I have lived with fibromyalgia pain for the past thirteen years. Even though I wasn’t formally diagnosed with this condition until 2002, the painful symptoms began in 1996. There are several symptoms to determine whether or not one has fibromyalgia.

Prior to my diagnosis, the symptoms included pain in my upper shoulders, neck, feet and fingers. After complaining to my primary care physician about having this pain for a few months, blood tests and x-rays were conducted, as well as an over-the-counter medication. When those things did not work to relieve the painful symptoms, he referred me to a rheumatologist to check for lupus, arthritis or other possible rheumatic diseases. It was a relief to finally have a name to the pain I was experiencing, but at that time, there didn’t seem to be many who had fibromyalgia, let alone even heard of it, which made me feel as if this condition wasn’t real.

After the diagnosis, I did some research to learn how I may have obtained this condition. I read that fibromyalgia pain can occur at any time and may have been sparked because of a previous injury. In 1993, I sprained my neck when I was thrown against a wall while breaking up a fight. Then in 1996, I had foot pain primarily in the balls of my feet that would not go away. My primary care physician at that time first advised foot exercises and ibuprofen. When I told him neither of those remedies were working, he sent me to an orthopedic doctor, who prescribed shoe orthotic inserts, however, the foot pain did not go away or abate with the use of the orthotics, exercise or over-the counter medication. There hasn’t been a day since February of 1996 that my feet have not hurt, and the pain isn’t less painful whether I wear flats, gym shoes or other comfortable shoes.

It is now 2009 and the symptoms I have at the moment include pain in my upper back, left lower back, upper arms, fingers, calves, neck, shoulders and on various parts of my body where clothes touch my skin. For instance, sometimes the pants I wear causes pain in my upper thighs or a certain shirt will aggravate the pain I feel in my upper arms. Lastly, not being able to fall asleep and stay asleep is another symptom that occurs when one has fibromyalgia.

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