FIBROMYALGIA

I spent a lot of time trying to search for images for this page and ran across Itchy and Scratchy during my on line travels. I felt as I looked at them that they convey the feelings of what FMS feels like to those who have this syndrome. Those of you reading this that have FMS I think would be able to well relate to this analysis; no explanation will be required.

On this site I will include some links to other sites that I hope persons with FMS or those that have a loved one who has this syndrome will find informative. I will also include information about FMS, its symptoms, how it effects those with it, and anything I have come across in my searches for understanding; that I feel may help to inform others.

WHAT EXACTLY IS FIBROMYALGIA YOU MAY ASK?

Before I proceed with a more medical description of what Fibromyalgia is first I would like to express what it is or becomes in the lives of those who have this syndrome. Before we go any further keep in mind I suffer from Fibromyalgia and am no doctor or anything even similar. Much of my information was gathered from different resources and from my own personal experience with FMS.

Fibromyalgia is the syndrome that makes many things that most people take for granted difficult to do. Little things such as simply waking up in the morning, going to sleep at night. These two things become a battle for those who suffer FMS. Things that are precious and important to carry out in our every day worlds become painful struggles with very little understanding or support for most of us. To brush my 10 year olds daughter's hair for her is agonizing for me and although some parents may say "You are old enough to brush your own hair." What I wouldn't give to be able to do this without suffering and having to take breaks between strokes. To carry my youngest child; to just be able to pick him up and give him a big hug without the unbearable pain. When my youngest was first born it made bonding a very difficult thing as I had difficulty holding him for periods of time; for as small as precious as he was simply resting his little head on my arms put me in severe pain. These are the things though that so many of us take for granted and yet has made me realize how important they are. FMS is also an excuse for everything that goes wrong in your body; no matter how sick you are or what you may really suffer from; all new conditions or problems become an easy diagnosis for your doctor; "Oh, its only the FMS, don't worry about it." Many who suffer from this syndrome feel alone with their pain as no one seems to understand what we suffer or some to care to even try. I think that FMS hurts us emotionally as much as it does physically due to this factor. I remember visiting doctors during diagnosis and how I took offense when asked if I was a depressive suicidal person. I was enraged by this; with the implement that this was my problem. My response was of course I get depressed; I suffer pain on a daily basis whats not to depress? So what is the problem then? I get depressed because of FMS; depression does not cause it. And suicidal?NO!!!! I do not have a mental condition that makes me suicidal I have a very real physical condition that puts me in pain!!!

Okay enough of my ongoing rambling and I will get to more medical terms of what FIBROMYALGIA is? Medically it is not a syndrome that is well understood by a lot of doctor's at this point. It is a systemic neurotransmitter condition which causes wide spread body pain. Neurotransmitters are electro-biochemical agents that crosses the nerve synapses, meaning they carry information between one's body and mind; for people with FMS this is a process that can be greatly interfered with or mildly depending on the severity of their specific case. I personally feel that for me it is GREATLY interfered with. In some cases like mine; simple information is very difficult for me to process. My mind tells me what action I wish to take but my body does not always follow. Many can relate to this; such as our mind says to pick that object up knowing just how much pressure may be required to obtain and hold that object but the body does not and this may result in dropping many things or even in my case squeezing too hard. Some laugh at the way I eat a sandwich for example. I don't know how hard I am squeezing it but it is literally mangled by my hands while I am holding it. Or there is also the case of broken objects because I don't realize how lightly I am really holding something, and I drop it. Therefor; FMS can be indicated as causing us to be very clumsy even sometimes tripping over a crack on the floor or our own feet for that matter....lol!!

It is a sensitivity amplifier syndrome; meaning that people with FMS will be very sensitive to light, smells, sounds, odors, pressure, temperature fluctuations, and even medicines. Some noises can drive a person crazy with FMS and as strange as it sounds I am hard of hearing and yet certain noises seem to penetrate a sensitive part of my brain peircing through it. Nerve endings become sensitized, which is an indication that the ends of the nerve receptors may have changed their shape. As painful and degenerating as FMS feels to those of us who have it; it is not degenerating or progressive even though we feel as if it is. Now with this in mind though it still can be dehibilitating to some. There is usually a constant widespread pain that can be severe, you see our pain receptors work overtime and double the work as a person without FMS. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that also effects our alpha waves; they tend to intrude with our sleep by keeping us in lighter phases of sleep or causing us to suddenly awaken from a sleep. This leads to the lack of sleep feeling; always being tired. This is one reason why a doctor may put a person with FMS on sleep aid pills helping us to stay asleep. I personally have tried this method to no avail, feeling that the medication simply added to my problems; making me feel more dragged out, that is certainly not to say that it would not work for some. Also upon my searches of FMS I learned that Indians believe that those who suffer from FMS and the rem of sleep they maintain are tied into the spiritual world therefor looking up to those who suffer from FMS.

Simple things like sitting, standing up, or walking are difficult for people with FMS as they are actions that require the entire musculature system to be able to feel its own actions; well we in most cases have that inability.

There is much that is not really known about FMS; perhaps only assumed. The causes of it our are not really clear; although it is said to be heriditary or brought on by some trauma to the body; such as an accident, but research has contributed to the factors of hormones or chemicals altering pain, sleep, or a person's mood.

Below are some links that will tell you more about other areas of FMS such as the diagnostic messures, symptoms, and so forth. Also the other links in hopes that they will be found to be informative to those still searching for some understanding of their pain.

HOW DOES SOMEONE GET DIAGNOSED WITH FMS ?

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FMS?

WHAT ARE POSSIBLE TREATMENTS FOR FMS?

PREGNANCY AND FIBROMYALGIA

MISDIAGNOSIS?LYME DISEASE OR FMS?

FIBROMYALGIA NETWORK

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