- It should be emphasized that no two people with fibromyalgia will experience the same symptoms to exactly the same degree.
Symptoms include:
- Muscle pain over widespread areas of the body. Pain can be very intense in one area and then disappear only to reappear in another area. Although pain may occur around the joints, the joints themselves are not involved. Some people with fibromyalgia discribe their pain as ‘knife-like’ in intensity; others equate it with an all over muscle cramp.
- Fatigue. Some people with fibromyalgia say that they feel as if someone ‘pulled the plug’ that keeps them going; others describe their fatigue as being like a chronic case of the ‘flu’. The level of fatigue can vary during the day and from day to day.
- Sleep Disturbance. People with fibromyalgia may find it hard to fall or remain asleep, or may sleep extremely lightly. In the morning, they may feel as if they have been run over by a truck. They may say that noises as soft as a cat’s step in the next room can awaken them.
- Headaches. Mild to Migraine.
- Irritable bowel syndrome, or alternating constipation and diarrhea.
- Nervous System Symptoms. Changes in mood and thinking are common. Depression and anxiety may follow the onset of fibromyagia symptoms. Some researchers feel there may be a ‘biologic link’ between fibromyalgia and some forms of depression and chronic anxiety. A with other chronic illnesses, people with fibromyalgia may report difficulty with concentration, short term memory or performing simple mental tasks. People with fibromyalgia may have feelings of numbness and tingling in their hands, feet, legs, or sometimes in their face.
- Other Signs and Symptoms. Bladder spasms and irritability may cause urinary urgency or frequency. The skin and circulation are oftensensitive to temperature and moisture changes, resulting in temporary changes in skin color. New studies of people with fibromyalgia have reported a variety of other symptoms including temporamanibular joint, hearing, vision, heart, and lung problems.
Fibromyalgia Cycle
When we are in pain, our muscles tighten up, causing muscle tensions. This can be caused by job or family stress. Stress can lead to fatigue which can lead to limited activities, whether work, hobbies, social, or family. This leads to depression and more muscle stiffness and pain… and the cycle continues.
It is necessary to break this cycle sometime in your life. Make an inventory of your life and find ways to minimize your routines. Figure outWhat has to be done such as paying bills and Dr. appointments; What should be done like vacuuming and washing windows; What can wait such as dusting, cleaning closets and cupboards. Enlist the help of family members or hire someone to help with the laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, and the like, until you feel up to it again.
You must learn to handle your stress better. If family dinners are too stressful, don’t do them. For holidays, I have everyone bring a dish and then I fix the meat. It helps and I still have the family gatherings with much less stress.
DO NOT ISOLATE YOURSELF. If you find yourself down in the dumps for an extended period of time, seek professional help. Keep in contact with someone by phone or visit. We do a better job of recovering when we reach out to others through support groups and other social activities.
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