my little health journey

[ghostly1activities]

Hello,

I am a 20 yr old female, I am diagnosed with POTs and Fibromyalgia as of this year. I deal with some fun mental health issues due to how I grew up. I have little to no motivation most days so I'm doing my best to take care of myself and help manage my symptoms. I have been going to the doctors since I was 12-13, I have done so much blood work and tests I'm surprised I still have blood to begin with. I have always told doctors when it comes to my pain that it is all over, but mainly in my knees, ankles, hips and lower back. I go to the chiropractor regularly and it helps. Because of my parents financial status and religious beliefs, it wasn't until I turned 18 and I had a job that I started really looking into why I'm in so much pain as a young adult. I saw a naturopathic doctor, because of said religious family, and he didn't really find answers, just gave me supplements. Cool. I stopped seeing him about a year ago, due to no answers and insurance wasn't covering and it was almost 150 per visit. I had moved out around that time and couldn't afford it. It took me another year to find courage in addressing my symptoms again, I found an amazing doctor who helped refer me to find out why I was passing out, but also was the first to listen to me and I got my fibro diagnosis. I highly suspected it based on my research but it was a relief because it didn't feel like it was all in my head. Of course I will probably deal with this for the rest of my life but now I have a course of action.

I started on Cymbalta, an antidepressant, which I know for certain I would not have been able to take while living with my parents, and I was doing pretty well. I started on 30mg and was feeling pretty good, a month later my doctor increased the dosage to 60mg. I had a bad reaction and had to drop back down to 30mg. Another 3 weeks go by and my anxiety went through the roof and it wasn't worth it to keep going. I consulted my doctor again and he prescribed my Lyrica. It's been almost 2 weeks off of Cymbalta and my pain has returned. We're starting slow at 25mg just to see how my body tolerates it then increase the dosage if I am doing good. Although the process is frustrating and mentally draining, I'm just glad that I'm able to make decisions for myself about my health. I know working out and stretches can help with management so I'm starting this week with just an hour on the cycle machine, followed up by some stretching. I'm gonna do my very best to keep the momentum.

[KimiJay]

Hi Spirited lady. I am no good at knowing about the drugs angle as I don't take anything prescribed for fibro, but your Doctor sounds like they are pretty good... All I feel I can do is point out that new studies confirm that Adolescent changes go on until age 24. That in itself is a dreadful time for some anyway, as the brain is naturally working very hard breaking up old patterns and re-setting itself for Adulthood, so tolerate yourself lots. - Reading a comment of yours, as expectant parents, me and hubs chose to learn how to treat the young so they wouldn't grow up messed up, (see further on).

There is a world of discovery about the workings of the mind out there and during the sixties as an adolescent, someone introduced me to CG Jung. It made a massive difference to my understanding of human nature and about the four main parts of human personality that need understanding and appraising. - Also learned about the work of a marvellous American, Dr Thomas Gordon and Parent Effectiveness Training which I learned about while in Canada. Terrific stuff this as can be healing. - Hubs and me did a course when I got pregnant as we didn't want to 'f' our kids up. It was mind opening... I'm getting forgetful now but this stuff has helped me through my life and I've found loads of inspiration and helpful stuff on this website. You can take what you want from it and try it out. All? folks on this site I think, have had to deal with people who cannot understand what fibromyalgia is. It should be called the 'Your looking well syndrome!'

I hope at some point for younger age sufferers there will soon be a chance of better treatments and understanding. My chiropractor and acupuncturist have got me through some of the horror, and the occasional decent doctor. - I can't advise on pain drugs, but I know that gentle exercise and meditation which is often recommended on here, can help, (and pacing which I'm very bad at). - Dry needling similar to acupuncture helps me with some of the worst pain, but I still get freaky, fed -up, upset and brain fogged. We're human! So maybe journaling, exploring what foods suit you (stuff like FODMAPS out Monash University Experimentation) might help? I'll bet you are doing that already.

I wish you all the best with working out how to deal with the challenge before you. Humour helps. 😜...Rest ... is not always available in the quantity you will need it but I do believe that research is getting closer to understanding and managing the condition. May you become the Fibro Warrior you want to be and have friends that understnad and support you. Best of wishes. KimiJay 🌺

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

I am so pleased you are moving yourself forward and living life your way, great a good doctor that has listened ,that is very positive ,brilliant alittle excercise when you can , cycle ,at home is great too have indoors especially when it’s raining and you cannot have alittle walk outside xx