15 Ways Anyone Tin Run Across My Invisible Illness, Fibromyalgia

Living amongst fibromyalgia is hard to explicate unless you've truly experienced it. After all, nosotros facial expression "normal." As an invisible illness, fibromyalgia's symptoms - ranging from chronic musculus hurting together with fatigue to digestive problems to retention issues - aren't visible to the naked eye. On proficient days, nosotros may fifty-fifty seem 100% healthy, going on hikes, identify unit of measurement vacations or girl's nights out similar everyone else.

But the (somewhat ugly) truth? By traditional medical standards, we're non "normal" - together with fibromyalgia impacts to a greater extent than of our daily lives than people likely realize.

Living amongst fibromyalgia is hard to explicate unless y'all xv Ways Anyone Can See My Invisible Illness, Fibromyalgia

So what does living amongst fibromyalgia look similar - beyond the symptoms I alive amongst every day? Here are xv ways - from the routine I go on to the coping mechanisms I oftentimes rely on - that anyone tin "see" my invisible illness, fibromyalgia.

1. My driving "curfew," which rarely strays past 7 o'clock.

Many people don't realize that insomnia is i of the mutual symptoms of fibromyalgia - which is why I've been taking sleeping medication since my diagnosis at historic catamenia 11. I receive got my pills every twenty-four hours at vii PM sharp...which is why, past times the fourth dimension that a lot of college students are only getting educate to hitting the town, I'm already rockin' PJs. And during the special occasions when I am out late? I receive got my pills slowly together with bargain amongst the (insomniac) consequences...or I telephone telephone shot gun!

2. My dearest of massages.

Do I truly demand to explicate this one? Constant pain + a proficient masseuse = i happy fibro warrior. (And, yes, I powerfulness endure hoping to befriend some of the physical therapist grad students at MSU. I'll happily merchandise baked goods for a massage!).

3. The oestrus packs that I ever receive got nearby, fifty-fifty during the summer.

One of the biggest symptoms of fibromyalgia is musculus pain...and i of the best ways I've flora to handle it is heat. When my joints ache, I lay the pack across my legs. When a outburst hits, my shoulders together with my oestrus pack go BFFs. And when I go to slumber at night, a oestrus pack rests on my breast similar a warm, comforting safety blanket. My college roommates could ever tell that I was getting educate for bed when the microwave started to hum. See me wearing a oestrus pack during some other fourth dimension of day? Consider it a visible sign of the invisible hurting I'm probable feeling.

Living amongst fibromyalgia is hard to explicate unless y'all xv Ways Anyone Can See My Invisible Illness, Fibromyalgia

4. My constant fidgeting inwards my seat.

When my muscles acquire also tight or are forced into the same topographic point for a long time, they're to a greater extent than probable to flare upwards or acquire knots. As a result, I effort to ever go on changing positions - particularly during those vicious three-plus-hour lectures inwards college (and straightaway inwards grad school). Another argue that level yoga or stretching is a must...

5. The pillow I ever receive got amongst me land traveling.

I struggle amongst the most fibromyalgia hurting inwards my cervix together with shoulder muscles. If i of those muscles gets tweaked, I tin endure hitting amongst debilitating headaches for weeks. So when I'm traveling, I never leave my trusty pillow at home. I've taken it on airplanes, thrown it inwards cars during our (various) long route trips, together with I'm (of course) bringing it to grad schoolhouse amongst me.

6. My dearest of unscented everything.

There are ii kinds of people inwards the world: the ones who dearest perfume, cologne, candles together with everything scented...and the ones who acquire a headache from scented laundry sheets. I - together with many others amongst fibromyalgia - am business office of the latter group.

Living amongst fibromyalgia is hard to explicate unless y'all xv Ways Anyone Can See My Invisible Illness, Fibromyalgia

7. The days when I tin barely retrieve my ain name.

Do y'all ever wake upwards inwards the middle of the dark together with are together with thus disoriented, y'all tin barely retrieve where you're sleeping? Fibro fog feels just similar that...except you're awake, together with it tin concluding for days. I experience less fibro fog than years agone (thanks to figuring out the diet that plant for me + other lifestyle changes that I talk to a greater extent than inwards depth well-nigh here). However, when fibro fog does hitting me, fifty-fifty elementary tasks go a lot to a greater extent than difficult.

