braymond918's Profile
- Sex: Female
- Age: 37
- Location:
Indianapolis, IN 46237
Issues braymond918 is Interested In
- Fibromyalgia - I first noticed symptoms of what I would later learn was fibromyalgia at the age of 15. By my mid-twenties I was already having a lot of problems with pain and fatigue, and was unable to do many normal, everyday things. Now, at 35, I can no longer work due to the severity of my symptoms. I have severe intermittent pain, muscle cramping and stiffness, fatigue, and balance issues which lead to nausea and vomiting if I am too active.
- Environmental Allergy - I am allergic to tree pollen, dust mites and cat dander. By the time I was tested for these, the damage was already done. My sinuses were so scarred and congested that I had to have bilateral endoscopic surgery in 2000 to combat my ongoing sinus infections.
- Vertigo - I first had these symptoms when I began a new job in 2004. For the first few weeks, I didn't notice any vertigo or dizziness at all. My symptom was nausea and vomiting. I couldn't keep from vomiting, even with anti-emetic medication, unless I lay perfectly still. Eventually I began to feel the vertigo. I had test after test which showed no inner ear problems, although my ocular-vestibular response on my left side was significantly slower than on my right. I have since learned that balance problems with no known physical cause are somewhat common in fibromyalgia patients. Yet another bizarre symptom that can be traced back to fibro!
- Eczema - I actually have a form of eczema known as dyshidrosis, which only affects the hands and feet. I break out in small blisters every few weeks, usually due to stress or severe pain. Eventually the blisters pop and the skin becomes very dry and cracked. It will often peel off in chunks. Needless to say, this can be very embarrassing, not to mention painful. Between outbreaks the skin of my hands is very thin and has a reddish hue to it. People often assume that I have suffered burns on my hands. The same can be said of my feet, but it is easier to keep them covered in public and is therefore not as embarrassing.
braymond918's Story
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 6 years ago, but have struggled with the symptoms since about age 15. I had to stop working 3 years ago, and am still trudging through the process of applying for Social Security Disability. Despite all this, I am truly blessed to have a wonderful, supportive husband who always has my back. I have good days and I have bad days, but even the bad days can me made bearable with the love and support of a caring person.
braymond918's Blogs
braymond918 has 3 blogs. [view all]
- Cat Tales - Fri, August 24, 2007 - [view]
Here are a few fun facts about Annie & Blackie, the fairest felines in all the land: Annie has a gigantic noggin. Her head is unwieldy and far too large for the rest of her body. You'd think this might mean she'd be extra smart, but it seems to be mostly made of face. I've noticed that she has learned to turn this attribute to her advantage, though. A number of times I've s... - Cat Handcuffs and Fibro Flares - Thu, August 23, 2007 - [view]
(originally written August 10, 2007) So, today was the first time since I started blogging and setting up MySpace and Xanga pages over a month ago that I felt too crappy to get online at all. I decided to go analog and just use a legal pad and a pencil instead (it's a mechanical pencil - I'm not a total Luddite). I planned to enter it into my blog tomorrow, but I can't seem to sleep tonight... - A Day in the Life...with Fibromyalgia - Thu, August 23, 2007 - [view]
(originally written August 2, 2007) So I realized that I have been blogging for awhile now, and have yet to talk about my condition. I have no intention of turning this into a whine-fest, but sometimes it's awkward to ask about these things, and I don't think most people understand what fibromyalgia is like. I'm not going to try to define fibromyalgia, or try to get technical about it. There ar...