Dear Fibromyalgia

Category: Fibromyalgia Conditions

Explore the conditions associated with Fibromyalgia, their symptoms, and how to manage them for improved well-being.

  • How to Explain Fibromyalgia Fatigue to Other People

    Anyone who lives with fibromyalgia has struggled to try to explain the chronic pain and fatigue they experience to their friends and loved ones, and even to strangers.

    Explaining fibromyalgia is no easy task. Sometimes just putting into words what you feel is difficult enough, as fibromyalgia often takes your words away. But, even when you can find the words, trying to explain something so foreign and seemingly abstract to someone who has never (and hopefully will never) experience it can be not only difficult but stressful. To explain fibromyalgia fatigue, you have to first understand what fibromyalgia is.

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    What is fibromyalgia?

    Fibromyalgia is a debilitating disorder that is estimated to affect more than 10 million people in the United States. Fibromyalgia is a complex disorder in that it is a collection of chronic symptoms with no specific underlying pathology. The two key fibromyalgia symptoms are fatigue and chronic pain. People with fibromyalgia may also experience digestive issues, migraines, depression, and problems with sleep.

    Knowing the basics doesn’t make understanding the illness any easier, especially when it comes to the fatigue associated with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia fatigue is almost impossible to imagine because it is unlike any other sort of fatigue you (or the person you’re describing it to) may have experienced.

    How do you describe fibromyalgia fatigue?

    A few short descriptions people who live with fibromyalgia fatigue commonly use to describe the fatigue of fibromyalgia includes:

    • “It feels like you’re drowning, but you keep fighting to stay above water.”
    • “It feels like you are walking through quicksand.”
    • “It feels like you are carrying around a 100-pound backpack.”
    • “It feels like you’ve been awake for a week, and no amount of sleep will allow you to catch up.”

    These descriptions are quite visual, but they are not situations most people have experienced, so they still require a bit of imagination. That’s the problem with trying to describe fibromyalgia fatigue. No matter how good you are at describing it, you are relying on the other person to use their imagination to understand it.

    The key when trying to explain fibromyalgia fatigue to someone who is healthy is to find something they can relate to and then take it a step (or five) further. This way, they may better understand that what you are dealing with is far beyond the feeling they can comprehend.

    For example, many people have had the bad flu or mononucleosis (mono) in their life. Ask the person you are talking to if they’ve had one of these, then explain to them that fibromyalgia fatigue feels as if you have the flu or mono, but it’s never gone away and never will. If your friend travels a lot, you might describe it as a jet lag that never goes away.

    But, what if that’s not enough? What if the person you are talking to has never had the flu, mono, or jet lag? Then how can you relate the level of complete exhaustion you feel?

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    Try using the phone battery analogy.

    Another way to explain fibromyalgia fatigue is by using the analogy of a mobile phone battery, one that is never completely charged. No matter how long you leave it plugged in (how long a person with fibromyalgia sleeps), it never reaches a full charge. Then once you unplug the phone (wake up) and start using different apps (attempting to do daily activities), each app uses up more battery. Some apps use more battery power than others and before long that battery is completely drained again.

    The key to explaining what fibromyalgia fatigue feels like is to make clear that what you are experiencing is far beyond just being tired. Everyone gets tired sometimes, and a good night’s rest usually fixes the problem. Fibromyalgia is different. The fatigue that comes with fibromyalgia is pure exhaustion that doesn’t go away, no matter how much sleep you get. Then, to make matters worse, when it’s time to sleep you can’t. This lack of sleep and exhaustion affects your ability to think, reason, to perform basic tasks.

    Focus your energy on people who understand.

    In the end, all you can do is try to explain and hope the person you’re talking to understands what you’re going through. Some people are more empathetic and will make more of an effort to understand. Or, even if they can’t imagine how you feel, they care about you and will offer whatever support they can.

    Fibromyalgia is a debilitating condition that is challenging enough to live with, without the worry of how to explain what you’re feeling to others who may never understand. Despite how difficult it can be to explain fibromyalgia, there are people around you who want to learn, and you should focus your limited energy on maintaining those relationships. Surround yourself with the caring, positive people in your circle to create a much-needed support group that will help you cope with the bad days.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

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  • Fibromyalgia Pains & Allodynia in Fibromyalgia

    Fibromyalgia Pains & Allodynia in Fibromyalgia

    Fibromyalgia comes with three major types of pain sensations.

