Gone from an active athlete, regular gym user and semi pro footballer to someone who now occupies the sofa for 70 percent of the week..
Lost my job, most of my social circle, my relationship and now my pride has packed up and left aswel..
Persistence, perseverance and positive thinking! My 3 new pillars, to get me through the days..
Hope you manage to recover the fourth P, your Pride by using new 3 pillars. I know it’s not easy, small steps each day. 🙂
Hi Fibroacne 😊🌿🌸🦋Oh how I can relate to what you just posted.
I have morphed into a person who has limited mobility and painsomnia 24/7. I’m literally in my wheeledchair almost all the time. I have 61 diagnoses and 3 pending. Between all of them existing always overlapping and flaring frequently many simultaneously its left me existing instead of living my life.
I have lost almost all of my God given talents I once had: multimedia artist. vocalist seamstress baker and cake decorating designer/engineer journalist poet homemaker and caregiver and losing my eyesight now just to name a few losses. I grieved for years and finally learned to accept myself as is and realized that one must be grateful and thankful for what I still have because I can lose what little that is remaining too. I try to put a positive twist on every negative in my life. I can empathize with so many people about so much that I’ve made it my mission to reach out to others and comfort listen advise/guide as best I can and also pray for everyone.
It is never easy to lose who you were.
Makes have a tougher go than females in my opinion because of their physical strength and prowess and so many things usually expected of them.
One important factor for everyone to remember is that loss of former abilities/gifts does NOT make anyone less unique special Important and necessary for essential interactions with this world and the human race.
WE all are imperative to this World and it’s existence.
Learning to accept the new you/us is more than 50% of the battle.
Positivity is a must and you are definitely on the way to conquering your future my friend.
Never give up or in to the challenges ahead.
Best wishes for all things good.
EJ 😊🤗💗😘🙏🕊❄️☃️🌿🌸🦋
I know you didn't lose ANY talents! They are just taking a little rest so when your physical body recovers they can do their magic again! You and your talents are just perfect as they are!
Kindness gets me through mine - to myself, my body that is no longer what it was, and to those who cannot understand, as thankfully they have never experienced what we are going through.
My heart goes out to you Fibroacne, and all who are battling this debilitating 'hidden' and 'misunderstood' condition. Some friends and family have such empathy in themselves that they don't need much explanation and are there for one whatever.
I live on my own and in fact have no family around but friends that lack that compassion and have no conception of the complete turnover that Fibromyalgia does to your life can only take little bits of detail at a time (and usually focus on their similar problems - 'oh yes my back is killing me also' etc.
The most important thing for us is to learn to accept the facts and know there are millions of people who suffer in this way so we are not alone. Being on this forum helps to share that reality and many helpful tips come from belonging. My FM came on suddenly at the time I had gradually given up all sports and was simply doing craftwork and going to the gym. I was 70 by then so it did not affect work. If you can find friends who have a similar condition, or those that are fully with you, this helps and we also have to accept help from these people when they genuinely offer as so much ability has been taken from us. Please know you can be understood BUT not by many people.
And the word kindness as Lioncub says must be the order of the day...to ourselves and others. All the best in taking care of your mind as well as your body.
👏👏👏👏💗🙏🕊
I feel for you. I’ve never been an athlete but I could work on our farm from morning ‘til night and was very strong - until I became severely hypothyroid and then later developed fibromyalgia. The frustration...
I admire your determination and wish you every success.
The article below is very female-biased but does investigate the role of low vitamin D (a hormone very much in the news at the moment, although in my opinion it could be more in the news).
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
...and this...
Yup, I was lucky enough to have these 3 pillars all along... I'd got my physical & mental health issues which I had from youth on well under control, was never fitter than with 45/50, sometimes 2h of sports a day. The first thing that crumbled was going (techno-)dancing an hour or 2 at the weekends (something I miss very much and am glad sometimes to manage 4-5' at home). But I managed quickly to accept and adapt. I put those 3 pillars in to getting to find out what this condition is and what I can do to get me going again. As I've found 10 things there and have a good feeling of managing it, whatever I do or don't manage to do, I'm proud of that. (And thankful for the friends who's suggestions helped, see below, my acupressurist, who is helping most, and the 40+ docs, who's didn't, but at least tried. ;-))
I refuse to give up outdoor table tennis every day, 4 games (I used to not count this as real sport, cos it doesn't make me sweat, unless playing against club members). Even if it meant a 5 min. break after each game, with legs and arms up, doing a breath-holding exercise, letting my mates pick the balls up (I only kick them over) and 1-2h break after. Now TCM/acupressure, whole body cryotherapy (-150°C), cold showering and breath-holding (Wim Hof) are my new "sports" which I pride in (what?! -150?! 
). But also make me able to play 4 games non-stop again. Now in the break from work I sometimes manage 5/6, but sense fairly well where the sweet spot is. Yes, I'm also proud of getting better and better at sensing where my sweet spots are. I'm also proud of managing 30 push-ups any time, and focus on that, not on the fact that my arms aren't capable of cleaning the windows for more than 1 minute in one stint, or many things in the kitchen for more than 3-4 minutes. I then pride in multi-tasking/task-switching to lengthen this. I also pride in active instead of passive breaks, like putting my legs up, a bit of gentle yoga or a 2-4' workout.
