There are things I feel that no one else would consider symptoms of fibromyalgia. And there are symptoms of fibromyalgia that I do not experience.<\/p>\n
Fibromyalgia is a beast with many appearances. So if you are reading this article in the hopes of understanding your own symptoms better, do not be discouraged if this does not represent your own personal experience.<\/p>\n
Maybe you have fibromyalgia, maybe you don\u2019t. The responsible thing to do is unequivocal to discuss your situation with your healthcare professional.<\/p>\n
Now that all the legal stuff is behind us (or above us!), let\u2019s talk symptoms!<\/p>\n
1- Pain is your new puppy.<\/span><\/h2>\nAnd like any brand new puppy, it follows you everywhere. It is very common for the first fibromyalgia symptoms to be a\u00a0generalized chronic pain.<\/p>\n
I am not talking about pain that comes and goes. That\u2019s another point on the list.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m talking about the feeling that there is always<\/em> something hurting.<\/p>\nALWAYS.<\/p>\n
It just does not happen for you to have more than a day or two without any kind of pain at all. There are several conditions that could provoke chronic pain, so pain alone is not a definitive symptom of fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
Let me put it this way: everyone with fibromyalgia has chronic pain, but not everyone with chronic pain has fibromyalgia. Which is why it is very important for you to see a doctor (do I sound like a broken record or what?!?).<\/p>\n
In order to accurately relay the amplitude of your chronic pain, you could keep a journal in which you would write down the day you suffer from chronic pain, and maybe keep track of where the pain was the most felt.<\/p>\n
It will give you something concrete to show your health care professional when you discuss your possible fibromyalgia diagnosis.<\/p>\n
2- It\u2019s a sharp dull pain that comes and goes but stays the same. <\/span><\/h2>\nYour pain is nagging and sharp, it is dull and aching and stabbing, it is somewhat noticeable but fully debilitating.<\/p>\n
Do I sound like a lunatic? Yes, probably. Do Fibro Warriors know exactly what I\u2019m talking about? You bet they do!<\/p>\n
The thing that is hard to explain, hard to admit and hard to share is that fibromyalgia pain has a life of its own. We\u2019ve already established that it never goes away.<\/p>\n
But in addition to being as stubborn as a two-year-old, fibromyalgia pain is constantly changing. From dull to sharp, aching to downright impossible to handle, it\u2019s the kind of pain that can drive a person crazy!<\/p>\n
The weird part is, most of the time, Fibro Warriors are so accustomed to the pain that they don\u2019t even try to eradicate it anymore. It becomes a regular part of life and we develop strategies, sometimes without even knowing it, to deal with any type of pain.<\/p>\n
The problem, of course, is that even if we can ignore the pain, it is still taking a toll on our bodies. It is often too late when we realize that ignoring the pain is worse than talking about it.<\/p>\n
3- It will be all better after I take a nap. Not. <\/span><\/h2>\nOh, silly Fibro Warrior. Here you are, thinking you can tame the beast by pulling it to sleep. Ya right!<\/p>\n
When you have a \u201cmechanical\u201d injury, like a sprained ankle, the recommended course of action is often rest. We are told that everything will be better tomorrow if only we don\u2019t use the injured part.<\/p>\n
With fibromyalgia, however, it is a different story. No matter how much rest you get, the pain will not let up. You may have the illusion of feeling better after resting, but it will not last very long.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the pain associated with fibromyalgia is internal. It is taking place at a synaptic level. \u201cA what,\u201d you ask. A synaptic level.<\/p>\n
It happens on a teeny tiny scale, right in your brain, at the level of what is called synapses, which are the highways between your brain cells, used for nerve signals to travel.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, with fibromyalgia, the transmission of nerve signals is a bit messy, so no matter what you\u2019re doing, your brain thinks it is in pain. And for all intents and purposes, you ARE in pain. It\u2019s just that the pain you feel does not have a \u201cmechanical\u201d or outward source.<\/p>\n
In a nutshell, it\u2019s all in our head. But not in a pejorative way.<\/p>\n
In the end, resting your physical body will do nothing one way or the other for your fibromyalgia pain. The only thing that can calm fibromyalgia pain a bit is to influence the way your brain interprets the signals it receives. Which means, you\u2019ve guessed it, medication.<\/p>\n
4- Am I going to live in pain every minute of every day?<\/span><\/h2>\nGood news, friend! You may find some relief from your symptoms from time to time! Now rejoice, but not too hard. You don\u2019t want to overexert your body\u2026<\/p>\n
The one thing a lot of Fibro Warriors agree with is that there still are some good days, somewhere in there.<\/p>\n
The picture we tend to paint is gloomy and dark, but realistically, clear skies appear throughout the day.<\/p>\n