    Hyperalgesia: this is our major pain as part of the syndrome itself. It is an abnormal sensitivity to pain. The crux of our pain dysfunction.

    Allodynia: With allodynia, there is a triggered pain response from stimuli that do not normally cause pain. In this case, it causes a great deal of skin pain. The skin burns to the touch and is often described as a sunburn sensation and can be much more intense. Clothes hurt. Touch hurts. And it burns like hell. Often tramadol and topical Lidocaine are recommended.

    It can happen anywhere. I have had it all down my back. On my thighs. And my arms. Right now I have a brutal patch that is insanely intense on my right upper back below the shoulder.

    Paresthesia: Causes the ‘pins and needles sensations, an itch, tingling, prickling, and numbness. And can cause pain.

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    I once had an insane bout of this that lasted a couple of years. Tingling and numbness below the waist. Disturbed my doctor who thought it could be any number of back issues and led to three MRIs. But, nope, FM. Not saying it wasn’t bad with the numbness and intense tingling issues given the location. It got worse over time in a year and took about two years to dissipate. Well, in the sense it isn’t as bad as it was, but still mildly there.

    Allodynia in Fibromyalgia

    Does your skin burn like it has a sunburn on it? Does contact with your clothes aggravate you beyond belief? Does even the lightest touch make you want to jump out of your skin? That sounds like Allodynia.

    Allodynia is a type of pain associated with Fibromyalgia and is considered a rare type of pain. With allodynia, there is a triggered pain response from stimuli that do not normally cause pain. In this case, it causes a great deal of skin pain. The skin burns to the touch and is often described as a sunburn sensation. Clothes will hurt against the skin. Even the slightest of breezes will feel painful against the heightened and tender skin. There is no exact cause for allodynia, but it is considered to be from central sensitization where there is an increase of excitability in the neurons of the central nervous system. As such, a harmless stimulus – like a light touch – activates the nociceptors which are usually activated only in response to intense stimulus causing damage to the tissue and thus causing pain where there should be none.

    The pain caused by touch is called tactile allodynia; when caused by movement, it is mechanical allodynia. Thermal allodynia is related to temperature. Other pain conditions can create this response such as neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, and migraines. In fact, with migraines, allodynia is common in the scalp, although it can occur anywhere.

    Allodynia can range from mild to severe and can be all over the body or only in certain areas. It can be continuous or come and go. My personal experience of allodynia has varied. I have had mild bouts of it in precise locations similar to a mild sunburn. In these cases, it is just a mild irritation – noticeable, but easy to ignore. Then I had severe bouts in large patches of skin, like on my back and thighs, that were aggressive, and hard to have clothes touching me. I even found it hard to just handle being in my skin, with showers being immensely painful experiences. The movement itself is an ordeal. Touch is out of the question. However, I have not had it continuously.

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    For me, allodynia seems to be more random, rather than a flare sort of thing. When it strikes, it lasts for weeks and then simply fades. During an episode, tramadol is the only thing that has ever managed the pain, although not very well, instead only slightly dulling the edges of the pain. With migraines, I regularly experience allodynia on the scalp, which is a regular occurrence. You know, that sensation you have a migraine so bad your ‘hair hurts’. However, during extreme weather, I also get thermal allodynia that can cause a great deal of all-over sensitivity and makes it difficult to be out on hot days and very difficult to weather the Canadian winters. Even in mild winter weather, I have to bundle up, especially my hands, as they will immediately burn from the cold and then hurt all day from the exposure. With thermal allodynia, I find when my hands get flush and hot that it helps to run them under warm or cold water. Taking cooling showers also brings the sensation down for a little while.

    Clothing is a common problem with tactile allodynia. There can be a burning or constricting feeling from waistbands, even if they are not tight. Bra straps can create a lot of discomforts. Any clothing closely pressed to the body can seem to be putting ‘pressure’ on the burning sensation, including tags and stitching. Generally, fabric choice can be a real issue as some will seem quite aggressive against the tender skin, but when it is severe, all fabrics will be equally aggravating.

