fibromyalgia

I developed fibromyalgia somewhere during or after the birth of my second baby. She turned out to be a colicky baby which probably added to me developing the illness (I had some physical post-delivery complications, plus I also believe having had mono when I was 17 plays a role). Anyway, while on maternity leave (we got six months back then) I had trouble sleeping at night because of the pain in my legs. I remember sitting at the kitchen table at 4am crying because I hadn't slept yet (my daughter was past colic by then). I had to go back to work in a few weeks so I knew I had to find out what was wrong. I knew I couldn't work like this (it was an hour drive to and from work).

So I never went back to work. Because I developed the illness while on maternity leave people at work did not see my pain (not that anyone else could) but it was hard to convince anyone that I was ill. It doesn't help that when I was pregnant I said to someone, "I don't want to come back to work after I have the baby." This was my second baby and it is a natural feeling. Unfortunately people used that little remark against me in my battle for disability insurance from my employer.

I spent five years in a legal battle with my company, their insurance company, as well as the government. The government turned me down several times and then told me to go away. My insurance company had detectives following me and video taping me. Apparently having fibro should make it impossible for me to get out of the car and put a letter in a mail box. I finally went to mediation with my lawyer, insurance company and employer and settled for a lump sum amount.... that was seven years again. You can be sure there isn't a dime of that money left now (though I was smart and put some in investments for one year and five years). We struggle every day financially. My girls are 16 and almost 13 and very active in sports. It costs us a fortune and we are way in the hole financially. We've withdrawn retirement savings... doing it again this week. And now with the economy the way it is, my husband's work has cut back hours and changed the shifts taking a couple of more hours a month away from him.

I could not go back to my job when I was first diagnosed. I have to admit that for the past five years I am a whole lot better than I was during the first five years. I have been proactive with my illness but stress is a major cause of a flare and I know that any job I do outside the home would cause me major health problems. I try to earn money online (not very successfully) but hope that one day that novel I have written will be published and become successful enough to help us get back to living life again.

yes unfortunately.. i had to stop working at age 24 and was declared disabled

I ended having to quit my job where I worked for 18 years after taking a trip to visit a friend. It was an 8 hour drive and I guess the excitement of seeing her and having so much fun on the trip plus the long drive home sent me into flare like I had never experienced before and it took me months to get where I could do anything. Several months after that I tentatively went to work at another job and was able to keep it for 9 years, then I started having major problems again. Since then I have been working off and on at different jobs but I need to either get my pain under better control or go on disability. I want to work because I have a 7 year old to raise and everything is so expensive. That's one reason I am trying to make some money online. I am just taking it one day at a time.

I was a stay at home already when my Fibromyalgia symptoms began ten long years ago, but I have been unable to go back to work even though all my children are in school full time because of it.

yes, i had to stop working and file for disability back in 2005. i finally got it 2007 through allsup inc which represented me. the pain was so bad last fall which was an excruciating flare sent me into anxiety panic attacks. i am being treated for that now, plus depression who wouldn't be depressed and of course those pain pills. i know how you feel. i try to keep my mind and body as active as i can but sometimes it is too much as i do things all at once instead of pacing myself. best to you and everyone as well

yes
i cant be a nurse anymore
and i cant accept it
i just loved my job
so i really do hate the fm
it cost me my job
a lot of money
my family
everything