My Fibromyalgia Story

When I was a senior in high school I started getting really, really sick. I missed a lot of class, and was absolutely miserable. The only thing that made me feel any better would be to literally just sleep. I was exhausted all the time, and had pain in my stomach and pretty much everywhere else too.

My doctor couldn't explain it.

A friend in my church's congregation told me that she had the same symptoms. She had something called FIBROMYALGIA. It is an auto-immune disorder, and "is a common syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety."

What a crazy crazy disease. My doctor didn't believe in Fibromyalgia. So I was stuck without medicine to help relieve pain, or help rid me of the exhaustion, and constant need to sleep. But with this self-diagnosis, I was able to have some relief from the stress of constantly wondering what was wrong. I could finally have something to explain to my teachers and my counselor for missing so much school.

Then when I went out to Utah for college at Brigham Young University, I saw a Rheumatologist in Provo who diagnosed me for real this time and gave me medicine to help with the pain and sleep issues.  Although for the next 2 years I had spouts of relief, I still suffered tremendously. It was so hard to function. I was exhausted and suffered from chronic fatigue more than regularly. In fact, it was so bad that I would nap in the middle of the day for half the day. I started to care less and less about school at the time because I felt so sick. I would be in class when all the sudden a wave of nauseousness or intense stomach pain would come on and I would be left in a fetal position clenching my fists, holding my stomach.

But as the years passed I was able to get off the medicine and find relief. I still have trouble sleeping, have tenderness in my muscles and tendons, and suffer from depression and anxiety. BUT, it is in control. I am not the muddled mess I once was. I have strength through my adversity and trials. I get stronger every day, and even when my body starts shutting down, I have faith and in time I am able to recover, or at least start feeling better in that moment.

- J