Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue - how do you cope?

Question

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue about 2 yrs ago I havetrouble falling asleep and then walk around for the day like a zombie- when Im tired I get nauseated and walking around usually has me limping within as little as 10 minutes. I have a 3 year old daughter who goes to daycare as I just dont have the energy to look after her 24/7 just the weekends have me tired out - I go to the gym when I can sometimes I can do a decent workout other times Im puffed out at just a quarter of the workout and then can barely move because of stiffness by the time I get home - how do you cope with work, children and life in general? Im lucky as we have our own business and if Im dead tired and feeling sick I can go into the back office and sleep when I need to as Im the boss (along with my husband) I seem to have a few good months and then a few bad months-I take endep 75mg to help me with depression & anxiety but they also help me sleep and I sometimes have to take sleeping tablets

Answer 1

I was diagnosed about 10 or 11 years ago and I can tell you that it is tuff at times. Only another person with these things can understand because we look heathy most of the time and so people think we are just tired and lazy but we are beyond tired we are exhausted when we are,nt in remission states. The pain is hard because again we look normal and so no one else can see it so there for we must be exagerating a wee bit.
Its a debilitating thing to have them both.
I just keep getting up and going about my days only when I,m in a flare up everything is done slower. If I can,t get to something today then i can,t . I used to drive myself crazy about being so tired and the pain used to get to me but now I accept that i,m going to have times like these and when I do I just really take life slower without any pressure to have to do anything other than take care of myself and I take care of my 3 year old grandaughter. Other things wait until i can do them. I had to make choices and I did.
Meds help sleeping pills are great-I take Lunesta and have no hangover at all. I use heating pads and hot water soaks like they are my best friends. I can,t sit long in one position so I have to lay ,walk and sit ,lay , walk and sit.
If I,m forced to sit or stand too long then i,ve got days to heal from the pain.
I try not to think about it like I did when I was first diagnosed but rather I just go about life doing what I can and enjoying it anyway in spite of my limitations.

Answer 2

For both I meditate a lot and take a muscle relaxer or anti-anxiety pill to help with the pain in my hips and lower back that other meds can not touch. Sometimes it gets so bad it hurts to do anything but walk. I take a narcotic at night and during the day if I have to but for the most part exercise, meditating and stretching help the most, also having a understanding doctor is key (which I have)

The chronic fatigue is something I fight with in bouts, sometimes it doesn't bother me for months and then it hits me like a ton of bricks. When this happens I put myself to bed (mostly on the weekends) when I can and just sleep or rest, if I need to get up I only allow myself an hour or two to be up then its back down even if I can not sleep, sometimes I am so tired I can not fall asleep.

Hope this helps, good luck!

Answer 3

Have you tried a Sleep Study? It's true about the 8 hrs a night! You may not be getting enough oxygen while sleeping...if ruled out, may try cutting carbs and sticking to proteins in small amounts throughout the day. Go with the flow of your body and keep a log of what you eat so you can pinpoint if anything is triggering your chronic fatigue. I truly understand what you're going through! As strange as this sounds, try PowerAde when you start feeling sick or feeling a headache coming on. Keep up the good fight!

Answer 4

Definately try Tai Chi Chih. It is so beneficial. It is low impact, relaxing, and urges you to use 'effortless' movements. One can even do Tai Chi Chih seated in a chair. Find a class in your area. My instructor has fibromyalgia and Tai Chi Chih offers her extreme relief. Also, look in to yoga. ALso, you might even be able to get off that nasty medication if you do tai chi chih or yoga. Tai Chi Chih helped me alot with both depression and anxiety. Look into Tai Chi CHih and meditation.