HEY! I'M NEW - VERY LONG POST

[Guest guest]

Hello!

I am Amy, 23 yrs old, married & living in Gloucestershire, UK. I

was formally diagnosed with Fibro 2 yrs ago, after suffering since a

toddler. Along with the aches & pains I have the ME symptoms too,

aswell as some other linked illnesses; IBS, LS & fertility problems.

This is an illness I have really struggled with, but finally am

starting to cope. My condition went mis/un-diagnosed by many

doctors (as I am sure many of you have experienced), then 2 yrs ago

all my muscle seazed up completely & I was in agony. I couldn't

understand what was wrong with me & my evil GP kept telling me to

shove ani-imflamatories down my throat & ignore there was anything

wrong! That week I changed GPs & within a a few days I had my

diagnosis I was upset that I had Fibro, but so happy to finally be

recogized as having a problem! She arranged for me to chat to a

specialist & I read up on the condition a lot.

It took a while to adjust my life according to my Fibro, as I had

always been a VERY VERY strong & independent gal, but I think I am

finally accepting it - that is apart from the huge weight gain &

swelling! I am down to just 20mg of Ami at teatime & I still work

full time at the office & go to college part time, although I know

my limits these days & try not to keep pushing myself!

I have only met one other person with Fibro & its hard to educate

family, friends & work mates on my condition - I have been met with

mostly negative & quite arrogant comments such as; " lazy " , " all in

the mind " & " using that old excuse again! " I think its just great

to be able to come on here & air my worries, concerns & help

others. I am also on yahoo groups for my other illnesses.

I do have a few questions if you don't mind:

* Is a huge weight gain normal? I used to be able to eat

anything & I had a gorgeous figure, but in the past few yrs I have

gained 3 stone I've tried dieting, but I keep getting fatter! I

don't eat junk food, in fact I hardly eat anymore! I try to do a

few sessions of light exercise a week - but I just look & feel

awful - my Hubby is the only person who understands & its killing

him to see me

like this...everybody else just makes comments...

* How are you all coping in the cold weather? I type all day at

work & my fingers & hands keep seazing up - I keep taking breaks,

like offering to make the coffee or saying I have to go see

somebody. At home I heat my lavender pillow up in the microwave &

sit holding it - I also sit on one too for my hips.

* Do many of you drive automatic cars because of this? I had to

switch from my manual car last yr coz my left knee (clutch knee)

kept seazing up, but now I suffer from chronic pins & needles all up

the leg coz it aint being used - but i'd rather that anyday!

* What sort of treatments are you on? I have only ever tried

Ami, but I know some people with LS that have tried the other drugs

in that group & found them better.

* How do you all cope from day-to-day? I keep joking that I have

the body of a 90yr old coz some days I can't move - other days I

feel great & end up pushing myself too much, then I'm throwing up &

my body aches all over again!

Well, I think that is quite enough for now! Plus my fingers ache!

Hope to hear back from a few of you soon

Amy