Something ive heard a lot of ppl say who have FM is that they have “flare-ups”. This doesnt make much sense to in that my pain, as well as other symptoms, are constant and are pretty much the same in intensity. Of course, my pain level does shoot high if Im dealing w an exceptionally stressful situation. Does this make sense to anyone else?
i'm in pain constantly and some days even weeks are really constant and i've had it since 1983 so its been a long rocky poad of pain for sure,less pain and worse than ever pain and all the other illnesses they go along with this fibro pai,like migrain,which i have one starting up now and costo chondritis,inflammation of the chestwall and rib cage,feels like a heart attack as google is right about that adn just a little bit of everything...Soft hugs
Yes thank you. this does help. I was beginning to wonder. lol. Jackie, I can completely understand where you're coming from. The biggest challenge in my life is getting thru the day to day pain and fatigue, and being able to explain why im in pain all the time to my children and family. So just know there are ppl out there that are going thru the same thing.
I would have to say I agree with both ariestit & Jackie Foster as to the constant pain and some days/weeks being worse than others. For me, I categorize my pain as constant when it is in about than 3 places BUT when the pains encompass 'all' of the trigger points, IBS worsens, confusion & Fibro fog is terrible....I consider this a 'flare-up'. On these flare-up days, I am rendered useless and spend most all my time in bed..only getting up briefly (like now). When the FM is in the constant stage (according to 'my' scale)..I can perform simple tasks but take things really easy/slow. The longer I have had this dreadful condition...the more it seems I have to 'negotiate' with my body as to what my abilities are for the day or oft times..several days.
Like ariestit says, I cannot remember when I've had a day with no pain but just some days with a little relief.
Gentle hugs to you
Geramium and Ariestit, I thought I was alone in that I cannot remember time when I wasnt in some degree of pain each day. The only exception was once when I used a transdermal pain patch, in which I had relief for three days. That was about three years ago. Im not newly diagnosed. I have dealt with this condition, which so many ppl dont understand, for the most part without any emotional support from anyone else. But, I have found this online support group to be very helpful. For instance, I have been having rib pain that sort of wraps around but when I brought this to my rheumatologist's attention, he didnt seem to believe it was related to FM but implied that I may need an xray to see if I had pleuralism. After reading some discussion here though, I tend to think it probably is just another part of my body becoming stricken with the FM. Thanks so much to all of you.
I am in pain every day like everyone else.
To me a flare up is a day where everything gets worse.
The pain,the fog, all of the symptoms.
To the point where I get up and shower and do nothing else.Just nap all day.
I have recently been put on mobic and paxil.I have to take the paxil around 5:30 pm
if I want to function all day.I started taking it in the morning and I would nap after work
until bed time.
Better if I take it later.
" Flare ups' I also See them as intense..I find with the pain in these times,i can find it difficult with communicating..I take a natural product called Cell Food..I find this can reduce the intensity..Regular sleep times -a must have..I understand F.M can be Debilitating for you as well as others with F.M..If you deal with stressful situations in the future,As you are well aware pain levels can shoot high at these times..Accept that this will happen..Remember you are not alone in these times..Be strong..Never loose patience -We need it..Hope this helps..
Hi! I am new to the group. Someone told me to get Cell Food. Does it reduce the pain?
Like today I am stumblIng and have fallen into the corner of a table. I have a knot on my forehead. I have slept until 3:00 PM. I am so disoriented. My words are off. Thank goodness IPads have spellcheck. I can do nothing. Yesterday I went to my digestive disease doctor for a long running bacterial infection. It is something all the time. The PAIN never stops. Some days are better though. Thank goodness but for me the fatique never goes away. Good luck jdixon.
You can see you are not alone, we are all the same, I cannot remember a day without pain just some days not as much as others and some really horrible ones, just remember we are here if you need us.
