Fibromyalgia is a complex condition that's difficult to understand, especially if you don't have a medical degree. Because it involves the brain and nervous system, fibromyalgia can have an impact on virtually every part of the body.
If you're trying to understand this condition in someone you know, it can be incredibly confusing. When a lot of people see a bizarre collection of fluctuating symptoms that don't show up in medical tests, they decide fibromyalgia must be a psychological problem. A host of scientific evidence, however, proves that it's a very real physical condition.
Imagine you're planning a party and expecting about 20 guests. Three or four friends told you they'd come early to help you out. But they don't show, and instead of 20 guests, you get 100. You're overwhelmed.
That's what's happening with pain signals in someone who has fibromyalgia. The cells send too many pain messages (party guests), up to five times as many as in a healthy person. That can turn mild pressure or even an itch into pain.
When those pain signals reach the brain, they're processed by something called serotonin. People with fibromyalgia, however, don't have enough serotonin (the friends who didn't show up to help), leaving the brain overwhelmed.
This is why people with fibromyalgia have pain in tissues that show no sign of damage. It's not imagined pain; it's misinterpreted sensation that the brain turns into actual pain.
Other substances in the patient's brain amplify a host of other signals -- essentially, "turning up the volume" of everything. That can include light, noise and odor on top of pain, and it can further overload the brain. This can lead to confusion, fear, anxiety and panic attacks.
Most people with a chronic illness are always sick. The effects on the body of cancer, a virus, or a degenerative disease are fairly constant. It's understandably confusing to see someone with fibromyalgia be unable to do something on Monday, yet perfectly capable of it on Wednesday.
Look at it this way: Everyone's hormones fluctuate, and even things like weight and blood pressure can rise and fall during the course of a day, week or month. All of the systems and substances in the body work that way, rising and falling in response to different situations.
Research shows conclusively that fibromyalgia involves abnormal levels of multiple hormones and other substances. Because those things all go up and down, sometimes one or more are in the normal zone and other times they're not. The more things that are out of the zone, the worse they'll feel.
Some people think fibromyalgia patients are emotionally incapable of dealing with stress, because a stressful situation will generally make symptoms worse.
The important thing to understand is that we respond to stress both emotionally and physically. A physical response, in everyone, includes a rush of adrenaline and other hormones that help kick your body into overdrive so you can deal with what's happening.
People with fibromyalgia don't have enough of those hormones, which makes stress very hard on their bodies and can trigger symptoms.
Also, when we talk about "stress" we usually mean the emotional kind, which can come from your job, a busy schedule, or personal conflict. A lot of things actually cause physical stress, such as illness, lack of sleep, nutritional deficiencies and injuries. Physical stress can have the same effect as emotional stress.
Think of a time when you were not just tired, but really exhausted. Maybe you were up all night studying for a test. Maybe you were up multiple times to feed a baby or take care of a sick child. Maybe it was the flu or strep throat.
Imagine being exhausted like that all day while you're trying to work, take care of kids, clean the house, cook dinner, etc. For most people, one or two good night's sleep would take that feeling away.
With fibromyalgia, though, comes sleep disorders that make a good night's sleep a rarity. A person with fibromyalgia can have anywhere from one to all of the following sleep disorders:
Insomnia (difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep)
Inability to reach or stay in a deep sleep
Sleep apnea (breathing disturbances that can wake the person repeatedly)
Restless leg syndrome (twitching, jerking limbs that make it hard to sleep)
Periodic limb movement disorder (rhythmic, involuntary muscle contractions that prevent deep sleep)
Fibromyalgia In a Nutshell
A lot of illnesses involve one part of the body, or one system. Fibromyalgia, however, involves the entire body and throws all kinds of things out of whack. As bizarre and confusing as the varied symptoms may be, they're tied to very real physical causes.
Fibromyalgia can take someone who is educated, ambitious, hardworking and tireless, and rob them of their ability to work, clean house, exercise, think clearly and ever feel awake or healthy.
It's NOT psychological "burn out" or depression.
It's NOT laziness.
It's NOT whining or malingering.