What are you proud of? Or will you be soon? 🔜
Hi Fibroacne,
I feel your losses; I too was quite active and sporty, Rockclimbing, Horseriding Archery, Fencing, Dance, Theatre work and Nursing. Always on my feet, and on the go.
Loved camping, chuck the kids in the car at the weekends, (shifts allowing) and off to the New forest or somewhere similar.
It took a long time to diagnose me, (more than 20 years) during which I was losing strength at a considerable and measurable rate. Couldn't drive for more than 30 minutes, or I was so stiff I couldn't get out of the car.
Finally getting the diagnosis was such a relief; I wasn't going crazy.
Looking back now, I can see where it started. With an abusive relationship, which left me with PTSD, although undiagnosed (wasn't recognised in the civilian populace back then,) and untreated.
A bout of shingles kicked the Fibro into high gear in mid 2006.
A mix of sheer bloody-mindedness and having to keep going for the children kept me going. I was on all kinds of meds, antidepressants, CoDydramol, CoCodamol, drugs for IBS, Drugs for high Bloodpressure and Cholesterol, Vitamin D, I rattled!
I got so fed up with it, and one day I woke up to realise it was the little voice in my mind telling me I was a failure, couldn't function, wasn't a good mother, etc. I realised it was the voice of my late husband, and decided enough was enough.
I'm no longer ruled by the little voice, I'm not on meds any more, except a few CoDydramol for when the pain gets excruciating, (I might use 10 tablets in a month.) Most of my problems have come down to stress and the PTSD.
OK; now I'm officially Old, retired and no longer drive due to sight problems. I'm also getting somewhat arthritic, but I'm in a far better place than I was, mentally.
I guess all this wall of words was to tell you that there is Life beyond Fibro; You have to work out how to get to it, using your own life experiences and not listening to that naggy little voice in your head!
Good luck on the Journey,
Cheers, Midori
Stay strong and believe in yourself.... also have the sense of humour to go with it laughter is medicine xx
Hello being an active person and suddenly finding you can no longer do the things you once was or is slow action which unlike someone who is involved in a life changing accident. You I and many others have learnt acceptence of our new live style situations. Being able to accept and live are new life style allows us to comes to terms with are self's and able to interact with those we meet and share our lives. We haven't lost the talent to talk, laugh and engage with others. The friends we once had weren't friends as friends stay in touch comes what may, you will like many, will find new friends even if it only by this site or over the Internet. Your not alone on this site only a posting away.
I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia but have probably had it most of my life. I have started working with a therapist and there is definitely a link between pain and repressed emotions. These aren’t necessarily traumatic memories, but can be patterns of everyday behavior where you hold back saying what you feel. There is an app called Curable, which works with the mind/body dimension of pain. You have to subscribe for the whole programme, but there is a lot information and interviews with people who have overcome pain using this method, which can be accessed for free. Yesterday just listening to someone talking about their recovery, relieved my pain (title: who would I be without pain?) I can’t say this is an easy route to take, as it involves making changes to how you are as a person, but after many wasted years, I want to reclaim the rest of my life.
I fully understand the loss and grief of going from being fully active to being less than you were. It is hard.However, here are some thoughts and activities that might help.
Walking Football - Lots of us at my club are playing because of reduced ability, and it is great for social interaction and making new friends. Some of our guys hardly even walk! There are many clubs these days all over the country. Also as it is on a 3G/4G pitch very low impact on the body. I think you could come to love it.
Aqua Aerobics - My local pool has a group - Mostly ladies, one other man, but great to be in the warm. I cried the first few sessions I could do so little; but the warm water and buoyancy certainly help.
Exercises in the bath - warm water is a great place too relax and exercise.
Other than that I am angry everyday with the 24/7 pain, and how it reduces your energy.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply.. seen all of your post and have been positively overwhelmed.. Ive decided to go for a walk in the show😊🤗😊 Happy holidays and enjoy the snowday (If your in the uk). 🌨🌨🌨❄❄❄☃️☃️☃️
Hello, sorry I'm a bit late in replying. The thing i love about this chat is we can all reach out to people who actually understand what we are going through, as they too are experiencing the same thing. I'm having trouble writing as my hands don't work very well. I concentrate on what I can do now and not what I can't. In fact the pain I feel all day spurs me to exercise more regularly than I did. For me yoga is my new found love. I feel strong, my body doesn't look like it did as my bowel has literally stopped working. My drug less life has turned on its head , I believe I am now an addict as I am reliant on nerve medicines , I avoid codeine, I had to leave my studies, I was training to be a Radiotherapist. I am so far away from study now. I must look after myself, and so must you. My dogs need me, I have to get up early for them and for myself as lying in bed causes me more pain. You will adapt, like we all have to the new you and learn to love what you can do now. Happy New Year, find the new you. 🥰
🤗💗😘🙏🕊
HI. it takes a long time to adjust, never compare with anyone else, praise yourself for the small achievements/goals that you manage day to day. Grieve for the loss of your health but do not give up. Your body needs time out and time off functioning, believe in yourself, be kind to yourself. You will learn so much on this journey that we are all on.
3 p’s that’s good add the poop and pee and I’ll be sorted lol 😂 x
Struggling to get diagnosed...
Struggling again
Struggling
Struggling
Struggling with driving 