Prayers, hugs and kisses
Thanks for all the support and encouRaging words. This is a great group 
I agree .. This is a GREAT group and Kudo's to whomever started it. We, FM sufferers surely need all the emotional support we can get. Speaking for myself..I find that when I log-in to this site and read what others are experiencing and I feel free to express what 'I' am going through..my anxiety level caused by the pains etc..diminishes to a degree that makes my life a tad more tolerable. I do not get this kind of care from my Dr. and as I once told him "You will only understand & have more patience IF you or a member of your family gets this dreadful DISease".
About the rib pains:: I have experienced this twice and have been ambulanced off to hospital with the EMT's thinking I was having a silent heart attack. After going through a battery of tests, ECG etc..a very kind compassionate Dr. in the hospital told me that this was b/c I was not receiving proper pain management for the fibromyalgia. And yet...even he could not offer me what would be considered 'proper' *whatever* for the pains. The best suggestion he could come up with was..when having bad anxiety attacks from the pain..practice deep breathing to calm myself down.
As Pat says..we are all the same.
I send u my blessings and gentle hugs. Try an epsom salts bath...that helps me oft times.
Like you, I am never out of pain. But those "Flare-ups" are far worse, I don't understand why this happens, but I will say that after a "flare-up" my regular pain is much easier to live with. Also I think the "Flare-up" should be called an "ATTACK" . Flare-up sounds to gentle.
My pain is constant, and I understand these flares. It is difficult to get pain meds for as needed. My pain doctor does not seem to understand. I could just sit and cry if I did not have my boyfriend who keeps me in a good mood-or at least he tries. He takes me to most of my dr appts because I am too weak and shaky to drive. Oh, my major pain is in my right ear, neck, shoulder, back, hips. I have knots all over these places except my hips. I get TPIs in the muscle knots or spasms. I get Botox every 3 months for migraines and for the ear. Sometimes I would like to crawl out of my skin. Take care and if you find anything that gives you relief, inform me please.
I don't have weight gain-I have actually lost due to other problems. They really do not work for long. I really get them basically for my ear. It kills me without them. They last approx. 2 days. They don't cost that much. The Botox really helps for 2 month but is really expensive. I am trying to bargain with myself if the migraine medicine and migraines are better off than the cost to the Botox injections. Again if you take anything that does anything let me know. He is giving me Nucynta now. I had to beg for that-non narcotic. Good luck.
i have pain 24/7, however i will have days that are so bad i am not really coherent. it hurts so much all over. those are also the times my adrenal glands give out. magnesium gets them going again. fibro comes in different levels. my cancer treatments kicked mine into high gear. be mindful of your pain levels day to day. write down each day where your at so you can see patterns.
I agree with what everyone is saying - the pain is constant. At times it gets much worse and I am bedridden. When I first came down with fibro I was bedridden for 6 months. Thank goodness I am better now but I really dread the flare ups.
I wish everyone the best and I am grateful for this site. I really thought I was the only one suffering like this- I’m glad there are other people who understand.
for me the pain is constant too but i have started to finally figure out what is causing my flare ups. like most said a flare up is when your pain gets worse and u most likley dont want to get out of bed due to the amount of pain u r in. my triggers
seem to b too much stress and the weather changing and when it rains that is when i really feel it. so if u can try to journel and that might help u figure out what your triggers and u can try to avoud them somethimes i get a flare out of nowhere but usually its cause of a trigger. u r not alone and i hope u have support from friends and family cause that can help. i hope this helps
Hi!
Looks like you answered your own questions! My flare ups can be anything from noticing the meds aren't helping as much, to having brand new symptoms I've never had before (almost 20 years). I swear I've been in a full flare-up for 3 years now!!! But any stressful situation, be it emotionally or physical (injuring yourself, the "shock" to the body of a car accident, etc) can cause a flare-up. Even the weather can make you feel horrible, or at least a certain symptom worse.
Wishing you luck!
Renie ♥
the weather affects me also, ans if i try to push too hard, dairy i have found really contributes to my pain. i stopped it and my pain has almost cut in half. good luck!