In October and November of 2002,
I started
having so much pain in my body. Getting up and down in a chair became
so extremely painful. Also my back started hurting more then it
had since a car accident in 1960, when I broke my back.
In November after test for Lupus and arthritis came back negative. Then
with some signs of the tender points it was determined that I had
Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS). I started to check out web sites on FMS. I
found out that I might have had it most of my life, having been
diagnosed with different things or unknown.
As a child I had the leg cramps diagnosed as 'growing pains'. I
also remember that in Gym class in grade school the other girls could
touch their toes with knees straight. I never could get to do that, no
matter how much I worked at it.
Having severe earaches were common. As the years progressed
a ringing
or noise in the ears have steadily grown. I have gotten to the point
where I don't like noisy rooms, talking on the telephone. I have
trouble understanding some one with a heavy accent and those who tent
to run their words together. I have had sinus trouble since I was a
teenager. When in my childbearing years I found sex to be very painful.
The doctors never could help me. I also suffered from night blindness
and dizziness when turning the head just right.
TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular Joint
) pain in the
mornings now seems to get worse especially when eating. Also all of the
female trouble listed is me to a T. Actually you take the
list of
symptoms list in the "Self-Diagnostic
Guide" on the web, I probably
have 98% of the symptoms listed.
Fibro fog is another aspect of FMS. Memory is a fleeting
thing. I now
have 2 excuses to use for it: Senior Moments SM and Fibro Fog. I try to
be humorous about this, but the fact remains it can be so embarrassing
and depressing at times. Along with SM (Senior Moments) I have some good excuses.
;-)
This was almost like reading my life story, in some ways very scary and
other ways a relief that there was a reason for all the problems I have
had. The Chronic Fatigue is the worse. I feel like my energy was turned
off like that of a light bulb. Falling asleep easily at the wrong
times. It is most embarrassing in church, since my son-in-law is the
preacher! I keep telling him he needs less boring sermons. Thank God he
has a sense of humor about it.
I feel I should wear a sign on my back "Don't touch!"
When someone
trying to be kind and friendly pats my back it is like an electrical
shock to the spine. Wearing clothes some days irate the skin that it
gets quite painful.
The doctor at first gave me a medication, it relieved the
symptoms but I
got migraine headaches. I had to go off of it. Since I am allergic to
the Aspirin family of drugs this limits my choice to be able to take.
I am now trying Chiropractic care and physical therapy. I was able to
get a Fibro Exercise program started at the Senior Center, with the
help of a Physical Therapist here in the town were I live. We are a
small group at this time and hope it will grow. I think the best part
is the support we receive from each other. It helps when someone really
understands what you are going through. Both seem to help relieve the
pain and I can move a lot better.
If you would like to write to me I would like to
hear from you. By
helping each other, I think we can over come this. Also by banding
together we can over come the misunderstanding the world has of this
disease. There in lies a lot of the problem, it is not recognized as a
disease or condition beyond “ALL IN YOUR HEAD”. I think those are
the most hateful words ever spoken.
Glad you stopped by hope you
have Gentle Hugs, please come again.
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