Thriving Not Surviving
The Consant Pain
I have a passion for journaling, even though mine tends to be quite public for various reasons. Reflecting back to where it all began, I started blogging in 2001. In 2018, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and now, in 2024, I’m thriving rather than just surviving. At that time, I was unhealthy, relying on high doses of pain medication, and my bed felt like a sanctuary. I couldn’t stand or walk without experiencing pain. Fast forward to 2024, and I’m proud to say I checked off a significant milestone: walking the Papamoa Hills. I can now walk with much more ease, having kicked unhealthy habits to the curb and managing my condition far more effectively.
Past Refelction I truly had no understanding of what I was experiencing at the time. I remember working while feeling completely achy all over. After taking some pain medication and going to bed, I found myself increasingly fatigued and forgetting the simplest tasks. The list of my struggles seemed endless. I visited a doctor, answered some questions, and was diagnosed with chronic fatigue. A simple pain test revealed that out of 18 tender points, I had 14. Anyone with fibromyalgia knows that even light touches can trigger various sensations. I was unprepared for the multitude of symptoms, and I felt like I was living in a body that betrayed me. In addition to battling this condition, I faced concerns about how it would impact my life. Fibromyalgia alone is debilitating, and on top of that, I also have a thyroid condition and endometriosis. It became clear that I needed to make significant changes. My years of studying hospitality were behind me, and my dream of becoming an event planner felt like a distant memory. Standing became increasingly difficult, and the exhaustion I experienced wasn't the kind that a good night's sleep could fix; the constant pain had become my new reality.
Fibromyalgia its a funny word and people call it fibro for short, its a long term condition with no cure and its condition where research is still happening so it can be understood better. About 1 in 50 people will develop it and any stage of their life around the ages of 25 and 55 and it effects women more than me, there are children and teenagers that can have it.
Fibromyalgia is a term used to describe widespread pain and tenderness in different areas of your body.
It is thought to be a disorder of the way the nervous system processes sensory information
Fibromyalgia pain lasts longer than 3 months and often comes and goes. People with fibromyalgia usually have other symptoms including fatigue, poor sleep, difficulty concentrating and sensitivity of their bladder and bowels.
Living with fibromyalgia can be hard to understand and may be difficult to accept. Most people live well with fibromyalgia once they have learned ways of coping with the problems it can pose even if the pain is still there.
The goals of treatment are to improve your sleep, increase your ability to do the things you want to do while also reducing your pain.
Medications are not very effective in treating fibromyalgia. Fortunately, It is possible to live well and manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia without medications.