    Things to consider for allodynia

    1. This goes without saying, but dress in loose clothing with little contact with the skin.
    2. Heat can aggravate allodynia, especially thermal allodynia. If you find this to be the case, stick to the shade or wear a hat and/or sunglasses when outside. Consider bringing a cooling product with you like a cooling pad for travel (instant ice bags you squeeze to trigger a chemical reaction and they become cold instantly). Sometimes, even consider heat avoidance. The same goes for really frigid conditions. I have trouble with thermal allodynia in the deep winter months and find that I have to really protect my hands as I have a lot of difficulty with temperatures once they drop.
    3. It’s best to avoid hot showers and baths; keep the water warm or cool. When allodynia is severe, showers can be particularly painful, and I find baths are a better solution.
    4. Strong winds will also cause pain with this condition because the skin is extremely sensitive when hit by the wind. It brings a whole new meaning to a biting and stinging wind.
    5. Capsaicin has been shown to help with allodynia; however, it can cause a burning sensation in itself so use with caution. Capsaicin is the only topical cream that has ever provided relief for me for FM pain, but I have never tried it for the allodynia. Many people also reference Tiger Balm.
    6. Generally, massage therapy may be helpful for FM pain, but it can aggravate allodynia. If you see a massage therapist, it’s best to have a conversation with them about your skin sensitivity and ask them what they can do about it. I recommend the same approach to chiropractors.

    There are mediations that some people find helpful for allodynia:

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Tips for when you are in the Fibro Flare

    I am in a Fibro Flare.

    The pain arching through me right now is difficult to describe, to be honest. It is a deep, bone-deep, throbbing ache that is at around an 8 on the pain scale. It is extremely distracting. It is gnawing. Grating. And that is when I am not moving. Moving is another story altogether. 

    In this particular case, it is from weather changes. We have been having hot weather and flash thunderstorms so the pain, as a result, has been pretty intense. Migraines, as you might expect, following suit.

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    It isn’t only the specific keyed-up areas of pain though. It is the body aches as well. Feeling just run down. And the extra bonus of fatigue. Not your normal fatigue… more bonus fatigue. Like the extra bonus pain. A flare-up is just FM Plus.

    I am currently on tramadol slow release for my actual treatment, so I have nothing for a flare-up per se. I have to work tomorrow so rest is out of the question. As is stress avoidance. So I’ll be waiting it out. The approach I most often take, unfortunately. 

    For me, most flares come with overdoing it. I have limits, I just sometimes am not positive where they are or ignore them. Or, worse, the limit changes. One day I can walk for an hour with no consequences. The next day 15 minutes causes extreme pain and that pain increases exponentially the more I walk. So I engage in an activity, in moderation, expecting it to be fine and it is So not fine. FM can be unpredictable like that. 

    Poor sleep is another common one for me. But it is unpredictable. Often it is more than one day of poor sleep that flares me. One day? That is par the course. And yes, it causes aches. But not flare-up pains and aches. Not FM Plus. But a few days of severely deprived sleep and I will flare big time. Even laying in bed to continue trying to sleep is too painful then.

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    When having a flare-up here are the tips:

    • Taking breaks– since they tend to occur during high stress we tend to not engage in self-care. If we just push through, we pay for it. We should try to help others, at work for extended deadlines and reschedule the things we can. Try to reduce the stress factors we Can. Take breaks during the day. Take short naps.
    • They say ‘no’ tip– In times of Flares, it is really important to conserve your time and energy reserves. No, you can’t take on extra work. No, you can’t do that favor for a friend or the school. No, you can’t babysit at this time. You don’t need to use an excuse, because you don’t need to validate your illness, just a polite not at this time. You just cannot take on any more at this specific time.
    • Sleep– Sleep is always a factor for us. And adequate sleep is more important during a flare. Keep to a regular sleep cycle. Get 8 or 9 hours. Only take short naps during the day, so as to not disrupt nighttime sleep.
    • Relaxation– Take time for mindful meditation, relaxation breathing, or biofeedback… whatever works for you. As well as any pain distraction methods you use; like soothing music, reading, or binging on Netflix.
    • Pacing– We can keep doing activities, at a slower pace, which has been found to be better than no activities at all. But we need to know our limits. Slow and steady. We can incorporate some very gentle stretching, walking, or light yoga. If you have an exercise routine already, consider decreasing intensity during a flare.
    • Pain management– Use your medications following the schedule you use to manage pain. If they are not sufficient ask your doctor about breakthrough medications. Use alternative treatments you might find effective; acupuncture, massage therapy, biofeedback, and other therapies to help with pain management.
    • Support– Flares are an emotionally heightened time and can be difficult to deal with and sometimes talking about it helps. To utilize any support groups you belong to. Either online, in real life, or with the people in your support system like friends and family.
    • Baths– I always recommend a nice soothing Epsom salt bath to ease some muscle pain.


