I have experienced the ups and downs of Fibromyalgia for 20 years.
During that period of time I have attempted suicide three times because of the horrendous pain —
and accompanying depression.
Sadly the medical community does not know the real cause(s) of this debilitating illness. There are certainly lots of theories and a new one emerges every two years or so. It is up to the person who has the illness to do research and pay attention to what (they think) causes or triggers the pain and what remedies it. Some (many) of the things that cause or contribute to Fibro pain are beyond your control — like the weather.
I lived in Calgary, Alberta for decades. Calgary is famous for its Stampede and its Chinooks. Chinooks can occur pretty much in any month of the year but are mainly noticed in Winter. A Calgary Winter would be even more discouraging without Chinooks. Many Calgarians look forward to Chinook days when the temperature can go up by 20 or 30 degrees Celsius and the streets run with ice water. But folks who suffer from migraines and fibromyalgia dread Chinooks. Its not the temperature change though that increase in temperature can be tough on a body already wracked with pain. Its the air pressure dummy.
A Chinook Wind flows and catapults over the Rockies and is driven by low pressure. That low pressure causes the muscles and joints to expand. And, leads to pain. In a person with migraines and/or fibromyalgia that pain can be crucifying. When I was patient at Calgary’s Chronic Pain Center I was asked by the pain specialist, “On a scale from 1 to 10 how would rate the worse pain you have felt?” I said, “TWENTY”.
What helps?
It helps to KNOW that there are answers (if you can just find them) but you have to recognize:
- You are responsible for you — what you think, what you feel, and what you do,
- You will have great days and shitty days
- If you keep looking you will find a solution — but you may need to tailor it to you
Next week I will talk about Research.
Till then watch out for those Chinooks!
