As so many of you know, I have been living with Fibromyalgia for many, many years! This illness has really shown me what I am made of. It’s been hard, it’s been tough and some days I don’t know how I make it through. I wake up each day and brace myself for the flood of symptoms that my body experiences, ranging from:
- Intense pain from head to toe
- Fatigue
- Brain Fog
- Memory Loss
- Irritability
- Joint Pain
- Muscle Pain
- Vision Problems
- Trouble Sleeping
- Cognitive Issues
- Hand Tremors
- Imbalance
- Migraine Headaches
- Dizziness
- Restless Legs
- Swollen Feet and Hands
- Nausea
- Increased Heart Rate
These symptoms can take a huge toll on my mental health which shows up as anxiety and mild depression. I mean for anyone who lives with any kind of chronic illness, you get to a place where you’re just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I also struggle feeling like I am letting everyone down because I am always in pain and never feeling well. If that’s not enough, a few times each month, I have what’s known as a “Fibro Flare Up“. This means that my symptoms are more intense and even worse than normal which can be unbearable. This leaves me homebound and isolated until the symptoms ease up enough for me function a little. A flare up can last a few days to several weeks, with the most recent lasting over a month. As you can imagine, this really wears my body out. Always fighting to the point of exhaustion. I try to find relief wherever I can (Other than the RX):
- Massage
- Infrared Sauna
- Hot Baths
- Elevated Legs
- Heating Pads
- Naps (My favorite)
- Rest
As a result of Fibromyalgia, my life has changed a lot. The realization that there are certain things I can no longer do is saddening. The simplest of things wear me out; like walking from my bedroom to the kitchen to grab a snack or making up the bed. You would’ve thought I just ran around the track, so out of breath, lightheaded and in pain. My heart rate increased to the point that it feels like my heart will jump right out of my chest. Or the times I can’t remember where I am or how to navigate places I’ve gone to for years, or worse, the embarrassment of not being able to remember my own phone number. The humiliation of it all…
Over the years I’ve done a fair job of disguising my symptoms so people wouldn’t feel sorry for me or treat me differently but that is proving to be difficult to do with the increased intensity of my symptoms. I’ve had to take a step back and listen to what my body has been trying to tell me for so long. This time I am listening, no longer looking for any false glimpse of “feeling better” so I can go right back to doing the things my body is telling me I can’t do. So if you know me and don’t see me on social media and the like, not to worry I am just being obedient to my body and resting!!!
I will keep you posted on how things are going!
Until next time,
XO- Windy