While there are good days, where the pain is bearable, or I should say when we are able to ignore the pain successfully, this brings on another issue.<\/p>\n
Have you tried to explain to others that some days are good, some days are so-so, and some days are horrible? Chances are, they looked at you in a judgemental way.<\/p>\n
If they did not say anything, you can be sure they thought no less. And just like that, you were categorized as the whiner, the faker, the person who is hurting only when it benefits her. Welcome to fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
[To be honest, I\u2019ve never quite understood how being in such pain that you couldn\u2019t leave the house would benefit anyone, but hey, I\u2019m not the one thinking ill of my fellow man\u2026]<\/p>\n
![\"What](\"https:\/\/www.thefibrowarriors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/What-does-Fibro-feel-like.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
5- Resting does not help. Therefore, overdoing it should have no effect on your Fibro symptoms. Or should it\u2026<\/span><\/h2>\nYou\u2019ve probably guessed that if it had no effect, then I would not talk about it. Well done, Sherlock\u2019s apprentice!<\/p>\n
Here is the cold, hard truth: you will need to gage every single one of your movement. I\u2019m not exaggerating. Trust me, I wish I was. But I\u2019m not. If you need to plan your day in accordance with your projected pain level, chances are you are experiencing fibromyalgia symptoms.<\/p>\n
Fibromyalgia is sneaky like that. You will feel you just fine, and since you feel just fine, you want to get as much done as possible, because there is no telling how you will feel tomorrow. So you set out on an adventure with the higher purpose of knocking items off of your To Do list.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when things get annoying. And complicated. And unfair. And unpredictable, yet sadly, very predictable. Welcome to the vicious cycle of fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
See, the better you feel, the more you do. Which means the worse you\u2019ll feel the next day. In turn, this means that the next time you feel good, you will do as much as possible, because you don\u2019t know when the next time you will feel good enough to do anything will be.<\/p>\n
And since you are bound to do too much, chances are you will feel quite bad soon after. Which means\u2026 well, you get it. You have entered an unbreakable cycle Fibro Warriors the world around dread.<\/p>\n
You never seem to be able to catch a break\u2026<\/p>\n
6- Trigger points, you say? Ouch, I reply.<\/span><\/h2>\nFirst of all, what are trigger points?\u00a0 Trigger points are specific areas of your body that are particularly tender when they are stimulated.\u00a0 When I say particularly tender, I mean they hurt like a @#$%^.<\/p>\n
There are 18 trigger points usually associated with fibromyalgia.\u00a0 They are depicted in the graph below.<\/p>\n
![\"fibromyalgia](\"https:\/\/www.thefibrowarriors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/fibromyalgia-trigger-point.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
When you push the trigger points, and if you are a Fibro Warrior, it will feel like someone is drilling a hot coal inside you all the while pounding a hammer on the spot. It\u2019s not pleasant.<\/p>\n
Generally speaking, we assume that if 11 of the 18 points are tender upon touching, then you have fibromyalgia. The points tend to come in pairs, so if one side of the body is sensitive, then the opposite side will be too. It\u2019s like a mirror effect.<\/p>\n
Here is the deal though, there are times when trigger points are going to hurt more than other times.\u00a0 And I have also personally experienced doctors would be\u00a0missed the trigger point by an inch or so, and suddenly, I don\u2019t have fibromyalgia anymore\u2026 Yes, it is as frustrating as it sounds.<\/p>\n
7- This weather is too hot! This weather is too cold! This weather is\u2026 just not right!<\/span><\/h2>\nIf you constantly feel like Goldilocks trying to find the perfect weather, then you may have fibromyalgia!<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia comes with a TON of weird side effects.\u00a0 The reason for the temperature regulation issue is quite unclear to me, to be perfectly honest.<\/p>\n
Well, I know it has something to do with the hypothalamus, which is a gland that sits at the base of our skulls, and that regulates hormones.<\/p>\n
And just like the good ol\u2019 menopausal hot flashes have proven time and again, hormones play a big role in how we feel temperature.\u00a0 I\u2019m not about to give you some long, drawn out scientific blah-blah because I just don\u2019t know any more than that!<\/p>\n
But there is what I know for sure: I sometimes feel temperature changes a lot more than other people. It\u2019s pretty insane, actually. I will need three layers of clothing on a 90-degree day, but then I\u2019ll go out in short sleeves when it\u2019s 25 degrees.<\/p>\n
Thanks for making me look a little bit more insane every day, fibromyalgia\u2026<\/p>\n
