I would suspect the stress caused by uncontrolled anxiety could cause Fibromyalgia not anxiety itself. Take care.

I have severe anxiety and suffer from terrible panic attacks. I would say that my anxiety started at 10 years old and grew worse as I grew older (hormones maybe..). I had my first ulcer at 16 years old and I still have it even though it is under control. I was just recently told by my MD that I have Fibro and am curious myself if my anxiety played a role in it. I also developed breast wise very early and had a breast reduction at 18 years old. Most of my symptoms are in my shoulders, neck and my full right arm. I do know that when I start to feel anxious or might have a panic attack my Fibro flares up horribly which compounds all of my problems to make them worse. Somethings gotta give! Any feedback would be wonderful!

For me, fibro came first. Then anxiety...panic attacks and all of the other fun goodies anxiety brings on.

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (FMS) and then started having problems with anxiety and major panic attacks.

Let's not forget that there is a genetic component to this illness. Take care.

I started having (in this order) IBS, TMJ, anxiety, and panic attacks and insomnia roughly 12 years ago. I was treated for Panic Disorder with medication which helped. A few years ago I started having pelvic and low back pain. About two years ago my insomnia and anxiety flared up big time and then I started getting pain all over my body. I went to the Dr. and told him my skeleton hurt. He suggested that I may have Fibro and referred me to a Rheumy who I saw finally this September. During our appointment I told him that I started having anxiety and alot of the other symptoms that go along with Fibro 12 years ago and asked him if it could have been Fibro way back then. He said most definitely, since he finds that anxiety with panic attacks seems to go hand in hand with Fibro in his experience. My Internist believes that stress has caused me to develop Fibro. So it's kind of like what came first, the chicken or the egg? Is anxiety a symptom of anxiety, or does anxiety cause Fibro?

Interesting topic! I think it's all related, but I don't know which causes what. I first developed anxiety, then depression, then the pain followed all of that. I can remember being anxious at a fairly young age....not good!

I think my severe anxiety started when I was about 9. Then came the panic attacks as a teen-ager. Then came the fibro when I was about 24. I am now 60. Over the years I have been treated successfully with xanax and celexa for the anxiety and panic attacks. I thought I had my nerves under control but the more I think about it the more I realize that the fibro is all over my body and it feels like raw nerves. I think all the years of suffering gave me fibro. I could be wrong but it sounds like it all goes together.
Thank you for your comments. I hope we can all have more good days then bad.

I got a bad case of the flu, or so I thought, when I was 17. I ached so bad I cried. A year or so later I developed IBS followed by anxiety attacks which later became bipolar 2. I came out of the bipolar after a few years of meds and other than the IBS and anxiety did well for years. Then in 2007 I developed again the horrible achy flu type stuff and was diagnosed with fibro. Since then the cycle has started over and just started bipolar meds again a few months ago. I am now 49 so apparently I have had this all my life as well. So yeah I do think it is all intertwined.

No anxiety and no depression here.

Only recently have I experienced anxiety and have had fibro since my childhood. That's not to say that there couldn't be a connection. I did have a stressful childhood.

I feel years of pain and working full time, single raising four children and with fibro caused anxiety. My Mother said when she read the symptoms of fibro I had it as a child.

Childhood difficult at times but my two parents did their best, so I can't blame anxiety on that, so I stand by living in chronic pain caused anxiety and panic attacks.

laurab

I think its VERY possible. I have also had anxiety/depression issues off and on since 2008. I thought about suicide once. I drank every weekend my kids were gone(before I met my current husband and got remarried). I took Celexa for 2 years until I got pregnant with my now 4 year old. I knew having a baby close to 40 would cause alot of problems with my body but never expected this.
In 2012 we seperated and actually got divorced after 9 months. That was stressful to say the least. But we got back together in 2013 and then found out he got someone pregnant while we were divorced. Resulting in Twin girls who are 13 months now. I love them to death and treat them as my own but it IS demanding on me and VERY stressful. I think we ALL need a miracle when it comes to our stress and anxiety.

For my husband, fibro came before anxiety, then his anxiety was about how to handle life with his symptoms.

I had IBS and anxiety/depression when I was a teenager.

I wasn't diagnosed with Fibro until my late 30's. Now, I'm 46 and hurt all over.

I've always been an anxious person so I don't see any change since the FM which came after chemo. Isabelle1954