Blog
-
The Silent Struggle: A Personal Reflection on misdiagnosed/ misunderstood conditions
I recently had to attend a doctor’s appointment with a doctor who had ordered a lung function test way back in the fall. At the end of August I got extremely sick with what she thought was pneumonia. After weeks of antibiotics, trips to the emergency room and the cough worsening over time, she decided…
-
The Struggles of Maintaining Friendships Amidst Chronic Illness: A Personal Journey
We often form friendships with people who have similar hobbies and interests as we do. However, what happens when chronic illness takes away our ability to take part in those activities? Those friendships often cease to exist because we no longer have ” things in common”. This does not happen just with having a chronic…
-
SIBO – What is it? Is there a correlation between SIBO and Fibromyalgia?
Have you ever heard of SIBO? Most people will say no to this question. I hadn’t heard of SIBO until I started seeing a naturopathic doctor. SIBO stands for small intestinal bacteria overgrowth – it is not the same as IBS or c diff. I started seeing a naturopathic doctor (ND) in April of 2024…
-
Beyond Fibromyalgia: Uncovering Lyme Disease and Its Impact on My Life
Hey Fibrofighters… It has been forever since I have written a blog – just shy of 7 months was my last post release. I have not forgotten about you all! For those of you who follow my Facebook page, you all know I continue to post there fairly consistently along with monitoring Fibrofighter’s private support…
-
Progressive muscle relaxation and fibromyalgia
Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique used to help decrease muscles tension. It focuses on one part of your body at a time with a goal of relaxing that part. Believe it or not this technique focuses on slowly tensing and releasing each muscle group at a time. You might be discouraged as soon as…
-
How I found purpose in life living with fibromyalgia – My story!
When we live with fibromyalgia ( or any chronic condition) we may eventually question ourselves to how can we find purpose to life. What is the purpose in life if we are constantly in pain, extremely fatigued to be productive or struggling with other symptoms of the illness? How does one find purpose in life when…
-
Fibromyalgia and Neuroinflammation – Neuroinflammation is being found in people with fibromyalgia!
Fibromyalgia can be a very confusing condition. Not all healthcare providers believe fibromyalgia derives from the same body system issues. Some classify fibromyalgia as arthritis, others state it is neurological and then there are still health care providers out there that believe fibromyalgia is a mental illness. The one question we all ask is “Does…
-
Fibromyalgia – It is okay to not be okay…It does not make you weak!
***New Blog Post – December 12, 2023***
-
Fibromyalgia – You Can’t force healing/improvement to happen…
One aspect of dealing with chronic pain that has always frustrated me is how many health care providers think that they can rush you through a program or treatment route as fast as possible and have success at the end. A chronic illness is just that – chronic. You can’t rush a patient through various…
-
Fall Weather – The struggle is real! My personal story!
Living with fibromyalgia we learn quickly how unpredictable the condition and its symptoms can be. We learn how to manipulate and change our surrounds and routines to avoid certain symptoms from spiraling out of control. However, what happens when we can’t prevent said symptoms from arising or becoming worse?? If you have fibromyalgia you know…
-
Nociplastic Pain and Fibromyalgia. What exactly is Nociplastic Pain?
When we stop and think of pain many of us think pain is just pain. I have recently bought two books on how to “live” with chronic pain and to make the best life possible. Both these books introduced a concept that I was not aware of. I am sure the terms have existed for…
-
Don’t disregard medication side effects if you don’t experience any at the beginning – What I have learned on my journey!
Just when I thought I had fibromyalgia figured out, my body decides to throw another curve ball and I am left trying to find that path I swayed from. At the beginning of my fibromyalgia journey ( 2019) I trialed and errored different medications used to help lower the pain levels that comes with fibromyalgia.…
-
Should I continue to work once diagnosed with fibromyalgia? How I made the difficult decision….
