Living with Fibromyalgia

Living with Fibromyalgia

Last year I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia after 15 years or more of complains. Even though I have great doctors, they didn't alert to the fact that I could be having it because some of symptoms are very similar or totally the same as thyroid. So, I presume they got confused! 
Thyroidism may be one of the causes to lead to Fibromyalgia. I said "may be" because the causes are still unknown, even though around 6 million people are affected by it only in the United States, putting it on the top of the rank. Brasil appears right on the second place! Good hun!?

As one thing was not enough, for those who doesn't know yet I was born without the thyroid gland, I was chose to live with all those pains: daily pains, ligaments pain, tendons pain, all muscles throughout my body pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, chest pain, hip pain, knees pain, everywhere pain. It hurts all over and I'm not exaggerating or trying to make people feel sorry for me here. It really hurts all over every single day. It's like being hit by a truck daily, or having the worst day of fly daily. So, besides all that, I guess fatigue is the main issue for me. When I say fatigue I mean exhaustion, lethargy, tiredness, weariness all together and 24/7. Oh boy, that's a killer!

It is said that the brains of fibromyalgia fortunates, don't produce Serotonin while we sleep, therefore we are not able to relax or to sleep properly, therefore the intense exhaustion feeling.

On all that, add the famous stress and emotional stress. It makes fibromyalgia symptoms worse. Stress and pain are irreversibly linked in Fibromyalgia. The pain increases enormously when we are under emotional stress that simple tasks as getting out of the bed in the morning or washing hair can't be performed easily. Oh God, sometimes I even cry when I'm washing my hair, or what's left of it, because of the strong pain I feel in my arms! I feel as I were an old lady, I mean really old and debilitated lady! I use to say that I feel I'm 432 years when I'm in my bad day.
By the way, the week has 7 days and bad days occur about in 80% of the week. Thank God I got some 20% of the week as not bad days. Yes, I didn't say good days, or pain-free days for the simple reason that it is just impossible to happen! But what really matters is the 20% that helps me to get ready for the 80% ones.

Back to symptoms...
They often force us to seriously limit your physical activity. Oh, and what about Brain Fog? That's a plus! That's funny, I was forgetting about the Fibro Fog. Typical I can say!
For the chronic and constant pain I can take medicines, I can go to massage, I can immerse myself in a bathtub and those things help to relax the muscles, making my day not too heavy. But what about brain fog? What about brain fog to a graduate student? Some of the Fibro Fog symptoms include:

• Word use & recall: Difficulty recalling known words, use of incorrect words, slow recall of names.
• Short-term memory problems: Forgetfulness, inability to remember what's read or heard.
• Directional disorientation: Not recognizing familiar surroundings, easily becoming lost, having trouble recalling where things are.
• Multitasking difficulties: Inability to pay attention to more than one thing, forgetfulness of original task when distracted.
• Confusion & trouble concentrating Trouble processing information, easily distracted.
• Math/number difficulties: Difficulty performing simple math, remembering sequences, transposing numbers, trouble remembering numbers.

Following, I coped/pasted some of the symptoms from About.com. It may help someone to force physicians to pay more attention in diagnosing their patients and help relatives and friends to understanding what we, Fibromyalgia people go through daily.

General Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Delayed reactions to physical exertion or stressful events
• Genetic Predisposition
• Sweats
• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Cravings for carbohydrate and chocolate
• Headaches & migraines
• Vision changes, including rapidly worsening vision

Muscle & Tissue-Related Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Pain that ranges from mild to severe, and may move around the body. (There are 7 types of  Fibromyalgia Pain.)
• Morning stiffness
• Muscle twitches
• Diffuse swelling
• Fibrocystic (lumpy, tender) breasts (as an overlapping condition)

Sinus & Allergy-Related Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Allergies
• Post nasal drip
• Runny nose
• Mold & yeast sensitivity
• Shortness of breath
• Earaches & itchy ears
• Ringing ears (tinitis)
• Thick secretions

Sleep-Related Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Light and/or broken sleep pattern with unrefreshing sleep
• Fatigue
• Sleep starts (falling sensations)
• Twitchy muscles at night
• Teeth grinding (bruxism)

Reproductive Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Menstrual problems
• PMS (as an overlapping condition)
• Loss of libido
• Impotence

Abdominal & Digestive Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Bloating & nausea
• Abdominal cramps
• Pelvic pain
• Irritable bowel syndrome (as an overlapping condition)
• Urinary frequency

Cognitive/Neurological Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Difficulty speaking known words, other language impairments (dysphasia)
• Directional disorientation
• Poor balance and coordination
• Paresthesias in the upper limbs (tingling or burning sensations)
• Loss of ability to distinguish some shades of colors
• Short-term memory impairment
• Confusion
• Trouble concentrating
• Staring into space before brain "kicks in"
• Inability to recognize familiar surroundings

Sensory Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Sensitivity to odors
• Sensitivity to pressure changes, temperature & humidity
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Night driving difficulty
• Sensory overload

Emotional Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Panic attacks
• Depression (as an overlapping condition)
• Tendency to cry easily
• Free-floating anxiety (not associated with situation or object)
• Mood swings
• Unaccountable irritability

Heart-Related Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Mitral valve prolapse (as an overlapping condition)
• Rapid, fluttery, irregular heartbeat
• Pain that mimics heart attack, frequently from costochondritis (as an overlapping condition)

Skin, Hair & Nail-Related Fibromyalgia Symptoms

• Pronounced nail ridges
• Nails that curve under
• Mottled skin
• Bruising or scaring easily
• Hair loss (temporary)
• Tissue overgrowth (non-cancerous tumors called lipomas, ingrown hairs, heavy and splitting cuticles, adhesions)

Wow, my fingers hurt badly and this post took forever to be put together. Time to take a muscle relaxant and to turn the InfraCare machine on!

My pain has a name

I'm tired! I'm very very tired.
I don't remember being this tired ever before.

I go to the gym regularly, I eat very healthily that sometimes I need to set a photo log to show my doctors what I've ate daily because they don't believe I do eat that health. I go to SPA 3 times a week and besides taking 14 pills daily I have a pretty nice life style.

So, what is making me that tired? I can barely get up of the bad in the mornings and making my bed became a pain. Washing my hair is another story...my arms hurt badly as well. All me hurts!

Well, unfortunately I know why it hurts and it may be the cause I get so tired as well, even though I have a healthy lifestyle. Few weeks ago I was diagnosticed with fibromyalgia and according to the doctor it is on me for quite long.

What can I do than welcoming this long time guest!? All he asked me to do, I do already. The results? None, besides knowing that this crazy and constant pain I feel for very long time has a name and no cure.

As someone I love says...a problem without solution is already solved! That's my case!

Now that I know my pain has a name, I'm resting more. Sometimes as today, I move my office to my bed and I work comfortably with my legs up. My mattress is hard enough to not provoke any discomfort of long hours on it.

But what has helped to be able to rest my legs and work at the same time is the great shabby chic bed tray that my friend Vivian found at Piin store at Metro mall in Jungli! It is perfect! The base of the tray lifts, giving me a good inclination to rest books or my laptop on it.

I'm trying my best to stay away from more medicine and I don't like pain killer whatsoever. Sometimes I rather support the pain than taking it. Really!

Thank God I'm living in Taiwan and I have the greatest massagists ever that take a very good care of me not just in the professionals level but as very good friends. They are helping me wonderfully!

Oh God I'm feeling exaust today emotionally and physically! This is a hard week for me! The day is gray, the sun is on vacation! Good to stay home, resting the body a little.