8- You think you only have fibromyalgia? Think again!<\/span><\/h2>\nOh, how I hate this one\u2026\u00a0 OK,< fine.\u00a0 I hate all of them. But this time has a special spot in whatever kind of torturous eternity you believe in.<\/p>\n
See, fibromyalgia is so nice to our poor beaten down body that it feels the need to invite its rowdy friends to the party every single day.\u00a0 EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.<\/em><\/p>\nUgh.<\/p>\n
I could go on and list off all of the issues that you can deal with when you have fibromyalgia. I could, but I won\u2019t because I don\u2019t feel like getting all depressed today.<\/p>\n
But fret not, Fellow Fibro Warriors!\u00a0 Here is a link to another article I wrote about the various invisible symptoms of fibromyalgia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nThere you will find a (non-exhaustive) list of fibromyalgia-related symptoms.\u00a0 Any of those could be stand-alone conditions. What makes it extra fibro special is that Fibro Warriors get to have any or all of those on any given day.<\/p>\n
Not my definition of fun\u2026<\/p>\n
Look, I\u2019m not trying to be whiny.\u00a0 But\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s really hard sometimes to be open and to say you think you might have fibromyalgia\u00a0because it can sound a bit whiny.<\/p>\n
Now don\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 I know <\/em>that you guys are not whining.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that listing off your laundry list of issues is not how you want to spend your time.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that you\u2019re not faking, and you\u2019re not exaggerating, and you\u2019re sincerely not feeling good.<\/p>\n
ALWAYS.<\/p>\n
It just does not happen for you to have more than a day or two without any kind of pain at all. There are several conditions that could provoke chronic pain, so pain alone is not a definitive symptom of fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
Let me put it this way: everyone with fibromyalgia has chronic pain, but not everyone with chronic pain has fibromyalgia. Which is why it is very important for you to see a doctor (do I sound like a broken record or what?!?).<\/p>\n
In order to accurately relay the amplitude of your chronic pain, you could keep a journal in which you would write down the day you suffer from chronic pain, and maybe keep track of where the pain was the most felt.<\/p>\n
It will give you something concrete to show your health care professional when you discuss your possible fibromyalgia diagnosis.<\/p>\n
2- It\u2019s a sharp dull pain that comes and goes but stays the same. <\/span><\/h2>\nYour pain is nagging and sharp, it is dull and aching and stabbing, it is somewhat noticeable but fully debilitating.<\/p>\n
Do I sound like a lunatic? Yes, probably. Do Fibro Warriors know exactly what I\u2019m talking about? You bet they do!<\/p>\n
The thing that is hard to explain, hard to admit and hard to share is that fibromyalgia pain has a life of its own. We\u2019ve already established that it never goes away.<\/p>\n
But in addition to being as stubborn as a two-year-old, fibromyalgia pain is constantly changing. From dull to sharp, aching to downright impossible to handle, it\u2019s the kind of pain that can drive a person crazy!<\/p>\n
The weird part is, most of the time, Fibro Warriors are so accustomed to the pain that they don\u2019t even try to eradicate it anymore. It becomes a regular part of life and we develop strategies, sometimes without even knowing it, to deal with any type of pain.<\/p>\n
The problem, of course, is that even if we can ignore the pain, it is still taking a toll on our bodies. It is often too late when we realize that ignoring the pain is worse than talking about it.<\/p>\n
3- It will be all better after I take a nap. Not. <\/span><\/h2>\nOh, silly Fibro Warrior. Here you are, thinking you can tame the beast by pulling it to sleep. Ya right!<\/p>\n
When you have a \u201cmechanical\u201d injury, like a sprained ankle, the recommended course of action is often rest. We are told that everything will be better tomorrow if only we don\u2019t use the injured part.<\/p>\n
With fibromyalgia, however, it is a different story. No matter how much rest you get, the pain will not let up. You may have the illusion of feeling better after resting, but it will not last very long.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the pain associated with fibromyalgia is internal. It is taking place at a synaptic level. \u201cA what,\u201d you ask. A synaptic level.<\/p>\n
It happens on a teeny tiny scale, right in your brain, at the level of what is called synapses, which are the highways between your brain cells, used for nerve signals to travel.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, with fibromyalgia, the transmission of nerve signals is a bit messy, so no matter what you\u2019re doing, your brain thinks it is in pain. And for all intents and purposes, you ARE in pain. It\u2019s just that the pain you feel does not have a \u201cmechanical\u201d or outward source.<\/p>\n
In a nutshell, it\u2019s all in our head. But not in a pejorative way.<\/p>\n