It IS the result of widespread dysfunction in the body and the brain that's hard to understand, difficult to treat, and, so far, impossible to cure.
The hardest thing for patients, however, is having to live with it. Having the support and understanding of people in their lives can make it a lot easier.
This was an article from http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/whatisfibromyalgia/a/understandfibro.htm?nl=1
Great website, highly recommend it!!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Maybe
Have you ever wanted to hid the fact that you're sick? To mask the pain and fatigue and everything else and just pretend that you aren't chronically ill? I had a friend who asked me why I air my dirty laundry almost immediately after knowing someone. My response? When they know you're sick and have ptsd among other issues they know what they're getting into, and many leave... but at least I know that the ones who stay are for real.
I worry a lot about the future and what my life will be life. I could probably go my whole life having friends, family, even a spouse not know that I"m sick. I could do it. But would I want to? Some people say I talk about it too much, that I tell people too freely, but it's there, it's a part of my life. it's a large part actually. So what do I do? Do I screen potential dates by telling them early on? Do I only date other "sickos" people who are suffered like me? Or do I crawl into the "im sick" hole and die to relationships? I say screw everyone. I'm going to tell everyone and anyone and get people to stand up and listen for once, listen and hear about this terrible affliction that affects so many people. And many I'll find someone to stand up for me by my side.... maybe
I worry a lot about the future and what my life will be life. I could probably go my whole life having friends, family, even a spouse not know that I"m sick. I could do it. But would I want to? Some people say I talk about it too much, that I tell people too freely, but it's there, it's a part of my life. it's a large part actually. So what do I do? Do I screen potential dates by telling them early on? Do I only date other "sickos" people who are suffered like me? Or do I crawl into the "im sick" hole and die to relationships? I say screw everyone. I'm going to tell everyone and anyone and get people to stand up and listen for once, listen and hear about this terrible affliction that affects so many people. And many I'll find someone to stand up for me by my side.... maybe
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Aching and whining
The hardest thing lately for me has been the aching pain. The kind that leaves you drained and yet you can't crawl into bed because even laying down is painful. What I'd give for a back massage right now or something to take my mind off of the pain. It's also really hard knowing that I wouldn't be in pain right now if I hadn't received bad news about mum and dad. For people who don't believe that I'm sick they sure help contribute to it
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Poem from a Flare 2 Years Ago
I'm tired. Of everything really. I'm tired of the pain,
the emotional, the physical, the fog inside my brain.
I'm tired of hurting others and being hurt in return.
I'm tired of being tired, to live with this I'll never learn.
I'm tired of the nausea, the pain makes me green.
I'm tired of looking sickly, am I the sickest you've ever seen?
I'm tired of avoiding people I'm scared they won't understand.
I'm tired of always having to change, I'm tired of losing my plans.
Of having to change my hopes and dreams
Cause of course it's not God's will,
but he's my father, brother, he's my all,
and he's helping me up this hill.
I'm tired of the medications that cause bitter agony.
I'm tired of all the rules. I'm tired of wishing to be free.
I'm tired of changing who I am to suit a life I hate.
I'm tired of looking in the mirror seeing what this pain creates.
I'm a sickly weakened child who cries out in the dark.
who can't seem to keep up with you. This illness left it's mark.
And I guess I'm just tired of trying, I'm tried of trying to smile.
And I'm tired of doing it all alone, lonely all the while.
the emotional, the physical, the fog inside my brain.
I'm tired of hurting others and being hurt in return.
I'm tired of being tired, to live with this I'll never learn.
I'm tired of the nausea, the pain makes me green.
I'm tired of looking sickly, am I the sickest you've ever seen?
I'm tired of avoiding people I'm scared they won't understand.
I'm tired of always having to change, I'm tired of losing my plans.
Of having to change my hopes and dreams
Cause of course it's not God's will,
but he's my father, brother, he's my all,
and he's helping me up this hill.
I'm tired of the medications that cause bitter agony.
I'm tired of all the rules. I'm tired of wishing to be free.
I'm tired of changing who I am to suit a life I hate.
I'm tired of looking in the mirror seeing what this pain creates.
I'm a sickly weakened child who cries out in the dark.
who can't seem to keep up with you. This illness left it's mark.
