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Freedom From FibromyalgiaYour Complete Guide To Pain Relief |
Being Diagnosed With Fibromyalgia
You’ve been suffering from a variety of symptoms – extreme fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and depression – for months and some days you just don’t have the strength to drag yourself out of bed. You just hurt everywhere, and worse still, no one understands. Then, after myriad of tests and numerous doctor visits, you’re given the diagnosis: fibromyalgia.
For some, hearing the diagnosis of fibromyalgia is just as bad as the symptoms themselves. For others it’s a relief. First and foremost, understand that fibromyalgia is not a life-threatening illness, and with time, you will learn to cope with the diagnosis and with your fibromyalgia.
Just as important is realizing you are not alone in your diagnosis of fibromyalgia. In fact, millions of people around the world - 12 million in the United States alone - have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia predominately strikes women between 20 and 50-years-old. However, men and children are also susceptible and have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
Understandably, at first, you may feel apprehensive and unsure of what comes after your fibromyalgia diagnosis. There is no set time and no set way for you to cope with the diagnosis. Everyone reacts differently. You may be angry. You may be depressed. You may be relieved to finally know what’s causing your pain and suffering. Coping with the diagnosis is important, but take the time you need to let the reality of your illness sink in.
You’ll also want to be proactive in learning how to cope with the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, including trying the following:
Join a support group. No matter how supportive your loved ones are, unless they’ve dealt with chronic pain firsthand, they can do little more than sympathize with how you feel. And, while every ounce of support is important for you coping with the diagnosis, you’ll want to find other people who are dealing with fibromyalgia like you are.
Support groups are beneficial in both helping you cope with the fibromyalgia diagnosis and in learning how to adjust your life so that you can make the most of your good days and deal with your bad days. Contact your local hospital and ask for a list of fibromyalgia support groups in your area.
You may be apprehensive at first, but go to a support group meeting. Take a friend or family member, if you need the moral support to get there. Even if you just listen, you’ll learn that you’re not alone in learning how to cope with the diagnosis and fibromyalgia symptoms.
Keep a pain journal. Everyone copes with the diagnosis of fibromyalgia differently, but an effective way of dealing with the emotional roller coaster of chronic pain is keeping a pain journal. A hardbound journal or a simple notebook is all you need. Simply jot down how you feel on a daily basis. Write your symptoms – both physical and emotional.
You can write merely a sentence or you can go on for pages – your pain journal is there to get out your emotions. You may also begin to see a pattern of flare-ups. For example, weather is often a determinant factor in how you’re going to feel. Wet weather and humidity often cause flare-ups for many diagnosed with fibromyalgia symptoms.
Don’t expect too much too soon. Now that you’ve gotten the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, you’re likely more than ready to begin taking medication and starting therapy. Understand that finding the right combination of medication and therapy might take time. You’ll likely have to experiment to find what works best for you.
While you’re trying to find the best course of treatment for your needs and your body, you may become frustrated. Remember, however, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is not the end of the world; it’s just the beginning of a new journey that will require you to adjust your lifestyle.
Once you find the right medication, therapy, or a combination of the two, for you, you’ll still deal with occasional flare-ups, whether they’re brought on by weather, stress, or something else. Flare-ups are simply a part of your diagnosis of fibromyalgia, and within time, you’ll learn the best way to deal with the bad days while making the most of the good days.
© Health Research Today
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