In the end, resting your physical body will do nothing one way or the other for your fibromyalgia pain. The only thing that can calm fibromyalgia pain a bit is to influence the way your brain interprets the signals it receives. Which means, you\u2019ve guessed it, medication.<\/p>\n
4- Am I going to live in pain every minute of every day?<\/span><\/h2>\nGood news, friend! You may find some relief from your symptoms from time to time! Now rejoice, but not too hard. You don\u2019t want to overexert your body\u2026<\/p>\n
The one thing a lot of Fibro Warriors agree with is that there still are some good days, somewhere in there.<\/p>\n
The picture we tend to paint is gloomy and dark, but realistically, clear skies appear throughout the day.<\/p>\n
While there are good days, where the pain is bearable, or I should say when we are able to ignore the pain successfully, this brings on another issue.<\/p>\n
Have you tried to explain to others that some days are good, some days are so-so, and some days are horrible? Chances are, they looked at you in a judgemental way.<\/p>\n
If they did not say anything, you can be sure they thought no less. And just like that, you were categorized as the whiner, the faker, the person who is hurting only when it benefits her. Welcome to fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
[To be honest, I\u2019ve never quite understood how being in such pain that you couldn\u2019t leave the house would benefit anyone, but hey, I\u2019m not the one thinking ill of my fellow man\u2026]<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
5- Resting does not help. Therefore, overdoing it should have no effect on your Fibro symptoms. Or should it\u2026<\/span><\/h2>\nYou\u2019ve probably guessed that if it had no effect, then I would not talk about it. Well done, Sherlock\u2019s apprentice!<\/p>\n
Here is the cold, hard truth: you will need to gage every single one of your movement. I\u2019m not exaggerating. Trust me, I wish I was. But I\u2019m not. If you need to plan your day in accordance with your projected pain level, chances are you are experiencing fibromyalgia symptoms.<\/p>\n
Fibromyalgia is sneaky like that. You will feel you just fine, and since you feel just fine, you want to get as much done as possible, because there is no telling how you will feel tomorrow. So you set out on an adventure with the higher purpose of knocking items off of your To Do list.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when things get annoying. And complicated. And unfair. And unpredictable, yet sadly, very predictable. Welcome to the vicious cycle of fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
See, the better you feel, the more you do. Which means the worse you\u2019ll feel the next day. In turn, this means that the next time you feel good, you will do as much as possible, because you don\u2019t know when the next time you will feel good enough to do anything will be.<\/p>\n
And since you are bound to do too much, chances are you will feel quite bad soon after. Which means\u2026 well, you get it. You have entered an unbreakable cycle Fibro Warriors the world around dread.<\/p>\n
You never seem to be able to catch a break\u2026<\/p>\n
6- Trigger points, you say? Ouch, I reply.<\/span><\/h2>\nFirst of all, what are trigger points?\u00a0 Trigger points are specific areas of your body that are particularly tender when they are stimulated.\u00a0 When I say particularly tender, I mean they hurt like a @#$%^.<\/p>\n
There are 18 trigger points usually associated with fibromyalgia.\u00a0 They are depicted in the graph below.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When you push the trigger points, and if you are a Fibro Warrior, it will feel like someone is drilling a hot coal inside you all the while pounding a hammer on the spot. It\u2019s not pleasant.<\/p>\n
Generally speaking, we assume that if 11 of the 18 points are tender upon touching, then you have fibromyalgia. The points tend to come in pairs, so if one side of the body is sensitive, then the opposite side will be too. It\u2019s like a mirror effect.<\/p>\n
Here is the deal though, there are times when trigger points are going to hurt more than other times.\u00a0 And I have also personally experienced doctors would be\u00a0missed the trigger point by an inch or so, and suddenly, I don\u2019t have fibromyalgia anymore\u2026 Yes, it is as frustrating as it sounds.<\/p>\n
7- This weather is too hot! This weather is too cold! This weather is\u2026 just not right!<\/span><\/h2>\nIf you constantly feel like Goldilocks trying to find the perfect weather, then you may have fibromyalgia!<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia comes with a TON of weird side effects.\u00a0 The reason for the temperature regulation issue is quite unclear to me, to be perfectly honest.<\/p>\n
Well, I know it has something to do with the hypothalamus, which is a gland that sits at the base of our skulls, and that regulates hormones.<\/p>\n
And just like the good ol\u2019 menopausal hot flashes have proven time and again, hormones play a big role in how we feel temperature.\u00a0 I\u2019m not about to give you some long, drawn out scientific blah-blah because I just don\u2019t know any more than that!<\/p>\n