So if y'all run into the fibro warriors inwards your life struggling to drive to function or retrieve where they left the telephone that they were belongings v minutes ago, you're "seeing" the invisible fibro fog they're battling that day.

8. My blackout curtains.

With fibromyalgia, getting proficient slumber is hard. Period. So, fifty-fifty though they powerfulness non endure the prettiest, blackout curtains are a must inwards my bedroom.

9. My dislike of large conditions changes.

My best friend also has fibromyalgia, together with large conditions changes brand her joints experience particularly inflamed together with achy. For me, conditions shifts tin motion the same symptoms or, fifty-fifty to a greater extent than often, extremely bad sinus hurting together with headaches. Either way, when conditions goes from sunny days inwards the 90s to cloudy days inwards the 60s, my torso is normally non a fan!

Living amongst fibromyalgia is hard to explicate unless y'all xv Ways Anyone Can See My Invisible Illness, Fibromyalgia

10. The jacket that I receive got nearby 24/7.

Another truth well-nigh living amongst fibromyalgia? Cold temperatures together with I don't acquire along well. When I'm cold, my joints wound to a greater extent than than green together with my muscles tense up, which tin Pb to a fibromyalgia flare. So, yes, I'm that daughter who ever has a jacket amongst her - together with the daughter who wears many, many layers when wintertime rolls approximately (especially straightaway that I alive inwards Minnesota!).

11. The random times I'm pulling my pilus or earlobes.

I'm certain I've gotten a lot of weird looks from these coping mechanisms, but I'm normally inwards also much hurting to care. When I'm having a muscle-tension-induced headache, I've learned that pulling on the dorsum of my earlobes tin assistance stretch the muscles that are normally causing the problems. Same amongst pulling my hair. Like they say...if it's non broken, don't effort to create it. And, equally foreign equally these stretches powerfulness look, they're oftentimes just what my torso needs.

12. My dearest of routine.

Honestly, I similar routine. I similar knowing when I'm eating, when I'm showering together with when I'm taking over the basis (a joke...kind of). However, I also follow a routine because of fibromyalgia. I stick to the workouts I know volition challenge me without tweaking a musculus or causing a flare up. I stick to my version of a "fibromyalgia diet," or the foods that tin assistance me, and my joints, experience our best. My life may endure a chip less exciting than some, but my life is also less painful than it used to be.

Living amongst fibromyalgia is hard to explicate unless y'all xv Ways Anyone Can See My Invisible Illness, Fibromyalgia

13. My downwards days.

I'd similar to intend that I'm a positive somebody and, I strive to brand living amongst fibromyalgia (and celiac disease) the most fun equally possible. Sometimes, though, it only sucks. It sucks to wound all over your torso when y'all didn't create anything "wrong." It sucks that y'all facial expression "normal" when y'all experience similar a zombie. It sucks that the novel *insert some random workout, food, activity* y'all tried to add together to your routine majorly backfired. So if I seem extra emotional, tranquility or upset every straightaway together with again, know that it's likely non you. It's likely only my body, heed together with I fighting it out.

14. My dearest of comfy clothes.

Yes, I'm certain in that place are enough of fibromyalgia fashionistas out in that place (and y'all totally print me, if that's you!). But sometimes, when you're feeling cruddy, nil says "comfort" improve than PJs or sweatpants.

15.  The plans I've unexpectedly canceled.

Sometimes, no affair how careful I am amongst my diet or do routine, a fibromyalgia flare comes out of nowhere. So, if people amongst fibromyalgia keeps changing plans amongst y'all at the concluding minute, effort to run into it equally a symptom of their invisible illness...and non a reflection on the strength of your friendship.

Living amongst fibromyalgia is hard to explicate unless y'all xv Ways Anyone Can See My Invisible Illness, Fibromyalgia


And when nosotros run into y'all standing past times our side - or, to a greater extent than often, lying beside us on the couch binge-watching Netflix instead of going on that 6-mile hike - know that nosotros appreciate y'all working amongst us. Even to a greater extent than importantly, know that nosotros appreciate you...for non exclusively "seeing" our invisible illness, but also for seeing how you tin brand living amongst fibromyalgia a lilliputian chip easier for us.


*Also flora at Dare to Share, RunningwithSpoons*

Do y'all know someone amongst an invisible illness, or fifty-fifty receive got i yourself? What's i means y'all tin "see" it? Tell me your thoughts inwards the comments!
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