Fibromyalgia: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Fibromyalgia: the overmedicated ‘patient’

“America is one of the few advanced nations that allow direct advertising of prescription drugs, Robert Reich BigPharma makes huge profits from those of us suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, itching, and digestive issues- to name a few of the common symptoms of fibromyalgia. Every day we are inundated with advertisements about prescription drugs that would alleviate these symptoms. Equally as rich is the vitamin industry which advocates specific supplements for the treatment…

by chronicillness•04/26/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia and ear, dizziness and vertigo problems

“The ear is the avenue to the heart”, Voltaire Just as I thought I had experienced everything unusual with regard to this annoying, frustrating, challenging dis-ease, fibromyalgia, I developed another aggravating symptom- VERTIGO! It all began one month ago, at night, turning over in bed, the room began spinning. It was very frightening. It lasted about 30 seconds followed by nausea. I had another episode the next night as well. The morning after the second episode,…

by chronicillness•04/25/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia and Trauma Memory

” Most of us have unhealthy thoughts and emotions that have either developed as a result of trauma or hardships in their childhood, or the way they were raised”, Steven Seagal It would seem that those of us with fibromyalgia have developed the condition at an early age which may have taken a tremendous shock, accident, or crisis to bring about full-blown fibromyalgia. Some of us have had repeated crises in our sensitive lives and…

by chronicillness•04/21/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia and our memories, our brains

” Our memory is in large part the starting point for how we think, how our preferences form, and how we make decisions”, Maria Konnikova Several weeks ago on CBC radio upon hearing an interview with Dr. Konnikova regarding the science of memory, I became intrigued with the ways in which she has based an understanding of neuroscience upon the brains and memories of two fictional characters- Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Being a Holmes lover and…

by chronicillness•04/20/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia: ‘Women’ and ‘Men’ Differences?

“The happiest women, like the happiest nations, have no history”, George Eliot I have based my unproven theory about why more women than men are diagnosed with fibromyalgia upon a feminist analysis of the political and cultural roles of women in societies in general- both historically and at present. However, now that gender is currently socially constructed and is much more fluid, it has indeed become a complex issue and not as straightforward as I previously thought. I have begun…

by chronicillness•04/19/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue: Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS)

“Open your heart to your suffering”, Toni Bernhard There can be little doubt that those of us with fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue have challenges that have forced us to live life differently than those who have ‘health privilege’. Often thought of as malingering, hypochondriac, weak, attention-seeking, depressed people we often live in quiet desperation. By now we recognize that we have developed these conditions because of an over-stimulated nervous system that cannot sustain itself in a healthy manner…

by chronicillness•04/18/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia: The Mark of Shame?

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”, Maya Angelou On June 3rd I heard a documentary on CBC radio talking about the mark of shame, the culture of shame, and how it makes one feel. There is so much about the visibilities of women’s bodies that cause us to hide perceived imperfections, in particular, the dyeing of our…

by chronicillness•04/17/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia, Heart Disease and Women

“One out of two women are going to have, live with, and/or die from heart disease and stroke,…It is amazing women are still not getting that message, and one has to ask why.” Dr. Martha Hill On January 19th I suffered a heart attack. For that reason, I have not written much in the past several weeks. Writing about the ‘event’ is not easy. I could not have survived emotionally without the wonderful advice, support,…

by chronicillness•04/16/202208/23/2025•0

Fibromyalgia and Panic Attacks: Cognitive and Somatic Sensitization

“If you are experiencing strange symptoms that no one seems to be able to explain, they could be arising from a traumatic reaction to a past event that you may not even remember”, Peter A. Levine Two words that are now often coined in conjunction with fibromyalgia are cognitive sensitization and somatic sensitization. I have been exploring the research in this direction for the past couple of years and have recently had another ‘aha’ moment.…

by chronicillness•04/15/202208/23/2025•0

Suffering From Fibromyalgia Or Fighting It: The Choice Is Yours

Having Fibromyalgia is like a roller coaster ride. Most days I just don’t know how I am going to feel. I try to have a positive mindset and I find it helps when I’m around others with a positive mindset as well. However, I realized that not everyone wants to hear or see positivity right now. Frankly, I can understand that – I use to feel that way too. I started to realize I have…

by chronicillness•04/14/202208/23/2025•0