Fibromyalgia.Today

I’m a fairly open person when it comes to physical and mental illness, but I can also be very reserved, especially about my  chronic pain  and fatigue. It’s not because I don’t want to share about what’s going on with me, but because I don’t want people to think I’m a “whiner” or “attention seeker.” I am neither of those things. In fact, I’m quite the opposite. A lot of people know I have  fibromyalgia . What they don’t know is the reality of what I deal with. They see a positive, silly, young 25-year-old woman on the outside, but they don’t realize how much pain I’m in, or how badly my  anxiety  is affecting me. I don’t think people really understand the intensity of my conditions. I’ll admit that part of it is my fault, for showing only the good parts of my life on social media, but showing the not so good parts can sometimes come off as attention seeking. I don’t want attention, I want my conditions to stop being stigmatized. I don’t want pity, I wan...

 02/22 What Is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia is a lifelong condition that affects about 5 million Americans. People with it have sore, stiff muscles, but nothing odd shows up on X-rays or most lab tests. Doctors diagnose it based on your symptoms and an exam. While fibromyalgia doesn't damage joints or organs, the constant aches and fatigue can really impact daily life.  03/22 Symptoms The hallmark of fibromyalgia is muscle pain throughout your body. Typically, you'll also have: Fatigue Sleep problems Anxiety or depression Joint pain and numbness or tingling  04/22 Tender Points One of the unique things about fibromyalgia is specific locations on the body that, when pressed, hurt. People without fibro would only feel pressure. This illustration shows 18 common tender points.  05/22 The Pain Is Real Because traditionally no lab tests or X-rays could confirm a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, people may have...

If you live with  fibromyalgia , you can describe the symptoms you experience to your doctor and tell your friends and family how the illness affects your ability to participate in everyday activities. But unless they have the condition themselves, it’s just about impossible for them to truly understand what fibro is like. It usually takes a fellow fibro warrior to be able to fully empathize with all the symptoms, side effects and lifestyle changes. Connecting with other people who “get it” won’t make your fibro go away, but it can be comforting and encouraging to know you’re not alone in your fight. We  asked our Mighty community  to share some of the things that only those with fibromyalgia tend to understand. If any of the following experiences ring true for you, we hope it can be a reminder that there are plenty of people out there who really do understand. Here’s what our community shared with us: “A day doesn’t go by without some weird symptom. It...

Fibromyalgia  is typically thought of as an “invisible” illness. But what if you look closer? What’s going on behind the brave face, the body that to others appears “fine?” Often, it’s days spent on the couch, feeling too nauseated to eat, excruciating nerve pain, and pushing through it all while few people see your struggle — that’s what fibromyalgia looks like. We  partnered with  the  National Fibromyalgia Association  to ask our followers to  share a photo  of what their fibromyalgia looks like, and what symptoms they were experiencing in the photo. Though others may think you “don’t look sick,” if they take a closer look, the pain, fatigue, and strength it takes to get through it all becomes clear. Here’s what the community shared with us: 1.  “We had to leave about 10 minutes after this photo was taken because of the excruciating pain I had throughout my entire body. I was ecstatic when a part of my body would go numb s...