Sannel Larson

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Living with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Every Tuesday, I will write about  Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Why Tuesday, you may ask?  Well, I could probably talk about these two diseases any other day, except this day is very important to me. It was on a Tuesday, when I was finally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. So, what could be more fitting than to make Tuesday's on this blog, into my very own, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome awareness Day?



Years and Years of Not Understanding What Was Going On 
I was recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I was finally given the diagnose in 2011. However, I have lived with it for so much longer. It has been years and years of not understanding what was going on - What was happening to me?  Going from doctor to doctor, getting medication described for all kind of illnesses and diseases. Doctors telling me with irony in their voices and a pat on my back; Oh, just get back out there and work, and you'll be fine!!  
Work!? When just getting a shower and getting myself dressed to go to the doctors appointment had drained me out completely, and was going to leave me bedridden for days. Oh, and I really did not appreciate that sympathetic pat on my back, since that pat had hurt so much that I just had wanted to scream. 

I Pushed Myself to Please Everyone
Even with the pain and exhaustion, I pushed myself to please everyone. I tried to be social, do the work that was expected of me, act like my normal old self, only to cry myself to sleep at night. However, the pain was horrendous and woke me up constantly during the night. With the lack of sleep, I could not handle the pain very well, and it just became worse and worse. 

I lost the excitement to do even the simplest things, since it meant my pain and exhaustion would triple. Soon, I became very depressed. I refused to get up from bed. Finally, I lost the will to live, even thoughI did not want to die, I could not go on. I stopped eating, knowing that my heart would not take this punishment for very long, and my long awaited relief would soon arrive and be a blessing. 
My story will continue next Tuesday. . . 



Facts on Fibromyalgia

When you hear the word Fibromyalgia, you immediately think of pain. When you hear the words, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you think of exhaustion. However, there are so many other symptoms a person with these diseases has to struggle with everyday, which you may not know about.


Living with fibromyalgia, FMS and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, CFS- also known as ME, can often take over your life and turn you into a shadow of your former self. Except for pain, you have to struggle with impaired memory and concentration difficulties, apathy, anxieties, listlessness, fatigue, nervousness, panic attacks, irritability, faintness, tremors, painful intercourse, sweating, anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia, feelings of guilt and failure and even suicidal thoughts. These are some of the more common symptoms one might meet.



There are Varying Degrees of Fibro
To understand fibromyalgia we must first have in mind that there are varying degrees of fibro. To many the fibro doesn’t limit them very much. They can still keep a job, do activities and socializing like normal people. To some the fibro may flare up once in a while and last just for a few days. Others may have just a mild version of fibromyalgia. And to some of us, the pain is so extreme that our lives had to change forever.

More facts on Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome will appear on this blog next Tuesday.