But there is what I know for sure: I sometimes feel temperature changes a lot more than other people. It\u2019s pretty insane, actually. I will need three layers of clothing on a 90-degree day, but then I\u2019ll go out in short sleeves when it\u2019s 25 degrees.<\/p>\n
Thanks for making me look a little bit more insane every day, fibromyalgia\u2026<\/p>\n
8- You think you only have fibromyalgia? Think again!<\/span><\/h2>\nOh, how I hate this one\u2026\u00a0 OK,< fine.\u00a0 I hate all of them. But this time has a special spot in whatever kind of torturous eternity you believe in.<\/p>\n
See, fibromyalgia is so nice to our poor beaten down body that it feels the need to invite its rowdy friends to the party every single day.\u00a0 EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.<\/em><\/p>\nUgh.<\/p>\n
I could go on and list off all of the issues that you can deal with when you have fibromyalgia. I could, but I won\u2019t because I don\u2019t feel like getting all depressed today.<\/p>\n
But fret not, Fellow Fibro Warriors!\u00a0 Here is a link to another article I wrote about the various invisible symptoms of fibromyalgia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nThere you will find a (non-exhaustive) list of fibromyalgia-related symptoms.\u00a0 Any of those could be stand-alone conditions. What makes it extra fibro special is that Fibro Warriors get to have any or all of those on any given day.<\/p>\n
Not my definition of fun\u2026<\/p>\n
Look, I\u2019m not trying to be whiny.\u00a0 But\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s really hard sometimes to be open and to say you think you might have fibromyalgia\u00a0because it can sound a bit whiny.<\/p>\n
Now don\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 I know <\/em>that you guys are not whining.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that listing off your laundry list of issues is not how you want to spend your time.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that you\u2019re not faking, and you\u2019re not exaggerating, and you\u2019re sincerely not feeling good.<\/p>\n
Oh, silly Fibro Warrior. Here you are, thinking you can tame the beast by pulling it to sleep. Ya right!<\/p>\n
When you have a \u201cmechanical\u201d injury, like a sprained ankle, the recommended course of action is often rest. We are told that everything will be better tomorrow if only we don\u2019t use the injured part.<\/p>\n
With fibromyalgia, however, it is a different story. No matter how much rest you get, the pain will not let up. You may have the illusion of feeling better after resting, but it will not last very long.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the pain associated with fibromyalgia is internal. It is taking place at a synaptic level. \u201cA what,\u201d you ask. A synaptic level.<\/p>\n
It happens on a teeny tiny scale, right in your brain, at the level of what is called synapses, which are the highways between your brain cells, used for nerve signals to travel.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, with fibromyalgia, the transmission of nerve signals is a bit messy, so no matter what you\u2019re doing, your brain thinks it is in pain. And for all intents and purposes, you ARE in pain. It\u2019s just that the pain you feel does not have a \u201cmechanical\u201d or outward source.<\/p>\n
In a nutshell, it\u2019s all in our head. But not in a pejorative way.<\/p>\n
In the end, resting your physical body will do nothing one way or the other for your fibromyalgia pain. The only thing that can calm fibromyalgia pain a bit is to influence the way your brain interprets the signals it receives. Which means, you\u2019ve guessed it, medication.<\/p>\n
4- Am I going to live in pain every minute of every day?<\/span><\/h2>\nGood news, friend! You may find some relief from your symptoms from time to time! Now rejoice, but not too hard. You don\u2019t want to overexert your body\u2026<\/p>\n
The one thing a lot of Fibro Warriors agree with is that there still are some good days, somewhere in there.<\/p>\n
The picture we tend to paint is gloomy and dark, but realistically, clear skies appear throughout the day.<\/p>\n
While there are good days, where the pain is bearable, or I should say when we are able to ignore the pain successfully, this brings on another issue.<\/p>\n
Have you tried to explain to others that some days are good, some days are so-so, and some days are horrible? Chances are, they looked at you in a judgemental way.<\/p>\n
If they did not say anything, you can be sure they thought no less. And just like that, you were categorized as the whiner, the faker, the person who is hurting only when it benefits her. Welcome to fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
[To be honest, I\u2019ve never quite understood how being in such pain that you couldn\u2019t leave the house would benefit anyone, but hey, I\u2019m not the one thinking ill of my fellow man\u2026]<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
5- Resting does not help. Therefore, overdoing it should have no effect on your Fibro symptoms. Or should it\u2026<\/span><\/h2>\nYou\u2019ve probably guessed that if it had no effect, then I would not talk about it. Well done, Sherlock\u2019s apprentice!<\/p>\n
