valuable lesson learnt, overdoing it? - Fibromyalgia Acti...

Fibromyalgia Action UK

59,957 members67,095 posts

valuable lesson learnt, overdoing it?

Lovecavatese profile image
20 Replies

Hello everyone , I’m 53, and before I was ill 5 years ago I was slim and energetic. My husband is a jogger and very fit.

You can imagine what a shock fibromyalgia was. I’m still learning, I thought , I’ll have a go , so I started exercising sat down , then pushing myself to ignore the pain and do more. I was tired I never charge fully during sleep. Well, have I been put in my place. Not one but 2 abscesses in my mouth, I’ve been shouting with the pain, I’ve been left with 2x boxes of antibiotics to take concurrently. Trouble is I can’t eat properly as my mouth won’t open without pain. So there it is folks, when you’re too tired, don’t do it. I’m sorry if you’re an expert in pacing and you re fab at this. Oh yea, I’ve got a UTI too, not even bothered with that yet, but found some old Trimethoprim . Btw any one else had total hassle trying to be diagnosed and seen? Even went the hospital as in agony, nothing was done , it’s taken nearly 4 weeks which has made stuff worse!

Thanks for listening to my self discovery, and rant, relax 🧘‍♀️, put your feet up. I’m definitely not looking forward to more thrush I’ve got to say . 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫🙄

Written by
Lovecavatese profile image
Lovecavatese
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
20 Replies
Debsdelight72 profile image
Debsdelight72

Hi Lovecavatse,

Wow your body has been telling you off ? Naughty girl, I have had Fibro for a few years now (more than I wish to remember)I also was stealth and very fit, Had a job that I loved too,

Then BANG!! Hello Fibro, Goodbye life as I knew it, Hubby the same although being older still had that get up and go,until he was also took ill not Fibro,

Our so called friends soon dropped away, Because we never had the energy to go out and boogie anymore(their loss)

And eventually family too, I think they just didn't want to believe us when we told them how our illness affected us (their loss)

I have never learnt the pacing thing and often try to do stuff I now I'm not going to be able to finish whatever I was doing and my house has suffered for it,

I only go out when I have medical appointments and I rely on my power wheel chair,I have to take 2-3 diazepam

Every day I say I'm going out and every day I don't, I've been trying to go to the hairdressers for a while,I'd like to sit in my garden,I'd like to garden and I wish I could make this house my home,

If I stand, very quickly my back starts to spasm and the pain is ramped up from a usual 4-5 to a big old 9-10,

I'll get there one day and hope others do too,

Take care

Debs

Lovecavatese profile image
Lovecavatese in reply toDebsdelight72

Hi Debsdelight72, thanks for your reply! Yea the friend and family thing is so true. My body seems to be involved in my downfall as I get hyperactive when the pain is v bad, I stiffen when I’m still so who knows what to do, as I don’t 🚶‍♀️😊

Patdoyle profile image
Patdoyle

you poor thing. I tend to go silly with exercise when I’m feeling reasonable as it helps me mentally but I pay for it. I’ve just taken an out of date course of trimethoprim for a self diagnosed UTI. Getting a GP appointment is ridiculous. Don’t know whether the antibiotics will work as they were 7 months out of date. Still got the burning feeling so will wait and see.

Lovecavatese profile image
Lovecavatese in reply toPatdoyle

Hi Patdoyle, thanks for your reply, don’t we just love our unused antibiotics, mine is 2019 haha , 😂

Chunky6 profile image
Chunky6

hey there, there must be an art to pacing as I haven’t mastered it yet either! Honestly I just feel lazy, & have to tell myself I’m no longer the person I was, & trying to lose weight, well don’t get me started 🫤

I used to have UTIs all the time, very bad, 2 lots of antibiotics, bleeding. However after reading Caitlin Moran book, she recommended D-mannose and I haven’t looked back since. Any hint of a problem I take one capsule, if it persists another and all good. Appreciate everyone is different but they’ve been a game changer for me. Take care

Patdoyle profile image
Patdoyle in reply toChunky6

I take these daily and they have reduced the number of UTI attacks but still get them

Lovecavatese profile image
Lovecavatese in reply toChunky6

Hi Chunky6, lovely to hear from you, thanks for your tip! X

SweepSooty profile image
SweepSooty

Hi Lovecavatese, I too push myself especially when it comes to exercise, I played 9 holes on a golf course a couple of days ago, first time in 2 years of not playing, and now I feel like I have sand bags tied to my arms and legs and the pain is off the scale, I also have a sore throat and feel run down although I do have an immune deficiency disorder so no surprise there! Trouble is I'm a stubborn so and so which means I will be out on the course again next week, my ankle and foot is that swollen I can't get golf shoes on so wear trainers with the laces lose, don't think I will ever learn to pace myself, always been taught no pain no gain 😂

Lovecavatese profile image
Lovecavatese in reply toSweepSooty

Hi SweepSooty, you might be onto something there, my Dad wouldn’t let me rest when I was a teen, do this do that, and no pain no gain, it’s in my makeup now. My mantra from now on should be, I need the rest. Take care!

SweepSooty profile image
SweepSooty in reply toLovecavatese

Yes, it's very hard to break away from an idea that been drilled into you from childhood, I don't think people realise how much pain we are in day in day out so we push ourselves because we don't want to come across as lazy then we suffer for it.

