Do You Have Fibromyalgia
June 24, 2007 by laura
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Did you know that Fibromyalgia affects 3% of the Canadian population. In my country, 900 000 people suffer from this syndrome. I don’t write a lot about FM, mostly because whatever pain I have it isn’t really long term…so i choose to not use the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia when talking about my own symptoms. However, this does not mean that it isn’t real. When a whole lot of people are complaining about their pain, then it most definitely has to be real. Fibromyalgia is not a myth.
Most of you are very much aware of what Fibromyalgia is, and how it feels. For those who don’t really understand…or are thinking that they may be suffering from it, here are some facts:
Symptoms
- all over body stiffness (especially in the mornings)
- trouble sleeping at nights (exhausted pretty much all of the time)
- numbness in muscles and joints
- poor memory and lack of focused concentration
- depression
- tension headaches
- TMJ (aka jaw pain)
In order to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, you need to have experienced widespread pain for about 3 months. Pain must be felt above and below the waist, and on both sides of the body. You will most likely feel pain in at least 11 of the 18 specific tender points (these points are shown on the picture above), while I believe this point test is changing a bit, doctors are still going to check to see if you feel pain in these areas.
Doctors treat Fibromyalgia with low doses of anti depressants and NSAIDS. Don’t be alarmed if these don’t work for you. This condition is different for everyone, and you can not expect what works for me will work for you. I was originally diagnosed with CFS/FM and I can tell you that I had very little positive response from those kinds of drugs…and in the case of antidepressants, it made things much worse for me.
Heat and mild exercise are also used to treat fibromyalgia pain – so I suggest going for walks (fresh air is very good for you) and sleeping with a hot water bottle.
If you are looking for alternative ways to beat the pain, here are some ideas:
- acupuncture/acupressure
- alexander technique
- hydrotherapy
- qi gong therapy
- yoga
- mild massage
- cranial sacral
Without a doubt, the best way for your doctor to help you, is for you to keep an accurate account of what’s been going on with you. So I strongly suggest keeping a journal (or a blog if you are into that), so you don’t forget any information.
I’ve heard that vibration also helps relieve muscle pain…
Sylvia,
you will be happy to know that just this morning I sent a little email to a certain store, asking for information on how their products relieve pain.
I am awaiting an answer, but I suspect I will be going to their store and checking out the merchandise in the next couple of weeks.
Baby steps…
I was originally diagnosed with FM in 1989. I had never heard of it, there was only one book at the library about it, and the “dignostic criteria” was not published until a year later. Now, 18 years later, I have a lot of fatigue also. Unless sleep is one of my first priorities, that is. With prescription help I’m sleeping 8 to 12 hour per night and feeling OK as long as I don’t do anything I don’t have to do. Some sources say FM and CFS are the same thing with different symptoms highlighted. I wonder about that, as I read the latest research on each. There are predictors for each that don’t seem to have any relation to each other.
Here’s the reason I’m writing this comment. I like this picture better for FM Diagnostic Criteria: http://orbita.starmedia.com/~gvespartaco/kahlo/galeria3/pages/kahlo46_jpg.htm. Frida had it: http://www.myalgia.com/Frida%20article%20by%20Lavin.html.
Sherrill, I have no idea if Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are the same illness, closely related, or distantly related.
Truth is, it makes little difference to me. What is important, it that patients get proper treatment, to alleviate their symptoms.
Since I have no idea how people recover from this…I can only hope that they can find a way to figure out, how to move on with their lives (which is why I included the alternative treatments).
I wish I could tell you, how I recovered the first time. Actually I wish I could remember, because I would really like to be feeling a whole lot better these days.
By the way, I wasn’t able to get your links to work. Could you post them a different way, or show me how to find them, myself.
I haven’t been officially diagnosed with FMS or CFS, due to the fact that I do not have health insurance, nor the money, to pay for all the proper testing. However, I have been told by several doctors over a period of 4 years that I do indeed have both.
While FMS and CFS are classified as two separate syndromes, they are very much related as many of those that suffer from one typically have the other.
I’m so grateful that I am able to work from home, that hubby has a full time job. I don’t bring home a steady full time paycheck, but enough each month to help with the monthly bills. I wouldn’t be able to function in a typical 9-5 Mon-Fri job. My flare-ups are happening more often and getting worse.
I wish there was a FMS/CFS friendly doctor around that would take payments for services so I can get some help. I have no meds and can’t afford alternative methods, such as learning Tai Chi, learning yoga, getting professional massages, etc etc.
And I won’t talk about sleep. *sighs* Sleeping meds don’t work … I still wake up every few hours regardless.
I’m still doing a lot of research to naturally cope with FMS and CFS, between doing my online work, so I can continue to add to my site on this subject.
I’ve subscribed to this blog … would like to swap ideas and such.
Hi Barbara,
welcome to the blog. I am one of those people that don’t respond well to medication. With the exception of certain antibiotics, I didn’t have any luck with a reduction of symptoms for a very long time. After a while the antibiotics stopped working (that is after 18 months of use). Antibiotics of any kind no longer work on me. The only medication I use now, is nyquil (the cough syrup) and I use that sparingly.
I am not an advocate of drug therapy. However, I am a big fan of alternate therapy. And while I know that it can be expensive…there are other routes one can take. Have you thought about contacting a school nearby. Often training schools (such as massage therapy…or similar) are looking for people for practice hours. There will always be someone “chaperoning” the session, so you should be in good care.
Also I have found a big relief in meditation….and its free. If you are able to become centered, you should have no problem doing it. It really does work. If you can manage a walking meditation every day, it might help. Doesn’t have to be long…but it does help to be outside, and very focused….in my experience, while it does quiet your mind…it can be very energizing afterwards.
As for classes such as yoga, or tai chi….have you tried your neighborhood rec centre? Often classes held there, are significantly less expensive than going to a gym, or professional studio.
It must be difficult living with CFS without health insurance. I know that many people do it, though because they are not able to work…and cant afford the coverage. I will think about ways to manage your illness other than medical ones…and see if I can shed any light on the subject.
I have had fibromyalgia for many years now. The things that have helped me are chiropractic care and quafenisen (comes in Mucinex over the counter). I found it due to a friend who also has it and much worse than me. She had it recommended by a doctor who also suffered with it. For a long time, quafenisen was only in sudafed in small doses. Now because it is a mucus thinner it is obtainable, at least here in the States, very easily over the counter. In my studies of fibromyalgia I have found there are more symptoms than just pressure points. There is a book on the market about it written by a doctor (who has fibromyalgia). This doctor has done a lot of research on the subject and had found some very interesting things and helpful treatments for it. It is called Fibromyalgia and Chronic -Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual (2nd Edition) by Devin J. Starlanyl and Mary Ellen Copeland and is available through Amazon. Mine is complicated by other diagnosis such as Essential Tremors, arthritis, asthma and fibrosis. I’ve never slept well. None of the medicines that are commonly used have helped me and tend to magnify other symptoms and especially the tremors. Brain surgery for the tremor in 1999, helped the tremors, but not the sleep problem. Stress is the biggest problem, it produces more pain and sleeplessness than anything I’ve found. Meditation and relaxation techniques are very helpful. However, I did do some biofeedback also. My friend also does Yoga, and she finds it extremely helpful. She still has days that she can’t get out of bed because of pain. I’m grateful, mine hasn’t gotten that bad. Hope this is helpful information for you.