Living With Fibromyalgia

Life with fibromyalgia is far from easy. Everything takes a little longer to do. Some days I feel as though I can't accomplish anything, while other days I feel as if I can conquer the world. Of course, those days are few and far between. Living with fibromyalgia has taught me patience and understanding. This illness is difficult, frustrating, nerve-wracking. Getting out of bed in the morning is a chore in itself. Joints and muscles are stiff. It feels as though if I can only have oil injected into my joints and muscles, I would be able to move easier. Unfortunately, that is not an option. I have found that doing a few stretches in the morning while still in bed, helps. It doesn't take the stiffness or soreness away, but it does help loosen the joints and muscles.

Cleaning the house takes much longer as well. A person with fibromyalgia needs to take frequent breaks while cleaning or doing just about anything. Doing dishes takes more time. It hurts to put hands in water, hold onto dishes. I drop things frequently. My hands will feel like pins and needles. They go numb at times. It does get frustrating. It usually takes me at least six hours to clean my place. What used to take me a couple of hours, now takes three times that. All the breaks in between cleaning are what takes so long. I know that I will pay the price of cleaning in the following few days. I will end up staying in bed due to the high pain levels.

After cleaning or doing strenuous activity, it feels as though my bones are being shattered with a sledgehammer, my muscle feel like they are being pulled in every direction, my nerves feel like a knife is being sliced through them while on fire. My body feels like a giant bruise. It hurts to blink, breathe, move. I can't get comfortable in any position. My clothes hurt my skin. Most clothing and fabrics feel like sandpaper. Gone are the days of wearing whatever I feel like. Jeans and such hurt so bad. Now, I live in sweats, leggings, and anything that is really soft. Blankets have all been replaced with fleece blankets. My clothes are now at least two sizes too big because it's not restricting. I can move a little easier.

Many times, when the pain is at its worst, I have what is called the blank pain stare. That is when I am in bed and just staring into space. I can't think or move. I just lay there. At times, I don't know what is worse, the pain, or the exhaustion. Not having the energy to do anything is draining. The exhaustion is draining. Fibromyalgia will also cause depression and anxiety. That really does not help matters any. It's an endless cycle of feeling anxious because I want to do something, then depressed because when I do, I am in worse pain than before.

There are medications that can help manage the pain of fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, those medications can make you feel like a zombie. The side effects of the medications can at times be worse than the actual illness I don't take any of the medications that are out there. I have tried most of them. I did not like the way they made e feel. It was even harder to function. I take ibuprofen for the pain, that's it. The ibuprofen helps take the edge off a little. It doesn't take the pain away completely, but it does help calm it a little.

I would not wish this illness on anyone. It is a horrible way to live life. With this illness, are we really living life or are we just surviving?