Fibromyalgia Support Group

My 2 teenagers don't want to accept it at all. My youngest gets on my nerves sometimes because she always wants to take care of me like I'm going to die soon! LOL! Sorry...I find humor in that for some reason. I think they all just have their own way of dealing with this just like us. Maybe he is scared that something is really going to happen to you and he is distancing himself from you. Maybe, if you have the time, you should have 1 on 1 time with him and talk about what's happening. I should practice what I preach!! LOL. I all sounds good I guess....hopefully it works. Good luck honey! Keep me posted.

My kids have just about always known me with fibro - they were 5 and 2 when it started. They are pretty good about it because that is what they have always known. They are 13 and 10 now. How old were your kids when it all started? I think it has helped that mine just don't know any different.

my babies are great they are 11 and 17 they know how bad off i am and help me all the time

I have been sick since I was in my early 20's...my daughter {Tasha} would always Roll her eyes at me...became the "Big Joke", "Mom is Sick AGAIN"...

I Understand Why it was that way...I would be down with what I THOUGHT would be a cold or Flu comeing on...but nothing ever developed, and it would disappear as fast as it came on...
in 1998 I was 34...and I became seriously sick, stayed sick all the time...yet Dr.s said i was Healthy...Legs on Fire with One step...chest felt Full and Funny...blood pressure would drop dangerously low with mild activity...still, Dr.s could find Nothing...and daughter would just roll her eyes...

2004-Dr.s found what was causeing my issues...and all I can say is Thank God I had NOT yet been Diagnosed with fibromyalgia, or Raynauds...cause I would NOT be here right now if I had...

they found a "Closed Anuerysm" in my Abdominal Aorta...it was swelled to the size of a baseball with clots that were to large to go into either leg...I Thought GREAT !! they can FIX this...Tasha felt bad for always rolling her eyes...I more then Forgave her...I thought I was gonna be CURED from my Ailment...WRONG !!

I awoke from that Surgery SO SENSATIVE to Every Little thing...DON'T YA TOUCH ME !! the pain from a Touch was SO Intense it Literally made me Sick, Weak, Dizzy...she is back to Rolling her eyes...said one time.."I Think You LIKE Being Sick Mom"...for Real...thats what she said to me !!!!

My beautiful baby Girl Tasha...who works in the Medical Profession !! she says Dr.s Roll their eyes at the FM/CFS Patients that come thru...that they don't wanna deal with "Psych Patients"...

she used to Firmly believe it has been brought on by My stressers...saying I have been Depressed for as long as she can Remember...cause I would lay in my bed for days...I was SICK !! Not Depressed !!

I Just don't let her know anymore how I really feel...I rarely let ANYONE know anymore...'cept you all of course...cause I cannot get the Understanding from anyone who does not Feel what I Feel...the Only Exception is when I get a new Symptom that Feels Threatening...

As I don't have any children... (yet) I would not really have any information to add about whether or not they get it, but I can give you a big (((((((hug))))))) and say: I'm sorry they just don't get it. I wish, for your sake AND theirs, that they did. It has to be tough, trying to maintain a relationship with someone so close who has a hard time finding compassion for all that you go through. A shame, too... because you're such a wonderful woman, full of insight and wisdom, and so grounded that I bet they would learn a lot if they just had the patience to sit down and really listen.

Although, being that if I do have children they will always see me this way and I'd anticipate they'd get it simply because they haven't known me any other way. At least... that's what I tell myself right now. I guess I won't know until I take that plunge and have my own, though.

I have been told, though, that if you end up with Fibromyalgia you have a 70% chance of passing it off to your children? (A bit off topic, but it reminded me of that and I thought I would throw that in there?) That concerns me, as someday I would like to have my own, but I would not want to take such a BROAD chance at passing my own suffering down through my bloodlines. Has anyone else heard this??

My kids were 21, 13 and 10 when I was diagnosed. The oldest one understood mostly but was already out of the house and state so we had little contact othner than phone/email. The 13 yo had a VERY hard time and thought I was faking,et c. looking for attention and rarely had anything decent to say to or about me. She really felt deprived (and she was to a degree). My youngest has Down Syndrome and isn't really aware of any differences between me and normal moms.

Now, the girls get it. My middle one is my rock. Of course she is 3500 miles away but she is my greatest advocate.

Hang in there with your teens. Give them a chance to grow up and get a clue about real life and the world we really live in. Try not to talk too much about what you can't do anymore and don't make excuses about what you don't do.

That sounded rude but I mean if you didn't do their laundry say " Your laundry is ready to be done and the washer is empty for you." instead of "I'm sorry I didn't get your laundry done, it was a rough day"...all they hear is blah blah blah anyways!

Be patient with them. (But don't put up with meanness or disrespect!) Being a teen is unpleasant and teaming that up with a parent who isn't 'normal'? Good Gravy.

My thoughts are totally with you...
~K

My kids understand but are not bothered by fm/cfs - they just treat me as if I have nothing wrong with me. I love them for this.

My teen sons were bad about it, as I was a SUPER MOM. One is 26 now, and still calls me a hypocondriac. My daughter got Crohns so now, she understands some of my suffering. Tell them maybe they will understand IF they ever get it as it runs in FAMILIES!

I have three that listen but the one that is still home wants nothing to do with it and he is 17. He just said he doesn't care to know anything about it and yes I deserve it so I just leave it alone

I have four children, boy 17, girls 16,15 and 11. My 11 year old daughter has had a very difficult time adjusting to me not being super mom. I did so much for her older siblings and I fear she feels let down. She will be riding the same bus with the big kids this year so I hope she feels more attached.

All four of them keep the house, cook most nights and help me do whatever needs done. Including carrying a special chair for me most places we go and helping me with stairs(stares). They seem to have adapted pretty well to the changes this Condition has wrought. Our son is going to be a doctor, I assume partly to help people like he hasn't been able to help me.

When I saw that awful rough doctor on Monday all four of them asked if I wanted them to go visit him for a "sock party." They understood you can't grab mom like that and wanted him to feel some of the pain. It makes me so proud and embarrassed because they wouldn't hurt a flea but tend to react quite heroically when mom is mis-handled.

I fear my 15 year old daughter China already has FM. She is always complaining about one pain or another. I've been watching her very closely to make certain she isn't hurting privately and I enforce the take some Tylenol to make that strained muscle better. I would hate for her to start hurting like this and fear telling us.

Here's to hope!
-BB