What is Fibromyalgia Syndrome

from About.com

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic condition that causes intense pain in various places around the body, including muscles, connective tissues and joints, as well as a host of other symptoms. It affects more than 6 million people in the United States.

Doctors classify fibromyalgia as a syndrome, which means it has a group of signs, symptoms and characteristics that occur together. Experts are investigating a new blood test that may be able to detect FMS in up to 50% of sufferers. While this may be available to some patients, others still will have no definitive medical evidence that they're sick. To make a diagnosis, doctors usually rely on signs and symptoms alone. Complicating the matter, symptoms vary widely from person to person and often, as do their intensity.


Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
People with FMS frequently hurt all over and feel exhausted all the time. Those symptoms often force you to seriously limit your physical activity. It's also common to have problems concentrating and remembering things. A lot of people with FMS have symptoms so severe that they have to quit or modify their jobs.

Because FMS is frequently misunderstood, family, friends, co-workers and even medical providers may not believe the person is actually sick. A proper diagnosis often takes months.

Adding to these considerable frustrations, it can be difficult or impossible to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits. That’s in large part because it used to be commonplace for doctors to mislabel any chronic pain of unknown origin as FMS, and the diagnosis is still misused somewhat today.

Keep in mind that the signs and symptoms vary widely from one person to another. Some people have only a few, while others have many. The intensity of symptoms is different in everyone as well, ranging from mildly annoying to highly debilitating.

Common symptoms of fibromyalgia:

Widespread pain
Chest pain
Morning stiffness
Fatigue
Sleep disorders
Anxiety
Cognitive or memory impairment (“Fibrofog”)
Depression
Abdominal complaints
Frequently, people with undiagnosed fibromyalgia don't realize that a host of secondary symptoms are related to the pain, fatigue and other primary symptoms. Keeping a detailed list of symptoms can help your doctor make a diagnosis.

Additional fibromyalgia symptoms include:

Painful menstrual cramps
Vision problems
Nausea and dizziness
Weight gain
Chronic headaches
Skin problems
Muscle twitches and weakness
These lists include the most common symptoms. For a complete symptoms list, click here.

Fibromyalgia Treatments
While a lot of fibromyalgia treatments are available, you'll likely need to experiment with different options before you find what works best for you.

Fibromyalgia treatments include:

Prescription drugs
Complementary/alternative treatments, including massage and physical therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture
Vitamins and supplements
Moderate exercise, but only if done correctly
Lifestyle changes, including diet, stress management, and pacing
Every case of FMS is different, and no treatment works for everyone. You'll probably need to work closely with your doctor to custom tailor a treatment regimen that helps you become more functional. Many people benefit from a multidisciplinary approach, which involves several healthcare providers.

Prognosis for People With Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition. While some people do experience long remissions, no one who's had FMS can truly say they don't have it any more.

As for the progression of the illness, it's hard to say whether your symptoms will get better or worse with time. Because FMS isn't degenerative, its course isn't clearly established like it is for many diseases.

Some experts say about a third of us will get worse, a third will get better (to some degree), and the remaining third will stay about the same. Some studies have linked early diagnosis and treatment to better long-term outcomes, but other than this it's unclear what role treatment plays in the progression, or lack thereof, of FMS.

Fibromyalgia & Overlapping Conditions
As if all this weren't enough, several other conditions frequently go along with FMS. Researchers aren't sure whether one condition leads to another or whether they have related underlying causes. Becoming familiar with the symptoms of these disorders can help you determine whether you have more than one.

Overlapping conditions include:

Chronic fatigue syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome
Temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ)
Multiple chemical sensitivity
Myofascial pain syndrome
Restless leg syndrome
Costochondritis (chest pain)
History of Fibromyalgia
Doctors coined the term fibromyalgia (fibro –- meaning fibrous tissue, my -– meaning muscle, and algia -– meaning pain) in 1976, but it wasn’t until 1990 that the American College of Rheumatology developed diagnostic criteria. While muscle pain is the primary symptom, research found that nothing is wrong with the muscles themselves. For a time, researchers thought it could be an autoimmune disease, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Now it’s widely believed in the medical community that a malfunction of the central nervous system causes FMS, leading to new research into treatments and new hope that fibromyalgia will be not only more treatable, but perhaps even curable. To date, two drugs, Lyrica (pregabalin) and Cymbalta (duloxetine), are FDA approved for treating FMS, but other drug trials are in the works.

