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Does anyone else besides me suffer from low-grade fevers? I've wondered if that's typical...

Posted by MarFran

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Reply: PTSD Flashbacks and FM Flares

I've never been diagnosed with PTSD by any doctor--just myself because when I suffer from...

Posted by MarFran

I've never been diagnosed with PTSD by any doctor--just myself because when I suffer from fibromyalgia/CFS flare-ups, it often brings back bad memories of difficult situations I've had with my now estranged brother and sister-in-law who treated me so unfairly with their horrible attitude of disbelieve about my inabilities. They could not accept how debilitating fibromyalgia was for me or that I had severely painful back trouble as well which incapacitated me severely a times. Even though I've tried to consider the source and remind myself that my sister-in-law is is a paranoid and deluded person who believes everyone lies and I should not pay any attention to her, it's upsetting that she has turned my brother (and only sibling) against me. At one of the worst times in life when I was dealing with the loss of my mother when she died 3-1/2 years ago, I had to also cope with the loss of my only brother--the last remaining member of my immediate family that I grew up with--and he's alive (we became estranged and haven't spoken since the weekend my mother dies.) Even though I wasn't close pals with him, he was really all I had left from my side of my family with both my parents gone now, aside from my husband and 3 children, of course. I have some other distance relatives, but that's not the same as losing someone so closely related who was raised in the same household with you. Even though my mother had a difficult personality and was hard to cope with, I still loved her and never tried to get out of helping with her care because of that like my sister-in-law seemed to feel. I certainly wasn't making up lame excuses not to fly 2000 miles across the country to avoid providing help to relieve my brother and his wife. Years ago I quit a job for 8 or 9 mo. to stay home and care for my mother after she had 2 major surgeries, and then I was involved in taking care of her when she lived in my home an average of 2 to 5 mo. each year over a 17 year period, which was a strain on my marriage. In addition, I did a huge amount long-distance, keeping in touch and on top of things with my mother and her caregivers, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, etc. whenever she had medical emergencies, plus I shopped for personal items and sent them to her and arranged for medical supplies or equipment to be ordered for her. I also I spent weeks doing tremendous research to find a suitable nursing home for my mother at the end of her life, struggling and working hard day and night--early and late because of the time zone difference...and all while simultaneously dealing with my own difficult back trouble, etc.--all with no thanks from my brother. My mother lived alone in her own home and I must point that she never spent more and maybe 3 nights sleeping over at my brother's house over the years, so he had no idea how difficult living with her could be, although in her good moments she was nice company for me, so it wasn't all bad. After all I did for my mother in person and long-distance, I did not deserve the treatment I received from my brother, including details I won't go into about how he cheated me out of belongings left in my mother's house after she died. How can I not have nightmares about the awful experience I had with my brother, with his horrible attitude towards me after he refused to acknowledge and belittled my help abd minimized all my health and physical problems. I try hard to put this in the past and keep reminding myself that I don't need disbelievers and people like that in my life. Fibromyalgia/CFS at least partly responsible for this estrangement of mine that may last a lifetime.View Thread

Posted byMarFran

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:PTSD Flashbacks and FM Flares I've never been diagnosed with PTSD by any doctor--just myself because when I suffer from...

Reply: literature confirming fibro as a true disease

In the past 20 years since I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia/CFS more has been...

Posted by MarFran

In the past 20 years since I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia/CFS more has been learned and publicized about this condition. Since then, with the availability of the Internet and more access to information, I've learned a lot and I've met more and more people who have at least heard of fibromyalgia. In the beginning I wasn't skeptical about the reality of fibromyalgia/CFS because I knew my pain and fatigue problems were very much real and not all in my head. However, it was disturbing that my own doctor didn't inform me about it property, as though it was just a technical term on an office form for the purpose of getting insurance coverage. He did not educate me as to what this really was all about, so I was in the dark about my condition for quite awhile until I found sources of information on my own and also through the Mayo Clinic where I was treated and re-diagnosed in 1997. I think one of the main reasons some people don't accept fibromyalgia aas real is because there are no definitive lab tests for it, but there doesn't have to be to make it real. Unfotunately, I think that even adversely affects some doctor's opinions too, but hopefully that will change now as more and more is being learned. In the beginning, my fatigue gradually got worse and worse and would last longer and longer--for months at a stretch. I kept going to my doctor to seek answers and had numerous tests to rule out everything else it could be with negative results all the time. Again, that does not mean that any particular condition isn't real--it's just that much is unknown and no diagnostic test has been figured out for yet. For years, I kept thinking I was just suffering from "burnout" from my hectic lifestyle and all the job stress I was under, and I thought I just needed more time to rest and recover...and then a little more and a little more time, but eventually I realized I didn't just have a temporary condition. About 13 or 14 years after my onset and having to give up employment, I applied for Social Security Disability and won my case after a 2 years and 2 appeals. I was lucky to have an understanding Administrative Law Judge who was familiary with fibromyalgia. The monetary rewards were not great, but anything was better than nothing and I was thankful to gain a desperately needed monthly income and be able to go on Medicare a year later which is what Disability qualifies you for. Getting approved for Disability benefits gave me that greatly needed validation for my illness, so I'm living proof this fibromyalgia is very real.View Thread

