fibromyalgia

[Wumm]

I have stage 4 endometriosis, depression and anxiety and now been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I have been off work for 2months now due to pain and depression. I have just gone back to work yesterday and I’m feeling like hell!! I have reduced my hours to only 18hrs a week but still the fatigue is very limiting. I struggle to get out in the morning, to get kids ready and then work just makes me cry. I don’t know if it’s that I don’t like my job anymore or if this is the health conditions frustrating me. The doctors only put me on setraline and codeine. I was on naproxen before but they stopped it due to IBS. I just feel very lost atm

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Hello, my heart goes out too you with endometriosis and fibro, something I see with my daughter struggling and has young children too, it might be now that the job will be too much on your health, you’ve a young family as well which is hard enough , would you be able too apply for some benefits ? n ot knowing your circumstances at home whether you have a partner that works ? Endo is a very hard condition too live with ,if you were able too give up your job it may well help with the depression and anxiety as uve so much too juggle .keep in touch with your doctor /practioner nurse especially if you feel the combination of meds is not suiting you , it s trial and error as a lot of us have found here. Have you a best friend or close family member you can talk too it can help share your feeling s, I do hope things will improve for you, sending many gentle hugs xx

[Wumm in reply to Yassytina]

thank you so much for your reply. It’s reassuring to know I’m not alone. I’m sorry your daughter goes through this too. It took 15years to get diagnosed with endo and now fibromyalgia 😢. I have a partner who has recently joined me to help me out. He is unemployed at the moment and looking for work. bless him he really does try for me, helps me with getting out of bed on work days etc I get UC but not the health payment. I have applied for PIP and was told will get a form out in post but nothing just yet and it’s been 2months since. With my depression I have the tendencies of just switching off altogether and it doesn’t help. I will try to speak to the doctor again cos I absolutely feel useless and unproductive. I’m always feeling like work is just tolerating me cos they can’t lay me off with it been NHS. I feel guilty for everything including working short hours, been off sick and everything.

Thank you so much for your reply again, it helps to know I’m not alone. I hope your daughter is coping better than I am xx

[1whitestar]

Hi, I am sorry to here this I have bean off work for 6 moths still have flare ups I am on crutches at the moment and had to get up my stairs on my knees. I will not be going back to work at the moment just not physically possible. I've had to be a lot more patchient with myself but it's bean very hard. Is there anyone you can talk to .ni have had a cases worker from c.a.b. they are helping me with an appeal for pip if no luck it will go to a tribunal.

[Wumm in reply to 1whitestar]

I haven’t contacted CAB but perhaps it’s time. I’m just so overwhelmed with it all. Thank you for your reply and do take care of yourself xx

[CheetieCat]

Well that's an awfully big bag you're trying to haul around. Trying to cope with all that, your kids, AND work! Give yourself a break and ditch the guilt. Talk to your GP, as soon as possible. Be totally honest about how you're feeling & how working is affecting you x Take care

[Wumm in reply to CheetieCat]

I will try them again thank you so much xx

[Turquoisesummer]

Hi lovely, I'm so sorry to hear what you're gping through. I've been off work for 2 years now with fibro pain, and I understand your frustration with the pain😣 are you able to reduce your hours more or take more time off to take care of your physical and mental/emotional wellbeing? For me, I didn't want to as my job was my passion, but I had no choice. I'm scared I'll never be able to teach again, but luckily I've been able to move back home (even though my mum is not happy about it😅) and receive the disability pension so I can eat..🙃I know that for me, if I had kids, I would not have been able to look after them for the past few years as I've not even been able to get out of bed or shower so often. If you are able to, it might help to take nore time off, because even looking after children is a full time job on top of any paid job🥰 (my twin sister has 4 kids and I see how non-stop busy she is, and even a day with them leaves me in so much pain, even though I love them so much).

I'm not sure if my reply will be helpful at all but at least I wanted to offer my support and understanding❤

I'm nit sure codiene is safe to take regularly/long-term, so please be careful, but I'm not currently medicated and have had adverse experiences with medications so I'm not one to give advice on that🙃

Hoping you find ways to feel better.. if I can offer some suggestions (at least for the fibro pain, and sorry if you already do these and I'm of no help 😕), if you can find time as a mother even though it would be hard- heat (sauna, hot showers/baths/heat packs), also cold can help especially after heat/alternating between heat and cold (for years the cold caused me so much pain, but I've built up a tolerance with cold showers after my hot shower and during and after sauna use and now the cold is almost as pain relieving as the heat), stretching, avoiding sugar and processed foods, relaxation/breathing techniques, yoga+/yoga nidra, moving as much as possible without overdoing it (this was so hard for me to learn). That's all I can think of for now.

I hope thus can help in any way and I do feel for you.

Take care.

❤x

[Wumm in reply to Turquoisesummer]

thank you so much. I’m sorry to hear you had to leave your job. I will try all the suggestions and hope to God they help. I did think this about codeine and that’s why I only take them when I’m very very bad. As you know everyday we are in pain so I take paracetamols which doesn’t touch it. The doctors won’t give me anything else cos they said i might not get back to work as other pain killers will be stronger and even make me more sleepy! I really don’t know but I’ll try everything tbh. I’m worried if I leave my job and my partner is still unemployed we will struggle financially. The UC sent me a health assessment form which is so cumbersome I don’t know where to begin! xx