Nursing and Fibromyalgia

[CaLVN530]

I have recently been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. I know a lot of you are very judgemental about FMS, but hear me out. I have suffered for at least the last 7 years from chronic pain and exhaustion (and worked more than full time as a CNA). I have been to countless doctors, none of whom (until now) could find anything wrong with me (according to labs/x-ray's etc...).

For the past several years I have been treated by nurses and doctors as a drug seeker, and an attention whore. I know the pain of being ignored by you (you know who you are), because you don't think I look like anything is wrong with me...

See, I am only 25 years old. Do you know how hard it is to get someone to believe that you are in pain when you are 17 to 25 years old?

I just want the judgemental nurses out there to know that this pain is VERY real. This job is not easy on our bodies, and someone with FMS takes a double hit...

So please think twice before you judge another persons pain. :)

[Gypsiekate]

I'm sorry if your going thru a rough time of it. i too was dx'd with fibro, and have felt he same way at times. Just know your not alone. There are alot of us out there

[lpn311]

I dont have fibro, but whats going on with me is similar d/t the intense pain i have at times. I have lyme disease and experience pain daily, though its been getting a bit better. My nursing job is mostly sitting and transporting clients and educating, assisting with various ADL's etc...and in not being as active as I like, the pain is worse in my joints and knees. Sitting here I crack as i stretch my legs lol. Some days are better than others and sometimes the pain is in different spots---similar to fibro. its hard when you have pain and cant explain why...same with lyme, no one understands becasue they all think well you took the 3 weeks of abx youre fine now its all in your head. ive been on 5 months of abx therapy and finally quit because of what it was doing to my stomach. i have a little pain today but not as bad as what it used to be pre abx. just thought id chime in and say youre not alone in your pain.

[pinkestar]

I too suffer from fibro. At least that has been the "working diagnosis" for the past couple of years. I'm only 26, so I totally understand you about the pain meds and people not taking you seriously. I actually have just graduated with my RN, but I plan on going back for my MSN in about a year. I just don't know how long my body will be able to handle hospital nursing, as much as I love it. So, anyway, point is--you are not alone. And I second the plea to everyone else to please take everyone's pain very seriously.

Nicole

[paacollins]

I was diagnosed with Fibro when I was in my early 20s. That was 20+ years ago and they called it Fibrositis back then. Very little was known about it and it was definitely called a "garbage can" diagnosis then. Things are so much better now. There are better meds, herbs that can help; people understand it more, and it is even getting television ads that acknowledge it as a real disorder.

I graduated from nursing school in May and am studying for the NCLEX now. All this sitting is killing me. I did so much better during clinicals at school than when I was sitting in class for hours on end. Once I am working and up moving around all day I know I will feel better.

Fibro stinks but it isn't fatal. I have to keep telling myself that on bad days, which all my days have been lately. Try to figure out what helps and what causes flares. Beyond that just take it one day at a time.

PS Having fibro really helps me relate to patients who suffer from chronic pain and fatigue.

[StatBlues]

http://www.fmaware.org

I have fibro also.

If your boss has a problem tell her to read up on it.

If you quit moving, the pain will get worst. Get a good rheumatologist, to work with you on pain meds.

Get off floor nursing if you can.

Sending soft hugs*

You are not alone!

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

i have fibro and have had it for years, i haven't had to much trouble with it until the last few weeks . last night i had a horrible flare up and was in alot of pain. i didn't sleep a wink... i took motrin and a muscle relaxer and amytripline ( excuse my spelling ) and i had some lortab from an old foot injury and took one and nothing helped. i need to go to the doctor..

i am a RN and work those long 12 hour shifts on my feet and it kills me.

last night my knees . hips. elbows wrists everything hurt , i was so stiff and sore... and i am exhausted today luckily i didn't have to work today,

has anyone tried lyrica ? i wondered how it worked i am thinking of asking for a script for it...

i had lyme diease as a child and i think it brought the fibro on , although i just didn't link them together until recently.

thank you all for your posts. i love reading them

[butterfly21]

I was misdiagnosed with Fibro. I have chiari malformation type 1 and had decompression surgery and pseudo tumor cerebri. I had to give up floor nursing. I am in some degree of pain everyday but am thankful that I am able to work and that I am alive. My dr was so nice to remind me that I was inpatient 15 times in the past 18 months and off 28 weeks last year. I understand where you are coming from. I have a lot of compassion and empathy for my patients (i work in an outpatient clinic now). Being on the other side gives you a whole new perspective.

[Vegas RN, MBA]

Hi everyone. There is a huge push from pathologists that are trying to inform physicians, without much success, about the new diagnosis of "Chronic Lyme's Disease". Many victims have completed their treatment for Lyme's Disease, but months to years later they are experiencing symptoms that mimic Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Are they causative? Is there a relation? Is Lyme's Disease a chronic disease that just needs more than a run of ATB? It is heavily being debated if anyone is interested.

I just included two links, but there is much more research to be found. I'm interested because over 10 years ago, I was involved caring for a 27 year old that was treated with ATB's for over two years, and I watched how the treatment ravaged her body, mind and spirit.

http://www.canlyme.com/fibrocfslyme.html

http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3579

I hope that those that are interested research further.

[smiles04]

i have fibro and have had it for years, i haven't had to much trouble with it until the last few weeks . last night i had a horrible flare up and was in alot of pain. i didn't sleep a wink... i took motrin and a muscle relaxer and amytripline ( excuse my spelling ) and i had some lortab from an old foot injury and took one and nothing helped. i need to go to the doctor..

i am a RN and work those long 12 hour shifts on my feet and it kills me.

last night my knees . hips. elbows wrists everything hurt , i was so stiff and sore... and i am exhausted today luckily i didn't have to work today,

has anyone tried lyrica ? i wondered how it worked i am thinking of asking for a script for it...

i had lyme diease as a child and i think it brought the fibro on , although i just didn't link them together until recently.

thank you all for your posts. i love reading them

Please dont take lyrica that stuff sucks get real help by a pain management doc. lyrica will have you forgetting things dizzy wigging totally even after you are on it awhile you seriously won't know what your doing.

[pinkestar]

I haven't tried Lyrica myself but I've seen it work miracles for many people, both in my personal life and working as a nurse. People react differently to different drugs. Because it didn't work for you doesn't mean that it won't for someone else, so I wouldn't discourage others for trying it out for themselves.

[celtictides]

Fibromyalgia is also one of the many things I have. For me it was actually the reverse, I refused to believe it until more than one doctor told me I had it. So rather I was hard on myself. My rhemutologist last week informed me when I was questioning him about that and my P.A., that Fibromyalgia is a form of R.A. which I did not know.