And I guess I'm just tired of trying, I'm tried of trying to smile.
And I'm tired of doing it all alone, lonely all the while.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Feeling a Flare
I"m a member of the website Patientslikeme.com and a girl posted the other day a list of symptoms showing you are heading into a flare and I thought i'd share with everyone. everything in bold i'm having issues with right now... Guess who is in a flare? that'd be me.
A Fibromyalgia FLARE is a period of time when your Fibro symptoms are increased or out of control. It could last for less than an hour, or for months on end.
Flares happen if you are not on correct treatment, if you don't have your treatment adjusted at the moment, or you encounter something that throws your treatment off.
Signs of a Flare or an Approaching Flare:
Your muscles may become unreliable, you may drop things.
You may also notice muscle weakness such as when pouring liquids, turning a door knob, opening a can.
It may be hard for you to judge the weight of objects. This can result in apparently throwing things around.
Extremities may feel cold compared to the rest of the body.
You may have hot or cold waves through your entire body.
Your heart may palpitate.
You become stiff.
You hurt all over.
Increase in skin blemishes.
Sores in mouth or on tongue. Inflamed taste buds.
It may become difficult to feed yourself without spilling food or a drink.
Fibro Fog (inability to think clearly) may become worse
Depression due to the pain may worsen, as well as the pain itself.
You may have trouble finding and saying words.
Your judgment can be impaired.
You become extremely fatigued.
You want to lie down and sleep.
You are less able to sleep.
You may become depressed.
You may procrastinate.
You may become obsessive or compulsive.
You get a headache.
Urination becomes very frequent.
You may become incontinent, especially with urinary stress incontinence.
Your monthly cycle may be disrupted.
Your cuticles become sore.
You bruise easily
Bulged discs may cause more pain
Joints may pop and crackle, especially in your neck
You experience extreme pain from simple bumps.
You may become withdrawn, or have a panic or anxiety attack
You may suddenly want to leave where you are.
You may become nauseous.
You become very irritated, sometimes over the least things.
You suddenly begin to itch or have a burning sensation on your skin.
You may feel dizzy when changing your posture. This could happen when you get up after laying down, or it could happen every time you move your head.
Spatial disorientation, you can no longer tell where you are in relation to the world around you.
Aphasia - you may not recognize faces or places.
Your eyesight becomes dull. Your hearing may, as well.
Your eyes may become dry or burn.
You may have trouble seeing at night. Car lights may glare.
You may have trouble swallowing.
You may bump into walls or trip over things.
Perspiration may increase or decrease dramatically.
You may start clenching your teeth.
You may have symptoms of bursitis.
Sinus pressure.
Post nasal drip.
Hair loss.
Depth perception may also be off.
A Fibromyalgia FLARE is a period of time when your Fibro symptoms are increased or out of control. It could last for less than an hour, or for months on end.
Flares happen if you are not on correct treatment, if you don't have your treatment adjusted at the moment, or you encounter something that throws your treatment off.
Signs of a Flare or an Approaching Flare:
Your muscles may become unreliable, you may drop things.
You may also notice muscle weakness such as when pouring liquids, turning a door knob, opening a can.
It may be hard for you to judge the weight of objects. This can result in apparently throwing things around.
Extremities may feel cold compared to the rest of the body.
You may have hot or cold waves through your entire body.
Your heart may palpitate.
You become stiff.
You hurt all over.
Increase in skin blemishes.
Sores in mouth or on tongue. Inflamed taste buds.
It may become difficult to feed yourself without spilling food or a drink.
Fibro Fog (inability to think clearly) may become worse
Depression due to the pain may worsen, as well as the pain itself.
You may have trouble finding and saying words.
Your judgment can be impaired.
You become extremely fatigued.
You want to lie down and sleep.
You are less able to sleep.
You may become depressed.
You may procrastinate.
You may become obsessive or compulsive.
You get a headache.
Urination becomes very frequent.
You may become incontinent, especially with urinary stress incontinence.
Your monthly cycle may be disrupted.
Your cuticles become sore.
