At 56, I’ve been married 36 years to an engineer, managed to get two children out of the house on their own, have a wonderful Australian terrier, have had fibromyalgia for more than 15 years, and of all things, I’m male. Fibromyalgia has been a severe challenge. It’s not only women who have trouble with people believing they have a chronic illness. I’ve run through many doctors, starting with the one who declared that I couldn’t have fibro since it was a woman’s issue. And who could forget the doctor who told me men just have to “suck it up” and get on with our lives; no meds, no treatments. I was a true type-A personality. Busy all the time, always had projects waiting to get started. Always outdoors with the family hiking and canoeing on weekends, and I even constructed my own hovercraft.  It began after we remodeled our first home, with chronic migraines, and degenerated into fibromyalgia.  I’ve pretty much lived with fibro by doing as much as I could when I felt able, which wiped me out for the next couple days.

I finally started taking care of myself as best I could, and tried to find ways to “fix” my environment to allow me to achieve some level of comfort. I was fairly successful. I found body pillows that actually fit a man’s body to help me sleep at night. I had hypersensitive skin at night, and found some bamboo PJs for men from Australia. Sex was painful, so we found Liberator Shapes, which improved things immeasurably. If you tour our home, you’ll find all sorts of small changes designed to make my life less difficult. Men have to “fix” things, right? Christopher and his three-wheeled bike, which offers a solution to his lack of balance. In the past, I refused to allow my wife to help me. I took care of myself, and felt it was my job to take care of her. I’ve mellowed quite a bit, and now she’s assisting when she can, and I accept the help gracefully. My neighbors are also helping me out quite a bit – I’ve been able to let the “I’m perfectly fine” pretend mask slip a bit more.

I sincerely wish that there were more products for men with health issues. jantzen hoodiesYou can’t imagine how difficult it was to find summer PJs that could handle hot flash sweating (testosterone therapy), or winter PJs that were soft enough to tolerate. hoodie tv tropesAll these kinds of products are available for women, but products for men were few and far between. sasquatch hoodies saleWhatever happened to the concept of unisex products? superdry hoodie sale damenI’ve forgotten what it feels like to live without pain. assassin creed 3 ezio outfit hack

If I sleep more than three hours, I’ve had a good night. I remember all the things I used to do, and it hurts not being able to function at that level anymore. hugo boss hoodie grauBut I have a wife who loves me and wants me around, and I find I can manage if I just deal with one day at a time. hoodie allen songs on pianoThe key to surviving a chronic illness is to keep busy, whether mentally or physically. At my age, I’ve built a 3D printer kit, a new thing to learn, and I hope to keep learning…  And of course, on a good day, I’m outside working hard, but only for a few hours at a time. Really, I do learn! We want to hear your story. Become a Mighty contributor here. Get involved with fibromyalgia Living with fibromyalgia: what’s next? I dont look sick? Fibromyalgia / Cure Charm Bracelet, One Charm

Chronic Badass Bumper Stickers Fibromyalgia-Fighter-Cat Square Sticker 3" x 3" Unique Fibromyalgia Bumper Stickers Fibro - Its Real Sweatshirt I am Strong Dog Tags Fibromyalgia Awareness 2.25" Button Take My Disability Bumper Sticker Sticker (bumpe Living with Fibromyalgia Stickers Licensed Fight Like A Girl 20.2 Fib Stickers Fibromyalgia Messed With Wrong Chick Jumper Hoodie Licensed Fight Like a Girl 1.2 Fi Rectangle Magnet Purple Awareness Ribbon Necklace Heart Charm Warning: Bad Flare Day! I Wear Purple For My Best Friend 14 Dog T-Shirt I have Fibromyalgia (Magnet) Customize Purple Awareness Ribbon T-Shirt Sold & Shipped by Tue, Feb 14Shipping options Free 2-Day Shipping on orders $35+ Shipping costs and free pickup When shipping outside the contiguous United States On freight fees for large or heavy items For city or state sales or recycling taxes, or for other local charges

Compare all 2 sellers Important Made in USA Origin Disclaimer: , the displayed country of origin information may not be accurate or consistent with manufacturer information. For updated, accurate country of origin data, it is recommended that you rely on product packaging or manufacturer information. Find Relief the Healthy, Natural, and Easy Way from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis If you or someone in your life suffers from fibromyalgia, this is an essential resource. While drugs and pain suppressants are available for relief, The Fibromyalgia Cookbook offers a healthy, natural method of subduing the pain and exhaustion through easy recipes and cooking tips. - No red meat - No green peppers - No eggplant - Avoid heavy, starchy foods - No white flour - Low sodium - Low fat - No processed sugars. Following these simple rules, author Shelley Ann Smith has created more than 140 delicious recipes. Enjoy: - Cream of Chicken Soup - Blueberry Muffins - Sole with Garlic Lemon Butter - Pasta with Pesto Sauce - Chicken Waldorf Salad - Overnight Salsa Just by indulging in these satisfying dishes, fibromyalgia patients will have energy and motivation they never thought possible.

Bested, Alison C., M.D. Assembled Product Dimensions (L x W x H): 6.00 x 8.00 x 0.75 Inches Cooking, Food & Wine Be the first to review this item. Share your rating and review so that other customers can decide if this is the right item for them. If you would like to share feedback with us about pricing, delivery or other customer service issues, please contact customer service directly. Q&A tips and guidelines When writing your question or answer, please follow these guidelines: Do: Make sure your question is directly related to the product Do: Be specific and provide as many details as possible Do: Include the model number (if applicable) Do: Write your question in English Do Not: Include personal information (such as your full name) All submitted questions and answers are subject to the terms set forth in our Terms and Conditions We reserve the right not to post your question or answer if it contains any of the following: