Beginner's Guide To Home Aids & Accessibility for Fibromyalgia // Fibromyalgia Awareness Month 2019 

I'm so proud of you for going out and still getting that cane to help you! And you are right, it is less usual for younger people, but it doesn't make it less tough. I hope you know you are not alone!

I was around your age when my symptoms started

I'm so happy for you that you were diagnosed young, I experienced symptoms for over 15 years prior to diagnosis. "Growing pains" for myself as well, as well as other lame excuses, such as dehydration, gas, weight, etc. I. 'm still actively fighting to get my hypermobile joint issues evaluated. I really urge you to push doctors and push them hard if they ever ignore symptoms. Ive had a new issue of everything being pushed aside as fibro when it likely isn't. Doctors love to ignore blatant symptoms until they finally diagnose you, then theyll blame everything afterwards on that one condition. I'm really sorry you're going through this, and urge you to stick close to the chronic illness community if you haven't been in this past year. It's a helpful group that will keep you sane and offer many solutions and aids where a doctor will shrug their shoulders and the people around you may underestimate your struggles.

LITERALLY SAME TT I just turned 15 and I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia about 1 year ago. It got so bad I couldnt go to school and had to be homeschooled for 2 years because of my disability (fortunately I live with my mom who was A LOT better at listening to me than my dad) I am better though and looking into schools in my area, with a cane for my okay times and a walker to help my bad days! I hope your situation is better and you live a happy and fulfilled life despite your ailments!

Yes! I can't live with out my electric blanket, my memory foam mattress and my chair/back massager. ( with heat off from amazon) Great tips.

OMG Yes, I do that too! I have little boxes, trays and baskets for everything! I even got some plastic tool box type of organizers for my sewing stuff so I just need to grab the box and go to the sofa or whatever.

Aw thats awesome! I hope you find them helpful 🥰

Thats such a good idea!

@@olgachronics3273 thank you! it works best with nice thick blankies or multiples so they stay warmer longer❤️ I gained inspiration from when I was small and my mom would pull out the warm laundry I'd always crawl in and make a warm nest lol 😂

I know about those but haven't felt the need for one so far. I guess it really comes down to each of us individually, and how our symptoms affects us.

I'm so glad it helped! I never considered a walker cause I was scared they'd be too heavy, but a cane is an awesome aid! :)

I love all of those! Enzo is my favourite!

You're welcome :)

Thank you! You should! :)

That's awesome, I'm happy it helped :)

Awesome! Thanks :)

I found that pill box at my supermarket. I know they have them online though. Try amazon, maybe ebay. I think you might have to really dig to find the right one though. Well, the only money I get from my videos is from the people who support me via patreon or who purchase items from my etsy store. I have a video talking all about my work from home, but I do freelance caption editing as my main source of income. :)

You're so welcome, I'm happy it helped! The one I am currently using I bought on YesStyle, but I'm sure you'll be able to find it on Wish, Amazon, sites like that! If you want a link to it let me know :)

haha thank you! I'm a firm believer that my aids have to be cute - if I have to have them, I might as well make using them a more pleasurable experience :)

Olga Chronics truer words have never been spoken! Lol same for me

haha Glad I'm not alone!

I think maybe showing her, in a way that she will understand, that a mobility aid would be a way to improve your quality of life and that you would maybe even improve with the help of it. Showing her videos from disabled creators might help, but I think finding out why she is so reluctant might help guide you in how to proceed to convince her. I hope you find a way to get the mobility aid you need :)

Hi! I'm sorry to hear your parents aren't being as supportive as you need right now. Have you considered maybe showing them some reliably sourced research on both fibro & how growing pains have been proven to be a myth? Since you are still so young you will alway have to have your parents there when you see a doctor I guess, but I would suggest mentioning other symptoms as well as the pain - the memory loss, the fatigue, numbness, whatever your main symptoms are, and how often you feel them, and also how limiting they are. I find mentioning this isn't how a normal person my age is supposed to feel works sometimes. I think it's crucial as well to get tested for everything else, because there are a lot of conditions with very similar symptoms, some of which do have cures, or better prognostics, so making sure you can go through a process of elimination is super important. I think you should be patient and consistent, make sure you are speaking up for yourself - sometimes it takes parents a little while to believe you, which can even be because they don't want to admit/believe that you are really in so much pain, you know? So try to be patient, but keep on reminding them that you want to know what is going on with your body :) Stay safe, and let me know how you get on :)

I'm 16, and have been asking for years to get seen by a pain management doctor. Finally got seen, and was diagnosed with fibro and started on 2 new meds and have a back injection on monday

I hope you get the help you need soon, keep advocating for yourself ✊

@@olgachronics3273 Been using crutches since seeing this and it's bit extra freedom so thank you ☺

Thank you! The one I showed in this video I bought at a supermarket called Lidl, they have random stuff like this sometimes. But I have since switched to a different one which I bought on YesStyle. You can also find similar things on amazon and wish :)

@@olgachronics3273 Thank you!!

I do! A sofa caddy! I have one that sits on the arm of my sofa, which has a bunch of pockets as well as a flat surface where I can place glasses/cups and it's surprisingly steady. You can also find one of those little side tables that have a foot that can be tucked under the sofa, so you have the table over your lap while you sit (hope that makes sense) and that can be used as an area to place things. But Sofa caddy is probably the best option. Another thing I do is I have a project bag with all my embroidery stuff so that's easy to reach and is all tucked away when I'm not using it.

I think you need to start by working on your internalised ableism - we have all been raised to believe mobility aids are bad, like giving up or whatever. But they're the opposite. They are freedom and confidence and independence. They mean you can enjoy your life more, and spend less time tucked away resting or flaring. Sure, some people might be in more pain than you, but that does not make your pain any less valid, and does not mean you have to be uncomfortable. We all have our own struggles, and we shouldn't not try to make our life better just because someone's life is worse! Maybe look into the #babewithamobilityaid or #disabledandcute tags on insta, they helped me a lot in accepting my aids. And decorate them to make you more excited to use them!

@@olgachronics3273 thank you so, so much!!

Ok.. many have same illnesses to varying degrees

@@EC-yd9yv that’s true, I have EDS and everyone is different but we have the same illness. Our symptoms are what’s different. I use a cane( walking stick) and I have a Rollator ( walker with wheels and a chair that I can sit on when I need a break from walking).

I also experience weakness in my legs

A lot of people in the community say that if you are considering an aid then you should get it, because that means you need/could benefit from it 🤗

@@olgachronics3273 thanks! :)

Thank you! hope you have a low pain day :)