Category: Fibromyalgia

BY ROBIN DIX IN COLUMNS, THROUGH THE FOG – A COLUMN BY ROBIN DIX. I have fibromyalgia (FM) and an underactive thyroid, so hair loss is a real concern of mine. For that reason, I have chosen to keep my hair very short. We’re talking #2-on-a-hair-trimmer short. After my first buzz cut, I wouldn’t go out anywhere without a hat because I was very self-conscious. Now I’m pretty comfortable with my look. Hair loss is not an uncommon phenomenon for those of us with fibro. Are you noticing more hair on your hairbrush, pillow, or…

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We’ve all experienced that sick feeling from time to time. However, for those with Fibro it’s often more frequent and the nausea is worse. Nausea can last for a day, a week or even several months. Some individuals may find that it is sporadic, and others find that it occurs on a daily basis, dramatically impacting their quality of life. In most cases, nausea is not the only symptom. Typically, it’s accompanied by: – Heart palpitations – Dizziness – Chills – Feeling faint – Sweating – Vomiting – Difficulty breathing…

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Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes chronic pain throughout the body, fatigue, anxiety, and nerve dysfunction. Today, it affects the life of 4 million people in the US alone and, if left untreated, it can lead to disability. Given that there is no definitive cure for fibromyalgia, treatments primarily aim to ease its symptoms. Despite how common and debilitating this condition is, its “invisible” nature has led to a delay in the research on its causes, symptoms, and prognosis. Certainly, with clinical trials only starting in the 1980s, a lot is yet to be understood…

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By Adrienne Dellwo  Table of Contents Fibromyalgia (FM) may be an autoimmune disease, where your immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake. For years, the evidence seemed to point away from that. This issue is still far from decided, but opinion may be swaying back toward autoimmunity. Some research suggests FM may be an autoimmune disease involving neuroinflammation, an inflammatory response within the brain and spinal cord, and small-fiber neuropathy, which is weakness and pain from nerve damage.1 That hypothesis isn’t getting widespread acceptance in the medical community, though. This article looks at what…

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By Adrienne Dellwo  Table of Contents Pain. Fatigue. Malaise. These symptoms are just part of life when you have fibromyalgia (FMS) or lupus. When you have both fibromyalgia and lupus, you get a double helping of those symptoms, in addition to the other symptoms of both conditions. FMS and lupus are both hard to diagnose, and because their primary symptoms can be very similar, people with FMS are sometimes misdiagnosed as having lupus, and vice versa. A sizable number of people have both conditions, which complicates diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, it’s important for those with FMS…

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You’ve been feeling run down lately. Tired, achy, everything hurts. You can’t concentrate. You can’t sleep. You don’t feel like… you. It’s like you have the flu, but you don’t have a fever and you’re not getting better. Your doctor says nothing seems to be wrong, but the symptoms persist. What’s happening? It’s possible that it could be fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder. Here’s how to recognize the red flags of this condition, and where to get help. Basics Refresh: What Is Fibromyalgia? Fibromyalgia (sometimes shortened to just “fibro”) is a…

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