    Generally, you want to engage in your Self-care. You don’t want to stop your routines, but be gentle and careful. Self-Care is vital at this time. Take things more slowly and methodically. Be gentle with yourself. Pace yourself. 

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Pain brain signals disrupted in fibromyalgia patients

    New research indicates that a disruption of brain signals for reward and punishment contributes to increased pain sensitivity, known as hyperalgesia, in fibromyalgia patients. Results published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology, suggest that this altered brain processing might contribute to widespread pain and lack of response to opioid therapy in patients with fibromyalgia.

    Fibromyalgia is a chronic, musculoskeletal syndrome characterized by widespread joint and muscle pain along with other symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulty. Previous research estimates that fibromyalgia affects 3.4% of women and 0.5% of men in the U.S. Prevalence of this pain disorder increases with age, affecting more than 7% of women between 60 and 79 years of age.

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    “In patients with fibromyalgia there is an alteration in the central nervous system pain processing and a poor response to topical pain treatments, trigger point injections, and opioids,” said lead author Dr. Marco Loggia from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Our study examines the disruption of brain function involved in the individual experience of pain anticipation and pain relief.”

    For the present study, the research team enrolled 31 patients with fibromyalgia and 14 healthy controls. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cuff pressure pain stimuli on the leg were performed on all subjects. During the MRI, participants received visual cues alerting them of impending pain onset (pain anticipation) and pain offset (relief anticipation).

    Results show that during pain anticipation and relief, fibromyalgia patients displayed less robust responses within brain regions involved in sensory, affective, cognitive, and pain regulating processes. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) — a group of neurons in the center of the brain involved in the processing of reward and punishment — displayed activation during pain anticipation and stimulation, but deactivation during anticipation of relief in healthy controls. In contrast, VTA responses during periods of pain, and anticipation of pain and relief, in fibromyalgia patients were significantly reduced or inhibited.

    Dr. Loggia concludes, “Our findings suggest that fibromyalgia patients exhibit altered brain responses to punishing and rewarding events, such as expectancy of pain and relief of pain. These observations may contribute to explaining the heightened sensitivity to pain, as well as the lack of effectiveness of pain medications such as opioids, observed in these patients. Future studies should further investigate the neurochemical basis underlying these dysfunctions.”

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Fibromyalgia Flare Researches

    Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome defined by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, sleep dysfunction, and cognitive dysfunction. Fibromyalgia pain dysfunction involves increased sensitivity to pain known as hyperalgesia. People with Fibromyalgia can experience what is referred to as ‘flares’ where their symptoms get more severe.

    The flare study

    A survey in Pain Medicine recently looked into the nature of flares to ask people with Fibromyalgia the nature of these flares. They asked open-ended questions to determine how they perceived the fibromyalgia flares, their triggers of them, and possible alleviating factors for them. They were asked how these flare-ups are different from their baseline symptoms and how they cope with them. There were 44 participants in the survey.

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    Primary causes of flares:

    • stress
    • overdoing it
    • poor sleep
    • weather changes

    Primary symptoms of a flare included:

    • flu-like body aches with exhaustion
    • pain
    • fatigue

    Primary treatments were:

    • medical treatments (medications)
    • rest
    • activity and stress avoidance
    • waiting it out

    The study concluded that the periods of “symptom exacerbation (i.e., flares) are commonly experienced by patients with fibromyalgia, and symptoms of flares can be differentiated from everyday or typical symptoms of fibromyalgia. Our study is the first of its kind to qualitatively explore the characteristics, causes, and management strategies of fibromyalgia flares. Future studies are needed to quantitatively characterize fibromyalgia flares and evaluate the mechanisms of flares.

