The symptoms of fibromyalgia are warning signs of an underlying condition, and the cause of fibro is different for everyone.
Here are Jamie Yahne’s tips for living with and fighting fibro – she was diagnosed with fibro six years ago, when she was 24 years old.
“[When I was first diagnosed with fibro], I wish I would have understood how serious it really is,” she says. “My doctor minimized fibromyalgia because it isn’t a terminal illness or disease. It honestly felt like I was being diagnosed with something like the flu. The truth about fibromyalgia is that it is a warning sign. Your body is telling you that an underlying condition is harming you and you need to fix it before it’s too late.”
If your doctor diagnosed you with fibromyalgia, you need to learn as much as you can about it. The internet can be a good place to get health information – but be careful about what sites and blogs you read! Always double check your information with a medical doctor or natural health practitioner.
And, remember that different people experience diseases or syndromes differently. Jamie’s symptoms of fibro may be different than yours.
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia: The Revolutionary Treatment That Can Reverse The Disease has lots of facts about fibro causes and cures – it’s not a book recommended by Jamie, but it’s been positively reviewed on Amazon hundreds of times.
Jamie’s Tips for Living With Fibromyalgia
Technically, fibromyalgia is a chronic pain “syndrome” not a disease. Fibro never really goes into a period of remission. I have good days with less pain and bad days with horrible pain, but I am never pain free. Today is a good day.
I stay positive by experimenting with different treatments, medications, diets and exercise until I find things that bring me relief. When I discover new fibro treatments to try or something that helps with the pain, it gives me hope. Hope for less pain, a better quality of life and even a cure for fibromyalgia.
Before she was diagnosed with fibro…
Fibromyalgia is that it is a warning sign – your body is telling you that an underlying condition is harming you and you need to fix it before it’s too late. For example, I discovered that I wasn’t getting enough oxygen at night due to environmental allergies and asthma. I would wake up in the middle of the night because of a breathing problem. The lack of oxygen was causing the severe muscle pain. I could have died in my sleep.
I recently started medication and I’m having amazing results. This discovery has already reduced my fibro pain and could possibly be the cure for me!
If you’ve been diagnosed with fibro…
If you want to fight fibromyalgia and get results, you need to continue to try new treatments and see different types of doctors who specialize in different fields. This will allow you to get more than one professional opinion and suggestion.
I highly recommend that you keep a detailed pain diary. Every day you need to write down how you feel, what you ate, what you did, your menstrual cycle etc. You will be able to look back at this and see patterns associated with your condition. This is a great way to find clues to possible types of fibro treatment or tests you can request.
Fibromyalgia can be cured. However, the cause of fibro is different for every person so the cure isn’t as simple as prescribing the same medication and treatment for everyone.
Advice for friends and family
The best thing you can do is listen. Pain and sickness is very depressing and it’s hard for someone to have no control over the symptoms of fibro.
You need to believe that it is real even if you can’t see it. What you have to understand is that a person with chronic pain builds up a tolerance in order to survive. It may not be obvious to you because they look fine and act fine. Don’t be fooled. They need your empathy and help.
Why does Jamie fight fibromyalgia – not live in harmony with it?
I FIGHT fibromyalgia because I know what it was like to have total control over my life and be pain free! I will fight to get that freedom back. I don’t want to be controlled by pain and if I know there’s a chance I can beat this I will try.
I don’t want to surrender myself and what I want to do with my life to pain, so I fight fibro every day.
After I was diagnosed with fibro, I opened an online store called Glitzee Glee. My business has a charity event to raise funds for the Fibromyalgia Coalition International. They publish a magazine that helps people find and treat the root cause of fibromyalgia naturally. They fund extensive fibromyalgia research, and provide great tips for people living with fibro.
What are your tips for living with and fighting fibro? Your comments are welcome below…
If you’re living in harmony with or fighting illness, I’d love to share your story. Go to How Do You Live With Chronic Disease? Stories From Survivors.
Thank you for sharing how you fight fibromyalgia, Jamie. I have ulcerative colitis, and when it’s in remission I am the happiest woman on earth! I’m sorry that fibro doesn’t go into remission, to at least give you a break from the muscle pain and fatigue.
Do you experience “fibro fog”? I wonder if it’s similar to “chemo brain”?
Yes!I think it’s similar.You have memory problems, it’s hard to concentrate and you feel like you just can’t think clearly. I believe the “fibro fog” is linked to the lack of sleep. Most people who have fibro do not sleep very well. They never seem to get REM sleep or go into the deep sleep phase. For six years I could never remember having dreams. I had very low energy,stiffness and pain in the morning too. Since I have improved my oxygen level at night by using an inhaler and nasal spray I have been sleeping really good. I have dreams.I wake up rested and the “fibro fog” hasn’t been much of an issue.Is “chemo brain” caused by the medication you have to take? There was a time when my doctor thought I may have colitis, but I only had one episode that involved shedding white blood cells. When they checked everything out it was all normal. My current doctor actually thinks it may have been caused by GERD. I’m glad you have periods that are pain free!
Hi Jamie,
What inhaler do you use at night? I have tried two different ones and they cause flare-ups for me. Also what nasal spray do you use?
Thanks!