People who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia eventually find themselves asking the question,” Should I continue to work?” Debating whether it is appropriate to stop working due to fibromyalgia can be a very confusing time. Not everyone is able to stop working and they continue to push themselves through their shifts day by day. Here is…
-
Clinical Hypnosis and Fibromyalgia ( or any chronic pain disorders) Does hypnotherapy work to lower chronic pain?
When most of us think about hypnosis our minds often wander to watching someone get hypnotized on stage and running around barking like a dog or clucking like a chicken. This is known as stage hypnosis. The hypnosis therapy I am referring to is clinical hypnosis. It is very different then stage hypnosis and has…
-
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Fibromyalgia.
Over the last six months I have been doing a lot of reading about hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) being used to treat fibromyalgia. You are probably wondering what hyperbaric oxygen therapy is… here is a quick run down on the concept. HBOT involves breathing 100% pure oxygen in a hyperbaric chamber. While in the chamber…
-
Fibromyalgia and hearing loss. Another correlation found!
Since I started conversing with people world-wide who live with fibromyalgia, an interesting topic in regards to associated coexisting issues keeps arising. I never had the answer or even heard complaints of this topic before – hearing loss. I thought to myself hearing loss can’t be yet another possible condition that coexists with fibromyalgia. To…
-
How accurate are pain scales? Do pain scales really gather relevant information?
I was shuffling through my filing cabinet the other day organizing my files for fibromyalgia. As I reorganized papers, I soon realized how many different pain scale forms I have filled out over the years. I got wondering are these pain scales really as accurate as the scientific world perceives them to be? Are they…
-
Fibromyalgia: Doctor-patient relationship. How does empathy make a difference?
I have been reading the book, ” The Invisible Kingdom”, written by Meghan O’Rourke. The chapter on doctor-patient relationship really resonated with me. I grew up in a smaller town, were your family doctor had the time to spend an adequate amount of time with you during appointments. It wasn’t out of the ordinary to…
-
Fibromyalgia and Pain Journals – What should I document?
When dealing with any chronic illness a pain journal can be very helpful. Most health care providers will recommend to keep this type of journal. Even if you are years into your battle, it is never too late to begin this documentation. If you do not know what a pain journal is – this is…
-
Fibromyalgia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) have more in common then you think! Both conditions often co-exist!
A subject that is rarely discussed in fibromyalgia is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS and fibromyalgia are two separate conditions, but seem to have a connection between the two. According to the UNC Centre for functional GI and Motility disorders, 70% of patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia also have symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.…
-
Fibromyalgia and increased bruising or unexplained bruising. Possible causes.
Many symptoms of fibromyalgia remain unexplained and confusing to those of us who have to live day to day with fibromyalgia. One of the mysterious symptoms is increased unexplained bruises. How many times have you found yourself thinking “How did I get that bruise on my arm?” Only to look down at your legs to…
-
A Mindfulness technique – Active Listening Music Strategy
For people with fibromyalgia, we are often recommended to take part in mindfulness exercises. Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present. For many of us, our mind wanders while we are doing things and it is like we are on auto pilot. Endless thoughts invade our mind all day long. When we remain mindful,…
-
Fibromyalgia – Worst advice received by someone who doesn’t understand chronic pain
During a discussion on Fibrofighter’s facebook page and private group, I had asked “What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve ever received from someone who doesn’t understand chronic pain?” Here are the top five answers from people around the world who live with fibromyalgia!! 1. “You just need to exercise more” Probably 100% of fibromyalgia…
-
Fibromyalgia and Trigger Point Injections
When I was attending the pain clinic, I spoke to the pain specialist doctor who recommended trigger point injections to help ease pain in specific areas. If you have not heard of trigger point injections – the injections often contain lidocaine and corticosteroids. The lidocaine helps block pain receptors in the muscles and the steroids…
-
Do doctors know how to diagnose fibromyalgia properly? Do they know the fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria?
