“Irritable everything”? Yeah, sounds right.

The National Fibromyalgia Association

I saw the doctor. This is what I have. It is not lupus. I am not dying and I can have children and even though I am facing both a lifestyle adjustment sort of thing and a future of battling chronic pain, I feel like weeping because I am so relieved.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia (or “FM” for short) is a complex, chronic condition which causes widespread pain and fatigue as well as a variety of other symptoms. The name fibromyalgia comes from “fibro” meaning fibrous tissues (such as tendons and ligaments), “my” meaning muscles, and “algia” meaning pain. Unlike arthritis, FM does not cause pain or swelling in the joints. Rather, it produces pain in the soft tissues located around joints and in skin and organs throughout the body. Because FM has few symptoms that are outwardly visible, it has been nicknamed “the invisible disability” or the “irritable everything” syndrome.

The pain of FM usually consists of diffuse aching or burning described as “head-to-toe”, and it is often accompanied by muscle spasm. Pain can vary in severity from day to day and change location, becoming more severe in parts of the body that are used the most (i.e., neck, shoulders, and feet). In some people, it can be so intense that it interferes with the performance of even simple tasks, while in others it may cause only moderate discomfort. Likewise, the fatigue of FM also varies from person to person ranging from a mild, tired feeling to the exhaustion of a severe flu-like illness. Although fibromyalgia does not cause physical deformities or affect a person’s expected life span, until the patient is able to manage it through appropriate treatment(s) and medications(s), FM can make life very challenging on many different levels.

The exact prevalence of FM in the U.S. population has not been thoroughly studied, but conservative estimates place the total between 4 and 6 million. Other experts believe the true number is closer to 10 million.1 An estimated 80% of sufferers are women, most of them working age, so FM has obvious consequences in terms of employment and family stress. FM also occurs in all other age groups as well as in men, and it exists in all races worldwide.

Other Conditions Associated With FM
(just the ones I have)

In addition to pain and fatigue, a number of symptoms and syndromes are usually associated with FM. Like pain/fatigue, their severity may wax and wane over time, and individuals may differ in the extent to which they are troubled by them. Typically, patients suffer from one or more of the following:

Stiffness: Body stiffness is usually most apparent upon awakening and after prolonged periods of sitting or standing in one position. It may also coincide with changes in relative humidity.

Sleep Disturbances: Despite sufficient amounts of sleep, FM patients may awaken feeling unrefreshed, as if they have barely slept. Alternatively, they often have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. The reasons for the non-restorative sleep and other sleep difficulties of fibromyalgia are unknown although research in sleep labs has documented alpha wave disruptions in the deep (delta wave) sleep of some patients.2

Cognitive Disorders: Individuals with FM report a number of cognitive symptoms which tend to vary from day to day. These include difficulty concentrating, “spaciness” or “fibro-fog”, memory lapses, difficulty thinking of words/names, and feeling overwhelmed when engaged in multiple tasks. Although the underlying cause of these symptoms has yet to be clearly identified, research has shown that FM patients experience a somewhat decreased cerebral blood flow to the brain (i.e., thalamus and caudate nucleus) compared to healthy individuals.3 In addition, the mental distraction caused by pain and the side effects of some medications commonly prescribed for fibromyalgia may be partly culpable for cognitive difficulties.

Paresthesia: Numbness or tingling, particularly in the hands or feet, sometimes accompanies FM. Also known as “paresthesia”, the sensation can be described as prickling or burning.

Dysequilibrium: FM patients may be troubled by light-headedness and/or balance problems for a variety of reasons. Since fibromyalgia is thought to affect the skeletal tracking muscles of the eyes, “visual confusion” and nausea may be experienced when driving a car, reading a book, or otherwise tracking objects. (Difficulties with smooth muscles in the eye may also cause additional problems with focus.)7 Alternatively, weak muscles and/or trigger points in the neck or TMJ dysfunction may cause dizziness or dysequilibrium. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Center have also shown that some FM patients have a condition known as neurally mediated hypotension which causes a drop in blood pressure and heart rate upon standing with resulting light-headedness, nausea, and difficulty thinking clearly.

Leg Sensations: Some FM patients may develop a neurologic disorder known as restless legs syndrome (RLS) which involves a “creepy crawly” sensation in the legs and an irresistible urge to move the legs particularly when at rest or when lying down. One recent study suggests that as many as 31% of FM patients may have RLS.9 The syndrome may also involve periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) which can be very disruptive to both the patient and to her/his sleeping partner.

Skin Complaints: Nagging symptoms, such as itchy, dry, or blotchy skin, may accompany FM. Dryness of the eyes and mouth (sicca syndrome) is not uncommon. Additionally, fibromyalgia patients may experience a sensation of swelling, particularly in extremities (i.e., fingers). A common complaint is that a ring no longer fits. However, such swelling is not like the joint inflammation of arthritis; rather, it is a localized anomaly of FM of unknown cause.

Depression And Anxiety: Although FM patients are frequently misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety disorders (“it’s all in your head”), research has repeatedly shown that fibromyalgia is not a form of depression or hypochondriasis. Where depression or anxiety do co-exist with fibromyalgia, treatment is important as both can exacerbate FM and interfere with successful symptom management.

from
National Fibromyalgia Partnership