It is difficult to sum up for people in a few words isn't it..I describe it as a Neurological
problem similar to MS.I guess untill we find the cause thats the closest thing i can say that will make people appreciate the devastating effects of fibro.

For me I tell them it is a diease that affects my muscles, joints & bones. It causes swelling, pain & other bad side affects. After that they stop and think about it and it answers most questions and lets them know why I have good and bad days. Now if I could just get family/friends to understand it we'd be good. I guess you find strangers accept things better sometimes then the ones closer to us.

Mjadaa...I like your explanation...think I'll start using it! :) After all, it's quite true. The symptoms mimic MS so much that I, like so many others before me, am still going through testing to see if I, in fact, have MS also. With all the new info. coming out on Fibro., they are looking quite similiar, aren't they? Just my perspective! ;)
~Tonya

Hey there. Well I tell them its when your pain center "misfires" and sends pain to any area of your body. I tell them the pain can be moderate or severe.
I also tell them it affects your muscles and joints. With me also, every area of my body that has been previously injured, fibro goes in there and has a field day d

I also tell them that it is similar to all the symptoms of MS. I was tested for MS for a long time because my body was mimicking all the symptoms of MS. I had two doctors who swore that that was what I had until the tests came back negative.

I like the explanation of a neurological problem, I have never used that one before, but I will definitely start. People always look at me like I've grown 3 heads when I try to explain it. I know people do try sometimes to understand, but let's face it, when people don't have it, they just don't get it. I wouldn't understand something if I didn't have it or feel it either, so I guess it makes sense that they don't understand what we're going through. I have a good support system though, so I know I can come here and tell you guys how I'm doing and what I'm feeling, and that you will understand. And thats all I need. I'm so glad I'm not alone in this whole thing!

Thank you everyone for your post. I can't seem to get it across without sounding like I'm asking for sympathy or getting blown off. Painful you put it well. The support of loved ones including those here is making this thing doable. Mjadaa I will use your response as well, it totally makes sense and is something ppl can picture.

I to would like to say how happy I am to have come to this sight as the helpful comments are a blessing. I have a fantastic support with my husband and family but they still dont need to hear it all where as here I feel like I can be completly honest and get things off my chest. I appreciate your comment mjadda I believe I to will use that to help me in my explanation of my condition. Also thanks painful for the we reminder that we are all just human and for some the unknown is very hard to understand. All the best to all Tina

I tell people that I suffer from a chronic pain condition. Sometimes they get it, sometimes they don't. No one really understands unless they have it also.

I agree it is so hard to explain..sometimes I feel like people don't actually think ther is anything wrong..It's hard when you know the pain is so real...dlockwood

I spell it for them (this is on a good day when I can remember how to spell stuff) and tell them to Google it !!! lol!

lol, kitty. Mine is: Its like the flu, your body aches all over. Some days are not so bad, but the bad days are horrid. And its symptoms mimics many other things, like Lupus, MS, carpel tunnel, chronic fatigue, etc.

First of all, I get soooo tired of explaining to people. (and really tired of everyone telling me to do this or do that or I need to get to the bottom of this and find out what's wrong with me)

I do like Mjadaa's explanation and I think I'm just going to stick with that. At least that is something people can relate to.

Here's a little something I wrote that I keep meaning to put in flyer form and just give to people, but I never have.

You know the feeling, you wake up one morning and try to get out of bed and suddenly realize your arms and legs feel like concrete. Your blood feels like it has been replaced with lead. You are so tired you think that maybe you had a wrestling match with an alligator instead of a good nights sleep. And the pain! Every muscle in your body hurts. Your bones hurt, your back hurts, you cant really move your head because your neck and shoulders hurt. The slightest touch makes you moan; even your hair hurts. You feel like you have been beaten with a sledge hammer. And while you dont feel exactly like youre going to vomit, somehow your insides just dont feel right. Your head feels cloudy and you cant really focus or think clearly.

Youve got the flu.

Oh no! Not me, you cry. I dont have the time to be sick. And you fall back down on the bed in agony.

Now imagine feeling like this 90 % of the time and you will have some small idea of what it feels like to have Fibromyalgia. Only first you have to add in Irritable bowel syndrome, varying degrees of arthritis, an extreme sensitivity to weather changes, hot flashes and chills, a low tolerance for medication, bouts of indigestion and heartburn and a weakened immune system. To top it all off, you get to live with constant depression from being in pain all the time and anxiety from always wondering how you can continue to cope with all this.

Terri - I love what you wrote. It captures 90% of what goes on with my body. A like the idea of a flyer or better yet email to everyone u know... think positive, gentle hugs...

I did notice that someone mentioned IBS. That is the dirty lil secret that no one wants to mention. I will tell you what natural remedy I use for it though. I use Peppermint Gels and you can get them at the nature store. The company "Now" makes some, and the label is a bright orange.
I take one to three per day esp when symptoms start. They are enteric coated which means it resists the acid in your tummy to get released into, and soothe, the intestines. When I was in class, my intestines were "noisy" and those gels relaxed that feeling quite nicely. d