As we know, fibromyalgia is a difficult condition to diagnose. With no specific test to help diagnose fibromyalgia it can become complicated and time consuming for the doctor. There is specific criteria that must be met to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia and also ruling out many other conditions. However are doctors familiar with the diagnosis…
-
Fibromyalgia – Are opioid medications used to treat fibromyalgia pain?
If you are one who suffers from chronic pain you know too well the debilitating deep down pains we are having to live with. We often make several trips back and forth to the doctor for a prescription to help alleviate even a small fraction of the pain. Often times the use of opioids to…
-
What are some common fibromyalgia treatment routes?
1. Medication. Various medications out there that have been FDA approved to treat fibromyalgia. Doctors often will prescribe anti depressants or anti convulsive medications as they are known to help fibromyalgia pain. There are other medications that your doctor may prescribe. My doctor has me on venlafaxine as many of the other medications had too…
-
Fibromyalgia – What causes fibromyalgia?
The cause of fibromyalgia remains unknown, but there are many possible theories to what cause fibromyalgia to develop. Please keep in mind these are just six possible causes and there are likely more not listed in my article . For my article I am just listing the most talked about causes. 1. Hereditary. Believe it…
-
How my father’s terminal cancer battle/memories have helped me through my fibromyalgia struggle!
As of recent, I have been focusing a lot of my time on grieving. After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I learned grieving the loss of my old life needed to take place. When one is diagnosed with fibromyalgia we often lose our identity. It took me years to realize this. Once I grieved the loss…
-
Can fibromyalgia go into remission?
Living with fibromyalgia can be like being on a rollercoaster. You never know what to expect day to day or even hour to hour. One minute you can be on that incline to the top of the rollercoaster, the next you are declining to the bottom. We are told fibromyalgia has no cure, but can…
-
Fibromyalgia and migraine headaches show a high correlation…
Fibromyalgia and migraines have a correlation. It is not understood why fibromyalgia causes migraines to form or why migraines may cause fibromyalgia. However, there is a theory that both conditions are linked to the levels of the hormone serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical in the body that is necessary for communication between nerve cells. Low…
-
Chronic pain appears to change the brain. Does it cause damage? According to research, chronic pain can possibly can damage our brain
According to experts, fibromyalgia has a neurological component. In fibromyalgia the brain interprets all stimulus as pain – when it really isn’t painful. In return our brain misfires pain signals all over the body causing chronic pain to form. Have you ever stopped to think about what happens to our brain if it is constantly…
-
Fibromyalgia – Why we simply can’t push through the pain.
In the past I have gotten many comments from health care providers and others ( who don’t understand) stating I should “just push through” the pain. However, I have never agreed to this saying when it comes to chronic pain in fibromyalgia. Chronic pain is not like the pain felt after that intense work out…
-
You can’t put a time limit on learning to manage fibromyalgia or any chronic condition
When I first got diagnosed with fibromyalgia I was set out to fix myself – the doctor wrote a letter to keep me off of work for two weeks to try to figure out how to get a handle on my fibromyalgia. Little did I know, learning to manage fibromyalgia was not just a two…
-
FM/a blood test for fibromyalgia – does it really detect fibromyalgia?
We are often told that there is no one test that can detect if we have fibromyalgia. Last year, I read about the FM/a test that supposedly can detect if a person has fibromyalgia or not. I do not think this blood test is readily available world wide and is costly. However, is it a…
-
Fibromyalgia makes even grocery shopping difficult
Fibromyalgia can make grocery shopping a very daunting task. For people without chronic pain conditions, it is just another errand to get done. For those of us with chronic pain, shopping can be overwhelming and absolutely exhausting – which can often leave us having to rest for hours on end or land us in bed…
-
Four reasons I blog about my fibromyalgia journey…
You may be wondering why I write and blog about my fibromyalgia journey. There are many different reasons behind why I began blogging. Many people probably think I blog to receive attention – wrong assumption! Here are the reasons I began blogging… 1. After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia I soon learned that I was beginning…
-
The Spoon Theory – What is it and how to use it?