    It would indeed be interesting to see further analysis of the flare phenomena in the future. Particularly the mechanism of it. What is going on such that these flares are so suddenly and abruptly different from the baseline experience? Clearly, it is an event that is triggered. However, discovering what is going on and what a flare could perhaps further what is going on with the entire fibromyalgia syndrome itself.

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    When flare-ups occur consider these:

    • Taking a break– flares tend to occur at times of high stress when it is not exactly good timing for a break. However, no matter what is going on if we push through the pain like we are inclined to do often, we will pay for it. Instead, we should try to ask for help from others, ask for extended deadlines, reschedule things if possible and take care of the flare first. Try and reduce what is causing you stress and get that as low as possible. Also, take breaks during the day to help.
    • The say ‘No’ tip- is very valid again. At this time of a flare, it is even more important to protect your time and reserves. No, you can’t take on extra work. No, you can’t do that favor for a friend or your kid’s school. No, you can’t babysit for a friend. You don’t have to have an excuse, just a polite refusal. You just cannot take on extra things at this time.
    • Sleep– Sleep is always a factor in Fibromyalgia symptoms. This means that adequate quality sleep is even more important during a flare-up. Getting eight or more hours of sleep is important. Keep to a regular sleep schedule. Don’t nap too much during the day such that it disrupts your sleep at night, but you can have a short nap during the day.
    • Relaxation- Doing biofeedback, deep breathing, meditation and self-hypnosis can help take your mind off the pain. As well as distraction methods you may already use, like soothing music or a good book.
    • Pacing– We can keep doing activities, at a slower pace, which has been found to be better than not doing activities at all. However, we need to know our limits. Slow and steady. We can incorporate some gentle exercises such as gentle stretching, walking, and some light yoga. However, if you have an exercise routine consider decreasing the intensity.
    • Pain management– Use your medications following the schedule you use to manage the pain. If they are not sufficient ask your doctor about them. Use any alternative treatments you might find effective. Acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, biofeedback, and other therapies may be beneficial for your pain management
    • Support– It can be difficult to deal with so sometimes talking about it can help. To utilize the support group you have. Either an online support group, a real-life one, or the people in your support system like family and friend
    • Baths– some people find it relaxing to take baths in Epsom salts.

    https://fibromyalgia-6.creator-spring.com/
    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Brain fog tips and tricks

    Brain fog is a symptom of many chronic illnesses and chronic pain. Just seems that when we get ill and our bodies get fatigued or are fighting pain, or both, add in some lack of sleep… you get brain fog.

    Symptoms include:

    I listed some of them there but really there can be more. For example, transposing numbers is also transposing letters so we can spell words wrong frequently. As well as of course forgetting words and then using the wrong word. And massive concentration issues. I used to be a disorganized person. One might say I am by nature and inclination.

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    However, brain fog has made me become, to the best of my ability, an organized one. I have to be because I at times forget things I Know, so I need to have little notes of things I need to access on a daily basis for those blank-out times. It is a constant frustration to think through this fuzzy, muddled head. Not to mention the damn typo brain causing tiny errors you have to hunt down.

    There are a few tips we can keep in mind that can help out with brain fog during the day:

    Exercise

    You knew I was going to say that right? It is always on the list. But indeed it helps boost our mental clarity. Even just a 20 min walk. In fact, if you are working and you find your concentration is shot try getting up and taking a short walk around, sometimes the act of changing activities to motion and then getting back at it can stimulate the brain.

    Eat regularly and snack

    Do not skip meals. In fact, have regular snacks between meals. Snacks really help maintain your energy and you will find it helps with mental fatigue.

    Change activities or tasks

    Sometimes the act of changing what you are doing, shifting the brain from one activity to another can help clear your mind. Then go back to your task and you may find your mind more focused.

    Get sleep

    This may be difficult if you have insomnia or pain or both, but good quality sleep also helps with combating mental fatigue.

    Supplements

    I personally use B12 and Rhodiola for mental clarity and fatigue.

