| I'm not saying that my pain is worse than that of people with cancer or arthritis. I'm just saying that you have no idea how pain can just wear you out, and how defeating it can be to not get the same sympathy and support that people with visible signs of illness get. I'd like for people to be able to see my illness and not just assume I'm lazy because I don't look sick, I'm just too tired to accommodate them. |
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| FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome) is a CNS (central nervous system) disorder comprised of a number of symptoms that basically boil down to this: |
| I'm always in pain- my muscles don't repair themselves and my brain interprets lots of stimulus signals as pain, even if they're not I don't sleep very well Sometimes I can't think very well I get tired faster than "normal" people |
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| Fibromyalgia (Latin: fibro = fibrous tissue, myo = muscle, algia = pain) is a non-degenerative disease that is still unrecognized by many health practitioners. No one knows what causes it. There's no known cure. The symptoms may vary among patients. Check some of the websites I've listed for a more comprehensive list of sypmtoms. |
| What does FMS mean for me personally? |
| It means getting out of bed is usually a real chore, because I'm really tired and my muscles ache, even if I got a full night's sleep. It means too much physical exertion (exercise, gardening, sex, repetitive motions like keyboarding or scrubbing) at a time means I'm going to be really sore later on (or even right away). It means I am particularly susceptible to RSIs (repetitive strain injuries) such as tendonitis. I get dizzy for no reason, and my nose runs frequently, no matter what season of the year it is. It means sitting in one position for too long results in shoulder, back, buttock, and leg pain, and when I finally stand up I will look like a creaky old man because I have to do it slowly or I might really hurt myself. It means I am always (that means whenever I'm awake, and sometimes in my sleep) in some sort of moderate pain in some-- or several-- parts of my body at once. It means my pain threshold is much lower than most people's. It means that daylight is often too bright, and certain sounds are way too loud or harsh or just ear-piercing, and certain smells no one else notices can overpower me. It means I'm often too hot or too cold when other people in the room are the opposite, or are comfortable. It means sometimes I can't think clearly, and I can't speak clearly because my brain is fuzzy. It means any time I want to do something physical to have fun-- dancing, bike riding, long walk, day of shopping-- I can count on having to pay for it at the end of the day. It means exercising doesn't invigorate me-- it hurts. A LOT. For hours. So, naturally, I don't really want to do it. It means I may be very moody at any time; happy and full of energy because the pain is negligible, so I might overdo it; then be sad, cranky, or gloomy because I'm exhausted and worn out from pain. It means I often have trouble remembering things. It means I'm often clumsy and suddenly stumble, or drop things. It means I get tired too fast. It means the people who love me but don't understand this condition think I'm just being lazy, or I'm out of shape and that if I just exercise more and lose more weight I will be full of energy and feel good all the time. It means I get depressed often, even if I don't know why. It means I will be in pain and tired for the rest of my life, unless I figure out a way to overcome this apparently incurable disease. |
| Some information and resources: |
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