by Lisa Robertson

Created on: June 20, 2010

Almost 30 years – and Fibromyalgia still surprises me. The most important thing I can tell you about Fibromyalgia is to “take it one day at a time”. There are many things I can tell you about Fibromyalgia but none of that matters if you can't make it through the day. Chronic pain is complicated. It effects each and every person differently. What may work for me may not work at all for you.

What is Fibromyalgia?

I call it my shadow- because like my shadow no matter where I go it will always follow me. Fibromyalgia is a form of arthritis it affects the entire body. Even parts you didn't realize you had! It makes you more sensitive to pain. But aside from the pain it affects other senses like your sense of smell and taste. Sometimes I can smell things others can't. Fibromyalgia can be something you have from birth, it can start from a trauma, it can even develop after infections. They don't know what truly causes Fibromyalgia but they do know it seems to run in families.

My Early Years:

In my early years I can remember pain in my legs, not being able to run as much as the other kids, and most of all my mother complaining because I complain too much! She said “It's just growing pains” and recently I caught myself doing the same to my child. Fibromyalgia can be hereditary. Seeing the signs in our children can save them the pain we endured ourselves.

My Teens & Twenties:

When I reached my teens and Twenties my symptoms grew worse, I developed Gestational Diabetes and several other health problems. My everyday symptoms included:

muscle spasms

Pain -limbs, eyes, pelvic region

Fatigue

dizziness

frequent headaches [Migraines]

Frequent Bladder infections

In my twenties I had more complications. Fibromyalgia has been known to be linked to several co-conditions including:

IBS

Diabetes [Type 2]

Hypertension

Migraines

Frequent Infections

Intestinal Spasms

I have been diagnosed with several of the co-conditions of Fibromyalgia including IBS, Diabetes Type 2, Hypertension, and Migraines. Being diagnosed with so many co-conditions makes it hard to treat because most doctors are not well informed when it comes to Fibromyalgia. Finding a doctor that focuses on the disease and not the co-conditions has been a challenge for me.

I understand what others who are dealing with Fibromyalgia are dealing with and I try to help those who are recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I fight each day dealing with my Fibromyalgia but with each thing I learn about my condition gives me one more thing I can share with others.

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