Questions?

Hi...and welcome! 

I was dx'd with fibro about 15 years ago, but I also had signs of it long before that.  I think am am not the typical fibromite, as I have had long periods of time when the pain was simply 'white noise' and I actually functioned like a normal, healthy human being.  Which has often made me wonder about my dx also.  I cannot, however, recall a day in all those year when I didn't take some kind of OTC pain killer.  My symptoms did not even begin with pain.  I had numbness and tingling sensations in my legs, and extreme skin sensativity.  I went through every test known to man, including heavy metal poisoning.  Everything was normal.  Then one day the pain started...tested again for Lupus and other autoimmune diseases.  Nothing.  Went through another period of feeling somewhat normal.  I finally went to a Rheumologist after some heavy duty  burning pains and weakness in my arms and legs.   Tested again...all normal.   Then she did some trigger point testing and dx'd me with fibro/myofascial pain.

Unfortunatley, those days are over and I experience pain somewhere almost every day.  The fog has increased and sleep has once again become an issue...or lack there of.

Yes...it it hard for friends and relatives to understand this disease because of the way it attacks us.  Good days...bad days.  Sometimes it hits us mid sentence.  For me, stress or over doing on a day when I feel okay triggers a flare.  I raked leaves last week and am still paying for it.  I took a five mile hike up a mountain this summer...today I could hardly walk to the maibox.  It's a very insidious disorder.

Others will chime in here and give you their opinions.  I have never noticed certain foods triggering a flare...some have.

You are right...it can be a lonely disease, especially when family and friends see you having a good day and the next day you are gimping to the bathroom!

Donna

 

Someone on the board/wall asked about Flareup causes found this pretty complete. I know their are others such as chemical sensitivities, feel free to add to this list. :)

What triggers Fibromyalgia?
Doctors argue that emotional or physical triggers can cause a flare in fibromyalgia symptoms. A flare, short for flare up, usually is accompanied by constant pain and lethargy. Patients suffering from a fibromyalgia flare often cannot sit, stand or lie down comfortably for any length of time.

Flare ups can be triggered by strong emotions including depression, anger or stress. Fibromyalgia flares can also be triggered by physical issues ranging from too much exercise to the beginning of an illness. Cold, damp weather or extreme heat, anything that places stress on the body, can also act as triggers for a flare up.

 

Remission: A period during which symptoms of disease are reduced (partial remission) or disappear (complete remission). ps this is off a fibro support website

 

I have been in a flare for 3 months now but for a time this summer like early june i would say I was in remission and felt wonderful.  Still had some back pain but not so much FM pain.

Feel grateful for your remissions and do not feel bad because you look good.  You are ill not dead :)

Hope this info helps you and feel better!

HI!!

And welcome to our Fibro Family! I sure am glad you found us because this can be such a lonesome disorder like you already know. I can understand your husband's confusion and your questions about why we look good sometimes and at other times we look like a 95 year old cripple. Oh, sorry if I offended any nonagenarians out there...lol But seriously it's just how fibro is.

Most everyone here has pain that goes up and down, in and out sort of like the waves on a beach. The only difference is the timing and the intensity of the pain. For me I most often ebb and flow hourly. That might be due to the pain medications I take, somewhat, but it's just how my pain is. Also, I 'flare' when I'm hit with heavy emotional stress, too much physical activity like lifting furniture (admitting my sins here) or being extremely low on sleep. But for e the biggest trigger is the weather. When we have large shifts in weather like a large storm comes in or the seasons seem to change very fast, then my pain level is OH-WOW! out of site. That's where I am right now. I live in Western Washington in a modified marine climate. We're had big rain/wind storms come through every other day for the past two weeks and this body of my is revolting! I mean that as a verb, not as being descriptive...well, OK, never mind...lol

I'm sure your hubby does love you dearly but on the other hand it has to be hard to believe someone can be fine one minutes and literally 5 minutes be in agony. The only thing he needs is some education on fibromyalgia. No, you can't cure it no matter what the hucksters try to sell us. YES, it can be treated if you have a good doctor. Good pain treatment is out there. Please ask your hubby to go to a doctor's appointment with you. Find a couple of good books for him to read. If he's only going to read one and he wants the fast facts, try Fibromyalgia for Dummies. Yep, it's in almost every library. He can read it at no cost to either of you. ;-) Then invite him to come here and read, ask questions and learn how others just like his lovely wife live with this every day...just as you do. My hubby is very supportive and I am so lucky, but on the other hand a couple of family members prefer to ignore that I have any problems at all. Oh well, I do what I can and my goal is to enjoy life and help others understand that we CAN live with fibro and have a wonderful life too...different but wonderful.

Hope this helps!
Chutz

Hi, FMMom, and welcome!  No, you are not alone.  There are a lot of us fibromites out there but you have come to a very good place.  We have wonderful members that love to help one another and we really do care about each other, too.

 

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the first threat on the forum.  There are links to a lot of good information about fibromyalgia and you will learn a lot there.  There are also some links that could possibly help your husband to understand...especially The Spoon Theory and Dr.'s Respond to New York Times Article.  These could be quite enlightening for him.  Also, there is a great list of symptoms on Fibro 101 too along with information on supplements that have helped a lot of us.  So, do read it.  I think it will help you.

 

I'm so glad you found us and joined in!  I'm looking forward to hearing more from you soon.

 

Sherrine