    Reduce stress

    Stress also can be a cause of increasing our brain fog so reducing it is beneficial. One way to help reduce it is with such things as deep breathing exercises and meditation. Even if it is just some short deep breathing exercises during the day to calm yourself down.

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    Routine is our friend

    Established routines help reduce our stress by taking away any stress associated with being flustered or in a rush. It helps maintain balance in the body. It is also beneficial to make lists and reminders to help us remember things, as again this takes stress off of us when we might have issues remembering non-routine events and appointments.

    Avoid multitasking

    It has been established in studies that the brain actually works better when we focus on one thing… I suspect a lot better for those of us with chronic illness and issues with brain fog. To avoid this inclination to multitask.

    Remember pacing

    Take breaks as needed as we can overextend ourselves and small breaks can be greatly beneficial

    Do a medication check

    There are medications that can cause mental fatigue and if it is an issue that is of concern see if it is a side effect you are dealing with and ask your doctor about it.

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    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • Paresthesia and Fibromyalgia

    Paresthesia is one of the nerve symptoms of Fibromyalgia that causes the ‘pins and needles sensations, an itch, tingling, prickling, and numbness. In general, Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, as once it starts it isn’t going away but this isn’t always the case. There can be ways to manage and reduce it at times. At least I had some luck with this but that isn’t saying much, I know, FM being the fickle beast that it is. I will explain what I went through though.

    Sensations:

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    Treatments:
    • NSAIDs or aspirin are recommended if symptoms are mild.
    • If it is more complex antidepressants have been used at low doses because they affect the perception of pain.
    • If the pain is more severe things such as codeine have been used to manage it.
    • B complex, in particular, B12. But be careful because too much B6 can actually be a Cause.
    • Acupuncture and massage have been used to reduce symptoms.
    • Ointments with capsaicin can provide relief. This actually, has been studied for FM pain beneficially.
    • Wearing loose-fitting clothing.

    I have had a bad experience with this symptom. First, I developed peripheral neuropathy in my hand. Rather spontaneously one day, I woke up with half my hand with a thick numbness which over the course of a week spread over the entire hand. It caused damage to two of the fingers mobility-wise as well. Initially, it was thought to be due to a status migraine I was in the middle of but there was a substantial debate about that so I consider it to be idiopathic since they didn’t, in fact, do any actual evidence-based tests to determine that. So I endure the glove-like numbness. The sharp prickling pain. The sharper, deeper never pain. I began to take B12 because I heard it was good for nerve pain and it reduced the prickly pain sensations that were rather problematic for me.

    Second, because I had this ‘incident’ where I developed severe Paresthesia below the waist which spread slowly and gained in intensity and eventually with a significant area of numbness. It greatly disturbed my doctor who thought it might be spinal stenosis or other related back diseases. It led to three back MRIs. And it wasn’t. it wasn’t anything definable with evidence to be seen with an MRI. It was Fibromyalgia related. Just severe. Progressively so it seemed. Until it was running down my legs. Entirely waist down. And the method of treatment for it, which no doctor recommended or thought of, but coincidentally worked for me was a lot of B12. I had been taking it with some benefit for my peripheral neuropathy and by coincidence, it helped, slowly, with this bizarre intense Paresthesia. Now granted, it very well might have been the cause of my idiopathic peripheral neuropathy and the Paresthesia for all I know and that is why the B12 worked for me. All I know is that it was freaky and I am glad it was greatly reduced. I barely have the symptom there now and the severity of it is greatly reduced, so makes me wonder if for me it was a deficiency issue. Nevertheless, not a pleasant fibromyalgia symptom to endure.

    However, I still do have symptoms of this and expect I always will. Mostly now it is the crawling itchy sensation. Generally, at night I get the same sensation I had before from the waist down but less intense. I just reduced that specific area dramatically.

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    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

  • A Flare is one of the worst fibromyalgia experiences.

    The Flare-up (see here for my article on it) is one of the worst fibromyalgia experiences. I fell into it sometime last night and woke up with the most unpleasant pains. In the hips, shoulders, and back, not to mention all over aches. I was very fatigued yesterday and perhaps that was some prediction of impending doom.

