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The Choices of My Life

© Cynthia Webber (Jausten)

The choices of my life have become different since I accepted the fact that I have fibromyalgia. My energy and time are more precious to me, and the contacts that I have with others are more limited. I don't have the energy to visit with others for extended periods of time, and my frustration with the lack of understanding that I sometimes encounter causes me to spend more time in solitude than I've ever done before. This may not be healthy for me, but it is my choice for now.

I have discovered that I cannot give my time and energy to others without losing myself in the process. The expectations and advice of others sometimes seems to be more for their benefit than for mine. I've been told how to eat, which vitamins and herbs to take, and how much exercise, physiotherapy, acupuncture, or massage therapy I need. People may be trying to help, but in reality all it does is make me feel that they really don't understand my fibromyalgia.

I've tried most of the alternative treatments for fibromyalgia, and although some of them have helped for a period of time, they don't continue to reduce the pain and fatigue that follows me each day. Maybe others have been more successful, or maybe their fibromyalgia isn't as severe as mine.

Although I could improve my eating habits, go swimming, and walk each day, I already know that these actions are helpful to me and don't need to be reminded. There are days when it is so difficult to just get out of bed, and the last thing I want to do is put on my bathing suit, drive to the pool, or get dressed and walk outside in the pouring rain. Maybe if I lived in a warmer climate, it would be easier to do these things, but I am aware of many people who live in warmer climates who also struggle with getting out of bed each morning.

I'm tired of well-meaning people making suggestions for my life choices when they aren't walking in my shoes. Those of us with fibromyalgia all have different levels of pain, fatigue and other symptoms. The important key for us is to understand our own symptoms and not allow others to tell us which treatments to try. Even those of us with fibromyalgia try to tell others what to do to relieve symptoms. Supporting one another is not giving advice, but rather listening and understanding.

The copyright of the article The Choices of My Life in Fibromyalgia is owned by Cynthia Webber (Jausten). Permission to republish The Choices of My Life in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.