Okay, let’s talk about living with fibromyalgia and degenerative disc disease. It’s a real piece of work, lemme tell ya.
Getting Diagnosed Was a Journey
First off, getting the doctors to figure out what was wrong? That took forever. I started having this all-over pain, like a bad flu that just never went away. Plus, my back was killing me, like deep bone pain. I went to so many doctors. One said it was stress. Another said I was just getting older. It was frustrating, bouncing around, feeling like garbage.
Finally, one doc started putting the pieces together. Did a bunch of tests, x-rays for my back, lots of poking and prodding for the fibro stuff. They ruled out other things first, which took ages. Eventually, they landed on fibromyalgia AND degenerative disc disease. Like a double whammy. At least I had names for the misery, right? But knowing didn’t make the pain go away.
Trying to Figure Out How to Live With It
So, diagnosis in hand, the next step was figuring out what to do. The doctors immediately wanted to talk about pills. And yeah, I tried a few things.
- Painkillers: Some helped a little with the sharp back pain from the DDD, but didn’t touch the weird, widespread fibro pain. And I didn’t want to live on painkillers forever.
- Nerve pain meds: Tried some of those for the fibro. They kinda made me feel foggy, like walking through mud. Side effects were a big issue for me.
- Muscle relaxers: Sometimes helped with the spasms, but again, made me sleepy. Hard to function like that.
It felt like they were just throwing darts, hoping something would stick. A lot of it didn’t, or the side effects were worse than the problem.
My Day-to-Day Reality
Waking up is usually the hardest part. Everything feels stiff and heavy. Some days the fibro fog is so thick I can barely think straight. Simple things like getting dressed can feel like climbing a mountain. The DDD means my back always has this baseline ache, and certain movements, like bending or twisting, can send shooting pains.
I had to learn to pace myself. Big time. Used to be I could just push through things. Can’t do that anymore. If I overdo it one day – even just grocery shopping and cleaning the house – I’ll pay for it for the next two or three days. It’s this constant negotiation with my own body.
What Actually Helps (Sort Of)
Over time, I found a few things that make life a bit more bearable. It wasn’t one magic bullet, more like a bunch of little things.
Gentle movement: This sounds crazy when you hurt, but sitting still makes it worse. I started doing really gentle stretching. Like, super slow. And short walks. Swimming or just floating in a pool feels amazing because the water takes the weight off.
Heat therapy: My best friend is my heating pad. Especially for my back. Sometimes a hot shower or a warm bath with Epsom salts helps loosen things up, even if just for a little while.
Watching what I eat: I noticed certain foods seemed to make the fibro flares worse. For me, cutting back on sugar and processed junk seemed to help calm things down a tiny bit. Not a cure, but every little bit helps.
Sleep routine: Getting decent sleep is huge for fibro, but the pain makes it hard. I try to stick to a regular bedtime, keep the room dark and cool. Doesn’t always work, but I try.
It’s Still a Struggle
Look, I’m not gonna lie. It’s still hard. Some days are okay, others are just awful. There’s no cure for either of these things. It’s about managing, finding ways to cope day by day. You learn to listen to your body, you learn your limits, and you learn to be kind to yourself when you just can’t do things. It’s an ongoing process, just trying to navigate life with this stuff. You find what works for you, even if it’s just small things, and you hold onto that.
