Stages of Fibromyalgia!

Hi Everyone!

So, I have made peace with the fact that I have fibromyalgia and that I have to live with it. It was not an easy thing to do though. In a lot of ways it was a bit like dealing with death. Like losing someone. You go through the stages. You go through the stages of losing what you used to be to what you have become.

First denial. "It can't be", "I'm too young and healthy" etc. "There must be something else wrong with me". Something that is curable. Something that will go away. This stage took very long for me. Even though I was diagnosed, I was very skeptical and just didn't want to except the fact that I had a disease that was not going to go away.

Then anger. "Why me?" "It's not fair". "I don't deserve this" etc. Anger at everyone for not listening or understanding or believing you. Anger at yourself for not being able to think it away! Anger at doctors that don't believe you are in pain. Anger at everyone in general.

Bargaining. If only I did something to prevent it or "what if I go to another doctor?" or maybe if I do good things and treat people well God could make me better etc. Thinking that if you eat healthy food and exercise it will all go away.

Depression. When all else fails. This illness can really make you depressed. Especially after you have tried everything possible to make yourself better and it all failed. How are you going to cope? How are you ever going to get up and feel good if you know that nothing will ever be the same again? Depression is a difficult one to deal with. I have cried many, many days!

Then there is acceptance. It is not easy to accept that you are ill, that there are so many things you won't be able to do. That you have lost your ability to multitask, be super mom or woman etc. That there is no going back! This really is the hardest of all in my opinion. You might think that acceptance means giving up. I don't think so. I feel like I have reached a point where I have accepted it but I haven't given up. Giving up will make my life useless. Acceptance is to know you are ill, that there are no cure yet, or at least none I know off, that you know there are limits to what you can physically do.

I still have hope and dreams for the future. I have just accepted that I will have to do it all differently and in my own time and when I feel up to it!

In a way it has given me peace. It has freed me, in a way, to just be myself one day at a time.

I now live each day at a time without putting to much pressure on myself. It has made me a happier person. I'm still in pain and very tired, but at least I know why!

This is my personal viewpoint that has help me understand my illness. Hope it can help you too!

Thanks for reading!