I would think that would qualify as an oxymoron, calling Fibromyalgia a “comfort zone”! Since I noticed the first pains, it seems as though I haven’t been comfortable again. I know you mean more on a mental/emotional level, however. I would still be inclined to think not. From what I’ve read, the people I’ve talked to a majority of people with Fibromyalgia were “type A” personalities. Meaning, they were movers, shakers, doers, overachievers, survivalists– we…
On a scale of 1-10, my average daily pain level is a 6 or a 7. All-day. Every single day of my life. It’s always there, and cannot be ignored no matter how engrossed in something I may be. Being in constant pain is exhausting. Fatigue is a huge issue in my life. Unrefreshing sleep is one of the hallmarks of this disease. I sleep about ten hours per night and still wake feeling like…
Exercise helps break the chronic pain cycle associated with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) by improving fitness and functional levels, relieving physical and emotional stress, and boosting one’s confidence and self-esteem. While you probably have heard a lot about the benefits of aerobic exercise, you may be wondering about strength training. Women at risk of osteoporosis commonly hear about including strength training activities in an exercise program. Should a person with fibromyalgia perform strength training activities? Is…
Tips for the Warrior Caring for someone with CFS or FM can be a stressful experience. You may take on extra responsibilities, experience financial strain, feel frustrated and resentful at times, lose companionship, face uncertainty about the future, and experience both reduced socializing and sexual difficulties. Even with all the challenges brought by serious illness, there are many ways to take care of yourself. Here are nine to consider. Maintain Your Health This is the…
Improving Communication The stresses brought by serious illness can make good communication difficult. To complicate matters, CFS and FM create the additional challenge of cognitive problems. Here are seven ideas for how to improve communication if you or your partner have CFS or FM. Pick a Good Time and Setting If you have something important to discuss with a significant person in your life, select a time when both of you will be at your…
Fibromyalgia and CFS put couples under stress. This chapter offers strategies for addressing three problems faced by couples: sexual difficulties, strained communication, and caregiver burnout. Improving Intimacy When CFS or fibromyalgia enters a marriage, one casualty can be intimacy between the partners. Pain, reduced energy, reduced interest, health problems of the partner, and increased responsibilities for the healthy spouse can all affect a couple’s sex life, but, like other aspects of long-term illness, intimacy problems…
Story of Fibromyalgia Warrior Recently I was looking at my social media accounts I came across accounts that I had chosen to hide either my content from. As I looked down the list I realized that many of those people were people that I knew for a significant amount of time in my life. Most were people I had either worked with somewhere along the line since Nursing School Graduation, or I went to high school or college…
Fibromyalgia a disorder that causes widespread chronic pain and tenderness affects 2 to 4 percent of women and men in the United States (women ages 20 to 50 are the most affected) and impacts patients in many different ways. Thus, fibromyalgia remains mysterious, and questions still linger like why are more women affected by fibromyalgia than men? And why is fibromyalgia so hard to diagnose and treat? Why do some patients with fibromyalgia have more back pain…
Experiencing Fibro fog can make you feel like you’re lost in a maze. You might feel confused, alone, frustrated, disoriented, bewildered, unclear, and adrift. Fibro fog can also affect your emotional well-being. Being unable to think clearly may make you feel powerless, irritable, and downcast. Constantly feeling this way can put a damper on your mental health. Having a mental illness can trigger Fibro fog, as can other conditions. Understanding Fibro fog, its causes, and…
“Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Objective Medical Evidence Requirements …” was the subject of a memorandum from Social Security Deputy Commissioner, Susan M. Daniels, Ph. D., (“the Deputy Commissioner”) to a Social Security administrative law judge (ALJ) in May 1998. This memo has been widely circulated. The memo was in response to memoranda from the ALJ to the Deputy Commissioner, to an appeal judge, and to the general counsel for Social Security. The ALJ asserted…