Fibromyalgia

fibrogirl77

I am a 22 year old receptionist at a doctors surgery and have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I am at a complete loss at what to do. My emotions are everywhere. To be totally truthful I am terrified. What makes matters worse for me at the moment it that I am on jury service next week and I can't sit down longer than an hour and a half. I need help.i keep crying all the time and I hate it. Also I am in so much agony. I really don't know what to do.

[Deleted User]

Hello fibrogirl
Welcome to the forums, I am sure you will find support, advice and light relief here.

It may be an idea if you posted this in Living with arthritis page as more people use this page and you would probably get more help and advice.

I am one of the moderation team, we all have one or mre arthritis 'hangers on' or look after family with the same. If you need help with the technicalities of the forum just get in touch via a personal message.

CK Moderator.

stickywicket

Hello fibrogirl. I'm so sorry your post has been overlooked. First posts are usually a bit late coming in and they can then appear low down the order (at the time when they were posted not when they actually arrived on the forum) so can seem like old ones.

Right, we've got you now although I don't have fibro and can't be much help but at least your thread will now go where it can be seen by others who do have it.

If you genuinely feel you can't cope with the physical difficulties of jury service I think you should tell them before starting out as it might jeopardise the case(s) on which you are sitting. I think a doctor's note would almost certainly be required.

dibdab

Hello there,

Sorry I can't help with fibro, I have RA, but maybe I can make a suggestion with the jury service bit. I was called a couple of months ago, but phoned the office that sent the letter and explained my physical difficulties, the person there was really understanding and I was excused jury service without the need for a doctor's note. I did have to follow up the phone call with written confirmation confirming the problems I for saw with sitting for long periods and fatigue making it hard to concentrate for extended periods. Hopefully if you can make a phone call quickly they may excuse you too, but I guess it wouldn't do any harm to have a doctor's letter as a back up plan.

Hope you get it sorted.

Deb xx

Barbieg

Hi from me, I've had fibromyalgia for over 30 years, so sympathise with you. It's very much an invisible , very painful nuisance and difficult to come to terms with as most people ( friends included) don't understand. Having said that , I was asked to do jury service many years ago, and actually rang them to say I had fibromyalgia and wasn't sure if I could sit a long time. Was immediately excluded , and have never been asked again, so please try ringing someone to tell them. I'm sure there was a phone number on the letter. I also have Rheumatoid arthritis, and have to say that bothers me more than my fibro now as I have learned what I can and can't do. Perhaps I have developed a thick skin after 30yrs as I've lost count how many times someone has tutted at me when I've said I can't take part in something. It's difficult I know, but things will get better I promise you. I wish you all the best. Barbara.

theresak

Hello and welcome - I'm sorry you're having such a hard time at present. I can't help with the fibro, but when I was called for Jury Service two years ago I wrote a letter outlining the difficulties my RA caused, and I was excused.

stickywicket

How did you get on with avoiding jury service, fibrogirl77? Or didn't you? How are things now?