Symtoms started 89, when I moved from Berlin, Germany to Ft. Hood TX. The heat in TX. totally made me feel like I'd been hit by a mac truck and drug behind it for 30 miles. I sought medical attention for this and was told thru tests that I had Lupis...I think alot of the problem was all of the shots the Army gave use for Desert Strom. I was up and down with pain, In 2006 I had an accident on a mountain bike and broke my L collar bone, I had surgury on it and they took out 2 inches of the bone and tied the rest to a ligament, the pain my body has been thru since is unlike any pain I have had.

All of this started while on manuvers in Ft. Hood, when I got home after 2 weeks of training I had 2 ticks on my leg, I burned them out with a needle, I went to the medics but they said I would be fine in a few days....well 20 yrs later I'm still in pain and worse the last 3 than ever..I have worked at the USPS since '93 , I was a letter-carrier for 8 yrs then changed to distrabution clerk in 2001, working the night shift sorting the mail (1am to 9am) so it would be ready for the carriers when they come in, last July I had to put in for an early medical-retirement, which is yet to be done by OPM, I relize that I can not work like that any longer...It is very hard to explane to people that you have a disease that might never go away and the pain that you go thru on a daily basis,,,they just dont understand..I just tell them (I hope you never have to go thru it, because it is not a fun being in pain all the time) I'm still trying to decide witch is worse, "the pain" or "the brain fog". Any helpfull sugestions on FM & CFS would be appericiated. Your freind, Jay. Update 12-09,  I finally got my retiremet it only took 17 months and that was without pay, but they had to backpay me, its a good thing I have a very good and loving wife and mom. Alot of the stress is gone now, but the pain has been very bad the last 6 mo. I have been useing a pain patch Fentanyl 25 mcg,  They help alot with the pain; there has been alot of warnings about them, but I've had no problems yet, I use about one patch every 5 days. Ya know it would be nice to have a day when the pain went below "5" I'd have to run around the block a couple of times..BUT the last 6 months its been 7 to 10, but the 7s dont last long. but I'm still surching for some good reliefe  of pain, I'll never give up till its gone.  Best wishes to all, send me a note and let me know what worked for you, Your friend, Jay. PS I do like photography so I'll be addin pics I did all the time..