Here is the cold, hard truth: you will need to gage every single one of your movement. I\u2019m not exaggerating. Trust me, I wish I was. But I\u2019m not. If you need to plan your day in accordance with your projected pain level, chances are you are experiencing fibromyalgia symptoms.<\/p>\n
Fibromyalgia is sneaky like that. You will feel you just fine, and since you feel just fine, you want to get as much done as possible, because there is no telling how you will feel tomorrow. So you set out on an adventure with the higher purpose of knocking items off of your To Do list.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when things get annoying. And complicated. And unfair. And unpredictable, yet sadly, very predictable. Welcome to the vicious cycle of fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
See, the better you feel, the more you do. Which means the worse you\u2019ll feel the next day. In turn, this means that the next time you feel good, you will do as much as possible, because you don\u2019t know when the next time you will feel good enough to do anything will be.<\/p>\n
And since you are bound to do too much, chances are you will feel quite bad soon after. Which means\u2026 well, you get it. You have entered an unbreakable cycle Fibro Warriors the world around dread.<\/p>\n
You never seem to be able to catch a break\u2026<\/p>\n
6- Trigger points, you say? Ouch, I reply.<\/span><\/h2>\nFirst of all, what are trigger points?\u00a0 Trigger points are specific areas of your body that are particularly tender when they are stimulated.\u00a0 When I say particularly tender, I mean they hurt like a @#$%^.<\/p>\n
There are 18 trigger points usually associated with fibromyalgia.\u00a0 They are depicted in the graph below.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When you push the trigger points, and if you are a Fibro Warrior, it will feel like someone is drilling a hot coal inside you all the while pounding a hammer on the spot. It\u2019s not pleasant.<\/p>\n
Generally speaking, we assume that if 11 of the 18 points are tender upon touching, then you have fibromyalgia. The points tend to come in pairs, so if one side of the body is sensitive, then the opposite side will be too. It\u2019s like a mirror effect.<\/p>\n
Here is the deal though, there are times when trigger points are going to hurt more than other times.\u00a0 And I have also personally experienced doctors would be\u00a0missed the trigger point by an inch or so, and suddenly, I don\u2019t have fibromyalgia anymore\u2026 Yes, it is as frustrating as it sounds.<\/p>\n
7- This weather is too hot! This weather is too cold! This weather is\u2026 just not right!<\/span><\/h2>\nIf you constantly feel like Goldilocks trying to find the perfect weather, then you may have fibromyalgia!<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia comes with a TON of weird side effects.\u00a0 The reason for the temperature regulation issue is quite unclear to me, to be perfectly honest.<\/p>\n
Well, I know it has something to do with the hypothalamus, which is a gland that sits at the base of our skulls, and that regulates hormones.<\/p>\n
And just like the good ol\u2019 menopausal hot flashes have proven time and again, hormones play a big role in how we feel temperature.\u00a0 I\u2019m not about to give you some long, drawn out scientific blah-blah because I just don\u2019t know any more than that!<\/p>\n
But there is what I know for sure: I sometimes feel temperature changes a lot more than other people. It\u2019s pretty insane, actually. I will need three layers of clothing on a 90-degree day, but then I\u2019ll go out in short sleeves when it\u2019s 25 degrees.<\/p>\n
Thanks for making me look a little bit more insane every day, fibromyalgia\u2026<\/p>\n
8- You think you only have fibromyalgia? Think again!<\/span><\/h2>\nOh, how I hate this one\u2026\u00a0 OK,< fine.\u00a0 I hate all of them. But this time has a special spot in whatever kind of torturous eternity you believe in.<\/p>\n
See, fibromyalgia is so nice to our poor beaten down body that it feels the need to invite its rowdy friends to the party every single day.\u00a0 EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.<\/em><\/p>\nUgh.<\/p>\n
I could go on and list off all of the issues that you can deal with when you have fibromyalgia. I could, but I won\u2019t because I don\u2019t feel like getting all depressed today.<\/p>\n
But fret not, Fellow Fibro Warriors!\u00a0 Here is a link to another article I wrote about the various invisible symptoms of fibromyalgia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nThere you will find a (non-exhaustive) list of fibromyalgia-related symptoms.\u00a0 Any of those could be stand-alone conditions. What makes it extra fibro special is that Fibro Warriors get to have any or all of those on any given day.<\/p>\n
Not my definition of fun\u2026<\/p>\n
Look, I\u2019m not trying to be whiny.\u00a0 But\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s really hard sometimes to be open and to say you think you might have fibromyalgia\u00a0because it can sound a bit whiny.<\/p>\n
