...and the arms, the legs, the back – you name it. Fibromyalgia affects any or every part of your body without warning, making it the most impossible and unpredictable long-term health condition to live with.
Fibromyalgia, or Fibromyalgia Syndrome(FMS) is a condition where the whole body is affected by pain and tenderness, and comes with added symptoms which can include poor sleep, difficulty concentrating (fibro fog) and often bladder and bowel problems.
For anyone living with fibromyalgia, it is imperative to realise that although it may sometimes feel like it, it is NOT all in your mind although it can affect it. FMS seems to be a disorder of how pain signals are processed in the spine and brain. Confused? Imagine living with, or trying to diagnose this condition, which can’t be diagnosed with X-rays, scans or blood tests. Some FMS features are similar to, and cross over with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, better known as CFS or ME. Trust me, living with FMS as I do, it is difficult to know whether you are coming or going, because of all the multiple varied symptoms one has to deal with on a daily basis.
To get my diagnosis of FMS, I was sent for various tests to rule out certain other conditions, as I was affected in so many ways. I had been experiencing heart palpitations, depression, urinary tract infections, IBS, fatigue, excessive pain and so many other symptoms that it was necessary to confirm that I didn’t have any serious problems relating to these symptoms. After listening to my endless tales of pain, poor sleep, depression and a whole host of other things, my GP sent me to a Rheumatologist who tested various pressure points on my body, which confirmed I was indeed a member of that very special club!
I was given pain killers and anti-depressants to help my low mood and to relax my body in an effort to produce a good night’s sleep. I was told that “there isn’t really much else I can do for you” but over the years have discovered that exercise, a healthy diet and self-management have helped me enormously. Because of pain and fatigue, pacing myself is vitally important. Some people find counselling and therapy are a great help, as well as massage and other complimentary therapies.
Of course the burning question is “how did I get this?” and there are various theories as to the cause of FMS. Chemical imbalance is one, genetics another. Trigger points are known to be:
Some people are able to pinpoint exactly when they developed FMS, where others never really know why or how they ended up with it. Me? I experienced bereavement and had an operation, so take your pick!
What I do know is that I have been able to manage my FMS better since using self-management skills, and I am proud to be an inspiration to people coming onto a self management uk course feeling the way I did when I attended my first course, as I am proof that you can manage this condition, you can control it better, and diagnosis isn’t the end of the world.
During National Fibromyalgia Awareness Week, I hope to help raise awareness of this largely unknown long-term health condition, and the way that it can affect you, but more importantly let people who have the condition or know someone who has it realise that you can still enjoy life and by applying basic self-management skills and working with your healthcare professional, you can control fibromyalgia and it doesn’t have to control you.
