Yes, it IS Fibromyalgia

Fibromytes know that chronic, widespread muscle and nerve pain, non-restorative disordered sleep, tender points and indescribable fatigue are the key symptoms of fibromyalgia, but fibromyalgia is more than that: it's a collection of other symptoms in addition to pain, sleep problems, tenderness and fatigue.

Did you know that the following symptoms and signs are very common in fibromyalgia?

  • Muscle spasms
  • Lack of stamina and endurance
  • Swollen glands
  • Tender lymph nodes
  • Joint pain
  • Stiffness
  • Low-grade fever
  • Migraines
  • Brain fog
  • Cognitive problems
  • Numbness, tingling and burning sensations
  • TMJ
  • Dizziness
  • Heart palpitations and chest pain
  • Dry eyes
  • Earache or itch
  • Dry skin
  • Skin redness
  • Fingers swelling (a common complaint is that rings no longer fit)
  • Hair loss
  • Itching
  • Mouth sores
  • Easy bruising
  • Raynaud's phenomenon
  • Strange sensations (like a feeling as if a bug is crawling on you)
  • Mitral Valve Prolapse
  • Painful menstrual periods
  • Vulvodynia
  • Interstitial cystitis
  • Irritable Bowel (IBS)
  • Restless leg syndrome
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Mood swings
  • Fibro-fog (impaired memory and concentration)
  • Chemical or drug sensitivities
  • Exercise intolerance
Most fibromytes have several of these signs and symptoms in addition to the key elements of FMS. Few have all of these symptoms, but some of us have almost all (including me!).

These symptoms come and go, and are chronic and unpredictable. This can result in making advance plans for socializing difficult to impossible, because we never know if or when we're going to be hit with a case of IBS, anxiety, feverishness, volvodynia, a painful menstrual period, or a combination of several symptoms.

Fibromyalgia is unpredictable in the extreme. And it's important to always remember that none of these symptoms arises due to anything we are doing (or not doing).

Fibromyalgia just is.

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