Fibromytes know that chronic, widespread muscle and nerve pain, non-restorative disordered sleep, tender points and indescribable fatigue are the key symptoms of fibromyalgia, but fibromyalgia is more than that: it's a collection of other symptoms in addition to pain, sleep problems, tenderness and fatigue.
Did you know that the following symptoms and signs are very common in fibromyalgia?
Muscle spasms
Lack of stamina and endurance
Swollen glands
Tender lymph nodes
Joint pain
Stiffness
Low-grade fever
Migraines
Brain fog
Cognitive problems
Numbness, tingling and burning sensations
TMJ
Dizziness
Heart palpitations and chest pain
Dry eyes
Earache or itch
Dry skin
Skin redness
Fingers swelling (a common complaint is that rings no longer fit)
Hair loss
Itching
Mouth sores
Easy bruising
Raynaud's phenomenon
Strange sensations (like a feeling as if a bug is crawling on you)
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Painful menstrual periods
Vulvodynia
Interstitial cystitis
Irritable Bowel (IBS)
Restless leg syndrome
Depression
Anxiety
Mood swings
Fibro-fog (impaired memory and concentration)
Chemical or drug sensitivities
Exercise intolerance
Most fibromytes have several of these signs and symptoms in addition to the key elements of FMS. Few have all of these symptoms, but some of us have almost all (including me!).
These symptoms come and go, and are chronic and unpredictable. This can result in making advance plans for socializing difficult to impossible, because we never know if or when we're going to be hit with a case of IBS, anxiety, feverishness, vulvodynia, a painful menstrual period, or a combination of several symptoms.
Fibromyalgia is unpredictable in the extreme. And it's important to always remember that none of these symptoms arises due to anything we are doing (or not doing).