Have you ever heard of the spoon theory?! The spoon theory was created to help give a visual picture to help illustrate the energy limitations on people who live with a chronic illnesses ( which included chronic pain). The spoons represent a unit of energy. Every task you work at during the day uses up…
-
I asked! You shared! What advice would you give to a fellow fibrofighter!? 40 answers shared
I asked the following question on many different social media platforms. “What advice would you give to a fellow fibrofighter?” I asked. You all shared. I decided to put together a post sharing all these wonderful ideas and tips. I hope those reading these can find some comfort, useful tips and feel understood. 1. Give…
-
What I wish I knew early diagnosis of fibromygia!
1. Learn to slow down and pace myself! Fibromyalgia requires you to slow down so you don’t cause a flare up to form! It also helps reserve energy. I wish I was told this earlier on. I could have prevented so many flare ups from forming. You may not get everything done that you wanted…
-
Fibromyalgia – I wish doctors and other health care providers could live in our shoes for a month! Would they be able to take part in their own recommendations?
There are times I wish every health care provider we deal with could actually put themselves in our shoes for a month to see how it truly feels to live with chronic pain on a daily basis. I bet if they were faced with the chronic pain and other symptoms that they too would have…
-
Fibromyalgia and sound sensitivity. Why do sounds become difficult to deal with? Is brain inhibition responsible?
Before being diagnosed with fibromyalgia noise rarely bothered me. Working in a school you learn to ignore all the different sounds. Since my fibromyalgia diagnosis, sounds begin to bother me more and more. People who live with fibromyalgia are hypersensitive to muscle, joint and widespread pain, but research is revealing hypersensitivity to sound as well.…
-
Fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis (OA) – Is there a comorbidity between the two conditions?
Three and a half years ago I never thought I would be being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Now here in 2023 I find myself being diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Both fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis are chronic pain conditions. Fibromyalgia in itself is debilitating enough. Experts share that fibromyalgia often co occurs with some form of arthritis. In a…
-
According to experts adding vitamin/mineral supplements in may help reduce fibromyalgia pain and symptoms! Vitamin deficiency often accompany fibromyalgia.
Before I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia my vitamin levels were perfectly normal. As the years pass, my vitamin levels continue to drop. I do know aging can causes our vitamin levels to be lower, however I believe fibromyalgia has played a part in my vitamin levels dropping fairly low. Research actually proves fibromyalgia can lower…
-
Before fibromyalgia is diagnosed, many other conditions should be ruled out. There are many conditions that can mimic fibromyalgia!
Polymyalgia rheumatica Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory disorder that can result in muscle pain, stiffness, muscle weakness, flulike symptoms and sleep disruptions. Before I got my diagnosis of fibromyalgia my doctor was debating whether my condition was polymyalgia or fibromyalgia. He was very certain I had one or the either. He ran a blood test…
-
People with fibromyalgia can develop trochanteric bursitis – which results in swelling and hip pain.
Have you ever heard of trochanteric bursitis? It is common condition that can form in people who have fibromyalgia. Trochanteric bursitis affects the fluid filled sacs (bursae) found between bones and soft tissues of the joints. The outer lining of the bursae becomes inflamed. I have recently had a lot of hip pain through the…
-
Experts reveal people with fibromyalgia do not remain in deep sleep long enough to benefit the body!
For those of us with fibromyalgia, we soon realize we do not sleep like we used to. Our sleep patterns change overtime. Most people with fibromyalgia eventually develop sleep disturbances. Do we really stop to think about what changes our quality of sleep?! People with fibromyalgia develop sleep patterns that remain choppy, inconsistent and leaves…
-
What I took for granted before I got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia!
Being able to get out of bed. Before being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I always wished I could stay in bed just for ten more minutes when my alarm rang. When you live with fibromyalgia you soon learn just finding the courage to get out of bed every morning becomes overwhelming. Some days I get up…
-
Invisible Documentary on Fibromyalgia – What do the doctors say in their interviews? What I found interesting.
