Hi Daisy.
I'll try to answer some of your questions.
I was dx'd a few years ago, but I think my fibro was there when I was a child. I would get these spells of terrible hip pain and I would be limping for days. I also had pains in my sides around my waist a lot. "Growing pains" we were told. I always had memory problems so much that it was kind of a family joke.
I married young and had 2 pregnancies which were normal. No more pain than usual but migraines started after my first child was born. Then the stabbing chest pain began. I now think it was what others on the forum have -chron.. something. I can't remember now what it's called
I started going to chiropractors.
I never slept the night uninterrupted. I would wake up in pain and go soak in the bath tub in hot water. This started in my 20"s.
By the time I was 30 I always ached all over but tests did not show anything. I was dx'd with Raynauds. I had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Helped with a few things like pain in my hand but no cure. I continued with chiro's.
Another pregnancy when I was 37. Perfectly normal but I couldn't sleep at night. My hands were numb most of the time. My symptoms gradually increased it seemed. Sleep was never good, migraines got worse, more pain and more tests.
By the time I was 40ish I knew I likely had fibro. But we were changing insurance and I did not want this as a preexisting condition. I treated myself with exercise and lots of gentle stretching. My doctor gave me something for the migraines. My sleep was still bad but I was living a happy and active life.
In my 50's my husband and I took swing dance lessons and loved it. I was able to dance for hours. I never ever let fibro keep me from doing stuff.
When I was in my early 60's it seems like the pain was getting worse and I finally went to my doctor when sitting hurt me so bad I couldn't even take a short trip in the car. He was the first doctor to test the 18 points. I had 16 positive.
Now I am 65. I walk every day. I take strength building classes. I bike ride. We still swing dance. I use the elliptical machine. I do not let this condition rule my life. I have lived a very full life and intend to keep active as long as I can.
I am not on a lot of meds but I feel so much better now that I take the malic acid/magnesium that others here use. I push myself to keep active and yes some days it's hard to do. But the reward is usually my feeling better.
My advice is what I tell all my old friends who don't want to do stuff( walking, dancing, exercising ) because they think they are too old.
" I keep doing all this stuff because I'll rest when I'm dead. Until then I'm going to keep this old body moving."