Living with FibroFlow

Navigating daily challenges like brain fog and fatigue can feel isolating. Here, I share my personal story and the gentle discoveries that have made life with fibromyalgia more manageable.

Hi, I'm Neringa.

I'm a 39-year-old woman living with fibromyalgia, and I was diagnosed six years ago.

Like many people with fibromyalgia, my journey hasn't been straightforward. When I was first diagnosed, I was desperate for answers. I was struggling with pain, fatigue, brain fog, and all the other symptoms that can make even the simplest daily tasks feel overwhelming.

I still remember one of the first conversations I had with my rheumatologist. She asked me a question that caught me completely off guard:

"Have you experienced trauma in your life?"

My answer was yes.

She suggested that I consider working with a specialist who focused on trauma. At the time, I didn't think much of it. I was simply trying to survive each day. I was exhausted, in pain, and pushing myself far beyond my limits.

As the years went by, I started noticing a pattern.

Whenever I was stressed, my symptoms became significantly worse. My pain increased. My fatigue became unbearable. My body seemed to react to every emotional challenge I faced.

Eventually, I remembered my rheumatologist's advice.

After spending countless hours researching and learning, I decided to try hypnotherapy, specifically regression therapy.

To be completely honest, I wasn't sure what to expect.

But it changed my life.

I had seven sessions in total, focusing on childhood trauma and unresolved emotional experiences. After only two sessions, I felt like a different person. I found myself feeling genuinely happy for the first time in years. I would catch myself smiling and giggling for no particular reason, simply enjoying being alive and being present.

It was a feeling I had almost forgotten existed.

That experience became the beginning of my mindfulness journey.

I started practising meditation. I read books about personal growth and healing. I discovered aromatherapy and learned how to slow down and listen to my body. Little by little, I began rebuilding my relationship with myself.

For the first time in a very long time, I felt human again.

I don't want to pretend that one thing magically fixed everything.

I was also prescribed medication, and I believe it helped. I still take medication today, and I'm grateful for any support that eases my symptoms. For me, healing wasn't about one solution. It was a combination of many small things working together.

What amazed me most was that for almost four years, I didn't experience a major flare-up.

Of course, I still had difficult days. Fibromyalgia doesn't simply disappear. But compared to the early years after my diagnosis, my symptoms became far more manageable.

I felt proud of myself.

Not because everything was perfect, but because I had worked incredibly hard to create routines, habits, and coping strategies that supported my wellbeing. Anyone living with fibromyalgia knows that maintaining routines and discipline isn't always easy when your body feels unpredictable.

Life carried on.

I worked as a cleaner for the same company for eight years. I showed up, worked hard, and continued doing my best while managing a chronic illness behind the scenes.

Then, in February 2026, everything changed.

A situation involving my manager had a devastating impact on both my mental and physical health. After years of hard work and loyalty, I felt completely broken by the way I was treated.

The stress triggered one of the worst periods of my life.

My symptoms returned with a force I hadn't experienced for years.

I spent months on sick leave and eventually made the difficult decision to resign. Returning to that environment was simply not possible for me, physically or emotionally.

Today, I am unemployed.

As I write these words, I am living through one of the hardest chapters of my journey. My pain levels are high. Some days I struggle to get out of bed. Some days I feel frustrated that I know the tools that have helped me in the past, but I don't yet have the strength to use them consistently.

And that's okay.

Healing isn't a straight line.

Sometimes we move forward. Sometimes we fall back. Sometimes we simply survive the day, and that is enough.

FibroFlow was born during this difficult season of my life.

I created it because I wanted a place where people with fibromyalgia could feel understood. A place where we could share experiences, support one another, exchange tips, and remind each other that we are not alone.

I'm not a doctor.

I'm simply someone living with fibromyalgia who is learning, struggling, growing, and trying again.

Through FibroFlow, I want to share the products, tools, habits, and resources that have genuinely helped me. I want to talk openly about the good days and the bad days. Most importantly, I want to create a community built on kindness, understanding, and hope.

Right now, I may not be at my strongest.

But I know this difficult chapter is not my whole story.

I believe brighter days will come again.

Until then, I'll keep taking one small step at a time.

And if you're reading this while struggling too, I hope you'll do the same.

With love,

Neringa

This photo was taken during a better season of my life. If you're currently struggling, please know that difficult chapters don't last forever.