Sounds daunting Jacki. I'm sorry you're going through this. One question I have. What is a flare and what causes it? There's a lady in the office at work and sometimes she looks terrible and she says she's in a flare. She's putting up a good fight though

Jacki this disease you sounds awful. I'm glad you posted this so we know how to help you

A flare is when the pain comes, and sleep doesn't help....I just got my appointment with the RA doctor for Dec. 9th. I am hoping for some help with it. Jackie has been a big help here for me. It seems like I just want to sleep and sleep; but the pain is just not letting me get any rest. And then there is the "fog" that is too much fun at work! Then the doctor can't stabilize my bipolar because of my seizures so I am still having the manic issues....this last few months have been a bit of a trial for me...so I also have to go to a medication specialist. Oh the fun of getting old.

Mike, a flare is a sudden increase in pain (for example from a 2 out of 10 to an 8 out of 10). With fibro there can be many triggers for flares, stress the greatest. For me stress, scents, doing things I know I shouldn't are a few of my triggers. Also, the pain with fibro moves around from area to area, so you never know where you are going to be hurting or how severe or mild the pain will be. These changes in area and severity can happen hourly, so it really makes life challenging. Yes, fibro can be daunting. Everyday with it is different. But, you have to make the decision to live in spite of it.

Terry, between now and dec. 9 keep a log of any and all symptoms you experience to take with you to your appointment. It is really important that the doc knows what symptoms to treat. It doesn't have to be a journal, I keep a memo pad on the fridge to write down mine. I just had the doc my list every time I go in. I also give her a list of all prescriptions/over the counter meds I am taking (you should be carrying this list in your wallet) so she can match it to what is my records. Since you are seeing more than one doc it is important for them all to know what meds you are taking. Unfortunately the fog and fatigue are very difficult to treat. Even though you feel like you are getting sleep, it's not a restful healing sleep so you wake up feeling like you never went to bed. And flares just make it worse. Which makes the fog worse. And so on and so on.
I'll be seeing my doc on wed to start paxil again because the SAD has kicked in again now that the days are getting so much shorter. This is the worst it's been for me ever and I can't wait to get treatment started.

I'm glad the info I've posted has helped Terry, wish there was more I could do.

Gentle Jacki

Yes live in spite of it. I'm glad you have an understanding of your pain Jacki. So many don't and let it consume their lives. I try to take it as it comes, I have pain, but pain doesn't have me

It would be easy to just let the pain take over Mike...almost too easy. I guess that's why so many let it. It takes work, every minute of every day, to keep the pain from ruling my life. But I have a life and that's worth the work to me.
Jacki

Doc Mike wrote:

Yes live in spite of it. I'm glad you have an understanding of your pain Jacki. So many don't and let it consume their lives. I try to take it as it comes, I have pain, but pain doesn't have me

You and Jackie are helping me a lot here....this is a different kind of pain then I have from the migraines and from the nerve pain, this is so very new and different...and the meds are different it is changing everything for me and it is hard to understand and get a handle on. I feel like I am down all of the time, like I need to sleep and everything is a chore. Walking sometimes is hard because all of the sudden, my hips and legs hurt so bad I can't walk....At least before, I knew the pain and all would end for a time, if even for a short time, and then the shots worked to so well but now I don't know if I can keep taking them with this, this is so different.... but you are helping me deal with it better. I think the word I am looking for is insidious pain?

from dictionary.com
insidious:
Working or spreading harmfully in a subtle or stealthy manner: insidious rumors; an insidious disease.


insidious is exactly the right word Terry. And the pain is much different from any other pain. I also suffer from migraines, and while migraine pain is horrendous it does go away eventually. Fibro pain never goes away, it just keeps moving and changing severity. You never know from minute to minute whether it will be in your arms, legs, back, neck...and there is no warning where it will strike next.
I have talked to a few people who have had good luck with Lyrica for their fibro pain Terry, it didn't work for me but maybe you'll have good luck if you try it. Also, Provigil works amazing for the fatique, but it isn't covered by most insurances because it is not FDA approved for fibro related fatique. I'm battling with my insurance co. over that right now. There are lots of meds you can try for pain management, but be patient because it will take time to find the right combination for you. And, if you don't already have a cane ask the doc to prescribe one for you. I hate using the darned thing, but it does make a big difference. I don't use mine around the house, but I use it if I go anywhere because you never know when the legs and hips are going to act up.
Try to keep a positive attitude. I know some days it's really hard to do, but it will be worth it.
Jacki

Can't think what to say so I'll send some

Hugs are always the right thing to say Mike.

Doc Mike wrote:

Can't think what to say so I'll send some

Thank you so much Doc Mike

I''ll give you all some hugs too

Thank you Lost One! My friend Susie came over last night and was watching me get around and said she was going to bring me her cane from when she had a blood clot in her leg! It is a Jerry Garcia designer cane! How cool is that! and it adjusts for height! I be styling now!