I definately have delt with this both at work and at home. I really feel like if I didn't have back pain my ex husband would still be here. He was very active and liked going out. I just couldn't do it.

I felt like his family didn't believe me that I was making myself hurt by worrying so much. I've had doctors that have told me the same thing, that I was just depressed.

My mother refuses to believe me since it is genetic and no one in her family has that problem. It must be from my dad. My dad says no one in his family has problems like that.

I also feel nervous about losing my job as time and this disease progresses but I have let my boss know what I'm dealing with and that helps. Someone told me "sometimes the known is easier to deal with than the unknown." If I left her to wonder and come up with her own conclusions then she may come up with something that makes me look really bad, so I told her what was going on.

It is really hard when you look normal and hurt so much. Especially if you are like me and try to carry on like normal. They tend to think if I can do something once then it's not as bad as I make it out to be. Just because I'm ok one day and do something that requires a lot of energy doesn't mean I'm better and will be fine from now on. People just don't understand that. It kind of frustrates me when I see those videos of people on workers comp that are "caught" doing yard work. So they must not need workers comp. Sure some people abuse the system but give me a break. Just because someone feels well enough to mow this hour doesn't mean he won't be hurting the next. If he's on worker's comp he probably doesn't have the money to pay anyone and you can get fined if you let your yard go for too long. Give me a break!

Sorry, sensitive subject for me lol!

To cut this long post short, I am finally getting some understanding now that I have found a doctor that says something about me isn't quite right. But in some ways it came too late. I've already dealt with and have lost a lot because people didn't understand. The others have made some really good suggestions... hopefully through education you can find some understanding and compassion.

Sharon