiapa]

Hi Sophiapa,

I'm guessing that the feeling of isolation is almost as hard to bear as the pain. I'm in a similar position, having no one to help me or even talk to. I have two grown up daughters and three grandchildren, but they all live some distance away. They are only just beginning to understand fibro, but have a very long way to go and of course will never really be able to understand unless they had experienced it.

Just over a year ago, I took a sudden and very severe turn for the worse, having previously been reasonably able to work around this evil thing. At that time , I was not actually calling it fibro and was still desperately looking for a more tangible cause for my pain.

At that time and in utter despair, I got myself admitted to hospital and spent 10 days there, having every test and scan under the sun and still the pain grew worse, 24 hrs a day with no relief. I was seriously wondering how I could put a permanent end to it.

At that time, I had been on Gabapentin for 12 mths and not sure whether that had ever been doing any good, but it certainly wasn't by then!

Whilst in hospital, I was started on amitriptyline, which finally allowed me to get some sleep. I still dreaded waking up again, but it was the start of a long journey of learning to cope.

As everyone here will tell you, you are not alone and in fact these new understanding friends are perhaps even more valuable than any friends you may have who just can't or can't be bothered to understand! Lots of love to you. Keep reading and posting here. It really does help. It has certainly helped me!

🥀

[Sophiapa in reply to Marty52]

Thank you for your supportive message. The isolation and pain is unbearable most of the time. I'm new on here and it's so good to know I'm not alone. None of my family really understand. It lead to the breakdown of my marriage nearly eight years ago and my children don't understand the pain I feel and why I need to rest sometimes so much. I was a midwife but had to give up work some time ago and it has been really tough going. I've been living on my own for nearly eight years and it is hard sometimes. Thank you again for your message xx

[Royalname]

Hi Sophiapa, I am so sorry to hear of your suffering. I too, have to deal with everything alone. I think the loneliness makes FM even harder to deal with. I am wondering, if your “flu” is really the FM, let me explain. I have had 2 hip replacements, on both occasions, I was so ill afterwards, temperature, shivering, then hot, sweating etc. This happened while in hospital. The Dr’s tested for this & that but nothing showed up. They were baffled, as the high temperatures was indicative of something more serious like an infection or cellulitis. The 2nd replacement same thing but this time I told the medical staff, read up the symptoms of FM, they were shocked, it was the FM reacting to my surgery. It lasted 2 weeks, but only came on in the evenings. Not enough is known about it. The medical team knew nothing about it. Several doctors actually apologised to me for not understanding me and FM. I left feeling that hopefully, others with FM going into hospital will get the support and understanding from the medics by them learning from my experience. So, could your flu actually be FM? Everyone’s FM symptoms are unique to them.

Not enough is known about FM, it is not taken seriously enough by Dr’s, family friends etc, and we are caught up with it often struggling alone. On here, you are not alone. There is always someone who comes to your aid.

I hope you will soon improve. Try taking Vit D, B12 etc, see if that helps you in your recovery.

Much love and understanding to You 🌺xx