Health issues making life difficult

United States
June 24, 2022 12:24pm CST
I am dealing with some health issues that are making my life difficult. There are just so many things it is hard for me to do or that I cannot do. I have fibromyalgia which is widespread body pain due to something with the nerves and brain they're not exactly sure just what yet, but it means I hurt all over every day. Trying to work when your "everything" hurts is difficult. Even household chores are difficult. Fibromyalgia includes fatigue as well so not only does your "everything" hurt you're also often exhausted and you also get that way easily. It takes me a long time to do any chores or work tasks because I cannot move very fast and things like bending and reaching are difficult. I work In a condominium building at the front desk and that is useful because standing is SO hard but even sitting in the desk chair gets painful, luckily I am able to change positions whenever I need, from standing to sitting, to walking around a bit, to stretching. Even personal care is difficult, trying to wash the back of myself is harder than it has ever been which wasn't ever even that easy. Washing my hair is an ordeal as it is long, thick, curly, and coarse. I don't want to cut it because that makes it harder to work with due to the curly thick coarseness of my hair, it basically turns to an afro when short. That means even more work for me trying to tame the wildness that happens when it's like that. I am working 34 hours a week at the condos, but the wages aren't enough. My employer doesn't want to increase my hours more because then they'd have to pay benefits, vacation, and all that. I am struggling at 34 hours, I used to have a 2nd job part-time that was up to 30 hours but I got injured there during work and had to stop doing it. It was standing up all day job and very hard on me before getting hurt, but the injury made it an ordeal and I had to quit. I have a worker's compensation claim but they haven't paid the benefits yet and that happened in December. It is a struggle to make ends meet with just the condo job. I am tired of fighting with the worker's comp company for the pay I am owed from the injury claim and they just don't even have a worker assigned to my case or anything, I call and they never call me back. It's ridiculous. I also suffer from chronic migraine which means my head almost always hurts like heck. I take too many medications for it just to be able to function. The pain has gotten so bad at times that I have gone to the ER for help. The migraines also cause other issues such as light, sound, and smell sensitivity, tingling in my head and weird visual things during the aura, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. There are SO many things that trigger my migraines that I can't really prevent them or avoid the triggers too much. I also have Irritable Bowel Syndrome which means my guts just don't work right and my stomach is often all messed up. It's unpredictable and I never know what it will do from one moment to the next. I try to avoid things that trigger it but some of the foods that are an issue are not always an issue, so it gets confusing. Stress is one of the biggest triggers for it but it is very very hard to avoid. With all of this going on I think I should try for disability but I don't want to quit my job to do it, because disability isn't enough by itself either. I am going to check and see if there's a partial disability where I can keep my job and get a partial benefit. I just know I am so tired of struggling with this. It's just enough is enough. I just need help.
6 people like this
6 responses
@CarolDM (203451)
• Nashville, Tennessee
24 Jun 22
Seems we all have something to deal with. I am sorry for your issues and I wish you well. A step at a time is all you can do.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170455)
• United States
24 Jun 22
I would think getting disability would not be that hard to do in your case.
@MarieCoyle (28981)
16 Sep 22
@sickofbeingick22 Find a disability lawyer to advise you. Make an appointment. Save every single paper that has anything to do with your disability claim. If you have to turn something in, make copies. You don't have to pay a disability lawyer unless you win your case, then it comes out of the back up payment you get. It's worth it, they move a lot faster through the courts.
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Sep 22
I am now applying for disability, its just slow as molasses in January. Will help a lot tho.
1 person likes this
@sjvg1976 (41131)
• Delhi, India
26 Jun 22
I am sorry to read about your health. I can understand how much pain you must be feeling and still working to survive. Hope you get the compensation soon.
@paigea (35717)
• Canada
24 Jun 22
That is so much to deal with. I hope you get some relief. Hubby stuck a scrub brush to the shower wall to rub his back against??. Works for him
• United States
25 Jun 22
That's a great idea. If not stuck to the wall they have those back scrubber brushes in the store with the long handle, that would even help. Your hubby's a smart guy! Thanks for the idea that triggered a second idea.
1 person likes this
@paigea (35717)
• Canada
26 Jun 22
@sickofbeingick22 That's what ideas are for. To trigger the one that works! Another suggestion, don't get one that is too rough, I can not use his. I think it is actually a scrub brush.
@Kandae11 (53677)
24 Jun 22
The only help l can give is advise you to try reading the book by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. called "Eat to Live". He advises on the best foods to eat and what not to eat, recipes included. There are testimonies from people who have reversed and got rid of health problems like - fibromyalgia, diabetes, migraines , heart problems , IBS, Asthma, chronic back pain etc.etc, by following his diet plan.
@Aiana18 (698)
• Belo Horizonte, Brazil
24 Jun 22
You should do a psychological follow-up. Nowadays it's no shame to take care of our mental health. I understand the severity and complexity of your health issues and I don't want to minimize the intensity of what only you know is difficult and painful, but I think you need expert help. Certain feelings are like doses of poison. And maybe you can't handle it alone and not even those around you will be able to help you effectively.
• United States
25 Jun 22
I'm working on getting another psychiatrist and psychologist they are hard to find and take forever for appointments. I'm lucky the rheumatologist that treats my fibromyalgia referred me for it. I am seeing so many doctors for this stuff right now: Rheumatologist, chiropractor, primary care physician, physical therapist, dry needling, nutritionist, neurologist, I have an Occupational Health doctor through the workers' compensation as well. It's a ton of people. Soon to have 2 more added to the list.