I have been struggling with fibromyalgia since I was 10. Doctors just brushed it off as growing pains. I didn't get help until almost a year ago. I moved back to my hometown and got in touch with a primary care doctor. After waiting and waiting, for what we thought was just a checkup, turned out to be the start of my diagnosis process.
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The first time I felt something was wrong with me was when I was talking with a client and couldn't remember what my job title was. I found finding myself unable to think clearly, a terrible pain in my back in between my shoulder blades up to my neck, and pain from the feel of clothing and blankets on my skin. After countless doctor visits, I was referred to a rheumatologist who diagnosed me with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.
It began with periods of horrific waves of fatigue. Each doctor I sought out was convinced it was all in my mind, but I knew my pain and fatigue was real. I've tried various medications to manage my fatigue, but it had terrible side effects. I felt nothing helped. Today, I have made a complete change in my diet, and twice a week I go to physical therapy and I'm taking supplements and seeing a rheumatologist, naturopath, and chiropractor.
I began experiencing never-ending intense physical pain and fatigue. My pain was all over my body, but the intensity of that pain moved to different areas. I felt like I had rubber bands wrapped around my legs and concrete poured in my upper back and shoulder area. I sought massage therapy and chiropractic treatment for months, thinking it would go away. During one of my chiropractic visits my chiropractor said, "Your fibro is acting up." I didn't know what fibro was. I replied, “I don't…
I was a sickly child and had frequent bouts of widespread pain. I was told these were simply growing pains and would get better as I got older. I have had insomnia for as long as I can remember and I frequently suffered with fatigue. Around the age of 12 I became severely depressed. I have had bouts of depression as well as anxiety ever since. In my late teen years, the bouts of pain and fatigue became increasingly worse and more frequent. I was…
In 2010 I still was not aware that I had it, though I knew my mom and sister did; but not me, I'm healthy. I went to a pain clinic and was told that I had fibromyalgia symptoms. I would nod my head and think to myself, "Okay, I am in great pain, but what is it really?” I have seen many different physicians since 2010, who agree that I do indeed have this condition, but I was always thinking my pain was due to…
I am 24 years old, and this year will be 18 years I've been dealing with fibromyalgia. It all started when I was seven years old. I woke up one morning to brush my teeth and I couldn't squeeze the toothpaste out because my wrist hurt so badly. I didn't know why, I experienced severe body aches like growing pains all over my body. I told my mom that I was in so much pain and she said she would pray for me. But the…
I am a native Minnesotan. I majored in social work and criminal justice. I moved to Seattle, Washington and began working as a director of a work release. One beautiful, sunny afternoon in August of 1998 I was a passenger in a car accident. I was in extreme pain after the accident but continued to work. I was tested for everything and all tests came back negative. No one could tell me why I could not get better! My acute pain diagnosis was now my…
Due to attendance issues at work, I was forced to try and come up with a reasonable explanation. So far, doctors had blamed menstrual woes as a major cause of my problem. The all-over pain was explained to me as "all in my head." Finally, I was referred to a rheumatologist who did blood tests and X-rays. Now this was 30+ years ago and no one had heard of it, but I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I was given pain medication, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory and…
About seven years ago I started suffering from pain in my body and fatigue. My primary doctor told me it was stress and extra weight and that all I needed to do was exercise every day and not stress. She put me on steroids for the inflammation in my neck/back. When that didn't work, she had an X-ray done, which showed nothing. As years passed I wasn't getting better. I was having a hard time lifting my arms from the nerve pain. My PCP retired…
My fibro story starts eight years ago. It wasn't a climactic beginning; it was just achey low back pain that got worse the longer I sat writing my MA thesis. It seemed like a common enough problem to have, except for the fact that I was 23. The nurse told me to take ibuprophen 24/7 and stretch. About a year later, I developed chronic pelvic pain (vulvodynia). I diagnosed myself and had to return home from working abroad to pursue treatment. During that time, my…
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