I recently watched the newly released documentary on fibromyalgia – “Invisible.” produced by Nick Demos. The interviews with the individuals living with fibromyalgia did not surprise me – being I live with fibromyalgia myself and completely understand their struggles. What it did show me was that people all over the world with fibromyalgia do struggle…
-
How owning a dog can help people with Chronic Pain – such as fibromyalgia!
When we have a chronic condition we often wonder how we will manage the responsibilities that come along with owning a pet. However, did you know pets can bring a sense of comfort for people living with fibromyalgia. Since I have dogs, I will focus my blog post around dogs. Dogs are often referred to…
-
Having a chronic illness/condition is a full time job!
If you have been forced to remain off work or given up your career due to a chronic condition, people often assume you don’t work! Having to live daily trying to manage the condition can actually become a full time job! A chronic condition is just that- chronic. There are many aspects that need addressing…
-
Ten things NOT to say to someone with fibromyalgia or any chronic condition
1. Don’t tell me everything will get better. Fibromyalgia is a neurological condition with no cure. We can’t predict the course it will take. Some people find improvement, while others may never find any relief. 2. Don’t tell me to get more sleep because I say I’m fatigued. Did you know with fatigue, sleep does…
-
Why do some doctors stigmatize fibromyalgia!?? My personal experience!
Why is there such a stigma attached to fibromyalgia!? Why do some doctors believe fibromyalgia is a real condition, while other doctors do not accept fibromyalgia as a diagnosis!? I was lucky that the doctor I first started to see in regards to fibromyalgia had an in-depth understanding of it and was supportive over the…
-
How can family/friends support someone with Fibromyalgia ( or any chronic illness)
1. In order to be supportive to someone with fibromyalgia or any chronic illness, you first need to understand what the condition is. Fibromyalgia is more then just chronic pain. Research is the best option to arm yourself with information. The web holds a-lot of knowledge at a click of a button. Just be aware…
-
Can watching horror movies lower Chronic pain levels? Do movies help improve mental health?
I came across a few article that claims watching horror movies may help reduce chronic pain. I never thought watching a scary movie could actually benefit my pain levels. I have never heard of this theory before. However, the information presented in both articles does make sense to why it may reduce chronic pain According…
-
Lets talk about algophobia – fear of pain!
While I was was looking up something on chronic pain the other day I came across algophobia – which is fear of having pain. Most of us with chronic pain tend to suffer from algophobia. I don’t know about you, but I developed extreme anxiety about my pain levels possibly rising. The pain levels we…
-
Fibromyalgia and Brain fog…Aka Fibro fog.
When people think of fibromyalgia we often associate just pain with the condition. Fibromyalgia goes beyond pain and causes a person to have brain fog which affects a persons cognitive ability. We call this fibro fog. In my opinion fibro fog just on its own is debilitating. Think about it, how does mental cloudiness, reduced…
-
Fibromyalgia and temporomandibular joint ( TMJ)
Fibromyalgia and TMJ are two completely different conditions, but seem to travel together. Many people with fibromyalgia often suffer from jaw pain and have TMJ symptoms. People with chronic fatigue syndrome are often seen to struggle with TMJ as well. High occurrences of TMJ have been reported with people who suffer from fibromyalgia – which…
-
Fibromyalgia. Listening to ten minutes of music a day can possibly lower pain levels…
When I first started attending sessions with an occupational therapist a few months ago she directed me to listen to ten minutes of music a day. Not just listen to music in the background, but listen to the actual lyrics. I was so confused because I thought an occupational therapist would help me brainstorm strategies…
-
Does fibromyalgia weaken the immune system? According to researchers it does!
