What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a cognitive disorder that affects the central nervous system. This is a disease, and there is no cure. This disease is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, chronic fatigue, depression, fibro fog, and fibro flares.
Fibromyalgia is a central nervous system disorder. The brain is continuously firing pain signals throughout the body. The entire nervous system becomes oversensitive to everything around us! Reacting to this unpleasant stimulus, known as “noxious stimuli” is what a person with fibromyalgia feels. Lights are too bright, smells are overpowering, noises are too irritating, heat is too hot, cold is too cold, and touch is too painful. Happy Birthday, Fibromyalgia…?
Chronic fatigue felt by a person with fibromyalgia is never ending, even after a full nights sleep. Energy is fleeting. This is not just being tired and taking a nap to refresh yourself. It doesn’t matter how much sleep a person with fibromyalgia gets, exhaustion is felt throughout the day. Many individuals have sleep disorders that prevent them from obtaining a deep sleep, this adds to the exhaustion already experienced by the individual with fibromyalgia. Should I Leave the Spoon Theory Behind?
Depression is common in people with fibromyalgia. It was found that a person with Fibromyalgia has lowered dopamine level production. Dopamine and the Fibro Brain. Your sense of well-being is limited. Living with pain and fatigue day-to-day will also cause depression.
Fibro fog is a cognitive disorder. This is not like just forgetting someone’s name or where you put your keys, this is a dysfunction that occurs in the brain. Welcome to Fibro for a Day!
A Fibro flare is a tempory increase in pain and/or symptoms of fibromyalgia. This occurs when we over-do things, expending our energy, and at other times for no reason. This will pass, but you will experience flares throughout the entire time you have this disease. Fibromyalgia Flare! Again.
There is a full list of fibromyalgia symptoms listed on this site’s menu, I have only covered the fundamental ones. Fibromyalgia Symptoms.
~Kim
Reblogged this on Stone in the Road.
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Reblogged this on ravenhawks' magazine.
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Thank you for sharing my post!
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You are welcome!
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Fantastic post for raising awareness & providing lots of useful information – very nicely covered! Will share this to my Facebook page this afternoon when I post again about Awareness Day 🙂
xx
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Thanks, Caz!
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
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Thank you!
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Welcome, Kim 😀
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A good explantion for those of us who have never been sure what fibromyalgia is; like all chronic conditions which are not visible people will hopefully be more understanding when they know what’s going on.
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Knowledge Is definitely power.
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Gosh it is quite an illness. You are doing so well inspite of it all. Well done, it cant be easy.
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Thanks Bella. There definitely are bad days, weeks, months but overall you manage to live through it. And eventually figure out how to live with grace and purpose, the journey is long but the path you take can be fruitful!
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Very strong and graceful
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Reblogged this on Viv Drewa – The Owl Lady.
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Reblogged this on Journey Into The World of The Sea Witch and commented:
I’ve lived with fibromyalgia for nearly 10 years and it’s one of those illnesses that constantly remains you that it still there.
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Reblogged this on Crazy Little Redneck Goth.
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Hi Kim… So nice to meet another fibro-fatigue sufferer. This is a very informative post and will certainly help educate. One of the most difficult aspects of this hidden disease is being misunderstood by those around us. My 30+ years experience of living with it has made me conclude that it’s caused by a virus ~ flaring for no apparent reason, having no pattern, associated with nothing specific, and lying dormant until it decides to act up. I’m now following you, and I hope you have more good days than bad 🙂
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Hello Tina! Thank you for your comment! Yes The EBV is one of the leading viruses thought to be a culprit. I JUST wrote a post on EBV. Funny you should bring it up. Welcome and I hope I can continue to write informative posts… but I have a little fun too with other writing styles! HA! ~Kim
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Back in the 1980s many thought the EBV was the culprit, but the scientific community disagreed due to lack of clear evidence, e.g., many diagnosed clinically with fibromyalgia did not show EBV in blood work. I have a sense that a virus closely related to the EBV is the cause, similar to the myriad strains of herpes. Will look forward to your EBV post, Kim 🙂
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I think we do not really know enough about fibro to begin with… first what type do we have and then the cause factor should be determined with the treament protocol to follow. I was in a car accident, so my fibro was trauma based. One day I didn’t have a care in the world, the next… well, it took three years of searching and ruling out causes. This was back in the late 90’s. I’m just over 20 years with this so you have 10 years on me. I know how frustrating it was for me, I can’t imagine what you had to go through! You must be one strong Lady! So pleased to receive your feedback. ~Kim
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20 years is quite long enough, Kim, to endure searching and the subsequent frustration. I sometimes wonder if the virus doesn’t lie dormant until a traumatic event, which obscures the onset of FMS. It’s wonderful to share my thoughts with someone who understands! Hugs and well wishes, my friend ❤️
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To no surprise this was a fantastic post! Thank you so much for sharing with us all details about Fibromyalgia. You have given me so much knowledge on this illness that I did not know! Your strength and courage shines through with every word!
I hope the rest of your weekend is happy and restful!!
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There you are, Alyssa! I was waiting to hear what you thought? Now my weekend is full! I feel at peace with my ability to provide awareness… Happy Sunday to you!
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It is great to be able to raise awareness because many do not know all we deal with when living a chronic illness. I knew the bare minimum about Fibrolyalgia and through reading your posts gained a lot of knowledge!!
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A good friend of mine suffers from fibromyalgia, and I often feel so helpless. All I can do is trying to give her as much understanding as possible and to give her faith…
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That is enough. You are a good friend.
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Found this on Chris, the story reading Ape. Good post on Fibro. My daughter has had it for years and most people don’t have a clue what it’s like to deal with. I’ll forward this to her. Thanks.
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I’m so glad! I hope it helps at least with figuring out some things. My best to you and your daughter!~Kim
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Thank you for sharing. I’ve just been diagnosed and it is becoming easier knowing all of these symptoms are not just in my head 😛
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I am so sorry to hear this. While a relief to finally know its name, it is still such a mystery. I’m glad this post helped! If you ever have any questions that you’d like me to try and answer I’ll be here. No, it is Not in your head! This is a real disease with real symptoms. You are now an official Fibro Warrior. Welcome. -Kim
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