Now don\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 I know <\/em>that you guys are not whining.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that listing off your laundry list of issues is not how you want to spend your time.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that you\u2019re not faking, and you\u2019re not exaggerating, and you\u2019re sincerely not feeling good.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nYou\u2019ve probably guessed that if it had no effect, then I would not talk about it. Well done, Sherlock\u2019s apprentice!<\/p>\n
Here is the cold, hard truth: you will need to gage every single one of your movement. I\u2019m not exaggerating. Trust me, I wish I was. But I\u2019m not. If you need to plan your day in accordance with your projected pain level, chances are you are experiencing fibromyalgia symptoms.<\/p>\n
Fibromyalgia is sneaky like that. You will feel you just fine, and since you feel just fine, you want to get as much done as possible, because there is no telling how you will feel tomorrow. So you set out on an adventure with the higher purpose of knocking items off of your To Do list.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when things get annoying. And complicated. And unfair. And unpredictable, yet sadly, very predictable. Welcome to the vicious cycle of fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n
See, the better you feel, the more you do. Which means the worse you\u2019ll feel the next day. In turn, this means that the next time you feel good, you will do as much as possible, because you don\u2019t know when the next time you will feel good enough to do anything will be.<\/p>\n
And since you are bound to do too much, chances are you will feel quite bad soon after. Which means\u2026 well, you get it. You have entered an unbreakable cycle Fibro Warriors the world around dread.<\/p>\n
You never seem to be able to catch a break\u2026<\/p>\n
6- Trigger points, you say? Ouch, I reply.<\/span><\/h2>\nFirst of all, what are trigger points?\u00a0 Trigger points are specific areas of your body that are particularly tender when they are stimulated.\u00a0 When I say particularly tender, I mean they hurt like a @#$%^.<\/p>\n
There are 18 trigger points usually associated with fibromyalgia.\u00a0 They are depicted in the graph below.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
When you push the trigger points, and if you are a Fibro Warrior, it will feel like someone is drilling a hot coal inside you all the while pounding a hammer on the spot. It\u2019s not pleasant.<\/p>\n
Generally speaking, we assume that if 11 of the 18 points are tender upon touching, then you have fibromyalgia. The points tend to come in pairs, so if one side of the body is sensitive, then the opposite side will be too. It\u2019s like a mirror effect.<\/p>\n
Here is the deal though, there are times when trigger points are going to hurt more than other times.\u00a0 And I have also personally experienced doctors would be\u00a0missed the trigger point by an inch or so, and suddenly, I don\u2019t have fibromyalgia anymore\u2026 Yes, it is as frustrating as it sounds.<\/p>\n
7- This weather is too hot! This weather is too cold! This weather is\u2026 just not right!<\/span><\/h2>\nIf you constantly feel like Goldilocks trying to find the perfect weather, then you may have fibromyalgia!<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia comes with a TON of weird side effects.\u00a0 The reason for the temperature regulation issue is quite unclear to me, to be perfectly honest.<\/p>\n
Well, I know it has something to do with the hypothalamus, which is a gland that sits at the base of our skulls, and that regulates hormones.<\/p>\n
And just like the good ol\u2019 menopausal hot flashes have proven time and again, hormones play a big role in how we feel temperature.\u00a0 I\u2019m not about to give you some long, drawn out scientific blah-blah because I just don\u2019t know any more than that!<\/p>\n
But there is what I know for sure: I sometimes feel temperature changes a lot more than other people. It\u2019s pretty insane, actually. I will need three layers of clothing on a 90-degree day, but then I\u2019ll go out in short sleeves when it\u2019s 25 degrees.<\/p>\n
Thanks for making me look a little bit more insane every day, fibromyalgia\u2026<\/p>\n
8- You think you only have fibromyalgia? Think again!<\/span><\/h2>\nOh, how I hate this one\u2026\u00a0 OK,< fine.\u00a0 I hate all of them. But this time has a special spot in whatever kind of torturous eternity you believe in.<\/p>\n
See, fibromyalgia is so nice to our poor beaten down body that it feels the need to invite its rowdy friends to the party every single day.\u00a0 EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.<\/em><\/p>\nUgh.<\/p>\n
I could go on and list off all of the issues that you can deal with when you have fibromyalgia. I could, but I won\u2019t because I don\u2019t feel like getting all depressed today.<\/p>\n
But fret not, Fellow Fibro Warriors!\u00a0 Here is a link to another article I wrote about the various invisible symptoms of fibromyalgia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nThere you will find a (non-exhaustive) list of fibromyalgia-related symptoms.\u00a0 Any of those could be stand-alone conditions. What makes it extra fibro special is that Fibro Warriors get to have any or all of those on any given day.<\/p>\n