You bruise easily
Bulged discs may cause more pain
Joints may pop and crackle, especially in your neck
You experience extreme pain from simple bumps.
You may become withdrawn, or have a panic or anxiety attack
You may suddenly want to leave where you are.
You may become nauseous.
You become very irritated, sometimes over the least things.
You suddenly begin to itch or have a burning sensation on your skin.
You may feel dizzy when changing your posture. This could happen when you get up after laying down, or it could happen every time you move your head.
Spatial disorientation, you can no longer tell where you are in relation to the world around you.
Aphasia - you may not recognize faces or places.
Your eyesight becomes dull. Your hearing may, as well.
Your eyes may become dry or burn.
You may have trouble seeing at night. Car lights may glare.
You may have trouble swallowing.
You may bump into walls or trip over things.
Perspiration may increase or decrease dramatically.
You may start clenching your teeth.
You may have symptoms of bursitis.
Sinus pressure.
Post nasal drip.
Hair loss.
Depth perception may also be off.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Eratic Emotions
Whenever I get upset or frustrated I tend to try and work it off physically or else eat it away using chocolate and donuts. Today I used a combination of the two. Probably the worst thing for my health that I could do and yet I did it knowing very well that a muscle relaxer and extra pain pill I'll need tomorrow are going to make me one VERY messed up young lady.
When I woke up this morning I literally started to tear up over how much pain it caused me just to move to shut the alarm off next to my bed. The kind of pain where you moan out load no matter how used to the pain you are? I DID sleep in which was good but then the day just got worse and worse. I had a guy I was interested in basically "dump" me for God.... you laugh but apparently it's possible. Being jealous of God... now there's a new one. I think It actually hurts more than if it'd been another girl or him turning gay. Story of my life I guess though. I swear it has to be me. No way was that just God killing the relationship. Five bucks says I said something or did something to bug the guy.
So because I was disappointed and also trying to figure out how to get back to being just friends when I like him, I decided walking back bay in the crummy weather was a good idea. I got a mile into it when my leg gave out and my back wrenched. So i walked the miserable mile back to my car and drove to hannaford for some healthy food (trying to offset my stupidity) I go to eat the berries I bought and see that there's mold on some of the ones in the middle of the container. Appetite immediately gone and I'm disgusted. A friend of mine mentions meeting up at work early to eat supper together. I went over to my friend's BK and got some junk food figuring oh well at this point I need some comfort food. I get to work and realize that they forgot half my meal/ screwed up half my meal. At this point my day was utter shit.
I was scheduled to be on the floor for floor guard duty ( I work at a Roller Skating Rink) So I threw my skates on and skated really hard all night trying to burn off some emotions. Probably wouldn't have as much if the guy wasn't texting me telling me what a great find I was.... yeah really great find... so great that now you're consoling me with "all my female friends have found husbands by hanging around me" .... thank you... you're now saying you'll hitch me up with someone. Damn. And through all of this the pain levels were rising and rising. THEN I went to go pick up a ticket off the floor and slipped backwards because of my back and leg issue. Totally wrenched my arm attempting to stop my fall.
My day has been shit. Utter shit. Not that mediocre crap, SHIT.... And I have to be honest 90% of the problems I had were based on my own decisions. Actually all of them. Because I should know better than to work too hard, eat junk food, buy fruit at a supermarket that ALWAYS gives me issues, or trust someone. All stupid ideas and all things I continue to do. So now I am off to la la land and desperately praying to God hoping he has pity on me and gives me an okay pain day tomorrow. After all i think today was punishment enough for whatever I must of done wrong.
When I woke up this morning I literally started to tear up over how much pain it caused me just to move to shut the alarm off next to my bed. The kind of pain where you moan out load no matter how used to the pain you are? I DID sleep in which was good but then the day just got worse and worse. I had a guy I was interested in basically "dump" me for God.... you laugh but apparently it's possible. Being jealous of God... now there's a new one. I think It actually hurts more than if it'd been another girl or him turning gay. Story of my life I guess though. I swear it has to be me. No way was that just God killing the relationship. Five bucks says I said something or did something to bug the guy.
