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Living with fibromyalgia can often feel overwhelming. From navigating complex symptoms to finding effective coping strategies, the journey can be both challenging and isolating. But what if you had your own personalized guidebook—a resource tailored to your experiences, insights, and needs? Enter the “Fibro Manual” or commonplace book, a concept that can transform how you manage your condition.

The Inspiration Behind a Fibro Manual

The idea of a commonplace book isn’t new. In 17th-century Britain, people like poet John Milton used these books to jot down notes, quotes, and ideas across a variety of topics. These personal collections became invaluable repositories of knowledge and inspiration. When I stumbled upon Milton’s commonplace book during an afternoon browsing the British Library’s collection, I couldn’t help but think of my own “red fibro folder.” What started as a simple place to store the Versus Arthritis leaflets that I was given by the rheumatologist upon diagnosis, has evolved over the years into a comprehensive fibro manual, filled with notes, articles, exercises, and motivational snippets. Now, it’s my go-to resource for everything I’ve learned about fibromyalgia.

Why Create Your Own Manual?

A fibro manual offers countless benefits for those living with chronic illness:

  1. Celebrate Your Knowledge When I was first diagnosed, I knew next to nothing about fibromyalgia. Over time, my manual has grown to include facts, figures, and management tips, reminding me of how far I’ve come in understanding my condition.
  2. Boost Your Spirits On tough days, flipping through my manual provides encouragement. It’s filled with uplifting quotes, poems, and reminders that difficult moments will pass.
  3. Quick Access to Key Information The sheer volume of information about chronic illness can be overwhelming. A fibro manual organizes the resources most relevant to you, making them easy to reference.
  4. Store Useful Insights for the Future Sometimes, you come across information or strategies that aren’t immediately applicable. Your fibro manual is the perfect place to save them for when the time is right.
  5. Combat Fibro Fog Memory challenges are common with fibromyalgia. Having a central place for your notes and resources can save you from frustration when fibro fog strikes.

What to Include in Your Fibro Manual

The beauty of a fibro manual is its flexibility. Here are some ideas to help you get started:

  • Course Notes: From chronic pain management or mental health classes.
  • Inspirational Quotes: Anything that uplifts or motivates you.
  • Poems: One of my favourites is Portia Nelson’s “Autobiography in Five Short Chapters.”
  • Recipes: Especially for anti-inflammatory or energy-boosting meals.
  • Exercise Guides: Like yoga routines tailored for fibromyalgia.
  • Leaflets and Articles: From charities, magazines, or medical sources.
  • Information on Associated Conditions: Such as migraines or costochondritis.
  • Goals and Achievements: Tracking milestones, no matter how small.
  • Future Research Topics: For things you’d like to explore later.

How to Create Your Fibro Manual

The format of your manual is entirely up to you. My own is a simple folder with plastic sleeves, perfect for storing leaflets and handwritten notes. If you prefer something more polished, consider a decorative notebook or digital document. The key is to choose a format that motivates and inspires you.

Why It’s Worth the Effort

Your fibro manual isn’t just a collection of notes—it’s a testament to your resilience and resourcefulness. Whether you need a pick-me-up on a hard day or a practical solution to a new challenge, your personalised guide will be there to support and empower you.

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Published by Sarah W

Chronic illness warrior. Loves writing, animals and the great outdoors.

13 thoughts on “Fibromyalgia Survival: Build Your Own Coping Manual”

  2. Hi Sarah, My name is Melinda at Looking for the Light and I do a post called Blogger Higlight which includes intruducing you to the community, a couple of questions form me and I always what is the favorite post and why. There is very little work you have to and once completed I will publish the next closest Monday. I also have Fibro an=s does several of my followers. What do you say? 🙂

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    2. Hi again Melinda. Ok here are my responses to the questions:

      What is your favorite post and why?

      My favourite blog post is this one about journaling. I’ve always journaled on and off since my teenage years and I find it such a powerful tool, not just for dealing with chronic illness, but for navigating life’s challenges generally. There’s real magic that happens with a pen and a blank page and it’s often amazing what will spill out onto the page.

      What inspired you to start a blog?

      After being diagnosed fibromyalgia, I thought my life was over. Everything changed for me – job, finances, physical capabilities and relationships (through not being believed about this illness). I hit rock bottom. Fortunately, my doctor suggested a CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) course for chronic illness, which started to turn things around. I learned to meet myself where I was at the time (not where I used to be or where I wished I was) and create some new goals.

      Slowly but surely, over a period of several years, I began to rebuild my life. I then began to read blogs about fibro and chronic illness and was both informed and inspired by the content. From there, I thought that blogging would be a good way for me to share what I have learned. My blog is about the stuff that I wish that I’d known when I was first diagnosed with fibro. We get a lot of good medical information from health professionals. But where I struggled was with things like, how can I still lead a meaningful life when everything has been turned on its head? What can I do so that I don’t just give up and spend the rest of my life sitting on the sofa wishing things were different? My hope is that through the blog, I can share all of this with others who might be feeling as lost as I was in the beginning.

      Thank you so much Melinda and have a great week 😊x

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    1. Thank you for stopping by and commenting Wendy. Yes it’s definitely something I’d recommend doing. And the Portia Nelson poem sums up my life perfectly!!
      All the best
      Sarah

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