Symptoms to Look For When You Suspect Fibromyalgia

fibromyalgia symptoms

Q: What Other Fibromyalgia Symptoms do you have besides the Pain?

Fibromyalgia divider


Reminder :  I am a patient, not a doctor. What I am sharing comes largely from what my doctors taught me and some of what is discovered in my own research.
The purpose of this series is to inform. I pray you will be informed enough to support friends with this syndrome or possibly acquire informed questions for your doctor. Please talk with your doctor or visit the Mayo Clinic website for official information, diagnosis, and treatment.

There are so many fibromyalgia symptoms and they can come and go. Look for these and others, especially when they come in multiples.

According to Patient Education Booklet from Mayo Clinic ” Fibromyalgia: The Road to Wellness”, symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

  • Widespread pain
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Mood Disorders
  • Difficulty with memory, concentration, or thought organization (sometimes called “Fibro Fog“)
  • Headaches, facial pain
  • Chest wall pain
  • Heightened sensitivity to odors, noises, bright lights and touch.
  • Stiffness
  • Numbness or tingling in the arms and legs
  • Dizziness

One may or may not experience all these symptoms. And some may come and go, even the pain. This makes it difficult to diagnose, along with the fact that there is no blood test or x-ray that can be done to find the problem. When these tests are done, everything comes back normal which is why many doctors are baffled or believe that it is psychosomatic.

Conditions that may accompany fibromyalgia

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Overactive bladder
  • Painful menstrual periods
  • Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders
  • Mood Disorders such as depression or anxiety
  • Restless Leg Syndrome
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My Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Many of the autoimmune syndromes overlap and all fall under the umbrella of Central Sensitivity Syndrome (CSS) which is my actual diagnosis. (see diagram below)

My experience began with widespread pain that migrated to different parts of my body. It was difficult to sleep because the pain would wake me. Still, I am unable to remain in one position for very long. I, also, experience myofascial pain, sensitivity to odors, noises, tastes, and touch.

When I look back on my life, I also see that I have experienced migraines, chest wall pain, and dizziness with no explanation for many years as far back as the 6th grade. Back then, we were told that I was having “growing pains“.

The Fibro-Fog causes me to not be able to concentrate. I become distracted by the pain and not able to think straight. One consistent problem that I have is the misuse of homonyms. It’s a pet peeve of mine, but now I must check and double-check to be sure I have used the write right words!

Feeling Your Pain,

Central Sensitivity
image credit: SemanticScholar.org
Mandy Farmer

Have More Questions About Fibromyalgia?

Letters to Friends ~ How Are You Doing Since Your Diagnosis?

Letters to Friends ~ Why Are You So Tired?

Letters to Friends – Where Does Fibro Pain Hurt?

What is Fibro Fog? Why are you Crashing?

What Were Your First Signs of Fibro?

Is There a Cure for Fibromyalgia?

SOURCES

Fibromyalgia National Coalition  – Background information

Mayo Clinic – Misconceptions about Fibromyalgia

Semantic Scholar – Find peer-reviewed research from the world’s most trusted sources




About Mandy Farmer

Pastor's Wife (retired) &  Chronic Pain Warrior blogs about how to make it through anything by relating her own life experiences to her writing. She is passionate about her love for the Lord and desires to spread that passion to others. She has a great desire to encourage women who are following behind her.

View all posts by Mandy Farmer

4 Comments on “Symptoms to Look For When You Suspect Fibromyalgia”

  1. Thanks for this thorough explanation of the basics of Fibro! I am thankful that we can pray for each other on this journey, Mandy! Blessings and gentle hugs to you.

  2. Thanks for sharing these symptoms and part of your own journey, Mandy. I imagine since it is so hard to pinpoint that many other people have fibro and don’t realize it. Blessings to you!

  3. You are right! There is so much misdiagnosis. Both ways, some are diagnosed with fibro but it is really something else. Some are diagnosed with other things and it’s really fibro. And then there are those that are told there’s nothing wrong with you. It’s in your mind.

    Thanks for coming by today.

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