My name is Britta and I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia during the Fall of 2009. I wish I could say my life has gotten easier or better since being diagnosed, but it hasn't. I do my best to manage my illness, which is about all any of us can do. I have two children, aged 11 and 8, and a husband I adore. I'm not able to do a lot of the things I'd like to do with them; the things "normal" people take for granted. I find I struggle almost on a daily basis and have to rest because I am either in too much pain or too fatigued to do anything else, especially during a flare. I am slowly learning how to better pace my tasks, so that I can enjoy my family. Unfortunately, it is a trial and error learning process and I find I tend to overdo certain activities. My greatest desire is to just be in the moment with my beautiful family and forget my health woes.
Life with Fibromyalgia causes an endless amount of frustration, because there's so much we have yet to discover about this illness. Let there be no doubt, the Fibro fight is an uphill battle. And, it certainly doesn't help when naysayers in the medical community or elsewhere discredit Fibromyalgia as a "fake illness." Let me assure you, Fibromyalgia is real, very real.
When you are first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, your doctor begins prescribing medications to manage your ongoing list of symptoms and typically recommends alternative therapies. If you are lucky, you tolerate the medications and respond well. If you're not lucky, the medications don't help or you may even suffer from horrendous side effects worse then Fibro itself. In a nutshell, Fibro survivors have to work closely with their doctors to find the right combination of medications to manage their symptoms.
My intention with this blog is not to paint a bleak picture of this illness, but to share all I can about my Fibromyalgia treatment experiences with you as well as explore options* and coping techniques. Mostly, I intend to share my experiences as a Fibromyalgia survivor, wife and mother.
*Please keep in mind I'm not a medical professional and cannot make any recommendations regarding what treatment plan you should pursue.