    Here is the thing we can pace and moderate but we cannot avoid all flares. Sometimes they just occur. Sometimes they are just radically unpredictable. And we just do not know where the hell they came from. This one I have no clue what triggered it. It certainly was not something obvious like overdoing it. Things like poor sleep are a constant factor but that could certainly have done it. It wasn’t the weather.

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    And, well, I can blame stress. Because I can always blame stress. But specifically, I do not know. There is nothing that stands out. I know, usually, when it is stress-induced because it is a significant stressor. But I can say I don’t always know when it is a lack of sleep because that does fluctuate from bad to horrific.

    Nevertheless, we simply can’t avoid it. And it is Painful. I was walking around like Frankenstein’s monster. And slow, so slow.

    Medications can only do so much I suppose. Mine doesn’t do that much. They take the edge off regular FM pain which is true, but not the hyped-up Flare pain. I can’t rest when I have to work. Can’t avoid stress… when I have to work. So… I am waiting it out. And moving slowly. Tomorrow I am off and I will have a day of rest. And it will be a mellow day of relaxation and a lot of menthol creams I suspect.

    It never ceases to amaze me how FM can flare up so spontaneously from like a 4-5 level pain to a 7-8 level pain. Fast, little cause, just BAM. Overdoing it is the most prevalent cause we experience. We just cross that limit a little too far… just a smidgen. And maybe we don’t even realize it right away. Or maybe we do a little bit. With muscle fatigue and aches. Then suddenly the pain just smacks into us out of nowhere. It is sometimes hard to Know where that Line is. So it is pretty easy to cross. Especially on good pain days. Not to mention we are literally told all the freaking time to not let our pain stop us from doing things. So of course, if we do things we are going to accidentally cross those invisible lines. Hell, I cross them just doing the exercise I am supposed to do. Because exercise is painful all the time, it is hard to know when I have pushed that pain limit too far. And then when I do it is extremely painful and I can’t exercise for days after.

    So to recap… pace, moderate… but don’t stop doing activities… but don’t exceed your limits and overdo it or you will cause a flare-up. So simple, right?

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    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

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  • Lack of continuous sleep in Fibromyalgia

    Fibromyalgia has some pretty distinctive sleep disturbances associated with it not to mention comorbid sleep issues. It is one of the key factors in the syndrome… our inability to attain refreshing sleep. I wrote a post about it here. So it interests me that they have done some recent research in this area. One of the important things about our sleep dysfunction is that since it isn’t presenting like regular insomnia the treatment likewise has to be different. Lack of sleep, as we are all aware, can cause a lot of symptoms.

    So the recent Canadian study in Ontario took a look at 132 subjects (109 insomniacs and 52 without any sleep difficulties). During the two-night analysis, their sleep was recorded by polysomnography; electrodes placed on the face and scalp of the subjects enabled the researchers to look at sleep latency, the stages of sleep, sleep cycles, and duration of sleep.

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    With fibromyalgia and insomnia subjects have issues falling asleep, compared to controls and they have fragmented sleep. They have frequent night wakings. Here is specifically what they found with the differences between Primary insomnia and FM insomnia.

    • FM subjects had decreased total sleep time
    • They had slow-wave sleep
    • They had increased latency to persistent sleep
    • And wake time after sleep onset.
    • Both FM and insomniacs had short sleep duration compared to controls

    Conclusions: Increased frequency of wake and sleep tips and wake Decreased end duration, together with LPS and Increased Decreased SWS, Suggests That Sleep in FM is characterized by year Inability to Maintain continuous sleep goal and Greater sleep drive Compared with PI. Clinical Journal of Pain

    The ideal goal then is not only to get us To sleep but to maintain continuous sleep.
    There is research to suggest that the issue lies in difficulties with deep sleep interference

    ” Alpha-delta sleep is the abnormal intrusion of alpha activity (8- to 13-Hz oscillations) into the delta activity (1- to 4-Hz oscillations) That olefins slow-wave sleep. Alpha-delta sleep is Especially prevalent in fibromyalgia patients, and there is evidence Suggesting Que la Irregularities in the sleep of These patients May because of the muscle tissue and bread That characterizes the disorder. We constructed a biophysically realistic mathematical model of alpha-delta sleep. Imaging studies in fibromyalgia patients Suggesting altered levels of activity in the thalamus has motivated thalamic model as the source of alpha activity.”