Posted byMarFran

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Reply: The Fibromyalgia Worker

I was officially diagnosed with fibromyalgia/CFS in 1994, in my late 40s, after about 2...

Posted by MarFran

I was officially diagnosed with fibromyalgia/CFS in 1994, in my late 40s, after about 2 years of not knowing what was wrong with me and seeking answers. At the time, my internist never explained this condition sufficiently to me and I didn't learn what it was really all about until I was re-diagnosed by another doctor in 1996 or 1997. For years I thought my condition was only temporary and I was just suffering from "burnout" due to my hectic life with 3 children and a job. I thought I just needed some rest and was forced to quit full-time work in 1994, continuing a little later on in 1997 with some temp work, which I also had to discontinue when I couldn't manage to keep up with that. I inquired about Disability with the Social Security Administration, but at that time, they didn't accept Fibromyalgia/CFS as a disability. In 2005 when I decided to seek employment again, I realized I still couldn't manage working, so I inquired about Disability again and discovered things had changed and they recently starting accepting Fibromyalgia as a disability, so I applied (13 years afer the onset of my illness). I finally won my case in 2007 after a long 2 year battle involving 2 appeals. However, I lost out on 11 years worth of Disability benefits since they only allow retroactive benefits one year prior to your date of original application. Knowing that my settlement would be small and I had a complicated old case dating years back and that originated in another state (AZ) from where I currently live (WA), lawyers were discouraging about my case, so I decided to fight it on my own without a lawyer since I knew my medical history and inabilities better than anyone else ever could. I did as much research as I could and gathered many written documents in support of my case and to proof my honesty. It's a miracle that I won, but it took a great toll on my health during those 2 stressful years. It was wonderful though to have my disability acknowled going back all those years, by an administrative law judge who was apologetic for not being able to grant benefits all the way back to my onset date. I was especially happy to receive the validation for my medical problems and how debilitating they were and relieved to finally have a monthly income, however small (the same as my retirment benefits). I'm 67 years old now and was officially on Disability for 4 years until I turned 66 and was switched over to Social Security "Retirement" benefits once I became fully eligible for that. It's hard to live on Social Security alone though and I wish I could get a part-time job working at home for the extra income, but that seems to be impossible. I feel very cheated out many good earning years when I could have prepared myself better for retirement.View Thread

Posted byMarFran

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Reply: Where is everyone from?

I'm new to this website, and it was nice to find an online group since there are no support...

Posted by MarFran

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Lyrica and Other Medications

I'd like to know how many of you have tried Lyrica and if it has helped you at all. After I...

Posted by MarFran

0 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Lyrica and Other Medications I'd like to know how many of you have tried Lyrica and if it has helped you at all. After I...

Reply: Suggestions for feeling better during wet weather?

I can relate to your problem because I live in the Seattle, WA are where it rains and is...

Posted by MarFran

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Reply: Cortisone injection

I've gotten cortisone injections several times over the years--in my hip, shoulder and...

Posted by MarFran

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Reply: Low-Grade Fevers

Yes, it's exactly the same with me--clusters of low-grade fevers that fluctuate up and down...

Posted by MarFran

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Low-Grade Fevers

I'm new to this group, but I've had fibromyalgia/CFS for almost 20 years. Does anyone else...

Posted by MarFran

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Low-Grade Fevers I'm new to this group, but I've had fibromyalgia/CFS for almost 20 years. Does anyone else...

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