Does fibromyalgia weaken our immune system?! We are usually told it doesn’t, but sometimes I wonder how accurate this information is. Doctors never seem to share the studies done on fibromyalgia. Why is it when we do get sick, it feels 3x as bad!?! At least for myself it does. Fibromyalgia seems to amplify whatever…
-
Fibromyalgia what you should know about me…
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT Me Author’s note: This letter is based on communications with people throughout the world, males and females, who suffer from fibromyalgia. It does not represent any one of the over 10,000,000 people with FMS, but it can help the healthy person understand how devastating this illness can be. Please do…
-
Fibromyalgia and Dry eyes
Did you know fibromyalgia can affect your eyes?! Over the last six months I noticed my eyes would become extremely irritated. My eyes would appear blood shot, burn and my vision would go blurry. At first I thought my vision had changed and I needed new glasses. My eyes started to bother me daily so…
-
Fibromyalgia – Yoga and Tai Chi. What do researchers say in regards to how well they help lower fibromyalgia symptoms
We are often told activities such as yoga and tai chi are good choices for people with fibromyalgia. Our doctors or any other health care provider involved share this information with us in hopes that it will help ease our fibromyalgia. We rarely stop to question this information because all we want is some relief…
-
Why does fibromyalgia cause skin rashes!?!?
Do you get random skin rashes with fibromyalgia!? These rashes can be painful, bumpy, raised, itchy and you may even experience your skin crawling. I often experience these rashes. I even broke out in a fibromyalgia rash just sitting at the doctor’s office. Since I was already at the doctor’s office I decided to show…
-
Life with fibromyalgia – I can’t be spontaneous, but I can’t plan ahead either!
Anybody who knows me, knows how spontaneous I used to be prior to being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I used to jump in my vehicle and take random road trips. I would stop and site see everywhere along the way. I used to join friends at the last minute to watch their child play hockey or…
-
What fibromyalgia pain may feel like. Real life examples…
We all know that fibromyalgia is an invisible condition. I decided to explain what fibromyalgia would look like and feel like to people without fibromyalgia. I am including a sensitivity warning on this post as I have visually described what some fibromyalgia pain can feel like! If reading such imagery, I suggest you not read…
-
What happens if you start your day with selfcare….
When I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia I bought the book “Let that Sh*t Go” – written by Nina Purewal and Kate Petriw. This book has been an eye opener and has helped me look at life differently. In one of the chapters they write about how self love is selfless. The chapter begins by having…
-
Why does Fibromyalgia get worse in the winter? Winter hack….
Why does fibromyalgia get worsen in colder weather? Many fibromyalgia sufferers report that they experience heightened symptoms and more flares during the winter months. I’m also one of those people that the cold weather affects drastically. As soon as fall begins the fatigue gets extremely bad, so bad that I have a difficult time functioning…
-
Can we make our brain not misread pain signals? Food for thought…
Just a blog to make you think deeper. I attended an online fibromyalgia summit not long ago. Dr. Whitten spoke along side Dr. Murphree. Both these gentlemen treat fibromyalgia patients in the United States. The information in the video I watched made me think on a different level. Food for thought… We all know there…
-
What can cause a fibromyalgia flare up…
1. Weather changes or season changes. The constant changes in weather can contribute to fibromyalgia flares arising. Every fall my body responds poorly to the change of seasons – summer to fall. As the cooler temperatures set in, my aches and pains soon become consistent deep down to the bone pain. The colder the temperature…
-
Fibromyalgia and the trapezius muscle….What did researchers find out in 2020…
Have you ever had muscle pain in your upper back before?! This pain can run into your shoulders and neck. The trapezius muscle is located in your upper back and is considered one of the largest muscles in your body. Fibromyalgia pain often attacks this particular muscle. I’ve had several doctors tell me this and…
-
Myths about fibromyalgia and what makes these assumptions a myth ….
