Could it be Fibromyalgia

@kjs831 that is a great way to determine if you have fibromyalgia.
Now, if I were you, I would show the tender point chart to your doctor and ask them to see how you feel after they perform the test on you.
If they see you react, hopefully you will get confirmation.

@SusanEllen66

I plan on it. I have a friend who has Fibromyalgia, and I told her my aches feel like they do when I've had the flu. She said that's how it feels for her too. I see my primary care doctor on July 13th, so I am going to tell her more about it

@kjs831 a word of advice, don’t let anyone tell you it’s all in your head! You have to be strong!
I know that you are strong.

Here's an article that may assist you with your parents:
https://www.globallymealliance.org/blog/how-to-respond-to-but-you-dont-look-sick
Have you read about the "spoon therapy" and chronic illness?

The "Spoon Theory" is a famous metaphor created by Christine Miserandino, a lupus patient, to explain the daily reality of living with a chronic illness or invisible disability. It uses "spoons" as a visual unit of energy to show how every daily task requires a calculated, limited amount of effort.

While healthy people generally wake up with an unlimited supply of spoons to do whatever they want, people with chronic conditions start their day with a strictly counted, much smaller batch (e.g., 12 spoons).

The Math of Daily Life: Every basic task costs a spoon. Getting out of bed might cost one, taking a shower costs two, and getting dressed costs another. By the time a "spoonie" has prepared breakfast and brushed their teeth, they may have already used up a significant chunk of their daily energy.

The "Invisible" Struggle: The phrase "but you don't look sick" is hurtful because it ignores the exhausting mental math required to survive the day. Someone may look perfectly fine or put-together on the outside, but they have already made painful sacrifices—like choosing between eating dinner or taking a shower—just to get through the day.

No Reserve Tank: When your spoons are gone, they are gone. Pushing through means "borrowing" energy from the next day, which usually results in extreme fatigue or a severe flare-up of symptoms the following morning.

The theory provides a powerful way to reframe how people view disability, shifting the focus away from assumptions of laziness and toward the careful, necessary rationing of energy.

To read the original essay that started the community, check out The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino.

Here's an article that may assist you with your parents:
https://www.globallymealliance.org/blog/how-to-respond-to-but-you-dont-look-sick
Have you read about the "spoon therapy" and chronic illness?

The "Spoon Theory" is a famous metaphor created by Christine Miserandino, a lupus patient, to explain the daily reality of living with a chronic illness or invisible disability. It uses "spoons" as a visual unit of energy to show how every daily task requires a calculated, limited amount of effort.

While healthy people generally wake up with an unlimited supply of spoons to do whatever they want, people with chronic conditions start their day with a strictly counted, much smaller batch (e.g., 12 spoons).

The Math of Daily Life: Every basic task costs a spoon. Getting out of bed might cost one, taking a shower costs two, and getting dressed costs another. By the time a "spoonie" has prepared breakfast and brushed their teeth, they may have already used up a significant chunk of their daily energy.

The "Invisible" Struggle: The phrase "but you don't look sick" is hurtful because it ignores the exhausting mental math required to survive the day. Someone may look perfectly fine or put-together on the outside, but they have already made painful sacrifices—like choosing between eating dinner or taking a shower—just to get through the day.

No Reserve Tank: When your spoons are gone, they are gone. Pushing through means "borrowing" energy from the next day, which usually results in extreme fatigue or a severe flare-up of symptoms the following morning.

The theory provides a powerful way to reframe how people view disability, shifting the focus away from assumptions of laziness and toward the careful, necessary rationing of energy.

To read the original essay that started the community, check out The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino.

Here's an article that may assist you with your parents:
https://www.globallymealliance.org/blog/how-to-respond-to-but-you-dont-look-sick
Have you read about the "spoon therapy" and chronic illness?

The "Spoon Theory" is a famous metaphor created by Christine Miserandino, a lupus patient, to explain the daily reality of living with a chronic illness or invisible disability. It uses "spoons" as a visual unit of energy to show how every daily task requires a calculated, limited amount of effort.

While healthy people generally wake up with an unlimited supply of spoons to do whatever they want, people with chronic conditions start their day with a strictly counted, much smaller batch (e.g., 12 spoons).

The Math of Daily Life: Every basic task costs a spoon. Getting out of bed might cost one, taking a shower costs two, and getting dressed costs another. By the time a "spoonie" has prepared breakfast and brushed their teeth, they may have already used up a significant chunk of their daily energy.

The "Invisible" Struggle: The phrase "but you don't look sick" is hurtful because it ignores the exhausting mental math required to survive the day. Someone may look perfectly fine or put-together on the outside, but they have already made painful sacrifices—like choosing between eating dinner or taking a shower—just to get through the day.

No Reserve Tank: When your spoons are gone, they are gone. Pushing through means "borrowing" energy from the next day, which usually results in extreme fatigue or a severe flare-up of symptoms the following morning.

The theory provides a powerful way to reframe how people view disability, shifting the focus away from assumptions of laziness and toward the careful, necessary rationing of energy.

To read the original essay that started the community, check out The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino.

https://www.fibromyalgiafund.org/why-fibromyalgia-muscles-hurt/
Check this research out. I found it very descriptive. Essentially, though, it goes back to square one when I was diagnosed 45 years ago. My meds then were low-dose Elavil (I took the generic) for stage 4 deep sleep, Naprosyn (anti-inflammatory), Parafon Forte (muscle relaxer, I take the generic).

Now that I’m 77, I can no longer take Elavil (hallucinated after 5 years) - use C-Pap machine that doesn’t make me feel rested; can’t take Naprosyn or anti-inflammatory drugs - had internal bleeding a few years ago; still take Parafon Forte - can take this muscle relaxer for a couple days at a time - split 500 mg dose in half…puts me to sleep, makes me groggy, take on as-needed basis only.

Always tired, more muscle tightness - have had two UTIs - each one, muscles in area of uti clenched and wouldn’t loosen up for months. First UTI it was my left hip. Second UTI, it was my left flank.