What were your first signs of Fibromyalgia?
Follow along and learn about my first signs of fibro myalgia. It started long before I realized it.
originally posted on March 12, 2018
Dear Family and Friends;
Thanks for checking on me the other day. You asked about my first signs of Fibro. As you know, I acquired disembarkment disorder after our cruise to the Bahamas in February 2011 (which has never gone away), followed by neck pain, and then I was hit suddenly with extreme, contracting back pain in September that year.
Earlier First Signs of Fibro
But as I have learned more about Fibromyalgia, it seems there have been several signs of it from early in my life.
Do you remember all those chest pains I had in middle school and high school?
They could never find anything wrong so they called it growing pains. Ha! If that were so I’d be about 6 feet tall! Anyway, it turns out that many of us fibro warriors have experienced “growing pains” at puberty. So my first signs of fibro were probably chest pains at 11 or 12 years of age.
Always Just So Darn Tired
It has also dawned on me that one major symptom of fibromyalgia is fatigue, tired for no particular reason. You know, I have always been tired. I get so tired from a shopping trip or band event. I would fall into a deep sleep immediately after arriving home from any kind of event. Really, I would fall asleep as soon as I got still.
Remember the jokes about me not being a good co-pilot when we moved from Ohio to Wisconsin?
I would sleep the entire way! When they finally realized I had thyroid issues, I thought that was the answer. And while the medication does keep everything stable, I still feel like there are more issues than what is being addressed.
All My Life Signs of Fibro
So evidently, I have had fibromyalgia nearly all my life. It’s just that the cruise somehow awakened the monster.
Thanks so much for taking an interest in my life. I know you feel that your hands are tied because you live so far away, but believe me, your frustration would be the same if you lived next door. Your prayers and calls mean so much to me. It would certainly be nice though if we were closer. Then at least you could come to visit. But I would miss that even if I weren’t ill.
With Love,
This post was originally written for my Letters to Friends and also inspired by Kate Motaung’s prompt this week, “TIRED” at Five Minute Fridays. It has now been updated and included in my new series, Mandy’s Journey with Chronic Pain.
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.
Hi Mandy,
Thanks for these good descriptors of what the pain of fibro feels like, even in the early days! I can identify with all of those symptoms, so I surely understand how you are feeling. I am glad we can lift each other in prayer! Through all of the mysterious symptoms, it’s so good to know we aren’t alone. Blessings dear friend!
Thanks again for your support. Remember your letter will publish on Thursday and be promoted on Friday.
Mandy, this was a great post, and I was really interested in you talking about your “growing pains” when you were younger. I experienced the same thing, only in my legs; they would hurt so badly I’d want to cry at school when I had to climb the stairs. At the time, as I was in Junior High and quite tall, I just assumed they were growing pains. Now, like you, I wonder if it was Fibro all along, and something happened that caused it to awaken. Your letters series is a lovely idea, and I’m sure it’s educational for family and friends. Sharing this on Pinterest!
Thank you so much for dropping by. Those “growing pains” were nothing to laugh at mine were in the chest. I felt as if i were having a heart attack. And thanks for sharing it forward!
That had to be awfully scary. I can’t imagine how you must have felt.
Thanks for sharing your story regarding fibromyalgia. I pray that the ‘monster’ can be destroyed once and for all. May God bring healing to you soon. God bless!
Visiting from #91 FMF
Thank you so much. And blessing to you as well?
I hear about this awful pain a lot, but you share so well what it’s really like and is.
Thank you. It’s called an invisible disease because others don’t see the effects. Thanks for reading.