    It should be noted that previous studies have also shown we have had issues with Delta deep sleep, leading to unrefreshing sleep no matter how much we get. Causing other issues as well. Although it is interesting to note they point to the thalamus as the alpha intrusion into our deep sleep.

    Now, I hardly needed a study to tell me I have difficulty falling asleep and maintaining it. It has been a long-term issue of mine since I was quite young. Not to mention pain is a factor as well. The main thing is that by researching it there can be new targets for medication. I had heard they researched a sleeping pill for people with FM. I have not heard anything since then, so maybe nothing came of it… but it was designed to keep us asleep. Maybe that is still on the go. Either way it is interesting to know primary insomnia is not quite the same as Fibromyalgia related insomnia.

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    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

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  • Brain Fog, when it isn’t just about the pain

    I have been struggling with work lately. And by lately I mean always. Always struggling to function through the pain. Always not quite doing it.

    My psychologist said well I cannot compare apples to oranges. I cannot compare myself to people doing the same job perfectly healthy. Nor to myself when I was healthy-er. And it did occur to me that this job I am now doing wouldn’t even be a challenge to me when I was younger and in less pain than now. But the pain now has eaten away at my cognitive capacity with the FM and the chronic daily migraines. Not enough space in the brain to focus on much other than tolerating the pain.

    Here is the Thing.

    The thing is I am permanently this person that is confused, befuddled, and living in a pain haze. This is who I am. No matter the job. Good days and certainly, by far, bad days.

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    And I don’t like it. I don’t want to be this person. This person frustrates the hell out of me. I just want to do my job… hell A job effectively and efficiently as possible. Hell, I want to excel at what I put my mind to, as it was before the pain became such a living force. This person is plodding. This person’s communication skills get rather tangled up. Perhaps why I love writing so much is that I don’t feel the cognitive sting so much as I do in reality. The sharp snag to the working memory, the complete lack of short-term memory, and where the hell is that long-term memory anyway. I want to get more sleep so I can shake off this infernal mental fatigue and this damn exhaustion. But I can’t because I can’t ever sleep decently and because it is a damn permanent state of affairs. Pain inhibits cognition and chronic pain therefore chronically. So I am stuck thinking through molasses forever.

    So yes, I understand completely not to compare myself to people without chronic illnesses and pain.  Or even to myself in my lesser state of pain. Never a good idea. However, I do rather trash myself because I cannot function the way I want to function. I am constantly limited and inhibited in my capacity. I am not content with the way I am functioning. I am aware of my capacity and very aware of this thick mental lag, fatigue, and sludge in the way of it. Just like I am aware of the profound difference between the ability to function on a good pain day and a bad pain day. Well a good day, still not a great day. I think we are all aware of that wall of fatigue and pain in the way of our thinking. All the little errors, glitches, and failures to communicate happen every single day.

    That is my frustration at this point. The fact that with chronic pain, migraines specifically, I seem so cognitively impaired all the time. Migraines can vary neurologically as well. Sometimes it is straight-up aphasia that impairs my capacity to communicate. Sometimes the sensory distortions make it difficult to focus on reality. Sometimes the confusional states make it difficult to comprehend things. Mostly though it is straight-up trying to just function through pain when pain is taking up all that brain capacity.

    I’m not saying there aren’t things we can do for things like brain fog and fibrofog. I wrote something up about fibrofog Here. What I am saying is it never seems like I get a break in this area no matter what I do. Likely because the pain hasn’t given me a break. I have been reading a book on cognitive abilities and it recommends things like mindful meditation, exercise, and brain games. None of which get rid of the pain that is triggering the issue in this case, but never hurts to keep the brain going strong when clearly it is having issues. For example, I already do mindful meditation for pain, and if it can give me a cognitive boost that would indeed be a bonus, wouldn’t it?

    I really miss the clarity of thought that comes with not having a migraine. It has been years since that was the case. But I do remember the last day it occurred. I remember how clear my thinking was. How crisp. How quick. How accurate. Then the cloud sank back down.

    https://fibromyalgia-6.creator-spring.com/
    https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

    Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

    For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

    References:

    Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

    Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

    Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

    Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

    Fibromyalgia Stores

    Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store