Are there stages of fibromyalgia!? I often see the following article being reposted on social media – Seven stages of fibromyalgia. Doctors, specialist and other health care providers do not seem to refer to stages of fibromyalgia. I personally think this was written by people with fibromyalgia. Not everyone will go through the stages or necessarily in this order. In my case it is fairly accurate. I thought I would share this article. Please note I have not written this.

Different Stages Of Fibromyalgia

Stage 1: In this Fibromyalgia Stage you started experiencing pain and fatigue more than before, you’re not sure what is going on but you hurt and you are tired.You can hold a job, you can make it through your day, but you know something isn’t right…so it’s something you’re going to start researching.

Stage 2: In this stage you are in pain a lot, sometimes taking an anti-inflammatory drug or what have you. You do not get much relief, and you have accepted the fact this is something you are going to have for a while. You feel a lot of pain and you are exhausted almost every day, but for the most part. You keep going and hold down a job. Can still go to events, spend time with your friends and loved ones, and have some good time here and there.

Stage 3: You are in constant pain, you are constantly tired. You wonder whether you will be ever able to function normally again. You are considering not working, because you no longer have the energy you once had. You come home from work and all you can do is rest. You have to turn down invitations. You have no energy left and you have to rest up just to go back tomorrow. In this stage of Fibromyalgia, you start to feel more alone, and more and more people are beginning to think you whine too much. This stage of fibromyalgia can last a long time, perhaps years.

Stage 4: You are in unrelenting pain all the time, good days are few and far between. You are calling into work sick more than you even make it in. You are in bed a good portion of your day. Your family begins to think you are using Fibromyalgia as an excuse to not do things, because Fibromyalgia Stages 1-3 you were able to do much of what you just can’t do now. They think you are using your illness as an excuse, you feel alone, isolated, worried, emotional, sad.

Stage 5: You are struggling to make ends meet. Maybe have a person who takes care of you. You spend a lot of your day in bed, although you still take advantage of that one good day once in awhile. You are sore, very sore, you cry a lot, you feel like a prisoner in your own body. By this time you have already explained to your friends that it still feels good to be invited even if you don’t go.

Stage 6: It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in this stage, because things are piling up around you: bills, laundry, dishes. You do a little everyday, you push yourself so you don’t feel like your day was wasted in bed .You feel guilty that you no longer pull your own weight in the house.

Stage 7: So stage seven for fibromyalgia sufferers would be acceptance. Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up. It means facing your illness with a new perspective. You find peace with that acceptance. Anger, fear, hopelessness all but disappear. You stop feeling like you are a worthless human being and you find some purpose in your life.