Oh where do I start. I was diagnosed 20 years ago so I have been and tried many many different things. I'm glad to help you. What do you need to know

I do want you to know you will soon find out (which can be very frustrating and also good at the same time) everyone journey is very different. There are some common symptoms but even that can differ. I'm sorry that you have to walk this road but there are some things that can make life easier but I don't know where you are health wise. Just let me know keep the faith

The pain in my arms, neck & shoulders seems to come & go. Some days it is almost unbearable, then other days it seems to have disappeared. Is the normal? I am almost 59, and many things I thought were age-advancement, I am wondering, if they are fibro. Like forgetting words, it is so embarrassing, searching for what I am trying to say & I can't think of the word. And names. Sometimes I just can't think of the name of someone I have worked with for 19 years.

Well that sounds all familiar. I am 50 years old for the last 10 ot 12 years I have been on disability which was a huge huge blow. I absolutely loved my work it was and I still have a very hard time not working (it was who I was so when I couldn't work I went and I'm still struggling. Anyways I try to wake up every day and not be a victim of the disease. First I hope you have a good doctor....there is some Ned's out there that seem to help some people..like lyrics,cymbalta and there are some pain mess that can help some people. But please please find a good doctor that is educated about it....with any thing you need to learn when you shoulders, neck hurt so bad you probably tense up like I do so just take a deep breath and breath through it.....because unfortunately nothing is going to take the pain away so you have two choices and learning mentally to try to meditate helps a lot. I could go on and on I just don't know if I'm helping...I hope so

Hello, and welcome! As Weeble said, first: A good doctor! And as for meds, it's trial and error, and hwat helps one? May not help anyone else. We're all unique that way. I've had a fibro dx since I was 25, and found this site 6 years ago. Saved my sanity!
If you can, find the link to the pdf of Fibromyalgia for Dummies (someone posted it and it got lost, argh), or buy the book. Hugely helpful to us, families, etc.
And try anything that sounds *rational*. (Magic pills? No. Meditation? Yes. Acupuncture? SUre. Massage? If they do it gently. Yoga? You bet. Warm water therapy? Yeah. Magic cures like vitamins and so forth? Only if you're found by bloodwork to be deficient and in need by prescription!)
And don't be afraid to tella doctor, "Are yo u*sure*!" Did he/ they test for *everything* else possible from rheumatoid arthritis to celiac disease to thyroid issues.... ? This is what is diagnosed when 100 or so other things are ruled *out*. Ther's no test that says, magically, "Ta-da! It's fibro!" (Actually, you haven't got one for a lot of diseases, but people forget that sometimes.)
Grieving for lost life stuff is also part of Fibro. It sucks, but it's grief. Feel it. There's no shame, and every good reason, to feel like this is a rotten deal. It is.
Anyway, welcome to the board, and just remember: Fibro = Mighty. We have to be twice as strong to do half as much, and anyone who doubts us should (as one old-time member here put it years ago) walk all day with a pack on their back holding 60 pounds of rocks.

Cheers,
Leo

Welcome to the group! My Fibromyalgia was also triggered by a lower back issue. I blew a disc and then all h*ll broke out. I've been disabled since 2009 due to Fibromyalgia and a host of other health problems.

One place to start is working on getting restorative sleep and more of it. Fibromyalgia interrupts the deep sleep cycle with short bursts of high intensity brain activity. Your muscles require deep sleep in order to repair themselves from the days activities. No deep sleep means higher levels of pain. You should think about having a sleep study done. That will pinpoint exactly what happens while you are asleep. And, you should be on a medication to help you sleep. Natural options include melatonin or Calms Forte (Walgreens/CVS). This is a critical part of managing this complex illness. A lack of restorative sleep also contributes to cognitive problems ("Fibro fog") such as forgetting words and names.

You might want to look into TMJ as a possible source of your shoulder, neck and arm pain. That is one of the many "perks" that can be associated with this illness. You may be grinding or clenching and be unaware of it. See your dentist or someone who specializes in TMJ. A bite splint can be made to put your jaw in a neutral position at night while you sleep. And, it will save you a lot of money in dental repairs over time.

I second Leo's suggestion on getting the book "Fibromyalgia for Dummies." You can purchase it on Amazon. It will give you a comprehensive overview of this illness and a myriad of ways to try and handle it. It is also a useful tool for educating family, friends and clueless doctors.

I hope that my comments are helpful to you. Join us on Leo's daily check in. Just look for the Puma avatar and the day of the week in the heading. It is a good way to get to know everyone, vent and be entertained by Leo's trivia and funny stories. Take care.

Thank you for the kind replies. I am also fighting the injury to my L3-L4 nerves, which resulted in severe damage to those nerves, leaving me with radiculopathy down my leg. After 2 failed surgeries, I finally ended up with a spinal cord stimulator. It helps a lot, but I still have pain covering my leg. It is difficult for people to understand that pain. So many have "tingling & numbness", and think it is the same. Mine feels Luke someone has jammed a downed power line into my leg. So I now have daily pain from head to toe. Leo you gave excellent words to describe my frustration for what I can no longer do. Before I was injured I was very active, especially for someone my age. I ice skated 2 to 3 times a week, I used the Eliptical & walked. I have gained 25 lbs from inactivity & I believe from steroid injections. I was already on Tramadol & Gabapenten & muscle relaxer for my leg. My new doc is switching me from Gabapenten to Lyrica, and plans to add Cymbalta. The last 3 yrs have been hard. My dad died, then I got injured, then my mom died. I feel worn out.

Dovie - That is a lot for anyone to try and manage! I'm sorry that you feel worn out. It's more than understandable. Have you considered counseling to help you deal with all of this stuff? Many of us see someone for extra support. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be really helpful and give you tools to better cope with chronic illness. It helped me a lot.

We have all had to adjust to some sort of new *normal.* It is challenging for sure. I've retooled my life and developed new interests which helps a lot. I find that it is more healthy to focus on things to be grateful for as opposed to all of the things that I can no longer do.

Again, welcome to the group! Hugs!

There isn't much more advice I can give you past what's already been said here. I just wanted to give you my support and condolences for the deaths of your parents. Sounds like you've had a lot on your plate and that you're doing what you can to take care of yourself. I'm glad you came here and I hope you find a good doctor that works for you. Biggest hugs!

In 2011, I was injurede, and that dou bled down my problems, too. You're not alone in that, or needing to reshape...