What's the difference between feeling a bit rubbish, particularly at the weekends and evenings, and actually having fibro?

[Tatty53]

How do I know if I just have middle-aged aches and pains and am tired all the time because I am a teacher and a granny, or if I actually have this and should be pushing for support? I've been assuming that I am an old misery making a fuss who needs to get fit and get out more, and I didnt realise it was nearly all the time, but now my husband says he's worried about me.

[Gailbt]

I know where you are coming from! I sometimes feel that I'm too quick to blame things on fibro when maybe it's just old age creeping up on me. I'm 46 and a full time carer for my Mum. Today I have been very busy with her, washing windows and changing her curtains. Now I'm so tired I actually feel sick!

[Tatty53 in reply to Gailbt]

I'm a bit older, but when you have dependant relatives, needy adult children and a body that isn't thanking you for taking too little exercise and enjoying too much good food and wine, I dont see how one can tell whether it's illness or lifestyle. I dont want to offend anybody who is clearly extremely poorly.

[susie59]

i understand what your saying and i am glad you can run , work etc. i think the fibro has different degrees of severity perhaps? i can hardly walk about because of the awful pain in my lower back and hips, i would never be able to run anymore sadly. i feel such a failure, but the pain so spiteful brings me to tears, in my hands sometimes or legs. and how its hard to concentrate a lot of the time. i am still waiting for a proper diagnosis, but they say it probably is fibromyalgia, i so wish it wasnt.

[Tatty53 in reply to susie59]

The only thing I have learned so far is that feeling a failure becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are not a failure. You have a condition that is undermining your ablity to do the things you value, but it does not undemine your own value. The more you fret the worse you will feel. Accept and work with it if you can - the reduced tension should reduce your pain, or maybe the perception of it just a little and even a small degree of improvement is cause to celebrate

[susie59]

thank you.

[LindseyMid]

Fibro can be of all different levels of severity, from mild to severe. It can also be anything from very well controlled or in remission to completely out of control.

The people who seem to struggle the most are those with other uncontrolled health problems.

If you fit the diagnostic criteria (which includes ruling out or including all other possible causes of your symptoms) then you have Fibro.

Many people with Fibro who are not getting effective treatment find that their condition worsens over time, so just because it may be mild now, that's no reason to not be proactive with treatment! You want to prevent yourself from getting any worse.

You do have to remember that a community like this is more likely to attract people whose Fibro is more severe and/or poorly controlled.

Hope that helps

[Tatty53 in reply to LindseyMid]

It does yes and thanks. I wil get myself a dotor's apointment. In th meant time I have had 5 days off wine and caffeine and on magnesium and calcium, and valerian. I had a window today when nothing hurt which was amazing, and also today, 4 separate people said I looked younger!!!

Tired stiff and achey and ready for bed now though so no cause to be too smug.