Not my definition of fun\u2026<\/p>\n
Look, I\u2019m not trying to be whiny.\u00a0 But\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s really hard sometimes to be open and to say you think you might have fibromyalgia\u00a0because it can sound a bit whiny.<\/p>\n
Now don\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 I know <\/em>that you guys are not whining.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that listing off your laundry list of issues is not how you want to spend your time.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that you\u2019re not faking, and you\u2019re not exaggerating, and you\u2019re sincerely not feeling good.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nIf you constantly feel like Goldilocks trying to find the perfect weather, then you may have fibromyalgia!<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia comes with a TON of weird side effects.\u00a0 The reason for the temperature regulation issue is quite unclear to me, to be perfectly honest.<\/p>\n
Well, I know it has something to do with the hypothalamus, which is a gland that sits at the base of our skulls, and that regulates hormones.<\/p>\n
And just like the good ol\u2019 menopausal hot flashes have proven time and again, hormones play a big role in how we feel temperature.\u00a0 I\u2019m not about to give you some long, drawn out scientific blah-blah because I just don\u2019t know any more than that!<\/p>\n
But there is what I know for sure: I sometimes feel temperature changes a lot more than other people. It\u2019s pretty insane, actually. I will need three layers of clothing on a 90-degree day, but then I\u2019ll go out in short sleeves when it\u2019s 25 degrees.<\/p>\n
Thanks for making me look a little bit more insane every day, fibromyalgia\u2026<\/p>\n
8- You think you only have fibromyalgia? Think again!<\/span><\/h2>\nOh, how I hate this one\u2026\u00a0 OK,< fine.\u00a0 I hate all of them. But this time has a special spot in whatever kind of torturous eternity you believe in.<\/p>\n
See, fibromyalgia is so nice to our poor beaten down body that it feels the need to invite its rowdy friends to the party every single day.\u00a0 EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.<\/em><\/p>\nUgh.<\/p>\n
I could go on and list off all of the issues that you can deal with when you have fibromyalgia. I could, but I won\u2019t because I don\u2019t feel like getting all depressed today.<\/p>\n
But fret not, Fellow Fibro Warriors!\u00a0 Here is a link to another article I wrote about the various invisible symptoms of fibromyalgia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nThere you will find a (non-exhaustive) list of fibromyalgia-related symptoms.\u00a0 Any of those could be stand-alone conditions. What makes it extra fibro special is that Fibro Warriors get to have any or all of those on any given day.<\/p>\n
Not my definition of fun\u2026<\/p>\n
Look, I\u2019m not trying to be whiny.\u00a0 But\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s really hard sometimes to be open and to say you think you might have fibromyalgia\u00a0because it can sound a bit whiny.<\/p>\n
Now don\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 I know <\/em>that you guys are not whining.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that listing off your laundry list of issues is not how you want to spend your time.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that you\u2019re not faking, and you\u2019re not exaggerating, and you\u2019re sincerely not feeling good.<\/p>\n
Ugh.<\/p>\n
I could go on and list off all of the issues that you can deal with when you have fibromyalgia. I could, but I won\u2019t because I don\u2019t feel like getting all depressed today.<\/p>\n
But fret not, Fellow Fibro Warriors!\u00a0 Here is a link to another article I wrote about the various invisible symptoms of fibromyalgia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n There you will find a (non-exhaustive) list of fibromyalgia-related symptoms.\u00a0 Any of those could be stand-alone conditions. What makes it extra fibro special is that Fibro Warriors get to have any or all of those on any given day.<\/p>\n Not my definition of fun\u2026<\/p>\n Look, I\u2019m not trying to be whiny.\u00a0 But\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s really hard sometimes to be open and to say you think you might have fibromyalgia\u00a0because it can sound a bit whiny.<\/p>\n Now don\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 I know <\/em>that you guys are not whining.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that listing off your laundry list of issues is not how you want to spend your time.\u00a0 I know<\/em> that you\u2019re not faking, and you\u2019re not exaggerating, and you\u2019re sincerely not feeling good.<\/p>\n
![\"Hidden](\"https:\/\/www.thefibrowarriors.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Hidden-Symptoms-of-Fibromyalgia.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"