Today, there can still be many misconceptions about fibromyalgia. I often feel these misconceptions are formed because there is such a negative stigma in regard to fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is being acknowledged more as time passes, but it can still be misunderstood by many. More people are getting diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome and at present it…
-
Fibromyalgia Research 2021 – Study concludes that fibromyalgia may be an Autoimmune Disease
Have you ever stopped and actually thought about treatment options for fibromyalgia? There is no specific treatment route to treat fibromyalgia. It is often a trial-and-error process to see what works for each person. I often wonder why there is no specific treatment for fibromyalgia. You would think in this day and age there would…
-
Five of the Hardest “pills” to swallow when diagnosed with a chronic condition
I saw the above picture floating around facebook this week and realized how true these statements are. Five of the hardest “pills” to swallow in regards to chronic illnesses: 1. Giving up your career. Most people who get diagnosed with chronic conditions often have to face the dilemma of continuing to work or giving up…
-
Medical Gaslighting
Have you heard of medical gaslighting!? Medical gaslighting happens more often than we think, people just don’t seem to talk about it. We may not realize at the time, that we were being gas lightened by our medical providers, but after reading about medical gaslighting, take a step back and evaluate your appointments to see…
-
Kitchen Hacks: Cooking with Chronic Pain
Cooking a meal should be pretty straight forward, right?! For those of us who live with a chronic pain condition such as fibromyalgia, we must adjust how we work in the kitchen. Preparing a meal becomes very intimidating and exhausting. I have had to make several adjustments in the kitchen be able to get meals…
-
Is your chronic fatigue caused by fibromyalgia? Have you considered chronic fatigue syndrome?
One of the most difficult and frustrating symptoms for myself is the chronic fatigue I have alongside fibromyalgia. When I got told by doctors and specialists that fibromyalgia is often accompanied by fatigue, I never thought the fatigue would be this life disrupting. I’ve learned that feeling tired versus feeling fatigued are two completely separate…
-
Fibromyalgia Flare Kit
Fibromyalgia is difficult to handle on any given day, but when experiencing a flare up it becomes even more difficult to function. A flare up can be triggered by doing too much, stress, or even a medication change. My three biggest triggers include cold winter weather, stress and overdoing it on my good days (which…
-
Is Fibromyalgia Progressive?
We often wonder if fibromyalgia is a progressive condition. In all the articles I have read over the years, they all state that it is not progressive. Ever doctor or specialist I have spoken to also states the same. I on the other hand, believe it can be progressive. Some individuals may be able to…
-
Do People Grieve when Diagnosed with Chronic Conditions?
When anyone is diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I feel as if that person grieves who they once were and have to come to accept who they have become. Fibromyalgia alters a person’s life so drastically. Every area of your life is usually impacted to some degree. It took me awhile to realize this. Whether it is…
-
Chest Pain in Fibromyalgia…What is it called?
Did you know that fibromyalgia can cause chest pain? I sure didn’t!!!! The first time I had experienced this type of chest pain was the scariest moment of my life – thinking something was wrong with my heart. Chest pain that is felt with fibromyalgia can mimic what may present as a heart attack. It…
-
Fibromyalgia and Insomnia
Fibromyalgia and insomnia seem to have a high correlation. In all the research I have done on fibromyalgia in the last three years, I have never found a solid explanation as to why people who have fibromyalgia suffer from insomnia. In the book, “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia“, a study states…
-
Pacing Yourself….
Every health care provider I have seen, has always discussed how important pacing oneself is when dealing with chronic pain, such as the pain we experience with fibromyalgia. Pacing is a technique we can implement when trying to complete tasks in our day to day lives. It requires one to break up a bigger task…
-
Stand up and advocate for youself….
Advocate, Advocate, Advocate!! I wish I had found the courage to advocate for myself sooner than I did. After all, we know our bodies best. Not knowing very much about fibromyalgia when I was diagnosed, I put my trust in health care providers. If I could go back to early diagnosis, I would not be…
-
Fibromyalgia? Flu? Another illness? Autoimmune?
One day you begin to feel aches and pains in different areas of your body. You assume you have a flu. You take the extra time to care for yourself to ease the body aches you feel – applying heat, ice, soak in a warm bath, take some cold/flu pills to help…Whatever you personally find…
FibroFighters 