Fibromyalgia has a huge range of
documented symptoms. Exactly what is a separate but overlapping
condition can be difficult to figure out. You are not going to have
all of these symptoms, and you won't have them all of the time as
they tend to change as constantly as your pain does. Some might be
frequent, some might be only occasionally.
In this entry I am going to select
symptoms from a huge list compiled by Adrienne
Dellwo, the FM guide on About.com, which incorporates the work of
fibromyalgia expert Devin Starlanyl along with other recent research.
I am adapting her list and incorporating my own perspectives about
it. I am leaving out a lot of the stuff I have already covered.
Since this entry is my reflections on
the different symptoms, as a male I am leaving out the symptoms that
only impact women. These include the PMS and painful menstrual
problems. I am also leaving out the cognitive problems as I will go
into more detail about those in a separate entry, including the
issues I have had with dysphasia. I am also leaving the pain issues,
since we cover that a lot, and
Other family members with
fibromyalgia
I have an aunt who was diagnosed, but
who was later rediagnosed as suffering from lyme disease. Her
symptoms as described to me second hand since we are not close were
different from mine in many ways. However, it is believed that lyme
disease is a possible trigger for FM, so who knows what she has at
this point.
Vision Changes, including rapidly
worsening vision
My eyes are still
pretty good. I read tiny type without glasses. I do get a very odd
and selective form of double vision, though, that works in two
directions. I may see two birds vertically sitting and two wires
horizontally. The two birds are sitting on the same wire, while there
is a duplicate wire running horizontally below that without any birds
on it. This is in my backyard, so I know there is only one wire
there, and I know that two identical birds do not move together in
such synchronicity. It looks very real, though. Other things in my
line of sight are not duplicated. I notice this most with vertical or
horizontal lines, such as in an antennae which will appear to have
more bars in it than I know are actually there. This double vision
thing has only hit me a few times, but it is profoundly strange
because as much as I know what I am seeing is not real, it looks very
real.
Sweats
I frequently get
hot, almost feverish, which leads to sweats. It feels like my
internal furnace gets ramped up.
Unexplained Weight Loss or Gain
I can actually
explain the weight gain part. I do not exercise as much as I use to
but I still enjoy eating just as much. I would not mind the
unexplained weight loss part though. That just seems to take actual
effort as an explanation.
Cravings for Carbohydrates and
Chocolate
That may be
another explanation for the weight gain thing which I really have to
battle. I do have these cravings, I think more than I used to. That
may be unscientific, though, as I have always loved chocolate.
Headaches and Migraines
Check. I
definitely have more frequent severe headaches than I used to.
Fibrocystic Breasts
This is associated
with actual lumps as well as with heightened sensitivity. I do breast
self-exam, as my father survived breast cancer by catching it early.
I have not found any lumpy or tender parts. However, my nipples get
painfully hypersensitive to the point where even wearing a shirt is
uncomfortable. They are so sensitive even moving air can be painful.
Muscle Twitches
I
live in earthquake country, and have been through a lot of
earthquakes. There have been many occasions where I felt as if I was
experiencing a mild earthquake, but I looked around and saw no
movement of anything, heard none of the sound that typically
accompanies an earthquake, and it went on for several minutes, which
earthquakes do not do. I knew it was not an earthquake, but I had no
idea what it was other than something really strange my body was
doing. This always happened while I was lying down in bed. It
happened while I was wide awake. This seems to be what is referred to
as internal tremors. It effects some premenopausal
women, and some 40% of Parkinsons
patients. It has pretty much gone away as a symptom after I started
Savella.
Diffuse Swelling
I do
get frequent swelling in my hands.
Shortness of Breath
Much
of the time.
Earaches and Itchy Ears and Ringing
Ears
Not
so much. Then again, I do get the super hearing (See My Super Power)
Allergies
This
one makes sense, since so much of fibromyalgia has to do with hyper
reaction. I am now extremely allergic to air borne stuff, with
watering eyes, sneezing, and congestion. Sometimes it feels like I am allergic to air. In allergy season it can get
quite bad, and I can't take any of the medications because they don't
play well with the other meds I am on.
Miscellaneous
Here are a bunch of symptoms I do not,
thankfully have to deal with: Hemorrhoids, nose bleeds, hair loss (a
big deal for me since I am the only male in my family not suffering
from male pattern baldness), mottled skin, nails that curve under,
easy bruising and scaring, non-cancerous tumors, adhesions, ingrown
hairs, heavy and splitting cuticles.
Part 1 of 2
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