Tigger67 profile image
Tigger67

Hi all looking at the comments are UTI'S part of fibro I've been diagnosed with fibro eventually after 2+ years but recently started with what I think are UTI?? Xx

SpikeDinosaur profile image
SpikeDinosaur

Just on UTIs, you can get a diagnosis and antibiotics from a pharmacy as long as you're under 65. They can do the test on the premises. Might be worth calling your local pharmacy to check.

Wobblygirl profile image
Wobblygirl

Aha, the pacing is incredibly difficult 2 acquire as different activities demand how much rest??? It's a minefield, isn't it??

I partially changed my bed y'day!

It took all day with resting in-between!

Strip the bed 10.00a.m.

Rest

Laundry...

Rest

Put on new pillow cases midday

Hung bedding on line 1.00pm

What a nightmare for my arms!

Rest

Put duvet on 4.00pm

Rest

Washing off the line at 6.00pm

Rest and attempt a snack meal...

Folded bedding at 9.00pm

Threw other washing on a chair as I had no energy to put that away too!!!

Rest

Crawled into bed later... and slept 10hrs!!

A whole day spent on a partial bed change+I feel completely overwhelmed today as a result! It's going 2b a very SLOW day today...

It was superb to sleep in a clean bed but the effort involved is outlandish???

Thank goodness someone else did the bottom sheet 4 me on Tuesday!

Pacing is an art and l'm always throbbing in my arms no matter how little I achieve...

Just carrying a drink is a task 2b rested after...

Luckily I can pay for a cleaner but she's off 4 four wks this summer!

I do so miss her help with bed changing!!!

I thought I'd give an example of my pacing...

Thank goodness I don't do any laundry for anyone else!!

With all good wishes for living and pacing...

Wx

Lovecavatese profile image
Lovecavatese in reply toWobblygirl

Hi Wobblygirl, thank you for giving me an insight into how pacing is supposed to be done , it’s really helpful. I’ve been trying to exercise but I must be doing my resting wrong , 😂, I must need a full on sleep after each splurge. I’m sleeping alot now, one due imminently. 🧘‍♀️💐💕

Wobblygirl profile image
Wobblygirl in reply toLovecavatese

I hope my regime gave you an insight into pacing at least??? However my fibro has really deteriorated in my arm muscles! No idea why? So pegging out washing above my height is a shocker!!!Maybe other folk will share their interpretation of pacing too??? That would b v interesting for me to read too...

In my kitchen I've lowered everything so I don't hv to reach up and thinking abt replacing kettle w a one cup design...

There's a lot of adapting 2b considered w fibro!

Hoping yr sleep helped refresh u y'day?

I sit around a lot but don't sleep in the day... However I do sleep long into the morning till abt 11.00pm aftr a stressful fibro day...

So glad you can rest/sleep. I do hope it's recuperative???

Have a better day in the warmth, maybe?

Thinking of you, Wxx

Africanmonkey profile image
Africanmonkey

You are not the only one who has tried to overcome the problem. Before my fybro I was a professional treesurgon so I am now trying to finish a job I started over 2 weeks ago and yesterday I thought I would do a little bit after helping my wife care for a man who is bed ridden. Well all I did was cut up branches that are no good for fire wood for 30 mins and now I am stuck in bed unable to do anything. Of course unless it's the weather as its decided to rain here after all the sunshine we've had

Lovecavatese profile image
Lovecavatese in reply toAfricanmonkey

Hi , awe it’s awful isn’t it, I’m with you there on the Sun hiding 😶‍🌫️, no endorphins, more pain. Hope you’re up and about soon 🙏

Africanmonkey profile image
Africanmonkey in reply toLovecavatese

Well I was until the car broke down. I had to wait 7 hours to get a ftat bed lorry to take me 1/2 a mile to the garage and that was where I was going anyway. The fuel pump is broken but under warranty still

Sallybones profile image
Sallybones

oh dear your body is not happy Lovecavatese. All I would say is, and you may have already done this, is make absolutely sure your loving GP has checked all the basics before diagnosing. They often dismiss the basics like B12 D3 thyroid iron folate levels etc and tell you everything has come back normal. Normal to them can be one point above bottom of the range. The only way I got on top of knowing what was going on was private blood tests and they are not necessarily that expensive. Apologies if you already know this but I've been there and always got told 'normal for you' yet bottom of the range. Good luck and best wishes

Yassytina profile image
YassytinaFMA UK Volunteer

Yes it changes life for sure , i. do try pacing as on good days you are tempted too go alittle crazy pushing your body, such a shame when friends family drop off the scene🙁, if only they would realise how quickly their own life’s can change in an instant, I keep a small circle of dear girlie friends who totally get I may see them on the day and I may cancel at the very last minute. I hope the UTI jogs off as that can be wearing for you, my daughter is constantly getting them at the moment , take care xx

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Overdoing it???

Hi all -in the same newsletter as the 'Confidence' article I have found another one on 'Doing too...

Fibro constant pain

I am so tired of being in pain every day, I am tired of waking up with pain in different places...
9661 profile image

Self-help advice

Wanted to know if anyone had any advice for self-help as I’ve been left on my own by the doctors. I...
sleepycocoa profile image

I have a new pain again😩

Hi all hope all is well x I’ve been getting pain in the side of my right breast - shooting stabbing...
empress35 profile image

Is It All Too Much?

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia back in 2010 after having a barrage of tests. As you all know...
babebatista profile image

Moderation team

See all
Hazel_Angelstar profile image
Hazel_AngelstarAdministrator
Lynda_FMA_UK profile image
Lynda_FMA_UKModerator
Sarah_fmauk profile image
Sarah_fmaukModerator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.