So because I was disappointed and also trying to figure out how to get back to being just friends when I like him, I decided walking back bay in the crummy weather was a good idea. I got a mile into it when my leg gave out and my back wrenched. So i walked the miserable mile back to my car and drove to hannaford for some healthy food (trying to offset my stupidity) I go to eat the berries I bought and see that there's mold on some of the ones in the middle of the container. Appetite immediately gone and I'm disgusted. A friend of mine mentions meeting up at work early to eat supper together. I went over to my friend's BK and got some junk food figuring oh well at this point I need some comfort food. I get to work and realize that they forgot half my meal/ screwed up half my meal. At this point my day was utter shit.
I was scheduled to be on the floor for floor guard duty ( I work at a Roller Skating Rink) So I threw my skates on and skated really hard all night trying to burn off some emotions. Probably wouldn't have as much if the guy wasn't texting me telling me what a great find I was.... yeah really great find... so great that now you're consoling me with "all my female friends have found husbands by hanging around me" .... thank you... you're now saying you'll hitch me up with someone. Damn. And through all of this the pain levels were rising and rising. THEN I went to go pick up a ticket off the floor and slipped backwards because of my back and leg issue. Totally wrenched my arm attempting to stop my fall.
My day has been shit. Utter shit. Not that mediocre crap, SHIT.... And I have to be honest 90% of the problems I had were based on my own decisions. Actually all of them. Because I should know better than to work too hard, eat junk food, buy fruit at a supermarket that ALWAYS gives me issues, or trust someone. All stupid ideas and all things I continue to do. So now I am off to la la land and desperately praying to God hoping he has pity on me and gives me an okay pain day tomorrow. After all i think today was punishment enough for whatever I must of done wrong.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Acceptance?
"I wanna heal, I wanna feel what I thought was never real
I wanna let go of the pain I’ve felt so long
(Erase all the pain till it’s gone)
I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I’m close to something real
I wanna find something I’ve wanted all along
Somewhere I belong"
Have you ever felt like the pain was your life? I was speaking to a friend at my church group tonight about how this has encompassed my life. I try to ignore it and pretend it's not there but then I get sick. I stopped talking meds and don't watch what I eat or what I do for exercise and then I crash. I'm basically just making myself sicker. And I hate it. I hate not wanting to date because eventually I'll have to tell them I'm sick. And they react one of two ways. Either "OMG..... really? um... welll...." awkward! OR they act like your mother and nurse and smother you thinking you're fragile and breakable.
I just want to be better. I just want to get over it. It's like I'm haunted. I just can't get out of this cage and it's suffocating me. Every time I get prayer I feel nothing. I've had one minor healing and that's it. It's like God is saying no. It hurts. It hurts that he's letting me hurt. I don't know how many of you reading my blog are christians but if you are doesn't it hurt? I get so angry at God. Why'd you give me this illness? this depression? These personality traits from being abused as a child and as a girlfriend WHY???? ANd there's no answer. May never be. And I'm just trying to find the peace to accept that.
I wanna let go of the pain I’ve felt so long
(Erase all the pain till it’s gone)
I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I’m close to something real
I wanna find something I’ve wanted all along
Somewhere I belong"
Have you ever felt like the pain was your life? I was speaking to a friend at my church group tonight about how this has encompassed my life. I try to ignore it and pretend it's not there but then I get sick. I stopped talking meds and don't watch what I eat or what I do for exercise and then I crash. I'm basically just making myself sicker. And I hate it. I hate not wanting to date because eventually I'll have to tell them I'm sick. And they react one of two ways. Either "OMG..... really? um... welll...." awkward! OR they act like your mother and nurse and smother you thinking you're fragile and breakable.
I just want to be better. I just want to get over it. It's like I'm haunted. I just can't get out of this cage and it's suffocating me. Every time I get prayer I feel nothing. I've had one minor healing and that's it. It's like God is saying no. It hurts. It hurts that he's letting me hurt. I don't know how many of you reading my blog are christians but if you are doesn't it hurt? I get so angry at God. Why'd you give me this illness? this depression? These personality traits from being abused as a child and as a girlfriend WHY???? ANd there's no answer. May never be. And I'm just trying to find the peace to accept that.
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