Fibromyalgia...Why Me?

I am 43 years old and the Fall of 2007 I was diagnoised with Fibromyalgia. I guess it was good news coming at the time cause up until that point no one could tell me what was wrong with me. I knew something was wrong! I hurt everyday, had problems with my balance, extremely dizzzy, my thinking and I was in pain but at the point that I really didn't think anyone was believing me.



It all started for me on June 20, 2007. It was my weekend from my job and I felt really bad. I made my way to the grocery store and there it began to get worse. I was confused and felt as if I was going to pass out. I called my husband and I was taken to the emergency room where I worked at the time. I was admitted to the hospital. They ran several tests on me thinking it was my heart. I was released on Monday and told that I had virtigo and went 2 days later to an ENT. There I was put through yet more testing and they even requested an MRI. That was the beginning of my nightmare.



3 days after the MRI, my ENT called and said the radiologist found 2 small lesions on my brain and he suggested it could possibly be MS. I was terrified. I was then referred over to a Neurologist who, again ran more test! I had an MRI of my spine done and was found to have several herniated disc from my neck down to my behind. What was going on? Just a week ago, I felt great! I was working and very happy with my job, my home life, my kids and soon to be grand baby. Now, I am ill and can't work, somedays I just couldn't get out of bed. I have had an EMG and boy did that hurt! It was discovered that I had nerve damage from the herniated discs that lay in my spine. But yet I still had symptoms that could not be answered.



About 3 months pass and the Neurologists comes in and pokes on me and leaves the room and comes back in and says you have Fibromyalgia. Honestly I had no clue what he was saying. I had never heard of Fibormyalgia. He explained it too me and I was so relieved that I finally had a name to go with the pain I was experiencing everyday that I began to cry. It was such a relief to know what I had. I quickly began my own research and learned as much about this illness as possible.



I suffer so much each day that I still don't think some people understand. The pain is an achy pain as if I was coming down with the flu. During the times that I am not experiencing "flares" I still hurt with aches and pains each day. When the "flares" hit it's like a bomb has been dropped upon me and I don't even think about getting out of bed. It has caused me to isolate myself and I avoid activities that I once loved.



The Fibromyalgia commericals that I see on TV today I don't feel really deplicit the true Fibro patient. These commericals make it look like you get up in the morning, you take a pill and you are fine! That is so not right!!!! Sure, Lyricia does help ease some of the discomfort of this illness but it doesn't go away, it never goes away!!! But what do you do? They are promoting their medication for Fibro patients and Fibro patients are not fully represented in these commercials. It's a bad wrap!!



Why do people "assume" that if you are being treated for an illness you are well? If you are in a car wreck and hurt badly, you are being treated by a doctor and people know you are not well. It's the not being able to fully see the pain that gives Fibromyalgia patients a bad wrap. You really can't see our pain, but it is real! YOU can't feel our pain, but it is there!! YOU can't see our pain deep within our souls, but it's something that ALL Fibromyalgia patients deal with daily.



Who gets Fibromyalgia? Anyone! It doesn't discriminate because of color, religion or age. It is real and it is painful. It can destroy many lifes, not only the fibro patient but the lives of families. Kids don't understand why you can't attend a school function. People don't understand why you don't get out more and do things like before. Somedays it's just a struggle to get out of bed. There's no magic cure or magic pill it's just there every minute of every waking day and every minute of every waking night you can't sleep because the pain is just so bad.



Next time you get that hug from your child, your spouse, your grandchild or your best friend, cherish that. Most fibro patients can't get those hugs of comfort or joy. Sometimes just a pat on the back can cause such pain.